A/N: Hey guys, I'd like to clarify that I never played or heard of Devil Survivor. Any sort of similarities within plot and/or style is purely coincidence.

(Same night)

(12/19/10)

I had a dream this time.

It was extremely vivid, that I was surprised that no one saw me. In it, I was in a strange, morbid place, that looked like a padded room you might find in an asylum, except it was larger. It was decorated with expensive equipment and there was even a surgical table, an electroshock machine and a chemistry set.

There were two people, who looked like members of some kind of a cult, judging their cloaks. A tall, cloaked man who knocked me out and a frail, weakened looking man sitting in an egg chair, who was cloaked in white and wrapped in a shawl. He looked oddly familiar, even though he was covered up by the hood. The one in black gave him tea.

"That was extremely foolish of you..." The man in white said feebly as he sipped it, "Going out there alone, so close to the Messiah... You realize we cannot afford any mistakes?"

"I was not alone." The one in black said curtly.

"You were most certainly alone tonight." The one in white said quietly, "Which shows your foolishness to the extreme, lurking about the Astronomy Tower with no companions or backups... It's common sense to bring help when faced with a force greater than you."

"Correction," the one in black said, "I had more than a few backups. Five, in fact. One was serving directly under my shadow... Literally. But essentially, I was alone."

"If you call those whelps your backups, especially those you hired as spies, I shudder to think of what would happen if you did need them." The white one hissed.

"Sensei, I think my guardian is more than capable of taking the Messiah out... Especially with the ongoing experiments..."

"How far will you push him, Elder?!" Sensei, the one in white, hissed, "He had already been pushed at his limits, considering that foolish accident you ordained. These experiments would prove his downfall! In his current state, he is no match for the Messiah! You were truly lucky to catch him off-guard and not in his true power! Your Guardian would have eaten the Blade of Heaven..."

"He was quite willing to make a risk, Sensei." Elder insisted, "And I honor it. It was fortunate that he adapted quickly to the side effects..."

"Pure dumb luck!" Sensei spat, "Not worth this entire suicide mission! The Messiah nearly killed you tonight, had he not summoned Lucifer's Blade!" Sensei bellowed, "How else were you to absorb that Morning Star? You were also lucky your Guardian was there! Otherwise, you would've met with our unholy lord in person! And he is not so forgiving of failure to one he entrusted with this important mission!"

"Now, sensei..." Elder chided, "I never needed his help. And the spies informed me about a conversation the Messiah had about a sword... And I learned great information... It seems the Blade of our Lord Lucifer has chosen me."

"Nonsense! I know the Messiah personally, and he is strong." Sensei nodded wistfully, "It would take more than a few notes on swords and a piece of Devil's glass to beat him. He is the real deal." Sensei said seriously.

He knew me personally...? Who else could they be talking about...?

"Devil's glass...?" Elder whispered, almost angrily, "Sensei, I should've killed him, no?" Elder said bitterly, "Had those pests not arrived, I would be glad to-"

"Are you some kind of fool?!" Sensei cried, "You must follow the Prophecy! Even Angels and Demons must abide it! If you did slit his throat, something worse would have happened!"

"I see..." Elder mumbled.

"Forgetting your tomfoolery..." Sensei said with a voice of contempt, "What is going on the Tower?"

"Ah, yes..." The Elder smiled, "It grew dramatically, since I learned to induce the Dark Hour. A culmination of our Lord's trust in me!" He said proudly.

Sensei smiled wryly, as if enjoying a joke at Elder's expense, "Yes, right."

"Indeed. I suppose it would be our base of operations once we defeat the Messiah? My plan is to crucify him, preferably alive, upside down on the summit of the tower. He will be the banner of our army, inspiring the Unholy Horde to assault the Heavenly Host!" Elder said excitedly, "Oh such indignity! The Messiah shall wish he were dead than to be the new banner of our Horde!"

