The Gluttonous Fly

It has been a grueling day after the Sumeragi Group activated their massive Metaworld Field Projector that engulfed the entirety of Neo Tokyo, isolating the city from the rest of the world and the members of QUILL's SHEEP squad rescue of a group of people from monsters called Shadows at the prestigious high school Anthem Academy. After that event, many things have happened for our ragtag group of heroes.


Two hours after the battle of Anthem Academy

With the exception of those who are resting in the main gymnasium after Elise healed their injuries because there's too many of them to fit in the nurse's room, everyone who was released from stasis gathers in the auditorium waiting for the members of QUILL to explain what's going on. Ouka, Xiao, and Nowa are there as well thanks to the fact that the two Anti-Shadow Field Generators' domes of the Kamizono mansion and the academy are touching allowing safe travel between the two locations without fear of be attacked by Shadows.

"So what are we going to tell them?" Gino asks wondering how they're going to explain all the weird things that's happened to the citizens turned refugees since they can't return to their homes.

"Remember, we can't tell them we have the means to release people from stasis. As much as I hate leaving their friends, family, and loved ones trapped in those cubes we don't have the resources to provide for them on a daily basis and the numbers will only increase as time goes on." Xiao reminds since they're the only ones these people can rely on to keep them alive.

"We simply tell them that this is all the Sumeragi Group's doing." Acura states as he crosses his arms in with an angry expression.

"Would they even believe us? We're all technically a part of QUILL now and as far as they know a worldwide terrorist organization." Zonda asks the group.

"We have the evidence that Dr. Kamizono provided for us. We can show them many of the horrible and illegal activities Sumeragi has done." Monica says looking at Nowa who nods and shows the laptop she brought filled with the data they've received from the doctor.

"Maybe I should also go out there and speak to them. There are students and teachers who know me and would be willing to back me up." Guren offers since he became well known during his first year in the academy.

"Oh that's right, I heard you became the most popular first year student last year." Gino remembers hearing somethings whenever he went to check up on G.V.

"I was? I just wanted to help people with their problems whenever I can." Guren was surprised as being popular was never his intention.

'The danger of getting accosted by fangirls is one of the reasons I wasn't able to even interact with you Guren. If I did then they would have pounced on me like the jealous bitches they are.' Elise thought grimly at the thought of being bullied.

"Very well Guren-san, lets just get this over with so we can do something more productive." Nowa accepts as they go start the presentation.

"Good luck everyone!" Michiru cheers as she and Ouka wait backstage.

It was actually rather difficult at first for QUILL to convince everyone that Sumeragi is responsible for the monsters they identified as Shadows attacking them and that they're trying to stop them as most of them don't believe that the concept of the Metaworld and it entering the real world to be true.

It was only when they showed images of the large Metaworld Field Projector on top of Babel Tower that people are beginning to see what's going on.

Many people were interested in the studying the metaphysical plane of existence and the ability to bring one's imagination into reality but that was saved for later.

And when the four teens properly showed them the powers they have from being inside the Metaworld did the students and adults became more interested and willing to listen.

It also helped that Guren who many of people who knew him the year before believed everything he said though it was hard to lie about the fact that there's nothing they could do for the people who don't have the potential to be Persona-users.

A few hours later after everyone who was injured and is now awake was told about everything said in the auditorium, a vote was decided whether or not to allow QUILL take charge of them since they can only safely stay within the borders that the Anti-Shadow Field Generators are covering.

Luckily for SHEEP squad the vote was cast in their favor as they're the only ones who can fight Shadows and go off for supply runs while those who voted negatively still didn't really trust what they believed for some time was just a terrorist group.


Later that day

During the evening at the Kamizono mansion Ouka insists she help cook dinner even though Nowa politely refuses saying that she's a guest.

At dinner Michiru pretty much invited Guren, Elise, Zonda, Ouka, Monica, Gino, and Xiao to come live with them much to Acura's surprise.

"What, did you think they'll just end up staying a the academy with the other refugees?" Michiru questions her twin.

"Well yes, the refugees do need protection but more importantly law and order if they're going to live there for a while." Acura pointed out.

"And despite the academy having a large stock of food and medicine a rationing system needs to be implemented which would make some people unhappy." Lola adds looking up long term solutions to their eventual food problem.

"Maybe a large garden should be added for them to take care of." Guren suggests thinking that growing their own food would help.

"We're getting off topic here, we're part of a team now so we should all live under the same roof and get to know each other so we can work well together!" Michiru excitedly explains.

"What's with this 'we' stuff? You and Ouka-san are neither fighters or operators and just civilians." Acura reminds his twin that she needed saving.

"Hey!" she angrily shouts.

After dinner it was decided that they should go to Guren, Zonda, Ouka, and Elise's homes to get anything they need to bring back to the Kamizono mansion especially anything edible so that it wouldn't just spoil.

Due to the enhanced strength while in their Persona forms they managed to easily flip SHEEP's armored vehicle back on its wheels. They also 'borrowed' a cargo truck so they can bring a many of their possessions to their new base.

While traveling to each destination any Shadows that tries to attack them are easily dealt with since they're pretty much small fry.

At Guren's home which is a standard house that can house at least six people.

"No Shadows within the vicinity." Monica states before she exists the vehicle.

"Thanks for driving the truck Nowa-san." Gino thanked the maid who's in the driver's seat.

"Just get anything we definitely need. We won't be coming back here for a long while." Xiao says as the four residents head to each others rooms first.

"Wonder how five people who aren't blood related managed to live here for so long?" Michiru ponders as she, Acura, Lola, Ouka, Zonda, and Elise enter the kitchen and bathrooms to get food and supplies(toilet paper, soap, shampoo, et cetera).

"Why are you even here? Even with me and the others here it's still dangerous to be outside the Anti-Shadow Field." Acura asks as he and others place everything in the fridge in storage containers.

"I just didn't feel like staying at home alone with no one to talk to while waiting for you all to return." she replies gathering the fruits and vegetables that would spoil sooner than other edibles.

Meanwhile Elise follows G.V. to his room in the pretense of helping him pack his stuff.

'I'm going to his room. I'm going to his room. I'm going to his room.' is what she keeps repeating extremely nervous and blushing as red as a tomato.

Let's just say her just seeing the drawer where she thinks is where Guren keeps his underwear is when she couldn't handle it anymore.

A few minutes later Guren, Gino, Monica, and Xiao have all packed all their clothes in their luggage and also any tech the SHEEP members didn't have time to get in the morning when it all started.

"What about Asimov-san's things?" Zonda asks the four who all look rather crestfallen.

"... He didn't really have anything that would be considered a memento. For most of his life he's done nothing but fight against Sumeragi." Monica says not going into anymore detail.

Guren looks one more time at the home he's lived in ever since he was adopted believing that he may never see it again.

Next stop was Ouka's mansion at the outskirts of the city.

"Wow! It's just as big as ours!" Lola comments in wonder.

"Indeed it is, just makes you realize how just empty the place actually is." Ouka states in a forlorn tone.

Zonda, Michiru, and Acura feel sorry for the girl just because she's an illegitimate child that was pushed to the side.

Elise just looks at Ouka with an undefined expression.

After getting everything they need which was a lot of clothes, food, and supplies Guren wonders about the border where the dome of the Metaworld Field Generator that's closest from their location.

When they drove to the dome they see that there's activity just outside.

More specifically the Japanese military being the activity.

"Hey! Hey! We need help!" G.V. shouts trying to get the attention of both the soldiers and scientist that are inspecting the dome.

But no matter how loud he is or that they're right in front of them none of the people outside are acknowledging their presence.

"It doesn't seem like they can see or hear anything inside. We really are on our own." Gino says before the group returns to their vehicles.

Next is Zonda's home which is a condo instead of a mansion.

As they get everything important from within her home Zonda herself can't help but look at her housekeeper who's in suspended animation inside a cube.

"Sorry Zonda, but she's on the list for people who don't have the potential." Xiao confirms looking at his holographic screen.

"It's alright, as much as I want to release her so she can help us I don't want her to be targeted by Sumeragi when we do finally fight back against them." Zonda replies as she places her hand on the cube.

Finally the last stop which was Elise's apartment.

"It'll be quick." Elise whispers before she enters her apartment by herself not wanting any of them especially G.V. to enter.

'It's not like I have a lot of possessions.' she's able to pack every piece of clothing she owns and the only food items she has are tv dinners, milk, and water along with a few rolls of toilet paper. She also decides not to bring any of her video games since spending more time with her crush is a better use of her time.

But more importantly she hides every picture she's ever taken of Guren and by what's shown on these he was completely unaware that these photos were taken.

When she returns to the others Gino makes a suggestion to all of them.

"You know... if we're looking for food and supplies then... there are plenty of houses all over the city." Gino says like it's no big deal.

The group pauses at the sudden realization of what he just said.

"I mean... it's just that... fighting Sumeragi and taking down the Metaworld will probably take weeks if not months. So why not get supplies from those who don't have the potential?" he elaborates looking kind of guilty.

The gang looks at each other trying to get a read on their opinion.

Then Guren steps up.

"Gino, while what you said makes sense I don't agree with it. Even in this dire situation breaking into people's homes and taking their things just because they won't be able to use them for a long while is no justification." G.V. answers with conviction.

"I agree, stealing from individual people for the greater good is most likely the same line of thinking from the Sumeragi Group. If we're in severe need more resources then we can just go to supermarkets, shopping malls, and drug stores." Acura says on G.V.'s side.

"Indeed, stores can always recover. It's not like taking everything inside would really damage those multimillion yen corporations in the long run." Zonda adds siding with the two guys.

The others also disagree with Gino as they would not give up their morals just to survive.

"Okay! Okay! Jeez! I was just laying it up there just in case something happens! Just forget I said anything at all!" Gino ends the conversation as the team returns to the Kamizono mansion.

Before going to bed the twins couldn't help but think of their father with Guren doing the same about his stepfather.


The next day

Everyone woke up bright and early some believing that everything that had happened was a bad dream.

But it wasn't a dream. This is their new world now, or rather their Metaworld.

After breakfast, Michiru and Ouka being civilians decided to go and help the refugees at the academy since their first night most likely was not a pleasant one.

"We're going to help redistribute the dormitories since most of the students are trapped in stasis." Ouka explains before she and Michiru head out.

Xiao proposes that they should analyze the Persona-users' abilities in depth which was unanimously agreed upon.

Inside the laboratory Xiao and Nowa have setup the empty space used for testing by turning it into a training area.

First up is Gunvolt.

"Alight G.V., let's first test out your Flash Field!" Xiao states from the main computer.

"Roger that!" G.V. acknowledges as he...

"Flash Field!" his unleashes his electric sphere for Xiao to study.

"Ten meter radius, high voltage level, but what about duration." Xiao says indicating to Gunvolt how long he can keep it up.

1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...

"Ten seconds!" G.V. gasps as though out of breath deactivating his Flash Field on the ten second mark.

