~The Calling~

A night passes and the warm sunshine wakes up Naruto. He squints his eyes due to the sun and wipes his face with his hands. He looks around and realizes he can't move his other arm, Hinata has it pinned down and is still sleeping. The door opens and a crowd of people walk in. Naruto see's it's the group from the Inaba school.

" Hey, how are you doing? " Yu asks.

" Better than how I woke up yesterday. " Naruto answers.

Hinata slowly awakens and gets up from the bed.

" Hinata here knows a little about my dreams. I told her about them before the last time. " Naruto says.

" Hi, I'm Yu Narukami. " Yu says waving his hand.

" Oh, Hello. " Hinata says as she bows.

" I'm going to go now though before my dad starts to worry about me, I'll be back in a little bit. " Hinata says as she puts on her coat and leaves. Yu's face turns from friendly to serious in an instant. He pulls a chair close to the hospital bed and takes a seat.

" So you have questions for me? " Yu says sternly.

Naruto sits up and begins to speak " First of all, what do you mean TV World? "

" The world we were just in yesterday is known as the TV world. It is a world full of dangerous creatures known as shadows. We enter that world by going through a TV, how you entered that world is still... Unconfirmed. " Naoto says.

" Well, okay. Why does this place exist? " Naruto questions again.

" We don't know. " Yosuke answers.

" Back in Inaba we only went into the TV World to save people from a murderer in our town which we are still searching for. " Chie says.

" A murderer. " Naruto says.

" Yes. There is a killer in this world who throws people into the TV World and their shadow consumes them and they die. " Yu says.

" What's a shadow? " Naruto asks.

" A shadow is a persons inner self or inner feelings, it's who they truly are. If you accept it you will find your inner power called a persona and then you are able to fight shadows. " Yukiko says.

" A persona is ones inner power that we call upon to help us in battle. " Yosuke says.

" I'm still unsure how this all involves me. " Naruto says.

" Well, we'll soon find out. When you feel better and able to fight, you can find us here. " Yu hands Naruto a piece of paper with a large logo that reads " SALE Now 30% off a new 42" TV! "

" I can find you at a sale? " Naruto says puzzled.

" Oh no! I apologize. Hold on" Yu says as he takes the paper back and searches his pocket. " This place. "

" Junes. " Naruto says.

" Yeah. That's my family owned business. " Yosuke says. " Wait, Yu. Are you going to buy a new TV? "

" I've thought about it. " Yu says.

" Well, you know you got a friend discount. " Yosuke says. " Wait, I didn't say that. No way I'm not going to help you. Friends discounts do not exist! " Yosuke says paranoid he is being recorded.

" Yosuke. " Teddie says.

" What Teddie? " Yosuke asks.

" I'm telling your dad. " Teddie says as he runs out of the room.

" No you stupid bear! " Yosuke yells as he runs after Teddie.

" Guys this is a Hospital! C'mon Yukiko! " Chie yells as she grabs Yukiko's hand and runs after them.

" Well now that was weird. " Kanji says.

" You can say that again. " Naoto says.

" Well I'll see you guys at this Junes place. " Naruto says.

" Alright, come later on tonight if you can. " Yu says.

" I'll try. " Naruto says.

Yu nods and gets up as the rest of the group leaves the room. Naruto gets up and walks to his cloths on the window seal. He takes off the hospital gown and puts his clothes on and pulls out his cell phone and calls Hinata.

" Hinata. Don't come back, I'm leaving. " Naruto says and then he hangs up.

He puts his phone back in his pocket and walks out of his room's door and then out of the hospital. He heads towards the train station and takes a train to Inaba. A few hours pass as Naruto arrives in the rural town of Inaba. He gets off the train and looks at the paper again that reads: Junes Department Store. He walks off the platform and heads into town. He enters the central shopping district and starts visiting stores to pass time. A few hours later Naruto finds Junes and heads to the electronics department. " Naruto! " he hears a voice shout. He looks to his right and sees Yu waving his arms and walks towards him.

" Glad you could make it, Are you ready? " Yu asks.

" Ready for what? " Naruto asks.

" You and I are going to find out what your persona is. " Yu says

" What? How am I supposed to do that.? You're standing there with a sword and all I have is my fists. There is no way I can defend myself. " Naruto says

" Calm down Naruto. Here Yosuke said he would let you use his Kunai. " Yu says as he hands Naruto two Kunai.

" Well then, Let's go. " Yu says as he jumps into the Tv.

Naruto stands there in shock as he stares at the Tv.

" He really just jumped into the Tv. " Naruto says to himself.

A hand bursts out of the Tv and grabs Naruto and pulls him in.

A loud slamming sound lands next to Yu. Yu looks over his shoulder to see Naruto on his face.

" Oh, are you okay? " Yu asks

Naruto fixes himself and stands up. " I didn't know a body could bend like that. " Naruto says as he stands next to Yu.

" How can you guys see through this fog? " Naruto asks putting his arm above his eyes.

" Oh yeah, here. " Yu hands Naruto a pair of glasses. " These help us see through the fog. Teddie made these for you. "

Naruto puts on the glasses and is amazed by his improved vision.