"You speak of such things as if it were frightfully easy, fool." Sensei said coldly, "The Messiah is not some scared peasant farmer to be dispatched like vermin... He is a seasoned veteran and a frightfully mighty foe. To top that off, he is also a Wild Card user. If we do attempt to defeat him, let me assure you... It will not be an easy road. He will not go quietly and he will take more than half of our allies in the attempt."

"Then tell me what to do!" Elder said loudly.

"I am." Sensei said, "First, we need an army. We cannot defeat him by ourselves, especially with your group-"

"My friends are all we need!" Elder insisted.

Sensei smiled, "And that is why I'm the strategist of this movement. I find it touching you call those people 'friends' when to you they're no more than disposable pawns."

Elder looked like he was about to protest, but he didn't, "What must I do, Sensei?"

"First, you must collect the souls of people and convert them into shadows. That must be done tonight, so that by next few months, on the advent of his Death last year, we could destroy him." Sensei said.

"Now?" Elder asked in surprise, "What will I use?"

Sensei sighed, "What do you think? Should we throw shoes at them until they cede their souls to us?"

"Oh... Sorry." Elder said sheepishly.

"Put out your left hand and summon it."

Elder obeyed. Within seconds, a sharp evil sword materialized in his hand.

"Sweet." Elder whispered.

"Now then..." Sensei said with a smile, "Harvest some souls."

I felt cold, bay water hit my face as I woke up.

Everyone was crowded around me, looking as if something had happened.

"He's awake!"

My head hurt. A bump on my right brow throbbed painfully.

"What happened?" I asked, still woozy as Lee picked me up. It was still Dark Hour.

"You tell us!" Quan cried, "It sounded like a battlefield here!"

I was about to make a snarky comeback, but I saw someone with them who wasn't with the group earlier.

Naoto rushed from the Astronomy Tower, looking aghast to see me. She wore a tuxedo.

"Naoto?" I said in surprise.

"Yeah, we found him hiding behind some crates, crying-" Kenji said teasingly.

"I was not crying." Naoto said, but it was obvious she did, "If someone would please explain what on earth is happening, I would be less confused."

"It's a bit of a long story..." I said.

"That's good, because I like long stories." Naoto said with a determined look.

We told her everything about the Dark Hour.

"That is just preposterous!" Naoto cried, "Impossible! You must be joking!"

"We aren't." Yukari said, "This is real."

Naoto looked terrified, "If this is real..." She gave a gasp.

"Anyway, what happened to you?" Minako asked, looking at my bump.

"I was... Attacked." I said.

Yukari came forward and fussed, "Who did it?! If I see him..."

"Don't fuss," I said blandly, "Just some shadow. We need to worry about that Tower."

"The Astronomy Tower?" Junpei said, "I'm no fan of Astronomy, but I like that Tower."

"Let's go in." I said, "Come."

"Don't!" Minako squeaked, "It's probably crawling with those things."

"She's right. I went in and saw some machines. When I came to inspect closer, several of those blobs attacked me." Naoto said, still shuddering.

"What should we do?" Quan asked, "Should we go home?"

Remembering the Elder's words, I said, "We should stay and guard the party goers." I said.

"Great plan." A highborn voice said aloofly.

I turned around, summoning Deus Xiphos quickly.

"Don't be alarmed." Mitsuru said, "I went to the bathroom to powder my nose when it all began... I'm just as surprised as you... So while we are uncertain with it, shall we wait in the ballroom?"

Everyone mumbled in agreement. We made our way to the ballroom. Lee took a few contraband drinks inside as we made a circle and made a fire in a clay stove.

"This feels nice." Fuuka said, "But it feels creepy with all these coffins around."

"Pretend it's Halloween." Lee said as he drank bourbon.

"Lee, is that alcohol?!" Yukari cried, "That's illegal!"

"It ain't alcohol, it's booze!" Lee said in annoyance, "Besides, I'm 18. So be quiet, eh?"

"Normally, I would prohibit the use of alcohol in campus, but if it calms you down, feel free. I'd like some bourbon though..." Mitsuru said.

"Best Directress ever!" Lee cried as he poured Mitsuru a glass.

Yukari bit her tongue and kept her peace.