"But it seems like you overheated. When that happens you need to wait a second before you can use your Septima again." Xiao watches the monitor that's analyzing Gunvolt.

"Sigh, good to know." he says feeling fine again.

"Next is its defensive capabilities." launchers and laser guns set to non-lethal stun have now surrounded the Persona-user.

The launchers fire beanbags while the guns shoot stun beams.

"Flash Field!"

The electric field disintegrates the beanbags on contact but the beams continue uninterrupted making Gunvolt to dodge out of the way.

"Only affects matter and not energy." Xiao notes typing on the computer.

"Kind of figured that out already." G.V. states getting up from dodging.

Xiao tests more of Gunvolt's abilities like how he's able to float down slowly with his Flash Field active and that the streams of electricity that travel towards the lightning rod darts only go up to twenty meters.

Zonda's test was more of an obstacle course like one would see during military training.

"Are you ready Zonda-san?" Nowa asks as she was the one who made the course.

"Affirmative." she replies while bouncing on her heels.

3...2...1...

GO

With a powerful hop that left small cracks from where she stood Zonda dashes through energy rings that move around. Next she leaped over a wall that's ten meters high in a single bound. Having to hop on floating platforms and not fall on the water. Finally destroying every dummy robot before reaching the finish line.

"Sonic Pu.. I mean Kick!" Zonda kicks every robot hard sending all of them flying in pieces before finishing the course.

"Good work, Zonda-san. I'm satisfied that you did not solely rely on your Septima power." Nowa comments as she views the rabbit girl's statistics.

"I'm a lot tougher than I look." Zonda remarks while stretching finally able to do physical activity in order to build up her stamina when not in Persona form.

Acura's training consists of using his Border pistol, EX Gear shield, and the Sepitima powers he's copied from the others while Lola inspects her humanoid form.

"Playing cards aren't really my thing, maybe I can change the objects with my own imagination." the teen concentrates on the playing cards he produced from his shield with the desire they be something else.

A few moments later the cards began glowing as they change shape into the form of...

"Bullets." Acura picks one up inspecting what was once the Ace of Hearts and is now a red bullet with the Agi symbol marked on it.

"At least I don't have to worry about running out of ammunition." he says before going to the targeting range.

"I wonder if I can do other things a human can do. Maybe even eat food! Can someone give me a slice of cake?!" Lola exclaims excitedly.

"Lola, that's not what we're testing you on." Nowa admonishes to the A.I.

"And besides, now's not the time for existential questions anyways." Xiao adds

With a huff Lola summons her P-bits and begins her training.

Finally for Elise's training...

"AAAHHH!" Elise screams of horror echo throughout the laboratory.

"Elise! What happened?!" Gunvolt rushes to her in worry.

"M-my... my legs!" she sputters while on the floor.

G.V. looks and is surprised to see that Elise's legs have in fact disappeared and in their place is her snake tail that grew large enough to support her making the girl look like a lamia.

"W-what happened?!" Gunvolt questions looking extremely confused.

"I-I was about t-to do the speed t-test when my l-legs suddenly v-vanished!" Elise explains trying to get up.

G.V. grabs Elise's arms to pull her up and support her so she can stand much to her embarrassment.

He inspects her tail that's wagging which means she's both nervous and excited but he doesn't know that.

"I got it! I believe that you'd move faster slithering with you tail rather than running with your legs!" Gunvolt hypothesizes to the girl.

"Really?" she didn't believe it at first but since G.V. is the one who said it it must be true.

"Just try it out." he said as the girl adjusts herself so she can try out her altered form.

And off Elise goes moving in the typical serpentine way all snakes move as Gunvolt notes that she's faster now than she was when they ran away from their first encounter with the Shadows.

"I did it!" Elise shouts happily as she reached the finish line in roughly five seconds.

"Good work Elise!" he praises her making the girl even more happy as she raises her arms...

Which end up stretching longer than any normal human arms should as though they've been turned into very long snakes.

"WAAAHHH!" she screams in shock before falling face first on the floor again with her long snakelike arms sprawled in front of her.

"She still needs some work." Gunvolt whispers with a sweat drop as he goes to help his fallen teammate again.

At the targeting range Acura and Zonda were firing at both the stationary and moving targets with their bullets and cards respectively as G.V. and Elise join them.

"Ten out of ten as always Master Acura." Nowa announces as Acura did in fact hit all his targets without missing once.

"You really are a military otaku aren't you?" Zonda rhetorically says remembering the things Michiru said about him last night.

"Of course! He's been really into it when he was just a kid!" Lola chimes in.

"Don't reveal such things to them." Acura exasperatingly mutters with a sigh.

"Alright Elise, now lets see how good you are with your weapons." Xiao says giving the girl her own set of targets.

"Um... okay." several cobras slither from her back and onto her hands before turning into kunai.

She look at Gunvolt who gives her a reassuring smile before she throws all her kunai at once...

Miraculously hitting every target right at the center.

"That was amazing Elise! Looks like you're very lucky!" Xiao congratulates in amazement.

'Lucky huh?' she thought sadly but then looks at G.V. who's smiling at her. 'Maybe I really am now.' she blushes with a smile.

"Can your snakes only turn into kunai or can they become anything else?" Xiao asks analyzing the cobras.

"Um, maybe... though I prefer these than any other weapon." she replies holding a kunai.

"Let's try it out at the very least." Gunvolt encourages the snake girl.

"What should I use?" Elise asks for guidance.

"How about a gun." Acura advises

"It is the standard weapon this day and age." Zonda adds

With a snake in hand Elise focuses on it with the intention of turning it into a pistol like G.V. and Acura's.

Which eventually turned into a pistol with the barrel coming out of the cobra's mouth.

"Alright, let's see how well you can use it." Xiao brings in more targets.

Elise aims her cobra gun and starts firing purple beams at the targets though she misses more than she hits not even getting a bullseye.

"I can't seem to get the hang of it." she sadly states disappointed in herself.

"Here let me help." G.V. stands behind Elise and hold her hands to help her with her aim.

"Wouldn't Acura-kun be a better choice to help-" Lola was interrupted by Zonda who made a shush sound.

Elise was blushing up a storm at, in her opinion, Gunvolt's romantic gesture.

"Use your dominant eye, align the front and back sights, focus your eyes on the gun, choose where you're going to aim, and concentrate before pulling the trigger." he teaches glad that Asimov taught him when he was younger.

Elise did as he instructed and pulled the trigger...

BANG

and hit a stationary target right at the center.

"Yatta!"(Hooray!) she cheers as she looks back to see Gunvolt's nod in approval.

"It also seems that her shots has a chance at inflicting poison as well." Xiao announces seeing the hit targets have purple poison on them.

Before anything else can be done...

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

The alarm siren blares out loud enough for anyone in the Kamizono residence to hear.

"What's going on!" Gino and Monica rush inside the laboratory since they were doing something else.

"There's going to be another group of people about to be released from stasis." Nowa reveals as she types on the computer to see the map of the city.

"Where's the location?!" Acura asks as he and the others gather at the computer.

"An elementary school." she says to the team.

The members of QUILL pale at hearing that since it's going to be young kids who are going to be freed from stasis.

"We should get there as fast as we can!" Gunvolt declares as he and the other sans Xiao and Nowa head to their armored vehicle.


A few days later

SHEEP squad managed to rescue the elementary kids, teachers, et cetera who awoke from stasis easily enough since there were four Persona-users and non of the Shadows were as tough as the Rampage Drive with Monica who drove a school bus to transport all of them back to Anthem Academy.

However, problems began to occur there.

With adults and teens one can keep order for the most part but with little kids, keeping them calm in a dire situation were they almost got killed is another.

It doesn't help that there's even more mouths to feed and the rationing of the academy's food stores will only prolong the inevitable.

As such what Acura suggested the first night, go to every supermarket, shopping mall, drug stores, et cetera and take as many food and supplies as they can possibly fit into their cargo truck is what they've been doing for days.

"The clothes you've managed to get along with all the washers and dryers has really helped guys." Ouka appreciated glad for the fact that there's still power and plumbing.

For the most part the refugees would use the gym's locker room showers to bathe and the extra wide variety of clothes will help keep everyone clean and not filthy.

"Who knew taking care of children would be so hard?" Michiru lay on the mansion's living room couch in exhaustion.

"It's almost been a week and eventually any food with a short shelf life will expire." Zonda states looking at many of the food items' expiration dates.

"At least the plan for a large garden to be added to the academy is already underway." Gino says going over all their stuff to ration.

"But things like meat, fish, eggs, milk, bread, fruits, even coffee with all be unavailable since we can't produce them." Guren says as he only eats as much as he needs.

"If we can't solve this resource problem soon it'll only be a major problem later on." Monica worrying for their future.

"I believe I found the solution to our problem." Nowa announces as she enters the living room.

"What is it Nowa?" Acura ask his maid.

"It's an invention Dr. Kamizono created just before he was commissioned to research the Metaworld." she replies getting everyone's attention.

Minutes later they're back in the laboratory waiting for Nowa to go retrieve this invention.

"Here it it." the maid brings forth a device that looks like a 3D printer crossed with a microwave without a door.

"What is it?" Michiru asks wondering what her father invented that would solve their food problem.

"Wait! That can't be what I think it is!" G.V. shouts in a surprised tone.

"You know what this is? But how? My father invented it." Acura questions in confusion.

"I don't really think it's actually what I think it is but this thing looks exactly like a food replicator from Space Journey." Guren admits flabbergasted.

"Space Journey?" the white haired boy asks in confusion.

"Oh! That sci-fi space voyage series along with several movies that for some reason only the even numbered ones are actually good!" Gino excitedly exclaims obviously being a fan.

"That's right and food replicators were a fictional device that can synthesize food items from memory like a computer having files of a certain program." Michiru adds also a fan of the series.

"Despite your disbelief Guren-san, this device is in fact a food replicator Dr. Kamizono created most likely inspired by that show." Nowa confirms much to everyone's shock.

"So it can actually make real food with the same nutritional values the real ones have?" Zonda queries looking at the device in wonder.

"Indeed, that's what his notes said." the maid answers before activating it since it has its own power source.

"Well then, lets test it out." Monica says intrigued at something only thought to exist in fiction.

"What food item should it make first?" Nowa asks looking at the group.

"Let's just go for something simple, like an apple." Acura suggests proud that his father made something revolutionary.

"Roger that." she inputs the commands on the devices console and presses the enter button.

A moment later a red apple materializes from the devices cavity. For a few seconds the gang does nothing but look at it.

"Um... should one of us eat it?" Elise shyly asks ending the silence.

"I'll eat it! Oh wait, I'm in my combat pod form." Lola sadly floats with her head down.

"I'll do it!" Xiao grabs the apple and quickly takes a bite.

They all watch the youngest of the team as he chews the piece before finally swallowing it.