" Wow. " Naruto says as he looks around him. " And these glasses are Orange too. My favorite color. "

" Yeah Teddie is good like that. Here follow me. " Yu says as he leads Naruto through the wasteland of the TV World. They walk for what seems like forever.

" Here we are. " Yu says standing in front of the dirty school. " This is where we were last time. "

" Yeah. " Naruto says.

" Your shadow is inside. " Yu says.

" I have to fight it don't I? " Naruto asks.

" Only if you don't accept it for what it is. It is you after all. " Yu says walking inside the school.

" This will be easy. " Naruto says as he heads in after Yu.

Naruto is disgusted by the dirty surroundings.

" You'll be fine Naruto, this is the easy part. " Yu says.

They continue through the school hallways that get even more nasty the further in. Whispers fill the air but they are to shrouded to understand. Yu opens a door and then quickly closes it before Naruto can see.

" What's wrong Yu? " Naruto questions.

Yu takes a deep breath and asks, " How Prepared are you? "

" About as much as I can be right now. " Naruto says unsure.

" Well this is going to be a difficult sight and there are mini-shadows we must fight in here. " Yu says as he cracks the door. " I'm sorry. "

Yu throws the door open & yells "Persona!" as a pumpkin headed warrior appears above his head and flames shoot out from it's lantern. Naruto sees the persona but is unable to move by the horrific sight of his friends hanging dead from the ceiling of the gym. Naruto's eyes fill with tears as he is frightened by the thought of this. A few seconds pass and Yu returns to Naruto and puts his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

" Hey, this isn't real. " Yu assures to Naruto.

" Everyone is dead. " Naruto says.

" No. It's just an illusion Naruto this is where you'll have to face your shadow. Let's go. " Yu says as he helps Naruto to his feet. Walking through the quiet gym all they can hear is the ropes from the bodies stretching as the bodies swing slightly. Their feet barley graze the top of Naruto's hair. Suddenly they hear a noise and Yu draws his sword.

" Show yourself. " Yu demands.

A boy resembling Naruto walks out of the shadows of the gym and stands before Yu.

" You're not the one I want. " The Shadow Naruto says as he flings his hands sideways and sends Yu sliding across the floor. He then lifts his hands and brings Naruto closer to him.

" This.. is not.. Good.. " Yu struggles to say trying to stand up.

" Hello. " The shadow Naruto says to Naruto. Naruto just stares at the shadow in its yellow eyes.

" I accept you. " Naruto says to his shadow.

" What? " The shadow asks.

" I accept you. " Naruto says again.

" No you don't. " The shadow says as it clenches it's fist.

" I accept Y.." Naruto stops as a fist passes through this heart.

The shadow drops Naruto to the ground and turns to Yu.

" Naruto! " Yu screams.

" He can't hear you anymore. " Shadow Naruto says.

The shadow disappears and reappears right behind Yu kicking him across the floor. Yu lets out a scream of pain as he stops sliding next to Naruto. He looks at the lifeless body in it's eyes which have no life left in them.

" No. " Yu says to himself.

" Yes. " The shadow says appearing infront of Yu.

The shadow grabs Yu's face and takes his sword.

" You will die here and now. " The shadow says as he throws Yu's head to the ground and raises the sword.

A sudden blast knocks the shadow across the Gym. Naruto rises to his feet with a muscleless upper body. His body soon stiffens out as the hole in his chest still remains there. Naruto's lips murmer the phrase " Per..so..na " a heart falls into the middle of the hole and it starts beating rapidly out of control. A stifiling surges shoots throughout his veins. His lifeless pure white eyes suddenly glow black.

The shadow rises to it's feet. " This looks dangerous. " the Shadow Naruto says.

Naruto slowly starts to walk to the shadow. The shadow runs at naruto with the sword raised. The shadow lunges at Naruto as the sword travels through his hand. Naruto rips his hand from the sword and grabs the Shadow by the face with his disfigured hand and slams it to the ground. Naruto grabs the sword from the shadows hand as he forces his foot through the shadows stomach and penetrates the ground under the shadow. The shadow screams in pain. Naruto puts the sword to the shadows face and begins carving it's face. Yu runs over to Naruto and grabs his sword hand.

"C'mon Naruto. Don't do this. " He says.

Naruto lifts his head stands and stares at Yu with his black black light leaks out of his eyes and heal the hole in his chest. Naruto's eyes fade back to normal as he falls next to his shadow. Yu sits down awaiting Naruto to reawaken. Hours pass before Naruto sits up quickly. Naruto looks at Yu then at his Shadow which his foot is still stuck in.

" I tried to get your foot out. " Yu says.

Naruto looks at his shadow which is lying there paralyzed.

" I accept you as a part of me Shadow. " Naruto said.

" No you don't. " The shadow says as it raises it's fist to Naruto.

Naruto bumps fists with the shadow as it fades away. Yu clears the ruble from Naruto's foot and helps him free it. A persona appears above Naruto's head in the form of Thanatos. It disappears and Naruto falls to the ground. Yu picks him up and says " Let's get out of here. " As they leave the dungeon.