May 7th, 20XX

Ren entered the Velvet Room that day, early enough in the morning such that if she knew, Makoto would undoubtedly scold him and delay the Palace invasion by another day. With all his scheming complete, he wasn't able to sleep anyway.

"Minatos."

The Shadow of the Universe sat there at the table, not even giving a passing glance at Ren as the boy made his grand entrance. Slumped over in his chair, Minatos' shoulders were hunched up and his head hung low. Ren almost stopped in his tracks right there and then, because the silly thought pierced his head that the asshole looked a little sad for some reason.

"Yo."

Ren briefly wondered where the others were, before saying, "We need to talk."

"They have a habit of doing that, by the way," he shrugged. "Getting affectionate with their assigned Wild Cards."

"Not about that—" Ren turned his head two and fro, "Though, where is Lavenza…? Where's Igor, now I think of it?"

"Requested they take off for a bit," Minatos said, still not caring to look at the guy. His eyes staring into the glass in his hands like it was an abyss.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Had a feeling you'd come here and ask questions. After all, you're gonna dive into that miserable place for what oughta be the last time. Figured that before you freak out and lose your shit over nearly dying again, you'd wanna get the opinion of the Shadow that helped save the goddamn world."

Ren didn't want to let his anxiety show. "What was it like?"

"Hmm?"

"Going out there, your life at risk because of monsters nobody but you knew about. Constantly on the verge of losing something. Losing your friends. Losing your own life. How'd you do it?"

"It was easy," he said, and though his face was obscured Ren felt he was smiling. "At least as far as he let on. His ultimate Persona was Messiah, and when you look at everything he did before he became a door, you'd be hard-pressed to deny it fit him. Guy lived and breathed miracles and every time he was at death's door he'd claw his way back out. Hell, once he actually died and forced himself back. All that said, I was a part of him, so he obviously wasn't that perfect."

"Minatos?"

"In truth... He was a million things, and Messiah was the last of them. Guy never wanted to let it show how much all the shit he'd been through made him want to destroy everything. And why would he show it to anyone? If he wanted to, he could just snap his fingers and bend reality to his will. So why wouldn't he just buckle down and let no one else see what he really was? In the end, he was able to do it just because he could."

Ren blinked. "Because he could?"

"Yeah. You'd be surprised how much you'd be able to justify with Because I Can. But there's also the fact that he had friends, friends who cared him far more than he could ever have deserved. But in the end, for as much as he loved them, for as much as I loved them, he just…never let any of 'em know what he really was."

"Because he could."

"And because deep down he was a stupid asshole who hated himself. If he could live his life and save everyone and not even have to face himself, then why even bother. Guy was far too smart for my own good."

"He was afraid of losing his life, right?"

"Course he was. He always was. But you go through the gory enough times and it stops becoming I and my friends might die if I screw up and more of If I win the monster in front of me dies quiet. The more he gained the more he feared to lose, and the more he feared to lose, the more his arms stretched out to gain things."

"Some Messiah he was."

"Indeed. A man of great sorrows. Arrogant, perhaps righteously so, considering all his power and intellect. He'd kick logic to the curb and make the universe his own. 'Cuz that was just how he wanted to deal with things. Guy was a dick, sometimes even on his very best of days, but when push came to shove, it was his will that mattered above all else."

"His will?"

"How'd he survive all those battles? Because he said he could. How'd he raise a whole army to fight along with him at the end of the world? Because he said he could. How'd he manage to keep trudging on despite everything he felt and feared was true about himself? Because he said he could, because he needed to, because that's just how he rolled. Because someone had to be Messiah. Even if he was the last person who could ever be."

"So what? Should I just…tell myself I'll survive whatever comes at me? Say I'll make it because I can?"

"Honestly? Yeah, maybe."

"...Oh my god."

"Always starts there. The actualization of the ego. A willingness to feed it, to live offa your own hype and make yourself as big and puffed up as possible. Self-confidence, self-assertiveness. Then you fuck up and you hopefully survive your failure long enough to feel the shame, the agony, the merciless embarrassment. And then you become someone, something else."

"Death Arcana speaking?"