"Well?" Gino couldn't take the suspense any longer.

"It's just like eating a tree grown apple!" Xiao smiles as he eats more of it.

"This is amazing!" G.V. praises looking at the food replicator.

"Indeed, with this we finally solved our food crisis." Monica determined

"Unfortunately there's a bit of a problem." Nowa interjects

"What's the problem?" Zonda asks as she should have known there was a catch.

"There's only so much food the replicator can make before it runs out of energy. Afterwards it'll take hours for it to fully recharge so it can be used again." the maid explains the flaw of the device.

"So in other words it can't feed so many people at a time." Acura states dejectedly.

"It's still something at least." Ouka reassures

"There's still good new, but also bad news." Nowa announces

"What's the good news?" Xiao asks finishing the apple and placing the core into the cavity to be recycled and converted into energy.

"The good news is that Dr. Kamizono made ten more of them and are in working order." this gets everyone's spirits lifted.

"And the bad new?" Michiru questions in apprehension.

"The ten are currently located inside the Pharma Lab." the maid reveals getting shocked expressions from the team.

The Pharma Lab is one of the Sumeragi Group's facilities located throughout Neo Tokyo. It is a laboratory that researches many pharmaceutical experiments ranging from the modification of plant life from herbs, fruits, and vegetables to the development of drugs and medicine. As such the whole facility is a greenhouse dome with artificial sunlight making it look like the inside is daytime twenty-four/seven.

"So we're going to have to infiltrate a Sumeragi base of operations? Then I'll definitely want to be part of it." Acura declares with a determined look on his face.

"Me too! It's finally time we fight back against those assholes who's causing all of this to happen!" Gino agrees pumping his fists.

"And maybe get any information we can get from the main computer. See what they're up to and also find out the status of both Asimov and Dr. Kamizono." Xiao states going to the computer and look up files on the Pharma Lab.

With a unanimous agreement all members of QUILL prepare for...

Mission: Garden

With Xiao and Nowa staying to provide on base support all that's left is to drop off Michiru and Xiao at Anthem Academy.

"Be careful everyone." Ouka says in a worried tone who's mostly looking at Guren much to Elise's displeasure.

"Don't do anything too dangerous Acura." Michiru also adds to her brother.

The team nods in reassurance before leaving in their armored vehicle followed by the cargo truck that Monica is driving.


The Pharma Lab

It took over thirty minutes to reach their destination with little bumps in the road(Shadow attacks) slowing them down. The sight before them when they saw the large domed facility was...

"An Anti-Shadow Field." Gino states as the vehicles enter the field that's covering the dome covered facility.

"Makes sense that Sumeragi would protect their important territories from the Shadows." Guren realizes as they park in an inconspicuous hiding spot where the security wouldn't spot them.

"Even though there won't be any Shadows to deal with we shouldn't underestimate Sumeragi's defenses." Monica warns as the gang exit the vehicles.

"Yeah, the Sumeragi Group is so powerful and influential worldwide that they even have their own private military so expect that level of security when entering." Gino adds as he's holding a laser rifle in his hands.

"Roger that." Guren replies as he turns to his fellow Persona-users but is wondering why they're all staring at him.

"What is it?" he asks confused

"We're just waiting for you to take lead." Zonda answers coolly with Elise nodding in agreement.

"Wait, you want me to be the field leader? But what about Acura? He has the most combat training out of the four of us." G.V. is surprised as he looks to the white haired teen.

"You're right about me having trained in military combat Guren but the truth of the matter is that I have no experience in leading a team." Acura admitted to everyone.

"That's right, the reason he was going to high school in the first place was to learn all types of social interaction." Lola reminds them of Acura's anti-social origin.

"And Guren, y-you became the most p-popular boy last year b-because you're so c-charismatic." Elise stutters while blushing.

"Not to mention the fact that when it comes to power, you're the strongest Persona-user out of the four of you." Xiao chimes in through their communications earpiece.

Guren ponders their opinion of being made the field leader. Sure his Azure Striker Septima can inflict the most damage to an enemy at a time and many students and even teachers give him high praise during his first year in high school but did that really mean he should lead them to situations where they need to fight for their lives?

"Very well, I'll be the field leader but If there's anything that requires military strategy then I'm deferring to Acura as the second in command." he announces to everyone.

"I won't let anyone down." Acura declares with conviction.

"Nor will I!" Lola happily exclaims

"I didn't come here to provide moral support anyways." Zonda states getting motivated.

"I-I'll be by your side every step of the way." Elise says with a smile.

"Then let's get this party started!" G.V. declares

"PERSONA!"

The four Persona-users and humanoid combat pod head towards the facility while Monica and Gino stay with the vehicles.

"Nowa, where's the best entry point?" Acura asks his navigator.

"The best way to infiltrate the facility is from the drain pipes that spill into the ocean." the maid answers looking through the places blueprints.

"Isn't that where all the waste is expelled polluting the ocean?" Zonda rhetorically asks not wanting to be exposed to such filth.

"I'm sure we'll be fine." Lola dismisses as they reach the drain pipes that are big enough for all of them to fit through.

"What a lovely smell we've discovered." the rabbit girl said as they enter the domed building from the sewage.

'That's strange. Shouldn't these drain pipes be gated off?' Gunvolt couldn't help but wonder.

After wading through sewage and plugging their noses the team manages to find their way up to the actual facility.

"Finally! Who knew stink can smell so bad!" Lola inhales and exhales in relief finally out of the sewer area.

The sight inside the Pharma Lab was a sight to behold. Trees floating on water with the help from supports making the outer areas look like a forest and the inside of the dome being blue along with one large artificial light that makes it look like daytime.

"Even though it's not real, I miss the blue sky." Elise whispers already feeling nostalgic for simpler days.

"Gunvolt here. We managed to swooce on in." G.V. informs the four members of their teams back up crew.

"What?" Gino asks in confusion.

"It just means they're in." Monica clarifies

"Alright, let's go deeper into the facility." Gunvolt orders as the four move out.

"You're all currently in the Pharma Lab's first Biotope, experimental plants are grown there using artificial sunlight." Xiao explains the party's current location.

"Wonder what type of experiments Sumeragi were performing that they need to build this place?" Acura questions as they sneak over large water pipes instead of using the walkways.

"You're all a long ways from the main control room where the main computer is. With it we can find where the food replicators are located." Nowa informs seeing their position on the map.

"Roger that." Gunvolt acknowledges as they move towards their objective.

As they pass a nearby tree floating near the pipe they're walking on...

brum-brum-brum-brum-brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

A large red and black robot with one red eye suddenly lands in front of them with its right arm being a chainsaw.

"Careful! That's a Sentry Unit geared for close combat!" Xiao warns as the robot dashes towards them intending to kill them.

"WAAAHHH!" Elise screams in terror.

The Rampage Drive was one thing but getting sliced with a chainsaw is another.

"Dart Leader!" G.V. fire three darts at the robot before...

"Flash Field! Zio!" the streams of electricity struck the robot forcing it back but it tries to continue forward.

As it takes damage some of it's armor plating comes off.

"Zio Bullet!" Acura fires an electric bullet at one of the exposed parts causing to explode into pieces.

"Nice work!" Gino cheers(Gino and Monica can also see the visual feeds just like Xiao and Nowa can.)

But the victory was interrupted when something from the nearby tree stretched out to strike at Gunvolt.

"G.V.!" Elise stretches her snake arms and wraps them around his waist and pulls him back before what the thing is could take a bite with its fangs.

The thing in question is some kind of biomechanical monstrosity that either looks like a worm or...

"Is that some freak of nature tentacle?" Zonda wonders in disgust.

"Yeah, and it seems to have reacted to Gunvolt's Flash Field." Monica notices why it went after him and not the others.

"Then he and I should be careful where we use that ability." Acura notes seeing the tentacle retracts back into the tree.

"Thanks Elise, I wouldn't want to get bit by that thing." G.V. gratefully appreciates.

"Um, no problem Gunvolt." Elise twiddles her hands in embarrassment.

"It would seem we won't be able to destroy such a hazard unless we destroy the tree its hanging from." Zonda realizes

"Yeah, even I would feel guilty at cutting a tree down for my convenience." Lola states floating as far away from the tree but not too far away from her companions.

"Sounds like a crazy trap that Gino would come up with." Xiao comments

"Whoa, hang on a sec there!" Gino interjects

"What? You're always saying weird things." the kid shoots back

"Can we please cut the unnecessary chatter!" Acura exclaims in frustration.

Then the alarm blares throughout the facility.

"And stealth as gone completely out the window." Zonda sighs since they definitely have to fight their way through.

"Let's get going!" Gunvolt and the others book it forward.

After fighting a few more chainsaw wielding sentries the team makes it into an interior area filled with long and giant green stalks.

"The pathway goes vertical from here." Nowa states helping in guiding the team.

"Make your way up, and watch out for tenta... experimental vegetation." Monica advises watching from from SHEEP's armored vehicle.

'Is she still thinking about that?' Gunvolt wonders as they jump up platforms where the stalks are placed.

"How do normal people move around here?" Lola wonders as you need to be superhuman to make such jumps.

As they were jumping up the path they came across another weird looking plant.

It's a biomechanical pink flower with spikes that hasn't blossomed yet, and it's blocking their way. There's literally no way to avoid it.

"Let's just destroy it!" Zonda takes out her cards...

Suddenly the flower spews out four mechanical spiders.

"Thought so! Suit of Hearts! Maragi!" she throws four flaming cards destroying them.

"Flash Field! Zio!" Gunvolt destroys the flower before it could spew out more spiders.

With that obstacle out of the way the party continues moving.

After dropping down a hatch that G.V. had to electrify a switchboard to open they reach a dank area filled with Shooter Drones that can fire shots from the sides and below and more spider spewing flowers.

As they traverse the area the team notices brittle looking ivy platforms that are below rows of spikes.

"Watch out! Your more destructive attacks will destroy those platforms if you're not careful!" Xiao warns though the platforms seem to grow back just as quickly.

"Why are there even spikes here in the first place?!" Acura exasperatingly wonders getting sick of the layout of this place.

Elise being herself gets wary from looking at all the spikes as it only take one mistake and they'll get skewered.

'They're even growing plants in a dank area like this... The growth rate must be insane.' Gunvolt thought now seeing that there's really no proper containment in this Sumeragi facility.

After destroying more obstacles and avoiding 'experimental vegetation' the QUILL team manages to reach the open areas again seeing a large control tower over a massive tree.

"That tower is where the main computer for the entire facility is." Nowa proclaims

"Roger that." Acura and the others rush there taking out any security bots they come across.

Despite facing military grade weapons the power of Persona was more than enough to take care of them and with them close to their first objective it looks it'll be smooth sailing from...

"What's with all the ruckus? It's interrupting my dinner time." a voice calls out just in front of them.

The group stops in their tracks as in front of them is an actual human being.

