Author's Note: Hullo again! Once again, I am blown away by the support for this little fanfiction of mine. I am starting to run just a little low on steam so updates are prolly going to slow down significantly going into the future. That being said, I am both excited and dreading the reactions to this chapted. To answer the question of Guest in my reviews, I figure since this story is so heavily tied to Persona 4 to even have its name, it would be a good place to start. I have always liked the "face yourself" type of story that got told in this game with the Shadows. I figure who else would make sense to know everything about you but yourself, y'know? Anywhoo, as nervous about this chapter as I am, I think next chapter has me even more nervous. I will explain more then. Have a great day. Please enjoy and reviews are welcome.

Nanako finally got home just before sunset. She went into the bathroom and washed her face. Looking at reflection she saw herself. Slowly reaching forward, Nanako felt her fingers hit the surface of the glass. Then they sunk into it just like before. Pulling her hand back, she shook her head and grabbed a towel to finally clean the tear stains from her face. She took her spot next to the table in the living room like normal. Nanako hit the power button on the remote and the news came on.

"Breaking news! Two bodies have been found at recent sites of house ransackings. We have Yuma Fujikawa at one of the scenes. Yuma?"

"Thank you! I am here outside of the house of the Minase family. Where it has been reported that almost 6 days after their main room was ransacked, a body was found in the room. Now we do not have any confirmation but we believe that it may be their daughter who had been reported missing the day after the ransacking. A similar story has occurred over at another house in the residential district where 30 year old internet blogger Haru Saito was found in his bedroom which had been ransacked days prior and he has since then been dubbed missing. Back to you!"

"Thank you, Yuma! Many have compared this to the serial killer crimewave that had occured in the small town of Inaba back in 2011. Many of you probably remember the incident in question. For those of you who may have forgotten, we are of course referring to when Junior Detective Tohru Adachi of the Inaba Police Department was found to have murdered two people, TV Announcer Mayumi Yamano and 3rd Year High School Student Saki Konishi in the Inaba region. He also inspired his own personal copy cat which resulted in the death of an additional community member, High School Teacher Kinshiro Morooka."

Nanako turns off the TV and puts her head down on the table. History was repeating itself for her small town. She stayed like this for a long time trying to just let time pass without care. A knocking on her door shook her from her near-catatonic state. She headed to the front door and found Miwa.

"Nanako, why haven't you been answering your phone?" she asked looking visually upset.

"What do you mean?" Nanako asked. She walked away from the door and looked around for her phone. Retracing her steps she ended up in the bathroom. When had she left it there?

Miwa followed her though and asked, "How did you leave your phone in the bathroom?" Nanako shrugged as she headed back into the living room to sit down. "Seriously, what is with you today?"

"Look, I am sorry," Nanako said pulling up her texts. "Today has not been a good day."

"You're damn right," Miwa exclaimed. Nanako was shocked by Miwa's language. "On the news. Yukine-chan. She's dead."

Nanako finally remembered what she had heard on the news when she got home. "Oh," Nanako said, stunned. What else could she say?

"Two people is what that Eiddet said. Right?" Miwa asked. "Two people in there, two people dead?"

Nanako did not know how to respond to what it was that her friend was saying. "Miwa…" she started still looking for the words. "Are you honestly trying to blame this on the Mirror World we found?"

"How do you explain the Mirror Game? The people are supposed to be dragged in if the game has no one for you? Look that guy was an Online Blogger. His last entry was about the Mirror Game. It can't be a coincidence can it?" Miwa asked desperately.

Nanako shook her head. "This game is a trend right? Where are all the other missing people Miwa? Something has to be happening beyond just that," Nanko reasoned.

"What if I prove it then? It is not midnight yet," Miwa asked a little manically.

Nanako looked at her friend in incredulously. "So you think it could kill you, but you want to try it anyway? Miwa you need to calm down," Nanako told her friend. Miwa however was too far gone to listen.

"It is going to be all the proof you need," Miwa said as she stormed out of the Dojima Residence. Nanako made a move to follow her but in her mind she suddenly felt faint. The world started to fall away from her.

"Ms. Dojima, I believe it is time that we explained something to you," a familiar calm voice began. "You have obtained the power of the Fool Arcana. It is the number zero, so it is empty on its own but filled with infinite potential. Your powers are weak now, but you can grow so much. Keep this in mind going forward. You will only be as strong as the bonds you make."