"Abso-fuckin'-lutely. Great change, and transformation. Otherwise it's decay and degeneration."

"Right. So it's all a matter of trial and error? Go by whatever I feel and assert myself in whatever I do? Hope it doesn't all blow up in my face or end up killing the people I'm working with?"

"Of course you strategize. You plan, and you do everything in your power to protect those you care about. But the first step to building said power is letting yourself believe you can attain it in the first place. Believing you've got it."

"And if I don't have it?"

"Everyone has it."

"And if I don't deserve it?"

"Nobody deserves it. Every single human on the goddamn planet is a basket case with a whole host of different idiosyncrasies and psychoses. You're all walking contradictions that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, always shit the bed when it matters most. You can only do what you can. And if believing you can do something is all you can do, can't hurt to give it a shot. That shit carried him until the end of the world and beyond."

"Why were you even willing to tell me any of this?" Ren asked.

Minatos finally turned to face him, letting out a tired smile, "Because I could. And because the journeys of little Fools like you make me all nostalgic inside."

The dull blocks of concrete were slated with a bloody red, with loose black lettering that gleamed in the early morning light:

TO ALL WHO ENTER SHUJIN ACADEMY

THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF SIN

I KNOW OF YOUR CRIMES AND DISTORTED MINDS

YOU ALLOW SICK AND DISEASED THOUGHTS TO RUN RAMPANT WITHIN THE STUDENT BODY WITHOUT CAUTION

ALL TO CATER TO YOUR OWN TWISTED DESIRES

THEY WILL BE TAKEN FROM YOU WITHOUT FAIL

~THE PHANTOM THIEF OF HEARTS

Ren managed to get a quick nap in his attic, but still didn't feel quite awake. Citing fatigue, he convinced Boss to make him a few thermoses of coffee.

Well, only one of them was actually to keep him awake. The rest was for the operation that would occur that afternoon.

He checked his watch one more time before stepping out of the cafe. Arriving too early would make it seem like he'd been nearby, and arriving too late would make it appear he was avoiding confrontation.

There was a crowd outside the school gates when he arrived. Dozens of students were frozen in place, not letting anyone through. They were clutching at their chests, scowls on their faces. The atmosphere would have crushed him if he didn't have his resolve. His lip trembled for a mere moment, before shaking his head and walking straight through.

It felt like the air froze when he emerged on the other side of the crowd. There was a dull flash, as the world turned black. He turned around, noticing his goggles slight tint, as he faced the crowd. Their skin was a mottled gray, and mostly covered by prison uniforms. The eyes were a static blue, like the buzzing skies that plagued the mementos of Shujin Academy.

"You want it?" Despite the small crowd, it seemed like hundreds of voices asked at once. "TRY TO TAKE IT!"

Before they could start moving, the world jerked back into reality. Ren turned and left a confused student population at the gates, one that only understood the message subconsciously.

"I must say… I didn't expect that." Makoto stood at the window of the emptied student council room, overlooking the courtyard. Of course, the front wall wasn't the only one he painted. Even then, teachers were trying to spray off the chalk. Yeah, chalk paint. It would cause a lot more issues for the school if it was too difficult to remove, and a headache for the student council president.

"Hey, if I'm one thing, it's a man of his word."

"Psh, try telling Yoshizawa that." Ryuji leaned back in his chair, precariously trying to balance himself on the back two legs.

Ren rubbed the back of his neck, remembering his encounter with the befuddled girl on his way to class. She looked deep in thought, not even blinking when she passed him in the hallway as he entered Makoto's office. "It's not like I lied, I just left out a few details."

"Dude, I think even I would count being phantom thieves as more than 'a few details'."

"Ahem." The two idiots were interrupted by Makoto attempting to call their attention back. "Tantalus will be present for the operation, correct?"

"Yeah, his school's a bit looser with their schedule, so he'll be ready at the usual operation."

"And how are we on the weaponry front?"

"We'll have to stick with these weapons, since Iwai might want the Evoker back, and Takemi hasn't gotten the official one in yet."

"Very well. We'll have to make do. How's our medicine?"