"A person?" Zonda confused at seeing a human being in the middle of this Sumeragi facility.

"That's strange, there was no alarm indicating that people would be released from stasis in the Pharma Lab." Xiao reveals equally confused.

Most likely the scanners won't detect awakening people inside any Sumeragi buildings.

"This guy doesn't look like someone who works for Sumeragi, at least their military or science division." G.V. notes getting a bad feeling about this teenager who looks a little older than them.(Eighteen to be exact.)

He has shoulder length, messy green hair, red eyes, and extremely pale skin. He wears a tattered white shirt, a black Sumeragi executive jacket tied around his waist, black trousers, and brown boots. His forearms and palms are also heavily wrapped in bandages.

"What are you doing here?" Acura asks suspiciously itching to shoot this unknown guy.

"That's a question I should be asking you guys. You've not only trespassed but also destroyed tons of Sumeragi's property. That's something I can't ignore." he says as he rubs his belly.

"So you are working for Sumeragi! That makes you our enemy!" Lola shouts getting battle ready.

'So much for diplomacy.' Gunvolt thought hoping they wouldn't have to fight other humans at least this early.

"Oh, I received a message that members of QUILL are in the city but I didn't think they would attack this place I was put in charge of." the he reveals casually to them.

"Why would they choose someone as gangly looking as you?" Zonda questions tense at this exchange.

"Because they recognized the greatness that Stratos actually has!" the now identified Stratos proclaims as his stomachs growls.

"Heh! This person's disturbing!" Elise trembles not just disliking his appearance but also his strange personality.

"Alright Stratos, let us pass and access the main computer and we won't harm you. You're outnumbered." Gunvolt demands threateningly at the older teen.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken! It is you lot who are actually outnumbered!" Stratos declares as he snaps his fingers.

The gang tenses thinking he just called in more robots...

But surprisingly no killer machines came.

Instead they heard a faint buzzing noise that only got louder by the second.

"Over there!" Elise shouts pointing up towards the artificial light which was hiding...

A large swarm of fly like insects heading straight towards them.

"Everyone!" Gino and Monica yell in horror.

"Acura, with me!" G.V. exclaims as Acura nods knowing what he means before they grab onto the girls.(guess who Elise is clinging to.)

"Flash Field!" they both declare as the two electric spheres combine to protect them all.

The swarm reaches the party only to disintegrate as they come in contact with the sphere.

"Grr!" the guys growl doing their best to keep going hoping the entire swarm will be gone before ten seconds have passed.

Luckily the entire swarm was destroyed in less time before they deactivated their electric field.

"Not bad, not bad at all. You guys have good control of your Septima power. My power The Fly on the other hand, once I conjure my swarm of flies I can't command them at all and they just end up devouring anything organic they come across with me as an exception." Stratos explains as he congratulates them sarcastically.

"You're a Persona-user?!" Lola asks in shock.

"Indeed I am." he replies

"But you're not in your Persona form." Zonda questions

"With enough experience you can use your Septima power even when not in your transformed state." he answers before taking something out of his pocket.

"This guy's dangerous." Gunvolt mutters in apprehension.

"Don't worry too much G.V., it seems the downside of creating such a big swarm is that it consumes so much of his Septima. He'll burn himself out faster than you guys can beat him up." Xiao assures since he's analyzing the enemy Persona-user.

But then Stratos ate what seems to be some sort of yellow fruit.

"What the hell?! His Septima was completely restored to full!" Xiao was shocked of how instant it was.

"What did you just consume?!" Acura demands as they all wonder what item he used to recharge himself.

"Just a little drug Sumeragi concocted, but enough talk! Let's rumble!" Stratos declares as a tarot card appears in his hand.

The card's picture is separated into four segments. The upper left colored blue depicts a chalice being filled, on the upper right colored red is an upside down hollow white triangle within an upright black triangle, the bottom left colored yellow is a bird with its wings out, and on bottom right colored gray is are squares within squares that are black and white. Finally beneath the picture is the Roman numeral for the number fourteen.

"The Temperance." Gunvolt states noticing that Stratos is holding it upside down and that it's covered in red flames.

"Come forth! Lizardslayer!" Stratos proclaims as he summons what appears to be a large triangular shaped sword floating upside down.

"What is that?!" Zonda wonders as this is different from when they transform.

"My Glaive! Thanks to Sumeragi, it's proof of how powerful I really am! Now behold!" Stratos threw his tarot card at the sword.

The Glaive absorbs the card causing the jewel on its guard and the line patterns to glow yellow before dropping down to be caught upside down by Stratos.

"PERSONA!"

"THE GLUTTONOUS FLY!"

His eyes glow yellow before he's engulfed by a black aura with yellow outlines that shoots upward. When the aura dies down his Persona form is now revealed to all who witness his transformation.

His body appears to be made of bright yellow flames, possibly plasma. He wears black and white armor on his hands, chest, feet, thighs and groin. His hands are overly large with three digits and a thumb on both. Above him floats a black and grey shell comprised of three parts that vaguely resembles an insect head(crown), with the two parts on the side each having one massive yellow 'eye'(mantles).

"That's just not right!" Gino commented seeing as Stratos technically is no longer made of flesh and bone.

"Be careful everyone, his power output is stronger than any of you individually." Nowa warns as the scanners read Stratos' energy reading being ridiculously high.

"Now let's get this pre-dinner battle underway!" Stratos shouts ready to fight.

"Everyone! Let's squash this bug!" G.V. exclaims as the crew arm their weapons.

STRIKE!

"P-bits fire!" Lola orders her orbs to fire lasers at Stratos.

"Guehehehehe!" only for him to burst into dozens of flies before disappearing.

"What?! Where'd he go!" the humanoid combat pod frantically looks around.

"It looks like he can turn himself into dozens of flies into order to move around undetected." Monica theorizes

"Devouring Charge!" a giant chomping mouth(That kind looks like a Chain Chomp.) comprised of Stratos' shells with a yellow flame charges towards them.

"Scatter!" Gunvolt and Acura dodge out of the way, Zonda jumps over him, Lola floats over him as well, and Elise uses her snake tail to slither on up a tree.

"He can shape himself and his shells into whatever attacks he wants." Acura notices seeing how different this Persona-user compared to the rest of them.

'Could it have something to do with that Glaive?' he wonders as that's the one noticeable thing he did before transforming.

Stratos warps in when several flies converge to form his standard appearance before jumping up in the air and throwing down multiple insect like yellow egg on the ground.

"Insect Spawn!" he declares before disappearing again.

Not a few seconds after, each egg hatches releasing two biomechanical insects each that all charges towards the team.

"Flash Field! Mazio!"

"Agi Bullets!"

"Suit of Spades! Mabufu!"

"Bits Laser!"

"Viper Throw!" Elise throwing her kunai.

All biomechanical insects get destroyed before reaching their targets.

"He also seems to spawn creatures just like Elise can." Gunvolt comments as the girl worries for their safety.

"Devouring Charge!" Stratos once again in his Chain Chomp form tries to take a bite at G.V.

"Gunvolt!" Elise screams in fear for her crush.

'Time to try out my new attack!' he thought as he gathers is Septima in his hand.

"Dragonsphere!" G.V. creates a large stationary orb of electricity in front of him.

With no time to stop or veer out of the way...

"GAAAHHH!"

Stratos screams in agony of being electrocuted as he morphs back into his humanoid form.

"Nice G.V.! You've dealt a great deal of damage to him!" Xiao congratulates seeing as a chunk of Stratos' health was chipped away.

"But it's not over yet." Nowa reminds

"That hurts! And I'm hungry again!" Stratos recovers from Gunvolt's attack and takes out another yellow fruit and eats it.

And all the damage he just took was instantly healed.

"Crap! That thing he ate not only restored his Septima but also fully healed him!" Lola exclaims in panic.

'He called that fruit a drug, just how many does he have?' Acura thought seeing as damaging and exhausting him is not working.

'growl!' Stratos' stomach grumbles again.

"I'm still getting hungrier even though I just consumed the S.E.E.D., looks like I'll need to end this sooner so I can have dinner!" Stratos declares before...

"Guehehehehe!" he starts laughing madly as he charges is ultimate attack.

"It's over..."

Like a dire swarm

Echo loathsome chewing sounds

A hunger without end

Nemesis Fang!(Japanese Name: Destiny Fang)

Stratos jumps up and hovers in the air as his shell mantles grow larger looking like huge open maws as they start devouring swarms of flies that he's conjuring.

"This is bad guys! He's charging up for a super huge and devastating attack! If you don't stop him then it's 'game over' for all of you!" Xiao warn frantically as Monica, Gino, and Nowa are also fearing for their lives.

"Everyone! Focus on destroying one of the shells! It seems he needs both of them in order to use his attack!" Gunvolt orders

"Flash Field! Zio!" both he and Acura mark the left shell as it gradually get damaged by electricity.

"P-bits focus laser!" instead of laser shots the orbs fire a continuous beams.

"Fifty-two Pick Up!" Zonda and four clones(Her maximum) throw their entire decks of playing cards inflicting fire, ice, electric, and wind at the same time.

"Gorgon Gaze!" Elise tries to petrify Stratos but he actually doesn't need to move as the shell mantles continue devouring flies.

"As if I'm stupid enough to be a sitting duck!" Stratos shouts despite being petrified.(People can still talk)

His shell crown opens up charging yellow energy orbs the shape of flies before firing at the team.

"Gaaahhh!" they all ended up getting hit because they were so focused on attacking.

"Guehehehehe!" the shell mantles stop devouring the flies as they reached the large mass they're required to fulfill Stratos' ultimate attack.

WHICH IS TO GRIND HIS ENEMIES INTO BLOODY PASTE

They shoot in opposite directions while spinning like blades from a blender before turning around in order to crash into each other with anyone unfortunate enough to be between them to get shredded.

"GUNVOLT!"

"MASTER ACURA!"

"EVERYONE!"

'Dammit! It can't end like this!' G.V. grits his teeth trying to find a way out of this.

'Michiru... Father... Mother, I'm so sorry.' Acura thought as Lola tries to help him get up.

'To think I'd die from something like this.' Zonda thought sadly with a tear in her eye.

'Save me Guren!' Elise pleads thinking he'll save her.

"SHINU!"(DIE!) Stratos screams in mad glee as the shell mantles come closer and closer to their victims.

Just as the Persona team was about to meet their end...

BOOM

The floor the Persona team are on suddenly crumbles as they fall into the hole that's several feet long before...

CRASH

The two massive shell mantles slam into each other still spinning like one big meat grinder.

"NANI?!" Stratos shouts incredulously at the fact that they survived by in his viewpoint sheer luck.

"What's going on?!" Monica shouts though she and the others are relieved that the field party are still alive.

"I don't know! For some reason there was an explosion below the floor where they were all on!" Xiao answers completely baffled.

"Where are they now?!" Gino asks wondering if they're okay.