Nanako picked herself up off the floor. Miwa was long gone now. Why would she ever want to put herself in such a position if she thought that place was dangerous? This was crazy. Yukine Minase was dead. Things were getting out of hand. She needed to go and find her best friend. Looking at the clock Nanako realized that Miwa would never get home in time. Nanako was exhausted as well. No, Miwa should not have time to play that stupid game.

"I'll talk her out of it tomorrow," Nanako said. She was determined. Heading upstairs Nanako decided to make a small detour to her cousin's old room. Opening the door she turned on the light and looked at the familiar room. Narukami's scent had long since faded from the room as it mostly kept a stale unused room type of smell. His book collection on the shelf, his built models alongside them with a happy little snow creature plush in a blue hat. He had a tiny TV, a desk in the corner, and a little work table. There is only one blank area under the window where the small couch had been removed. Nanako sighed, turned off the light, and closed the door after one more sad look.

Nanako finally managed to stumble over to her room and collapse on her futon.

Nanako woke up from a dreamless sleep. Getting off of her futon stiffly as she had failed to set it up. Changing into her uniform, she made her way over to the upstairs bathroom to finish getting ready. As she fixed her hair she looked at her reflection. Reaching out with her hand, it still sank into the mirror.

"So I am not crazy. Good," Nanako commented sarcastically. Nanako left the bathroom and headed downstairs. Like the day before her father had beaten her down here. However he was wide awake and looking over a casefile.

"Nanako," he said looking up at me. "Come over here. We need to talk."

"What is it?"

"You spent time with Miwa yesterday, right?"

"Yeah?" Nanako answered. She did not like the direction that this conversation was headed. "Why?"

Dojima looked away with a heavy sigh. "Her parents called. She never made it home last night. And she is not here," he explained. "We're beginning looking for her as soon as we finished today's ransacking investigation."

Nanako's ear perked up. "There was another ransacking? They talked about two of them on the news last night."

Dojima grumbled under his breath something about the 'damn news' before he answered, "Yeah, it happened at Moel station in the Washroom. All three mirrors were smashed."

"Oh, I see. I will have to make sure I don't use it again anytime soon," Nanako remarked. Dojima looked at her and simply smiled at her.

"Of course not, you're a 'good kid' remember? Unlike that cousin of yours," Dojima remarked with a chuckle. Nanako also giggled a little trying to hide the fact that her stomach dropped upon hearing that it happened at Moel. Miwa may not have been able to do it at home. But Moel would be more than close enough for Miwa to make it in time.

"You get going to school now, alright? Try to avoid the Central Shopping District at least until the roads open up again," Dojima told her, ruffling her hair a little.

Nanako nodded. She went to go grab her book bag. There was no way she was going to be able to concentrate today…

And she was right, the school day was already over and she remembered none of it. Nanako however had come to a decision. If Miwa was in the Mirror World, Nanako was going to get Miwa out of there herself. Surely her Persona could do that, right? However before she could get out of the school, Yuuta caught up with her.

"Nanako, do you know where Miwa is?" Yuuta asked. "She isn't picking up her Cell."

"I think I have an idea," Nanako said through between clenched teeth as she made her way around him. "I am going to try to find her," she told him as she walked away.

Yuuta watched her start to leave. He jogged to catch up to her, "I am coming too." Nanako was about to object when Yuuta added, "You can't go to the Mirror World alone. I will watch your back even if I can't fight them."

"Fine, but stay close. I don't know how well I will be able to protect you ok?" Nanako warned. Yuuta nodded. "I think we should go in where we did last time," Nanako continued. "Maybe Eiddet will be there again. If not well then we will just need to get to the Moel Station in the Mirror World."

"Moel Station?"

"Did you hear about the recent bathroom ransacking?" Nanako asked. Yuuta fell silent at this. Neither one really needed to finish the thought. If the news from last night was any kind of indicator, then Miwa was inevitably going to end up back there. Dead.

The trip to Junes was quiet as the two of them broke off from other students and headed into the department store's main building. Getting away from the lingering eyes of others, the two of them found themselves in the mirror aisle. They stood in front of it not really wanting to move forward any further. Nanako realizing that she doesn't even know that she could summon that thing again.