"Plenty of it, and I've got some extra thermoses for SP." Ren pulled one out of his bag and shook it to show it off.

Ryuji tipped forward and asked, "What does SP stand for anyway?"

"Uh… Spirit Points, allegedly."

They looked at him oddly.

"...You play too many video games, dude."

"I didn't come up with the damn name!"

While they continued bickering, a certain redhead had been waiting outside the council room, interested in why Ren spent so much time there.

"Man, if I had a speaker, I'd be playing 'Life Will Change" by Sapphire right now."

Wow, so subtle.

"You mean Lyn?" Ryuji actually looked a little offended. Was he a fan of idols or something?

"I meant covered by- Not important actually," Ren shook his head, and focused on their goal. The metaverse's sky buzzed much more intensely, and even just glancing at it hurt his eyes. The five phantom thieves stood just outside the usual alley, notably dressed like cosplayers.

Yusuke had actually developed his own alternate costume, despite the way he summoned. It was similar enough to his shadow, a flowing greek-style robe, wrapping his legs and parting around his chest. It still looked a bit icy, like it was frozen to his skin, but Yusuke had never complained about it. He still didn't have a mask like the rest of them, though.

The air pulsated with pressure, almost like the air did in the Warp. Chains rattled in the distance, but he didn't feel the Reaper's presence.

"We've got our infiltration route set?"

The other thieves nodded, and Ren flicked his drill. "Alright then. It's ass-kicking time."

"You try too hard sometimes, Fool."

Shut up, Minatos.

They stood on top of the roof, after reaching it with little effort. No one wandered the halls, like it really was abandoned. The metallic tarp was flapping in the stale wind at an incredible speed.

"Ready? Let's do this." Ren pulled out his gun and shot the tarp. The bullet pinged off, leaving them in silence.

"...What was the point of that?"

"I thought it would piss something off." He shot it again.

The school started rumbling underneath their feet. The thieves stumbled, as the tarp seemed to jut out. It began to tent in the center, like an arm reaching out.

"...Ah."

The tarp snapped off, ripping concrete from the school like chalk, and flying off into the sky. A golden arm reached for the heavens.

It… Was a very long arm to say the least. They were thrown off their feet by a heavy rumble, which to Ren's horror, was most likely whatever it was trying to stand up.

His vision was filled by a gleaming mass that towered over the school, at least twice it's height.

And its face looked just like his.

Painted gold, of course. The eyes were whirring in their sockets like clockwork, and his mouth looked sculpted like a statue.

"First of all!" He managed to stumble to his feet, while the ground's shaking slowed by the moment. "I AM NOT SMOOTH DOWN THERE!" He shot his gun wildly at the statue's groin area, though it didn't seem to actually have one. Or two? Is that what that means? Whatever, big fucking hunk of gold at least twelve times as tall as them.

"What on earth…" It sounded like Makoto got up behind him.

"Treasure!" Morgana started hopping toward the edge.

Ren threw out his arm, keeping the cat from falling into the courtyard.

Steam poured out of the statue's nose, as its joints creaked. It didn't have pupils, but it was clear that it was looking straight at them. It slowly raised one of its arms and tried to grab them. A strong wind surrounded the fist, despite the slow speed, turning it into something like the fist of God.

Ren grabbed Morgana, as the thieves scattered. Ryuji summoned Captain Kidd and let Makoto hop on while Yusuke…

Guess he did find his super suit. I didn't think you could skate on ice like that.

The statue's arm continued on its course, and instead of resting on the ledge, it broke right through, and punched a hole in the building. Students clung to its arm as it withdrew, wrapping around it, and some falling into the courtyard.

"Ho-oly shit." Ryuji tried to get a better look at the zombies that were still moving somehow, even after falling a dozen meters. His voice was somewhat softened after traveling across the courtyard to Ren's ears.

They tried all of their elements. Makoto's nuclear blasts just seemed to warm it up, turning the plating red for a few moments. Yusuke's ice did nothing, Electricity… Well, it conducted it, as Morgana quickly found out after trying a close-range attack at the same time. Curse energy turned the armor a strange shade, but it would revert in seconds.