"They fell several feet below into the deepest parts of the sewer. I also heard splashes so they must have landed on a large pool of water and not the hard floor." Nowa now looks at the map of the entire sewer system.

Stratos looks down the hole where his enemies fell through.

"They escaped into the sewers. Even if I could control my swarm it's not like they're any good with all the water down there." he mutters to himself before...

'GROWL!' his stomach roars.

"So hungry! I used up all my Septima to unleash my Nemesis Fang. Have to eat... food... and the drug... so hungry." Stratos depowers from his Persona form before dragging himself to his food stocks and where his special fruit is delivered through a tube network.

"So hungry... must eat... eat... starving... food... S.E.E.D."

Stratos wasn't always like this. Once upon a time he was a normal person who was actual pretty handsome and popular. Even though he's young he was offered an acting gig as a teen actor. He couldn't get enough of the popularity, the girls, the rich five star meals, et cetera. He just kept wanting more and more of it. Then before he did anything that would actually cement his name for years to come the drugs happened, then everything went downhill for him.

Guess no one gave him the memo that you become really famous first, then become a drug addict.

One drug fix after another he became the Gollum expy he is today. Until one day he was found by a certain young charismatic lieutenant.

"I sense an amazing power coming from you. Come work for me and I'll show you how great you really are. I'll even help with your drug problem." he states to Stratos wallowing in a gutter.

Stratos accepted without hesitation and after many painful but successful experiments his Persona's Septima power was greatly enhanced thanks to the Glaive he was given. And thanks to the fruit he was cured of the effects of previous drugs but ended up becoming addicted to the fruit itself. At least it's good for him since it heals and restores his SP.


Sometime later

"Guh!" Guren gasps as he suddenly wake up on a sewer walkway.

"What... what happened?" he asks himself as he groggily sits up from laying on the cold floor.

"Oh right, Stratos." he then notices Acura, Zonda, and Elise unconscious near him and all depowered like himself if the floating sphere that is Lola is any indication.

"Guren! I'm so glad you're awake!" Lola happily cheers.

"Lola, what happened?" he asks in confusion.

"We fell down before that Stratos guy could kill us. We fell pretty far down since it doesn't seem like he has any intention of pursuing us." she replies

"Why am I all wet?" G.V. finally notices his soaked clothes.

"We all fell into the sewer water. I'm just glad you were all still in your Persona forms when we landed." Lola explained in relief.

"How did you manage to pull us out of the water?" Guren wonders as it doesn't seem like the combat pod could do that.

"It wasn't her who pulled you all out. It was me." an unfamiliar voice spoke as the figure revealed himself.

A young man with purple eyes and short spiky light brown hair with white streaks. He wears a black long-sleeved shirt with purple highlights, a white jacket with black and purple highlights, blue trousers with one leg pulled up slightly, and white boots. He also looks a bit older than Guren.

This was then when the others woke up from unconsciousness.

"What happened?" Acura rubs his head.

"Where are we?" Zonda gets up confused.

"Guren! You're safe!" Elise happy at seeing him.

Then they spot the unfamiliar young man before tensing up and being wary.

"Who the hell are you?!" Acura aims his gun at him extremely suspicious after what they just went through.

"Whoa! Whoa! I'm the guy who saved all your lives from that nutjob!" he raises his arms in surrender as he explains himself.

"You did?" Zonda questions skeptically.

"You were all under the explosives I set up incase I needed an escape route so technically I did save you lot." he explains sheepishly.

"Wait! You were watching us?!" Guren asks

"Yeah, I saw you guys from my hiding spot tearing through parts of the facility with those freaky powers you have which by the way are pretty awesome!" he reveals in an awed tone.

"That is until you ran face to face with that other guy and his swarm. He was pretty much my roadblock from completing my goal here." he added

"And who exactly are you? You don't look like you work for Sumeragi and the fact that you're out and about and not in a stasis cube." Zonda keeping her suspicions on him.

"The name's Nimrod, nineteen years old, from Australia, and lover of the ocean and all marine life." Nimrod introduces himself.

"I don't know what you mean by stasis cube but do remember waking up as though I suddenly passed out and before I realized it a few days have passed and I'm no worse for wear." he exposits still confused about that.

"And why are you here in this Sumeragi base and hiding in the sewers?" Lola starts questioning this out of place person.

"Um... well... you see... the thing is..." Nimrod stalls not wanting them to find out his true identity.

"Sigh, Xiao can you hear me?" G.V. speaks through his earpiece.

"Guren! Thank goodness! Are you guys alright?!" the young boy sighs in relief.

"Master Acura, it's good that you are all safe." Nowa adds

"That was really a close call." Gino finally calms down.

"Are any of you injured?" Monica asks in concern for their health.

"We're fine, somewhat injured but fine." Guren replies

'With enough experience you can use your Septima power even when not in your transformed state.' Elise remembers what Stratos said about their powers.

She concentrates trying to focus her Septima.

'Just think about healing Guren, myself,... and the others.' a green light appears in the palm of her hands.

"Media!" green light covers the four Persona-users healing them of their injuries.

"That's better. Thanks Elise." Guren praises making the girl happy.

"Yes, that's what I'm talking about! How did you do that?!" Nimrod exclaims excited causing the girl to flinch and hide behind G.V.

"We're the ones asking questions here." Acura threateningly reminds the stranger.

"What can you guys find anything about a guy named Nimrod?" G.V. asks their support team.

"The guy with you, let's see." Xiao and Nowa type in what they can find on the computer.

"Found something, he's in the International Criminal Database for multiple accounts of eco terrorism." Nowa unveiled to the others.

After everyone hears this they all look at the person in question.

"Hey! Even though I'm a criminal at least I'm doing it for Mother Ocean and all her aquatic children. Also, I make sure that no human beings or animals get hurt during my sabotage missions!" Nimrod defends himself.

"Let me guess, you're here to sabotage or even downright destroy the entire facility because of the pollution this place expels into the ocean, right?" Zonda states to the eco terrorist.

"Yeah damn right! Large corporations and conglomerates don't care about the environment as long as they make a crap ton of money with Sumeragi being the worst of all!" he shouts in anger.

"Yeah well, you better stand down buddy! We're on official QUILL business getting some very important tech here and we don't need you blowing the place up before we get them." Lola casually reveals much to the chagrin of the others.

"You guys are members of QUILL! That's great! I always wanted to join so I can fight back against Sumeragi but I didn't know how to contact you guys!" Nimrod excitedly cheers.

"While it's true we recruit members who want to fight against Sumeragi, we have to be extremely careful lest any of them are spies." Monica speaks doing an extensive background check on the guy.

"Come on! I'll even help you guys defeat that bug guy that's guarding the place!" he offers to show how helpful he can be.

"And just how will you be able to help us take him down?" Acura questions being a skeptic as well.

"Whenever I can, I sneak into the security room to spy on him. He's the only living personnel here while everything else is done with robot workers. It also wasn't hard to notice that besides eating a shit ton of food everyday, though I don't know where get so much-"

Sheep squad couldn't help but come to a realization.

"He also keeps eating that fruit pretty much at least once every hour." Nimrod explains

"That fruit he called a drug, the one that fully restored his vitality?" Guren asks to clarify.

"The drug, fruit thing is called S.E.E.D. and from what intel I've gathered it was suppose to cure several known diseases and help keep the human body healthy." he explains the thing that gave Stratos the advantage.

"Since it's Sumeragi made there must be some kind of severe flaw that was completely ignored." Zonda states not surprised at all.

"Was there any doubt? The drug is most definitely highly addictive. He can't get enough of the stuff." the ocean lover reveals.

'Since it replenishes both ones health and Septima, did Sumeragi create it that way in order to control future Persona-users through drug addiction?' Guren theorizes in horror at the prospect.

"The drug must be mass produced if Stratos keep eating them all the time." Acura realizes

"That's right, there an artificial plant called the Eidolon Flower that makes the stuff." Nimrod shows them the location from his own holographic screen.

By combining it with the blueprints of the facility the support team managed to pinpoint the location from where the field team is currently at.

"The location of the flower is on the other side of the facility from where you're all at." Xiao explains

"If we go back topside we may just run into Stratos again." Guren notes hesitant at the thought of confronting the enemy Persona user so soon.

"Don't worry about that, I memorized the sewer layout of the entire place. I can lead you there with as little resistance from the security force as possible." Nimrod proudly states.

"Give us a moment." Zonda orders as the QUILL team huddle into a corner.

"What do think Monica?" Gino asks watching the exchange.

"Nimrod seems to be genuine. He grew up on a coastal town and grew a fondness for ocean life. Every act of eco terrorism he did exposed many dirty dealing from companies that were guilty of pollution." Monica explains

"But would he make a good member of our squad? He only cares about the ocean after all." Zonda reminds everyone of his sole motivation.

"The fact that he's an eco terrorist that hasn't been caught yet means he definitely know what he's doing. He could prove useful in future missions." Acura offers his opinion.

"We almost died if it wasn't for him so we at least should give him a chance." Lola admits they owe the guy.

"If we're going to fight Sumeragi then we need more people on our side. What do you think Elise?" G.V. asks the girl.

"I-'Im fine with whatever y-you decide Guren." she answers having complete faith in his decisions.

"If it helps complete the mission then he should join." Nowa states

"The more the merrier I always say." Xiao smiles confidently.

With the unanimous agreement of the eco terrorist joining the team they disperse from the huddle.

"We've all agreed to let you join us Nimrod. Welcome to QUILL's SHEEP squad." G.V. declares holding his hand out.

"I won't let you guys down!" Nimrod shakes his hand in good faith.

"We still don't completely trust you yet so you take the lead. You were going to show us the safest route to the flower anyway." Zonda says with honesty.

"Right, follow me!" he exclaims as he walks away with the others following his lead.

'This is great! I'm finally not alone in my dream to protect the ocean even though our goals just so happen to coincide. They seem to know what's going on with Sumeragi, maybe I should ask them why I woke up with a strange card in my hand. Then again, maybe not. It's probably not important.' Nimrod thought as he leads the team to their updated objective.

The destruction of the Eidolon Flower to stop the production of the S.E.E.D. drug.


Sometime later... again

The group exits the sewer from a maintenance hatch near a building covered with giant vines.

"That's definitely where the flower is." Lola surmises

"Be careful, there's a lot of security inside." Nimrod warns seriously as he's told to keep a good distance away from battle.

The team nods in acknowledgement before...

"PERSONA!"

They transform into their battle forms along with a humanoid Lola.

"So what is the explanation for those power?" the eldest teen of the group asks curiously.

"Sorry Nimrod, let's complete what we came here to do and later back at our base we'll explain everything." Gunvolt apologizes to their new ally.

"Fine, I'm guessing you guys just managed to steal some tech that Sumeragi invented." he agrees not wanting to argue.

'He's not entirely wrong.' Gino thought with a sweat drop.

The group then arrives at the front door.