"So…" Yuuta started nervously. "We going to do this?"

Nanako reached out wordlessly. Stepping through, Yuuta followed close behind her. They ended up back in the twisted version of the mall. The only thing that changed however, was that Nanako had the hammer in hand. "The hammer again?" Nanako asked.

"Well we have a weapon," Yuuta said slightly more enthusiastically.

A familiar squeaking caught their ear. "Are you kidding me? You three again?" Eiddet exclaimed.

"Three? So Miwa is here then?" Yuuta asked.

"Y-y-you mean you didn't all come together?" Eiddet replied stammering. Clearly nervous. "That is no good. No good at all." Eiddet began to mutter and pace back and forth, squeaks accompanying every footstep.

"I am here to get her back," Nanako announced. This stopped Eiddet's pacing.

"Really?" Eiddet asked. "Well you do have a Persona, I suppose. You'll need someone to guide you in battle, you don't normally fight. I can tell. And you don't have a persona or fight at all. Stay close to me. Let's go find your friend. My nose has got a pretty good idea where to look."

"Nose?" Yuuta asked. "So are you actually like a bear or something?"

"It's… complicated."

Nanako took the lead. While she was fairly certain about where Miwa should be, she still let Eiddet confirm that the direction they should be traveling was correct. There was a few times that shadows tried to attack them, but Nanako's hammer was enough to deal with them. She was still uncertain about how to summon her actual Persona. However the fights were getting just a little more physical strenuous as the party of three finally made their way to the Central Shopping District.

"I don't get it," Yuuta finally announced. Nanako and Eiddet both looked at him. "We are in the Shopping District but backwards right? So why are pieces of it disappearing in that direction?"

Nanako finally paid attention to her surroundings. From the northern section of the District to the south end there were pieces missing. The closer it got to the Moel Station the missing pieces occured in larger pieces and in higher density. In fact it looks like barely any of the Station was still standing. The chunks that were missing were cube shaped Nanako noticed. Like someone just scooped out chunks of the shopping district.

"It is strange," Nanako commented. For whatever reason, the missing pieces were what made her so nervous. They approached the southern end of the district when they heard a familiar voice.

"So, I proved it. Didn't I Nanako?"

Miwa's voice caused a shiver to go down Nanako's spine. "Miwa? Where are you?" Nanako called out.

Walking out of the rubble of the Moel Gas Station was Miwa. However, she seemed different. Yellow Irises in her eyes immediately caught Nanako's attention. However, the arrogant confidence in her stance was uncharacteristic for her friend. Also she was carrying herself. The yellow eyed Miwa dropped her real self causing her to wake up.

"Hello, Miwa. We have guests," the one Nanako decided to dub 'evil' Miwa said.

"Nanako? Yuuta-kun? Help me," Miwa whimpered. Evil Miwa kicked the regular Miwa.

"What makes you think you deserve their help? You are useless. Isn't that what your parents are always complaining about? Wasting your potential? They would probably erase this town if it meant getting you to just stop screwing off and make something of yourself," Evil Miwa taunted.

Nanako was not entirely unfamiliar with what the Evil Miwa was going on about. Her father was a local business legend and he single handedly saved three business from the tyranny of Junes including the Konishi Liqueur and the Yomenaido Bookstore. Her mother was the lawyer who by some miracle was able to get the case to stick to Tohru Adachi. With that kind of legacy, her parents have always held heavy expectations of similar kinds of success.

"Of course, then it doesn't help that you actually don't have any practically useful talents. Your grades are painfully average. You aren't in school leadership like Nanako. You don't even have any particular passions like Yuuta. Though at least you are not as much of child as he is, so you may have that going for you. Look around you, your parents influence on you has even started erasing the world around you."

"Shut up! I don't care what their expectations of me are. If I did, I wouldn't have rebelled against them in the first place," Miwa screamed at her evil self.

"Eiddet, what do we do?" Nanako asked.

Eiddet replied, "There isn't much. That is a shadow. Shadow's are hidden thoughts and emotions. If they are denied too much… they go berserk."

"Of course you care. You just pretend so that you don't have to live with the fact you once tried to live up to them and failed miserably even when you put all your effort into it," Shadow Miwa replied.