"GUYS! MORE COMPANY IN LIKE T-MINUS FIVE!"

Ryuji's shout brought everyone to look over what the hell was going on over the school grounds, the drones down below pouring out the doors of the school. When doors overflowed with too many of them they'd throw their bodies out the windows and try to climb up the walls even if their bodies became pincushions full of glass. More half-dead kids were crawling out the open hole in the roof, reaching to get to the Thieves.

"Shit." They were running themselves ragged, fighting off any zombies that got onto the roof, but still trying to take out the idol. "Makoto! What are the physical properties of gold!"

She pressed a mottled face into the ground with a wheel before revving the bike's engine. "Malleable, conductive, metallic."

"Heating up metal makes it expand, right?"

"Yes!" Yelling across the courtyard was annoying, but the alternative of getting mauled or getting crushed didn't look so hot.

"What about cooling it down?"

"That'd make it contract."

"What about both?"

She actually stopped to consider the question, pulverizing a straggler with her heel.

Ryuji couldn't help shuddering. It was the male instinct, and her foot was on a rather unfortunate place on the male cognition's body.

"It would make the metal extremely brittle."

Ren made a thumbs up across the courtyard. "Hit it with all ya got. Yusuke, do the same, alternate! Morgana, where's the treasure inside that thing?"

"It's… It's in the face!"

"..."

"..."

"God damn! I'm not that vain, you bastards!" He shot down the zombies that were trying to crawl up the walls. He heard nuclear blasts and ice shattering in rapid succession. He couldn't tell if the statue had vocal cords or not, because that metallic groaning seemed a bit too lifelike for his tastes.

Do it. Beat the hell outta that thing and take the Treasure. Do the impossible and kick reason to the curb.

Because you can.

"Alright, time for something new! ARCHANGEL!"

There was silence in the courtyard.

The 'sun' cracked, in the sky, and shattered outwards, with a burning holy light. Everything else was cloaked in shadow and frozen in time.

-=- YOU DARE TO DEMAND THE POWER OF HEAVEN? -=-

He smirked, keeping the shards of his mask from reforming. A figure of blue light flicked in and out of existence.

"Hell yeah, I do."

-=- BLASPHEMY -=-

"I don't give a damn. I'm not sure which religion you represent, but even I know where Fallen Angels come from."

The guardian of the heavens appeared in front of him, standing guard with its claymore. Its form was different that what had been shown in the compendium. The white tunic was instead a black that leeched the brightness from around it. The feathers on its wings started shedding.

"Seems like you guys have a morale problem."

-=- YOU DARE -=-

"Yes," he said, as he shot the sun. "Because I can." A cracking sound rang out, but... In reverse?

The world resumed its normal coloration, as did the combat.

Ren whirred his drill and smirked.

The phantom thief took to the sky, now clad in chainmail armor and bony, unholy wings. The visor clanked down whenever he turned his head. Morgana was protecting Yusuke decently well, slicing the legs out from under any cognition that got too close. Ryuji did the same, but clearly preferred simply bashing the skulls in. The statue's stumbling was slow, but it seemed to actually feel the pain, trying the clutch its face.

Ren got there first though, diving and driving his claymore into the cracking bridge of its nose. It pressed inward, piercing through to the hilt. Pressing his feet against both eyes, and keeping the approaching hands in mind, he tried pulling the sword sideways to carve out an opening. The metal gave way, and screeching echoed out from the slit. He clenched his jaw, and began pulling even harder.

He had nearly a quarter of a circle carved out before the hands got too close. He yanked out the claymore, and jumped off the idol's scalp.

Metal clanged against metal, as the statue punched itself in the face.

His wings flapped as he hovered in place, and watched it collapse the entire wing of the school on its own, crushing dozens in a matter of seconds. The zombies then stopped in their tracks, even in mid-air, pausing entirely as though time itself had stopped just for them.

None of the Thieves were caught up in the collapse, far enough away from the ruined half by about ten feet.

"Oh my God…" Makoto uttered, collapsing to her knees.

"Square-cube law, ya bastard."

Ren slowly descended, planting his legs on the slack statue. He finished carving a hole in the face, kicking the plating inside. The air inside was sheer darkness. He didn't hear the plate hit the other side.