"So, who wants to have a talk?" Quan said, "This feels like a campout!"

"Pass." Leah said as she took an entire bottle of Jack Daniels, opened it and drank half of it and wiping her mouth with a sleeve.

"Why do you drink so much? Is it because of the taste?" Quan asked curiously.

"Nah. I mainly drink just to forget." Leah said, "I mean, person could only take so much sorrow in her heart without remembering..."

"I'm so forgetful that I almost always don't need a drink." Lee said as he took the bottle and drank it as well.

"Is that so? Well, maybe it's better off that way. Memories are often very painful... To forget may be a blessing!" Junpei said.

"I never knew you were so deep." Kenji said.

Minako came back with a platter that was laden with leche flans, known internationally as caramel flan, but were now a gooey mess in Minako's mouth, "All right... To break the ice, I'mma give the last of the flan to the one with the most saddest life story here."

"Well, it's obviously mine, isn't it?" Quan said, "I mean, I study in a country that ravaged my homeland, yet I keep falling in love with this country... I never had girlfriends since puberty, and I admit I haven't peaked puberty yet... Well, long story short, no one, except Pink would fancy me... Especially if these cheeks of mine get any chubbier, they would."

"That's ridiculous, Quanny... I fancy you." Pink said as she blushed.

"You see, Quan, even though you're suffering from that, it's all in your head. You're well off, getting allowances as high as a monthly rent in a condo... While Leah here has to flog herself silly trying to help out at the seediest boarding house boarders in Japan." Minako said.

"Hey!" Akihiko protested.

"Right." Leah agreed, "And my hair keeps getting wavy and shit... Not to mention I'm getting bleached white staying inside as well... I get sunburn just by walking in the sun, after spending most of the day cleaning after a sweaty gym sock, an O.C.D. kid and a giant slob..."

"Hey!" Akihiko, Junpei and I protested, "Note to self... deduct Leah's... salary..." Akihiko muttered as he scribbled it in a blackbook.

"Not to mention I'm not allowed to smoke in the house... something I enjoy doing..." Leah said sadly, "And it's sad that no one will actually marry me, since my boobs are slowly shrinking, while my ass gets bubblier..."

"I'll marry you." Akihiko said as Leah smiled.

"I get the flan." Kenji said, "Other than the fact that I'm hungry, none of you really knew what it felt like, being dumped by someone who lead you on, someone who said she'd love you, but left you as soon as someone proposed to her." Kenji said.

"That's really nothing." Yukari said, "At least you have someone you can love... I made one stupid mistake and it bites me in the back... I mean, I love him so much, I could barely breathe when I'm with him... Not to mention my childhood was crappy and loveless-"

"You honestly think you're the only person who has a bad childhood...?"

Lee said as he drank another shot, "Huh... I'd like to forget my crappy childhood..." Lee said quietly, "Miserable. My stupid dad left my mom when I was a baby. I never met him, nor do I want to meet him... I mean, what kind of a father would leave his wife and unborn child? Even if I do, he always cheated on my mom and beat her..." Lee said with quiet rage, "Yes, well, my mom and I lived with a string of stepfathers when I was younger... One of them, Ian Bentley, would often beat my mum and me, when I came to defend her... It's really such a pity that he died before I could kill him... I would've enjoyed wringing his filthy neck with my bare hands." Lee said quietly.

Fuuka held his arm. Lee smiled as he took another drink.

"If it's any comfort, mine was not so good." Fuuka said, "My parents always compared me to my relatives... It seriously destroyed my self esteem... But lately, I've decided that, no matter how my parents think about me, only I can choose if I'm inferior or not."

"Because comparing yourself to others is the worst insult you can give to yourself." I said.

"Hmph..." Junpei said sourly, "My dad is an idiot, falling for a telemarketer scam... After that, instead of dealing with it and moving on, he decided to drink himself to kingdom come... He was an idiot. And that passed to me."