"No that isn't true. I never wanted to be them. You are lying!"

"Why would I lie? After all… you are me," Shadow Miwa replied.

"No, you are lying. You aren't me!"

The sudden drop in temperature shook Nanako to the core. However the person who was feeling it worse was Yuuta.

"God we really are such a child aren't we?" A twister version of Yuuta's voice called out. Nanako turned around to see Yuuta confronted by a Shadow version of himself holding him by his collar. "Fight me! Fight back!"

"Let go of me!" Yuuta pleaded.

"What's the matter Momma's boy? Gonna cry? That is all your good for isn't it? Can't even step up to try to be the man of the house now that dear ol' business trip dad is gone. Poor step-mom is now stuck working multiple jobs trying to keep you from going hungry!" The shadow of Yuuta taunted.

Nanako could not believe what was happening around her. Was this what happened to Yukine-chan and that blogger? What darkness was hiding in them?

"She told me everything is fine. To just focus on my studies," Yuuta argued back.

Shadow Yuuta simply chuckled, "And of course we just accepted that, like a good child. Seen not heard. You don't have a grown up bone in your body. You are just going to let everyone else do all the work for you until you drive your only remaining parent to the grave aren't you. You are a parasite!"

"No! Stop it! You are lying. Don't you dare to pretend to be me!" Yuuta yelled back. This caused the Shadow version of him to drop him.

"This is not good," Eiddet whimpered. Shadows began swarming Nanako's friends. And their shadows.

"Eiddet go grab Yuuta-kun. I am going to go get Miwa. I need to get them out of harm's way," Nanako commanded. Eiddet looked at her with a certain kind of respect for taking initiative in the situation then nodded. The two of them ran forward and dragged the non-shadowed versions away from the swarming darkness in between two of the buildings.

"Yuuta get up," Nanako commanded as Yuuta struggled to get to his feet. "Protect Miwa. I am going to try to clear a path through these Shadows."

"Are you crazy they are getting huge!" Yuuta exclaimed.

"I," Nanako hesitated. "I know. But I am the only one with the capability of fighting them." Nanako began to take on a blue glow again. She walked out of the alley and found herself before two giant entities.

"I am a Shadow. The true self, May my powers of the Titaness Leto allow me to enforce everything my parents taught me is true parenting," the giant that replaced Miwa announced. It was clear that the giant was once beautiful. Well-endowed and shapely. However whatever had corrupted its image had done a good job at it. Large cubic chunks of building came out of the entity like growths consuming the right arm and right side of the face of the creature. In its still working hand was a staff adorned with a bright jewel. However the jewel had a chunk of building with a sign stating 'Moel.' Taller than the one story buildings around them, Nanako was truly and insect in the eyes of this being. Speaking of which, it was missing an eye, replaced with a cube of building the other was shining yellow.

Meanwhile the other shadow proclaimed, "I am a Shadow. The true self. May my powers of the Titan Helios allow me to blind all who would see the injustice I do!" This giant was clearly once a brilliant entity. A dulled shine of their round body which sat on the ground. It was fat, however the reason being that from its back and arms were tubes that were attached to people and seemed to be sucking the life from them. From his belly was a threshed looking mechanical apparatus. It was frightening and Nanako felt that just looking at it was pulling her closer to its metal teeth.

"What has happened to these Titans? You humans truly have an incredible power stored within to be able to do this to Leto and Helios. Please. Help me fix them and I will help you save your friends," Themis pled to Nanako.

The blue card showed up in front of Nanako again and she reached out to it like she had done before. "Persona!" Nanako declared aloud. "Come forth, Themis!"

The beautiful woman in a long black robe with what appeared to be the scales of justice attached to giant stone gavel appeared behind Nanako. Her Persona was still quite a bit smaller than the two titans before her. Themis gripped the hammer in both hands with an iron grip. The Persona flew forward to attack the giant referring to itself as Leto. Nanako stood her ground to keep them away from her friends. Themis flew through the air slamming her hammer into the building cube that replaced Leto's eye. Leto's staff took on a blue glow and lightning lashed out trying to stop the attack. Though Themis did feel the hit, the attack was not enough to deter the swing. Leto fell backwards.