"Security lock. Should we hack it or just bust through?" G.V. asks his team.

"I don't really know how to hack computers." Acura admits as he's not a programmer.

"I'm a combat pod, that's not my area of expertise." Lola reveals as well.

Both Zonda and Elise also have no actual skills with computers.

"If only Xiao, Nowa, or I were actually there." Monica declares as the three can do it.

"And busting in will only alert more security to your location." Gino reminds that it's better to remain unnoticed.

"How about a third option?" Nimrod reveals a security card in his hand.

"Where did you get that?" Lola asks curiously

"That Stratos guy gets so engrossed in eating that he didn't notice me sneak in the security desk." he answers jovially.

Nimrod then slices the card through the security lock causing the door to open with no alarm activating.

The gang appreciates what he did as they enter the building.

"You're target is just inside." Monica affirms for them.

And she's right, in front of them is a giant biomechanical flower at least three stories tall.

Sensing intruders the green bud on top with glowing blue lines opens up revealing purple petals with the same blue lines and familiar looking fruits growing from the pistil before closing again.

"So that's the Eidolon Flower? We have a freak of nature here." Gunvolt states not amused.

"Well, the data is way off. I wonder if it's fully grown... Never thought that Eidolon would be this monstrous. If the data is correct, the pistil is its weak point. If you damage the petals enough, they should open up and expose it." Nimrod says before going to a hiding spot to take cover.

"Roger!" the Persona-users declare as they prepare to destroy the thing.

'They really make medicine from this... Aberration? That's way more dangerous than our over-processed junk food...' Acura thought angry at the thought of Sumeragi using this thing to make addictive substances and say they're a miracle drug.

Suddenly several other doors open up and in comes several soldiers wearing different types of armor and weilding different weapons.

"Those are Sumeragi's Robot Soldiers. They're smaller than the Sentry Robots but wield a variety of weapons depending on what type they are. It's these guy who make up Sumeragi's infantry." Gino explains as he fought them multiple times in the past.

"Gunvolt, we'll deal with these guy! You take care of the flower!" Acura advises to their strongest member.

"Roger that!" G.V. replies before he jumps up using the green stalk branches all over the walls as platforms.

"Good luck Gunvolt." Elise whispers before she and the others fight the soldiers.

Green Gunners wielding blaster rifles start shooting laser beams the party.

"P-bits shield!" Lola announces as the orbs form an energy barrier to block the shots.

"Garu Bullets!" Acura shoots wind bullets right at their heads blasting them right off their bodies.

Red Fire Gunners wielding flamethrowers with fuel tanks on their back spray fire towards them.

"Looks like you all need to cool down. Suit of Spades! Mabufu!" Zonda throws her ice cards at the flamethrowers freezing them up to prevent more fire from spewing.

Afterwards, three mirror clones appear behind the red soldiers.

"Suit of Hearts! Maragi!" the clones throw their fire cards at the fuel tanks causing them to explode destroying the carriers.

Blue and green soldiers carrying missile launchers fire slow moving homing missiles at Elise.

"WAAAHHH! Don't come any closer!" Elise screams in terror as she slithers away with her snake tail as to not get blown up.

Unintentionally Elise ended up passing through the Launchers as they ended up getting destroyed by their own missiles.

Yellow Grenadiers with buckler like shields that generate energy start throwing grenade at the group.

"Oh no you don't! P-bits dome barrier!" Lola encases the Grenadiers inside the energy barrier making the grenades bounce back towards their throwers before exploding.

Meanwhile up above, Gunvolt has landed on a branch that's on the same level as the flower head.

"You should fire darts at it to get the thing to open." Monica advises

"On it!" G.V. takes the advice and starts shooting at the closed bud.

Getting irritated the bud opens up revealing its pistil but also dozens of robot bugs come out.

Remaining calm Gunvolt simply fires darts where the weak point is before...

"Flash Field! Zio!" streams of electricity start damaging the flower as the bugs tried to swarm him only to get fried by the electric sphere.

After the swarm was gone the flower immediately closes disrupting the flow of electricity.

"It didn't seem to like that." Xiao comments though how a flower can have thought or feelings no one will ever know.

The bud then starting puffing out what look like yellow pollen spores that start swaying down.

"Careful G.V., that's pure plasm energy. It'll melt anything it touches and your Flash Field won't block it." Xiao warns.

"Roger that!" Gunvolt jumps to another branch before a spore completely burns the one he was on.

"More soldiers incoming Master Acura." Nowa announces as indeed more enemy reinforcements are entering the battle field.

As the battle unfolds Nimrod watches from the safety of his hiding place.

'Damn, look at them all doing their best in this dangerous situation and here I am hiding like a camouflaged octopus!' Nimrod thought angry at himself for his lack of power.

Nimrod grew up on a coastal town in Australia where he grew up learning to be a fisherman. As the years went by he grew an appreciation and love for the ocean and the marine life it brings to the world. Perhaps one day he would grow up to be a marine biologist.

However, constant news of garbage, oil spills, and pollution kept on happening and happening all over the world. He once joined an environmental protection group that focuses on the ocean but felt that they weren't doing enough, especially when they couldn't do anything against rich and powerful corporations that bribe the governments whenever they do anything that harms the seven seas with Sumeragi being the greatest offender.

So he decided to go solo and started breaking laws in order to sabotage and reveal the crimes of those rich assholes. It wasn't long before he was labeled as an eco terrorist wanted throughout many countries where he caused major damage but no casualties.

With his main target being the Sumeragi Group he wanted to join QUILL but didn't now how to contact them so he decided to sabotage a major Sumeragi facility which was the Pharma Lab and the rest is history.

'Was it really the right call to become a criminal so I can fight for what I believe in? Am I doing more harm than good? Should I have just stayed at home and studied like everyone else?' Nimrod thought starting to doubt all the decisions he's made throughout his life.

He once again watches SHEEP squad fight against Sumeragi's forces risking their lives for whatever personal reasons they have.

"No! I may be an eco terrorist but so are they(minus the eco part), fighting for a cause that protects life in the world!" Nimrod shouts as he closes his eyes and clenches his fists.

"It's not just for the ocean anymore! I want to fight so that all my decisions would have meant something for my future!" Nimrod declares with resolve as a blue light flashes before him.

The source of light is in fact the tarot card in his possession when he was released from stasis to which he thought was in his pocket.

"So Mother Nature has shown me who I really am." he smiles fondly at his card with a picture of a crescent moon that has a face with a crayfish between two towers above it and has the Roman numeral for the number eighteen below them.

"The Moon?" Gunvolt notices all the way up from where he is.

"I am thou, thou art I... Let my dreams inspire those living in fear!" he shouts to the heavens as the card enters his chest.

"PERSONA!"

"THE AQUADYNAMIC MERMAN!"

A bright flash of blue light and a powerful shockwave explodes throughout the interior of the building.

The light dies down as the members of QUILL see their new recruits new appearance.

Nimrod has gained black sclera eyes with pink irises like Zonda and also pale pink hair. He wears black and white armor with pink highlights, and he wields a white trident, with the two side prongs being black and pink. He also has harps attached to his hips.(Colors should never be gender exclusive.)

"He was a Persona-user this whole time?" Zonda looks at him in disbelief.

"To be fair, no one we rescued at the academy was one so we didn't even think to ask the guy if he has a tarot card." Xiao says embarrassed at such an oversight.

"So this is what your powers are! Resolve! I should have known! Now you tin cans! Feel the wrath of Mother Ocean!" Nimrod declares pointing his trident at the robot soldiers.

The Fire Gunners start spraying torrents of fire towards Nimrod.

"Fire? Big mistake!" he shouts before planting his trident on the floor with the prongs on the bottom.

"Here I come... Try this! Splash Dash!" Nimrod dashes towards the flamethrowers generating giant sprays of water in his wake.

All the robots that got caught in the spray ended up getting launched into the air and impaled on the trident he left behind.

"He can manipulate water!" Acura exclaims in astonishment.

"Not just fresh and sea water! My Septima power Ichor allows me to control all forms of liquid at will!" Nimrod explains as the trident turns to water before reforming in his hands.

"That's so cool!" Lola yells in excitement.

"Just be careful around Gunvolt! His power is electricity!" Elise warns concerned about accidents happening to her crush.

"Oh, don't worry lass! I'll keep that in mind!" Nimrod listens as he dashes towards the rifle Gunners dodging every laser they shoot.

"Torrent Shot!" he stabs the Gunners up to four times at most making them look like pincushions.

"Nimrod is doing a good job aiding the team G.V., now's your chance to finish the job!" Monica advises as he continues dodging the dangerous spores.

"No need to worry, this thing was not made to fight after all." Gunvolt assures as he fires his darts to make the bud open.

And indeed, the Eidolon Flower once again opened as more robot bugs came out.

Instead of marking the pistil and unleashing streams of electricity at it, G.V. jumps towards the flower until he three meters close to while gathering his SP.

"Crashbolt!" a lightning bolt(from nowhere) strikes Gunvolt without damaging him but I can't say the same for the flower and all the robot bugs.

With such a destructive attack the drug producing monstrosity explodes along with the continued existence of S.E.E.D..

This causes a chain reaction at the entire building starts to collapse.

"Time to go!" G.V. orders as he lands on the floor.

"Right!" the team heeds as they rush out...

Only for the soldier robots to block their way.

"This isn't good." Gino comments since the robots don't have any self-preservation.

"We don't have time for this!" Lola screams in frustration.

"I'll handle this!" Nimrod slams the butt of his trident to the floor creating a huge wave large enough to wash all the annoying robots out of the way.

With the obstacles out of the way the group manages to leave the building before it finally comes down.

"Objective complete." Acura reported

"Well done Master Acura, everyone. Now that the supply of S.E.E.D. has been halted there's nothing that can quickly replenish Stratos' health and Septima." Nowa reminds all of them.

"He'll possibly go through withdrawal soon and that's when he'll be vulnerable." Xiao states

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Nimrod cheerfully exclaims but the others are looking at him funny.

"Oh, sorry. The newbie shouldn't be giving the orders." he apologizes embarrassed.

"It's not that, it's just surprising that you're a Persona-user." Gunvolt clarifies as the others nod in agreement.

"Persona huh, even though I never heard of the concept before, it's as though the knowledge has been uploaded into my mind." Nimrod explains now knowing things he never knew before.

"Let's leave this conversation for later. We have a Sumeragi Persona-user to deal with." Zonda advises as the team heads to the sewer and back towards the control tower.


Sometime later... again... again

Jumping up to where they originally fell during their first encounter with Stratos, the field team along with their new member await their next confrontation with him.

"Before I forget Nimrod, my Septima power allows me to copy the standard abilities of other Persona-users. If you don't mind, I want to add yours to my arsenal." Acura asking for permission.

"Sure, the power of the ocean shouldn't be exclusive to one person." Nimrod agrees as he concentrates is Septima in his hand before placing it on Acura's shield to absorb it.