He threw the sword off to the side and reached inside. In the darkness, he felt around for anything resembling treasure. There was something vaguely solid inside. He tugged it free, and heard something snap. The idol's body felt flat, and the dull whirring stopped completely. He hadn't noticed the arms attempting to sneak up on him.

Must have been the crushing void in front of him taking up all of his attention.

In his hands, he held a reflective box. He couldn't feel it through Archangel's gloves, so he tossed it up to Makoto.

"Is this the black box? No, those are orange…"

"Think that's the treasure?"

Morgana skittered up to her and tried jumping for the box. She held it in the air, out of his reach.

"Looks like it."

Ren looked back at the destroyed cognitive school, splattered and oozing with shadow ichor, and partially collapsed.

The cognitions, frozen in time, began flickering and pulsating and twitching profusely, dark blood pouring from every orifice as cracks formed in their bodies.

"Go." He turned to the cognitive students, frozen in time. "You aren't shadows, I know that much, but you don't need to trap yourselves here, not anymore! Return to the cognitions from which you came, DAEMONS!"

They didn't move, but seemed... Relieved. Like a pressure had lifted that was not there before. They shattered, dissolving into scraps of papery ash, and flew into the sky like a maelstrom.

"...What did that do? What was the point?"

"Those... They weren't shadows, not quite. There's a lot that can happen to fuck someone up, but our school doesn't have enough people with that kind of experience. They... They're the thoughts and perceptions of the students, but also the thoughts of themselves. Maybe Ushimaru really does think he's some washed up geezer, maybe Chouno hates herself for buying so much makeup, maybe Kamoshida left a greater hole behind than you thought. The school, it's sick. I don't think that this will solve it. This was just the boiling point. We can't get rid of everyone's feelings, but this was the first step."

"Wasn't the point of coming here to fix it?" Makoto seemed annoyed at his inconclusive answer.

"We did, to an extent, but we can't change people on that level, not like this. To take away what makes them themselves... It's wrong, and I know we changed the collective heart, but that just removed their greatest issue."

"And that was you?"

"I don't know why, but it seems like it. I don't know if it's some caveat of being a Fool Arcana, or a Persona-user, but all of the issues stemmed from their idolization of... Me."

Ironic, isn't it. I become the biggest problem in my hometown, get shipped out to the city, and I still messed it up.

"So in the end, did we really change anything?"

"This was the first step, Makoto. They'll realize what they did was wrong but... Unless we go into every one of their hearts individually, I don't think there will be some massive change of worldview, because people just don't work like that, y'know? Humans are stubborn, and willful, and steadfast in their beliefs, and in the end... The best thing we can do is to forgive their sins when the thieving is all said and done, and hope they change themselves for the better, when they reflect and see the wrong they did."

"..." Everyone was silent, looking around the shattered remains of the school.

"I think-" Ren started-

The ground started rumbling, prompting them to close ranks.

"Yeah, we gotta go!"

They ran over the idol that was dissolving just like the building, and ran into the street. The blue skies seemed to pulsate, turning to grayscale television static. The fences rusted years and years in mere moments, breaking down like ash in the wind.

He couldn't activate the app fast enough, as they breathlessly left the world of Shujin's cognition.

They'd returned to school grounds. In an alleyway, right across from the front entrance.

"Damn. How about that?"

Makoto didn't say anything, just staring at the treasure's new form.

A god damn cell phone. Really, how about that? There was a dangly golden wire too, with a USB attachment. She handed it to him, letting him fiddle with it while everyone took a breather. No recognizable brand signature, it was some kind of amalgamation of what you'd think a cell phone looks like in your head. It already had the metaverse app installed, weirdly.

"It's… Over, I guess." He swiped through the functions, and it was just about the most copyright-free thing you could expect; Just a browser, an SMS shortcut, and a number dial. He could give it to Lavenza or something, who knows.

"After this adrenaline wears off… I think I'm going to head back to those hot springs." Makoto's arms were shaking. The same was true for Ryuji, but he barely noticed because of how his leg usually acted. Yusuke was completely relaxed, and seemed to be thinking.