Helios clumsily reached forward to grab at Nanako. Nanako swung her hammer knocking the hand away. Another hand swiping at her. Spinning around, Nanako smacked the hand up and over her head to get to the other side of Helios's hand. Helios suddenly became brighter.

"Cover your eyes! He is going to try to blind you!" Eiddet shouted from the sideline. Nanako covered her eyes with on arm and held the hammer out in front of her with the other. She felt some heat from the light that blasted out from him, so when it died down she uncovered her eyes again. She did not recover in time, a chubby foot lashed out and she fell back.

"No! Nanako!" Yuuta called out running from his hiding spot. He saw his shadow's hand moving for her. He planted himself in place hiding behind his arms. The attack crashed down from above and into some kind of forcefield.

"What?!" The giant titan called out.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Yuuta challenged, still hiding behind his arms. "It is true, I am afraid of growing up. But can you blame me? Everyone in my life, has grown up and as part of their responsibilities, they died. While it could not stop me from seeing it happen again, I was scared of it happening to me. But, I will not allow it anymore!" As Yuuta yelled he began taking on a blue aura like Nanako had before. "Persona!" He called out. Revealing source of resistance was a powerful looking man. Clad in a sort of armor, he held above himself a glowing golden chariot wheel as a shield. On his back was a two-handed handguard attached to a chainsaw blade. Throwing off the hand, he swapped his weapon and shield and the chainsaw blade came to life with beams of light shooting of from the blade edge.

"I am Hyperion! By the will of my blade, I will shed light on any deception!" Hyperion called. The shadow was considerable weakened by Yuuta's new determination, so Hyperion was able to dispatch it without difficulty. The remaining shadow looked at Yuuta with a brief look of respect.

"I'm sorry that I have failed us so hard. I will do everything I can to make us change. Ok?" Yuuta told his shadow. The two of the shook hands and the shadow disappeared.

Meanwhile, Themis was slowed by the blow taken by Nanako, but was determined to not the young persona user down. Leto had gotten back up and swung its consumed arm. Themis dodged under it and moved to slam the giant gavel into the giants face. Leto had pieces broken off.

"Please stop," Miwa said aloud. Nanako, finally getting off the ground, saw her friend standing shakily near her. "I am a screw-up. I get that. I did want more than anything to be like my parents once. No, I still do. But I need to accept the truth that I will need to make my own way in life. Starting with me and my parents having a little chat. They are the first step to changing. I think we both know this," Miwa told her shadow. Leto shrunk down to normal size leaving her shadow behind. The shadow Miwa stepped forward and met with her regular self in the middle of the fighting arena that this battle had nearly destroyed.

"We can change, together," the shadow said. It began to fade away and Miwa took on a blue hue. Above her was a new beautiful woman. Adorned in an outfit that could only be called a toga and wearing a wreath of golden flowers atop flowing green hair. A staff in hand, spawning from it a pure light. "My name is Rhea. I will take care of you child, so that you can take what you have learned from your parents. Make it your strength."

"Thank you," Miwa said aloud.

Nanako simply sat on the ground as she managed to sit up. She hurt basically all over, but they had somehow won that fight. She suddenly felt herself being embraced from both sides. Yuuta and Miwa both went in to thank their savior.

"Nanako-chan, you were incredible!" Yuuta called out.

Miwa simply whispered, "Sorry to put you through so much."

Nanako held onto their arms as she smiled. "I am just glad that you two are ok," Nanako beamed. "Let's go home." All three of them got to the feet and helped each other get back to the reversed Junes.

"Eiddet, thank you for your support today," Nanako said to the bear.

"Thank you for getting your friend. Do me a favor?" Eiddet asked.

"Anything," Yuuta offered happily.

Eiddet fumed for a moment then just said, "Get out." The three teens paused for a moment and then laughed. After a small series of goodbyes, the left the Mirror World. Ending up back in Junes they were drained from what happened that day.

As they walked out of the store they passed by a raven haired girl in their uniform. She offered them a quiet smile. Nanako did not quite recognize the other student as she seemed older, but Nanako was too tired to ask her friends about them.

"We are going to need to talk about this at some point," Yuuta finally said breaking their silence.

"Agreed," the two girls responded.

"First," Miwa started.

"Sleep," Nanako finished.