'Basic manipulation of liquids and an attack called Hydro Zapper.' Acura thought satisfied with what he got.

"Get ready everyone, since his source of recharging his Septima is gone who knows what Stratos would do." Xiao warns as the field team gets ready.

"I'm so... hungry... I need to feast on delicious meat..." Stratos mumbles as he walks like someone about to keel over.

"He looks like he about to die from starvation." Lola points out.

"I'm guessing that's the drawback of his Persona's Septima power." Zonda believes feeling sorry for him.

"Glad none of us seem to have any debilitating side effects from using our powers." Gunvolt states with relief.

"Let's just knock him out and do what you guys came here to do." Nimrod suggests since no one wants to kill another human being no matter how dangerous they are.

Sudden Stratos stops and starts smelling the area around him.

"I smell... something nice... something that must also taste delicious!" he continues smelling around freaking the others out.

He stops when he directs all his attention at G.V..

"... There's a nice smell coming from you... I want it... Kweehehehehee!" Stratos starts cackling like a madman no longer able to be rational due being so famished.

He summons both his tarot card and Glaive before throwing the first item at the second.

"PERSONA!"

Stratos in his Persona form seems to be mostly focused on Gunvolt.

Elise wondering what was up with him decides to get close to G.V. and starts sniffing him.(Which isn't creepy at all.)

"Gunvolt, you smell like a citrus fruit." Elise informs him.

"The S.E.E.D. drug's liquid must have gotten on me when I destroyed the flower." he now just realizes.

"And the guy's starving for more of that drug." she adds getting nervous.

"Hey! Dinner is... Not supposed to... Talk... The hunger is too much to bear...!" Stratos yells before bursting into a swarm of insects and disappearing.

"Get away from me Elise!" Gunvolt pushes her away since he's Stratos' main target.

STRIKE!

"Wanna eat ya! Devouring Charge!" Stratos in his giant chomping mouth form goes straight for him.

"Flash Field! Zio!" G.V. marks the Chain Chomp sending streams of electricity after dodging getting munched on.

"Sonic Kick!" Zonda kicks the Pac-man wannabe from his side causing him to reform in his normal state.

"There's no more S.E.E.D. Stratos, we've already destroyed the Eidolon Flower!" the rabbit girl reveals.

"Kwekwehehehee! I see five pieces of meat in front of me! And now, you're gonna whet my appetite! I can't wait to gobble you right up!" he cackles with no chance of being reasoned with.

"Great! He's a full blown cannibal now!" Gino sarcastically comments.

'He can't be reasoned with nor can we imprison him somewhere. Looks like there's no other alternative.' Monica thought grimly at the choice they'll have to make.

"You're not eating anybody! Aqua Trident!" Nimrod jumps up before stabbing the ground with his trident.

The stab creates a gigantic two-pronged spear of water that left Stratos in between the water blades.

"You missed!" Lola angrily shouts with Stratos being confused.

"Did I?" Nimrod smiles

Suddenly a third point impales Stratos between the first two pointed tips.

"Fueeh..." Stratos taking damage bursts into insects to teleport away.

"I do not believe that trick will work twice even though the enemy is irrational now." Nowa informs the merman.

"Wanna savor ya! Pincer Ball!" Stratos appears up in the air in a ball form before splitting into two with grinding teeth to surround the group.

As they descend they start spewing swarms of the organic eating flies towards them.

"Flash Field!" Gunvolt and Acura protect themselves along with Zonda, Lola, and Elise as the electric field destroys the flies on contact.

"Feel the ocean's wrath! Vortex Rush!" Nimrod surrounds himself with water tornadoes that wash away any flies coming at him.

When the two halves stop releasing the flies they start spinning rapidly in order to quickly collide into each other like a weaker version of Stratos' ultimate attack.

"Watch out!" Xiao warns

G.V. and Elise jump to the side, Acura, Zonda, and Lola jump to the other, and Nimrod jumps into water surrounding the place knowing Stratos can't get submerged.

CRASH

The two halves collided like a mouth taking a bite reforming the sphere that is Stratos.

But the attack isn't done yet as the sphere starts spinning like Sonic the Hedgehog before jumping up in order to land on one of them.

"P-bits shield!" Lola forms the energy barrier in dome form.

When Stratos lands on the barrier he was forced to bounce away but the strength of the impact caused it to break...

"AAAHHH!" causing Lola to fly back.

"Lola!" Acura caught her before she hit the ground.

"Acura! How about a little double team!" Nimrod proposes with Acura giving him a nod.

Nimrod detaches the two-pronged blade from the staff as six water strings appear in the hoop making it look like a harp.

Water string also appear on the face of Acura's shield.

"I dedicate these notes to the ocean... Compared to her, you're nothing!" Nimrod declares before...

"Hydro Zapper!" both he and Acura strum the water string of their respective instruments.

Six water orbs(Three for each player) appear in the air before they shoot water lasers right at the still airborne Stratos knocking him down.

While down Stratos returns to his base form.

Another strum of the harps causes the six orbs to shoot water lasers at the downed bugman.

"Too much liquid! Need to make room for the actual meals!" Stratos covers himself with his shells in order to burrow underground.

"WAAAHHH! He could pop up from anywhere!" Elise yells as she and the others look around them for the ambush that's coming.

"Antlion Fangs!" Stratos shouts from below as one of his shell mantles erupts from ground morphed to look like one half of a pair of mandibles and sweeps towards G.V..

Gunvolt dashes away from it before it stops and returns underground...

Only for the other half to burst out in the direction he was running towards to head straight at him.

Luckily G.V.'s reflexes allow him to quickly turn and dash to the opposite direction as the second mandible fails to hit him before burrowing like the first one.

'All of his attack minus the Insect Spawn are just variation of biting someone. That means...' Gunvolt thought as he felt the ground around him rumble.

Both mandibles burst out together around G.V. in order to bite him again.

But in the last second, he jumps up as high as he can before the two could clamp down from where he was.

"I got you Gunvolt!" Elise from a tree uses her stretched snake arms to catch him before pulling the boy she likes towards her.

He says nothing but smiles at Elise causing her to blush and smile as well.

The moment was ended when Stratos reappears in his standard appearance.

"That stench on you... It's exquisite. My stomach has been rumbling for so long... It's driving me crazy... I can't stand it..." he says swaying back and forth look delirious.

"His Septima is almost completely drained. Once that happens he can no longer retain his Persona form." Xiao informs seeing the battle is almost over.

"Now's the chance to finish him off for good everyone, before he can make his final retaliation." Monica advises

"Wait! Finish him off?! Monica you can't mean..." Gunvolt shocked to hear this.

"What other choice do we have Guren? Stratos is not mentally stable to reason with and he's probably using all ten of the food replicators to feed only himself. Keeping him alive will only burden us even further." she shoots back telling the group the harsh reality.

The others are also hesitant at the prospect of killing. Shadows are one thing but this is another human being they're facing.

"What... are you talking about there, hah? I already told you... DINNER ISN'T SUPPOSED TO TALK... YOUR TABLE MANNERS ARE SO POOR... HEEHEEEE! Maaan... I'm starving... C'mon... let me eaaat you... even just a nibble is fine... someone... someone... someone please... MAKE THE HUNGER STOOOP!" Stratos starts screaming like a lunatic before.

"Guehehehehe!" he starts laughing madly as he charges is ultimate attack.

"Haah! Eat this!"

Like a dire swarm

Echo loathsome chewing sounds

A hunger without end

Nemesis Fang!

Like before Stratos hovers in the air as his shell mantles start devouring flies he's conjuring in order to instakill all his victims.

"We have to attack him harder and faster than last time!" Acura commands hoping that with Nimrod they can actually win this time.

"Flash Field! Zio!" both Gunvolt and Acura.

"Fifty-two Pick Up!"

"P-bits focus laser!"

"Hydro Zapper!"

All attacks are focused on Stratos himself instead of one of his shell mantles.

They're also dodging the yellow energy orbs he's firing from his shell crown.

'What should I do?! My Gorgon Gaze won't work in this scenario!' Elise thought in despair.

As the team's healer she can't exactly do much damage. All she has are her snakes that...

"That's it!" Elise comes to a realization as she conjures several of her snakes as they take the form of balls.

She throws them at the swarm of flies on both ends being devoured and not a second later...

BOOM

All the balls explode as they're actually snake bombs.

"Trying to get rid of my swarm... doesn't matter... there's more where they came from... HAHAHAHAHA-cough cough!" Stratos mocks but then starts coughing in pain.

"Those weren't any ordinary bombs, they were in fact poison bombs! And you've eaten all the flies that were infected!" Elise confidently shouts with determination.

As Stratos coughs, purple bubbles appear out of his mouth indicating that he's been poisoned and with it his special attack was halted.

"Of course! Eating something that's bad for someone is his weakness!" Gino cheers

"He's vulnerable now, I also agree that he should be put down. Just to end his own suffering." Nowa advises with some regret.

Nimrod steels his resolve. All of his acts of eco terrorism has never resulted in anyone getting hurt let alone killed but now for the greater good of stopping Sumeragi he's made his choice.

"Die a grisly death at sea... nothing can stop this raging current!" he declares before...

Currents brightly shine

And waves cascade o'er me

As they cleanse the land

Aqua Avatar!

Nimrod generates three water currents above everyone before diving into one of them to create water clones. Three to be exact.

The first water clone jumps out one of the currents ending it as it stabs its water trident on the ground to use the Aqua Trident attack without the third point.

"GAAAHHH!" Stratos get hit with the sharp water blade.

A second clone jumps out and does the same thing.

"Fueeh..." he gets damaged by the same attack again.

The third and final clone repeats as the remaining current ends.

"I'm getting' dizzy, man…" taking the third hit.

"End of the line! Hah!" Nimrod runs Statos over with a Splash Dash sending him flying.

"One last thing." the merman plants his trident on the ground to where Stratos will fall in order to impale him.

"My... hunger...!" Stratos weakly whispers his final words.

Gunvolt watching this clenches his fists before making his decision.

"G.V.! What are you doing?!" Elise yells in confusion watching him run.

"Taking responsibility!" he answers before jumping into the air towards the falling enemy.

He gathers his Azure Striker Septima in his hands in order to...

Sacred sword agleam

Barbarous and bathed in blue

Cleaving right from wrong

Luxcalibur!(Japanese Name: Spark Calibur)

Gunvolt creates a large electrical sword and slashes down at Stratos right in the middle.

Before Stratos can even feel any pain...

BOOM

He explodes into yellow particles until all that remains is his Glaive which stops glowing yellow as cracks appear all over it before disappearing as though it was transport somewhere else.

Only Acura noticed that a little bit of yellow SP was absorbed into his shield.

Silence filled the entire facility as everyone who witnessed the end of the battle were still processing what just happened.

"We did it!" Lola cheers dancing in midair.