"I could use a nap."

The crash from all the coffee he'd been downing hit him all at once, forcing him to his knees. He suddenly remembered his total lack of sleep.

"Ah… Call... Lavenza-"

He fell flat on his face and passed out right there in the alley.

Ryuji just looked down at him while suppressing a laugh, but seeing the warning glare Makoto gave him, choked it back.

"...Who's going to get him home?"

"..."

"I'm glad you asked." A blue door suddenly swung open at the end of the alley. Ryuji nearly jumped out of his skin. Makoto just raised her eyebrow.

Lavenza walked out and picked Ren up with one arm.

Ruler of strength, never forget.

AN:

I think that this is one of the best chapters, of course, thanks to NoRoleModelz. New arc words, boys, they can and will be used in different contexts. If this were a tv show, this would be the last episode of season one. Oh, but Mikael, you may ask, is this one of those movies that have a post-credits scene?

Yes, yes it is. Think of it as the ending scene of Evangelion. Not the movie, the original show. A deconstruction of the psyche, if you will.

Play 'Memories Returned' from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon if you want. I think it fits the tone of the ending.

Kasumi Yoshizawa sat on her bed, thinking to herself. Her homework long since done, and her gymnastics training long since put on hold.

What was Ren up to?

"Stop that line of thought, he's your friend, nothing more." He made that clear.

What are your feelings for him, then?

"He's a good person."

And? Do you swoon over every stranger who holds the door open for you?

"I didn't swoon- Okay, maybe a little bit. But he's not just a stranger, he's stood up for me."

Again, would you feel the same way about a stranger?

"He's... Well, he's Ren. He's an attractive person."

Oh, you are totally down bad.

"I didn't mean it like that!" She suppressed a blush, despite being completely alone with her thoughts. "It's just... He draws people in, and treats them kindly. When they do him wrong, he fights, even if it isn't very honorable."

So you're into fighters, then? The blond he hangs out with has a lot more muscle, you should-

"That's what I mean!" She ignored the second part of the thought. "He has so many people in his life, Takamaki, Sakamoto, Mishima..."

That blonde?

"I"m not jealous!"

Never said you were, sweetheart.

"Why are my own thoughts teasing me?" She sighed and shook her head. "I just... I want to be one of his people. I've depended on him too much, I want to be someone he can depend on, like Sakamoto to back him up, or Takamaki to dress him decently, or Mishima to banter about rumors, or-"

Like that blonde to-

"AGH!" She pressed on her temples with the tips of her index fingers to take out the very realistic and very embarrassing thoughts she was having. The exaggerated rumors she'd heard were no help either.

If you can't handle that little thought, there's no way you'll get to join his harem.

"Noooooooo- Bad brain! Stop that!"

There was a knock at the door.

"kSaUsMuImRiE, are you all right?"

She was hit with a wave of confusion, and slight nausea.

"...Yes, father, I'm sorry."

"It's all right, I know you're still struggling. Dinner will be ready soon." The sound of footsteps faded into another part of the house.

...

"I need to become someone that she- he can rely on."

Atta girl.

"Mr. Shido, please! I need your support to cover this up! An event like this may be written off as a prank, but someone may dig up what happened to Suguru Kamoshida!"

Kobayakawa sat in his too-small chair, pleading to the other man on the phone.

"Never say my name during your calls, you have been told this. Secondly, some juvenile prank is beneath my concern. Investigate it yourself, if it matters so much to you."

The line went dead, as the politician hung up on the principal. That sounded like the start of a bad joke, maybe get a Rabbi in there too.

The too-large man slapped his meaty hands over his face in frustration. Sure, the clean-up of the 'calling card' was simple, but students had managed to take too many photos to be confiscated, and it would surely start circulating in the media. People would see the news, recall a news story about the exposed pedophiliac gym teacher, and start drawing lines between Kobayakawa and incompetence.

Sweating, he pounded a different number into his cell, looking for an alternative solution.

The student council president did not pick up. How could she afford to be away from her phone, the ungrateful bitch. Maybe he could threaten to take away the letter of recommendation...