"You think you have it hard?" Akihiko said, "Try imagining having your parents die in front of your eyes, and your best friend and little sister promised that you three would be family. Then, your little sister gets killed in a fire. Her body was so... so mangled, that it was a closed casket ceremony... And knowing that, if you were stronger, she would still be alive... And even if you were more powerful than before, that didn't stop your best friend dying in front of your eyes... That would gnaw a man alive..."

"No way." Rio said, "I have 12 brothers, all star athletes... Yes. I'm a sport freak. To the point of fanaticism... You know why?"

"Here we go." Kenji sighed.

"Do you have any idea what my home life was like? Growing up with 12 brothers who are just like me. They were better at me at sports, so I strove to be the best of the best! I wanted to be the best in the world because I was scared of spending the rest of my life behind the shadows of my brothers." Rio cried passionately.

"Attention issues. You couldn't get enough attention when you were a child, so you're trying to make up for it now by being the best. Freüd psychology." Naoto remarked.

"Well, I guess the Detective Prince had his life easy eh? Born in a silver spoon, reading Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew in an easy chair, not a care in life?" Rio said hotly.

"I beg to differ," Naoto said with a high voice, "My childhood was marred by the absence of my parents, who inspired me to be what I wanted to be. And growing up, have you liked something that is dominated by opposite sex? Always being discriminated?"

"Hmph..." Mitsuru said gloomily, "Your worries are but a speck in the problems of the world..."

Yukari narrowed her eyes, "You're outlook is still the same... An only child for 19 years, and your aura is still dark, cynical and gray."

"Well, pardon me for not being as high strung and cheery as you all..." Mitsuru said.

"Is that so?" I mused.

"What do you want from me? You want a teary, banal and cheesy confession about how hard my childhood was? I admit, mine was a load easier than most... I was a rich only child and got anything I wanted... as long as I behaved well." Mitsuru smiled wryly, "And yet still... and didn't get what I wanted... Material possessions were within my grasp, but my father rarely spent time with me, obsessed with atoning his sins... My mother always said I had to lighten up. She was still there for me... until she met her end..."

Junpei smiled slyly, "I dunno... Minato's life seems pretty messed up... Unsuccessful with money, giving it away like it's candies... Broken up with several girls... Died at least once... Was cute, but now he's outgrown it if I must say... And will never hear from girls again once they found out he wore a bunny rabbit pajama."

Minako laughed as well as everyone.

"Okay, well, more flan for me!" I said as I grabbed a fork and plunged it to the plate. Minako moved it and I ended up stabbing the hardwood floor.

"What about me?" Minako said.

"What about you what?" I said.

"I deserve a chance at it, right?" Minako said.

"But you already had a whole plate to yourself!" I pointed out, "But fine, let's see what you have to say."

"Well... I guess you can call my life complicated... My parents were nice, supportive and oddly, quiet... But then... They died on the way to pick me up on practice... After that, I was tossed from relative to relative... One of them even hit me for some reason... They weren't expecting ol' Minako to hit them back! Needless to say, that got me a transfer notice and I was dumped to my grandma... She was the only one who did seem to love me... I was 15 when she suffered a stroke four days from my birthday... A month later, she died and I was sent away to my aunt right now... I never had a boyfriend, I'm in love with a guy I cannever have, nor did I have any friends... Til' I met Minato." She said with a warm smile, "And I'm scared that... If Auntie bites the dust, I'll lose him again... And he's the most important person on my life."

The silence buzzed and hummed in the silent ballroom.

"Bullshit!" Lee shouted.

"Damn!" Minako hissed as I took the plate and inhaled the flan.

"Nice try bud." I said, "Maybe next time."

"Good loss, Minato... But you know..." Minako whispered to me as everyone began to talk again, "I really meant that."

I looked at her as she looked back with a smile.

Suddenly, after a while, the Dark Hour broke as the party resumed. We carried Lee to his dorm, glad we managed to save the partygoers, while we went home and I fell into sleep after bathing.

Little did I know of the true tragedy that happened while we idled by.

A/N: Done. Next chap coming soon once my quota has been met. Please review! Ask any questions! The Q/A is becoming obsolete without any questions asked!