"Awesome job guys!" Gino joins in with joy.

"Gunvolt." Monica solemnly says

"Why did you do that?" Nimrod wonders as he was mentally prepared to end Stratos' life.

"I felt sorry for him... he must have been subjected to so many horrible things. However, I couldn't allow him to ever leave this place. He would caused so much death! So I decided to satisfy his hunger... with my lightning! Oversurge! Azure Striker! May the light put him to rest for good!" he explains while also putting in a little prayer.

Elise looked to where G.V. finished off Stratos with a blank expression until...

"We... killed him. We... killed...him. WE KILLED HIM!" Elise starts panicking and hyperventilating before she run towards a pool of water and...

"BLEEEUUUGGGHHH!" starts throwing up her dinner.

"Elise!" Gunvolt, Zonda, and Lola rush to her side in worry.

"Are you alright?!" Zonda asks rubbing the back of the taller girl.

After Elise finally stops vomiting...

"Waaahhh!" she latches onto G.V. and starts crying.

"It's going to be okay Elise." he tries to comfort her.

"B-but we k-killed somebody! W-we ended s-someone's l-life!" she continues to sob.

"I don't see what the problem is. He was trying to kill us so we killed in self-defense-" Acura simply stating the facts until Zonda interrupted him.

"Acura-san. You, Lola, and Nimrod should go to the control tower now seeing as there's no more obstacles." Zonda orders with great seriousness.

"We're on it! Let's go Boss, newbie!" Lola getting the rabbit girl's intention as she pushes the two guys away from the crying girl.

"Remember to shut off the facility's entire security, locate the food replicators, and download all the information from the main computer." Nowa reminds them.

"Can't wait to see what's in those Sumeragi files!" Xiao exclaims trying to lighten the mood.


At the top of the control tower

Acura, Lola, and Nimrod used the elevator that was large and strong enough to carry cargo to reach the top floor.

"Whoa! That was easy!" Lola exclaims in surprise as next to the main computer are all the ten food replicators they were looking for.

"You were right Monica-san. Stratos was using all of them to feed himself." Acura confirms what she said earlier.

"And he was still hungry to the point of starving without the drug." Nimrod points out not only shocked that these machines can make food from energy but that Stratos was basically a bottomless pit of hunger.

"While we disable the security and download all the files, bring the vehicles out to where the cargo doors are." Acura orders as he types in the main computer.

"Roger!" Gino and Monica drive the armored tank and the cargo truck respectively to the rendezvous location.

"Come on Nimrod, let's bring these things down." Lola directed as she uses the P-bits' anti-gravity field to carry one replicator.

"Sure thing!" Nimrod obeys without complaint as he's strong enough to carry another all by himself.


The final some time later of this chapter

With the security of the entire Pharma Lab disabled, eight of the ten food replicators have been safely placed inside the cargo truck.

"Almost done!" Nimrod states not breaking a sweat since he's physically fit and enhanced in his Persona form.

"And the information downloading into our computer is almost complete." Xiao informs

"That's a relief." Zonda says as she and the others finally arrived at the rendezvous with Elise still hugging Gunvolt for moral support and doesn't seem like she'll let go anytime soon.

"G.V." Monica gets his attention.

"I know what you're going to say Monica... and you were right. There was no way we could accomplish the mission without ending Stratos' life." he finally admits more to himself.

"This is exactly why Asimov didn't tell you anything yet. He wanted you to live a normal childhood until you became an adult." she explains as he nods his head in understanding.

"Done!" Lola announces as she and Nimrod places the last two in the truck.

"And the download is finally completed." Nowa says as Acura arrives as well.

"So mission accomplished?" he asks for confirmation.

"We've retrieved all ten food replicators and even destroyed the production of a dangerous drug and put an end to one of Sumeragi's Persona-users. I'm pretty sure this is mission accomplished." Gino confirms with a thumbs up.

With Elise no longer crying, G.V. was able to realize something.

"What about this place's Anti-Shadow Field Generator? Shouldn't we take it as well?" he proposes getting everyone's attention.

"Oh yeah! I totally forgot about that!" Xiao facepalms

"We could use it to expand just in case we run out of room at the academy and at the very least prevent Sumeragi from using this place anymore with it being infested with Shadows." Zonda thinking up the benefits.

"Shadows?" Nimrod questions not knowing what they are yet.

"Since there's nothing stopping us right now, let's just go get it then!" Lola declares as the team was about to do just that until...

"I think you've all taken enough of my property." a voice was heard throughout the interior of the domed facility.

"Who's there?!" everyone tenses preparing for another fight wondering where the voice came from.

Suddenly a large screen appears covering the top of the control tower.

"Greetings, you all must be members of QUILL." a teenage boy who looks like he's the same age as Gunvolt and Acura speaks looking down on them.

He has red eyes and spiky purple hair, with one white spike. He wears a black Sumeragi uniform with gold, purple and white highlights, gold buttons, a cape, and black shoes with white highlights.

"Who are you?!" Acura asks angrily seeing as he's wearing a Sumeragi uniform for at least the top positions.

"How rude of me, my apologies." he bows but no one believes he's being sincere.

"My name is Shiden Tsukuyomi the head of the Sumeragi Group's Japanese branch, but you can call me by my Persona title...

"NOVA THE MIGHTY!"

He introduces while also revealing the tarot card in his hand which is upside down.

"The Devil." Gunvolt states

Indeed, Nova's tarot card depicts a horned goat skull symbolizing the devil himself as a pair of humans male and female with small horns are chained by him with the Roman numeral for the number fifteen.

"You're the head of Sumeragi in this country?!" Nimrod shouts in disbelief since Nova is younger than him.

Everyone is now uneasy because they're speaking to the one responsible for everything that has happened.

"So you're the one who had the entire city covered with the Metaworld Field Projector!" Acura yells angrily at the guy who endangered his family.

"Indeed I am, sorry for all the inconveniences everyone is going through right now but it's all for the sake of human evolution." he says with a straight face.

"Inconveniences?! A lot of people have almost died or are frozen in time! Just so you guys can have superpower!" G.V.'s turn to yell in anger.

"I should be the one who's angry at you lot. First you trespass in a Sumeragi facility, second you destroy a crap ton of property, third you all murdered one of my seven best employees, and finally you're stealing very useful and expensive inventions." he lists off

'Seven?' Gunvolt couldn't help but take note of that.

"That insane cannibal was your employee?! He was a total nutjob!" Lola yells angry that they all had to deal with him.

"He was going through some tough times with all the drug addictions so I decided to help him out with the Pharma Lab's experimental medicine." he defends not really offended.

"Medicine that's also highly addictive." Zonda raises her eyebrow.

"If you all hadn't destroyed the Eidolon Flower then the scientists and researchers would have eventually figured out how to remove that little hiccup and truly made S.E.E.D. into a miracle fruit." he feigns sadness.

'He called making someone constantly hungry helping?!' Monica couldn't believe what this guy was saying.

"These food replicators are my father's invention! So they rightfully belong to him!" Acura declares pointing his finger at the large screen.

"Father? Oh! So you're Dr. Kamizono's son!" Nova exclaims in surprise.

Hearing his father's name from the leader...

"Where is he?! What have you done to him?!" Acura shouts as Nowa tries to tell him to calm down.

"When I found out that the head researcher of the Metaworld turned against everything Sumeragi believes in I felt betrayed, so when the Metaworld Field Projector covered the city he and the QUILL agent he was with tried to stop me." Nova explains

This gets G.V. and the other original members of SHEEP squad's attention.

"What happened?" Gino and the others couldn't help but feel dread.

"I did what I had to do...

I killed them both with my Septima Psychokinesis."

A moment passed before it finally sunk in.

"No." Gunvolt dropped to his knees as he, Gino, Monica, and Xiao felt completely devastated.

"Gunvolt." Elise who's still hugging him does her best to comfort him like he did for her.

Acura on the other hand...

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU HERE?! I'LL STOP YOU AND WHATEVER SUMERAGI PLANS TO DO! I WILL AVENGE HIS DEATH!"

"Humph, I'd like to see you try. I'm done talking, so I'll leave you with a little parting gift." Nova says as he snaps his finger.

Suddenly alarms and red flashing lights go off throughout the entire facility.

"Crap! He just activated the Pharma Lab's self-destruct sequence! You all have to get out of there!" Xiao frantically warns

With no second to spare the members of QUILL quickly rushes to their vehicles.

"One more thing before you all leave. Don't worry, I won't attack your base of operations. I wouldn't want any innocent civilians to get hurt. Bye-bye!" Nova says before the screen turns off.

The team speeds off going as far away as they can before the entire Pharma Lab is erased in a fiery explosion destroying everything within just so QUILL couldn't take the facility's Anti-Shadow Field Generator.

However, that's not what's on their mind.

Zonda and Nimrod have finally seen the face of the powerful and influential Sumeragi Group and are intimidated.

Acura, Lola, and Nowa are trying to figure out how to tell Michiru the news of her father's demise.

Guren, Monica, Gino, and Xiao are trying to cope with losing Asimov.

Finally, Elise is trying to find a way to help G.V. feel happy again.

We finally managed to solve our food problem. We just had to fight a powerful but insane Persona-user to the death to accomplish it. Our victory was short lived when the one responsible for all the madness happening admitted to killing mine and Acura's father. That was when I realized the war against Sumeragi had only just begun.

End of chapter


Persona User Database

Name: Stratos

Persona: The Gluttonous Fly

Septima Power: The Fly, the ability to conjure swarms of organic eating flies and even turn into swarms that can shape his body into different forms

Major Arcana: The Temperance(Reversed)

Glaive: Lizardslayer

Resists: None

Weak to: No elemental weaknesses but very vulnerable to being poisoned

x

Name: Nimrod

Persona: The Aquadynamic Merman

Septima Power: Ichor, the ability to manipulate all forms of liquid

Major Arcana: The Moon(Upright)

Resists: Agi/fire

Weak to: Zio/electricity

x

Name: Shiden Tsukuyomi

Persona: Nova the Mighty

Septima Power: Psychokinesis, turns his thoughts into energy, distorting all forms of space and matter to achieve the result his desires

Major Arcana: The Devil(Reversed)

Glaive: Unknown

Resists: Unknown

Weak to: Unknown


Important characters

The Fool 0(Upright): Acura Kamizono

The Empress III(Upright): Lola, Monica, Nowa, Ouka, (Gino and Xiao technically count)

The Lovers VI(Upright): Zonda

The Hermit IX(Upright): Elise

The Strength XI(Upright): Guren Val

The Temperance XIV(Reversed): Stratos(Deceased)

The Devil XV(Reversed): Shiden Tsukuyomi

The Star XVII(Upright): Michiru Kamizono

The Moon XVIII(Upright): Nimrod


A/N: Like Zonda, I've decided to make the Grimoire Seven into good guys who don't like to hurt or even kill people so they will all be friends and teammates to Guren and Acura.