A different idea popped into his head, instead of simple schemes.

"What if I countered the bad press with good press," he wondered aloud. He glanced at a copy of the school newspaper that had been left on his desk. Track (Volleyball had lost its spirit, no one wanted to be the one to replace Kamoshida), Gymnastics, photography...

He eyed the two transfer students whose faces were at the forefront of the issue. A plan began to whir in his mind, and while it would require him to actually work, he would be seeing much more benefits.

Tae Takemi tapped her glass against her friend's after they sat down at the bar in Shinjuku. Even if it was a place full of crossdressers, it wasn't too terrible of a place to drink. Except for the girl dressed like it was the '90's, like seriously, what's her deal?

Yukari Takeba was a little embarrassed to realize she'd said that out loud, and gotten a couple of annoyed looks. The reporter, by the looks of it, waved off the glare from the bartender for her, and just laughed.

"Hey, you're dressed like it's still 2009, seriously, what's with that choker?"

She tugged at the old thing she was wearing, and briefly thought of- "So, how's the clinic?" Yukari took a sip, nudging the doctor. No use thinking about him, not anymore.

"Same old, same old. Nothing I didn't tell you about the last time you called."

"You still need the Evoker?" She patted her purse.

"I haven't heard from the guy, but I think he still needs it."

"Oh-ho? It's a guy?" She ramped up the nudges, and Takemi had to tighten her grip on the bar to not fall off her stool.

"We just sat down, how are you already drunk?"

"Avoiding the question, I see? Eh, I could never hold my alcohol well-" She thought about a certain Christmas party, where she was throwing up in the toilet, needing her hair to be held back by- "NO!" She interrupted her thoughts, trying to drown them out.

"No, what?"

"It's just... Oh, you didn't know him, it's not-"

"So you can tease me about my boys and I can't mention yours?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Yukari glared at her. "He's dead, you-"

"Oh!" Takemi backed off immediately, holding up her hands reflexively. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were talking about him."

"It's... It's fine." She massaged one of her temples, leaning into her old work friend. "I try not to think about Minato, but... It's been nearly seven years, and he still pops into my head sometimes."

"...You said his name was Minato, right?" Takemi was trying to make sure if she heard that correctly.

"Yeah, Minato 'Spell my name with an "O"' Arisoto." She chuckled lightly, leaning into the bar. "He cheated on me before he died, you know? With the boss, no less, can you believe that?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, and get this, he had a heart attack when I called him saying we should get back together. Physically impossible, the doctors said. He always did have a thing for doing the impossible. He was an asshole, don't get me wrong... But he was my asshole. Oh, ew! I didn't mean it like that!" Yukari sniffed, faking a gag. Takemi just chuckled at her slip of the tongue. "God! I hope Stupei never hears about that one..."

"That baseball player you know from high school?"

"Yeah, he became a coach, actually. He's technically one of the shadow ops because he said he'd 'look for Persona-users', but I think he just likes keeping in contact with everyone."

"High schoolers, you say..."

"Eh? Ohhhhhhh, I thought you weren't into younger guys." She joked, trying to lighten the mood. "But seriously, does he have the potential?" She'd never quite gotten out of the habit of calling Persona 'the potential'.

"Actually, yes. He asked me once something about if... I knew someone named Minatos."

AN:

For real this time. NoRoleModelz, thanks for Beta'ing as always.

There may be a hiatus for a week or two, but I will be going back and adding stuff to the first chapter, as recommended to me. A general plot summary of Fairly English Story, so people don't have to read that whole fic (Even if I think they should), and more people can get into my work. Also, the prologue just sucks in general, so... Y'know.

This will be all from the Cognitive Shujin arc, so expect a bit of filler between this and the next arc.

The world is more beautiful than you could know, and you are more loved that you could believe.

Huh, what? Ignore that.

Review, please. I'm going to go back and change things at some point, and literally, just one sentence is fine, just leave your thoughts. I have a habit of checking out the profiles of anyone who interacts with the story so if you want me to read something...

Hey, just a suggestion. Oh, new longest chapter, how about that?

There's more 5FES to come, don't worry. Smell ya later.