Authors Note: Warning! There are some spoilers to Persona 4 Arena. I've decided to incorporate it into the story and we are now in the information dumping portion. I am trying to keep them minimal and it shouldn't be a problem, but if you desperately don't want anything that might hint to the story of the game you have been warned.

Souji seemed rather stiff as he sat on the sofa in the Narumi Detective Agency. Narumi-san had prepared some tea for them and Butterfly sat beside him, looking about ready to fall asleep. Sitting across from them, Raidou thought it rather humorous how different those two, who had so clearly matched each other's attitudes in the hospital, really were when left to their own devices.

"What is a Shadow?" he opened.

Souji sighed. "You don't start lightly, do you? Hmm, I doubt anyone knows all the details, but a shadow is basically a fragment of the subconscious. There are shadows like the ones we fought at the park, which seem to represent a specific trait people usually conceal, and then there are Shadows like the kind I was worried about you meeting."

"And those are created from individuals?"

"They are what we conceal from ourselves. Optimally, a Shadow is confronted and accepted, truly accepted. In that case it becomes a Persona."

"Which is what you have?"

"Basically. Butterfly and I are fairly unique. We possess the Wild Card and can change persona. Though, my base persona- and persona of choice- is Izanagi."

"And yours?" Raidou inquired, glancing over at Butterfly.

Butterfly looked away.

"Butterfly is odd, even for one with the Wild Card. Even Wild Cards have a persona which comes most naturally. For me that is Izanagi, as well as a rather matured form of him. Butterfly has three."

"And they are?"

"Don't be so insistent." Butterfly muttered.

"If Persona represents the person, I deserve to know what yours is."

"That's true," Souji admitted. He glanced at Butterfly, who gave a small nod. "His are Orpheus, Thanatos, and..."

"And...?"

"Messiah," Butterfly whispered.

"Messiah?" Raidou mouthed. "You were human once, weren't you?"

"I thought the only personal question was about my Personae?"

Souji sighed. "Please, no fighting until we have enemies. Raidou, it's your turn. Did you encounter your Shadow?"

Raidou closed his eyes. He didn't want to answer, but he had pushed Butterfly into answering similar questions, questions which had, in fact, helped his understanding considerably. "Yes."

"If we can go in and confront it together that might simplify things. You'd gain a Persona and our enemy would have one less Shadow at his disposal."

"Why does that matter?"

"We believe the enemy wants to make an army of shadows, but he's gotten less cohesive."

"What do you know about this enemy?"

"He's some sort of hacker, and he can take many forms, or at least create images of them."

"A hacker?" Narumi-san inquired from her desk.

Souji jumped at the sound of her voice. "Yeah."

"I may not understand most of what's going on, but hacking I understand. Do you want me to create a list of people who might be capable of such a thing? What can you tell me about his abilities?"

"Uh," Souji looked helplessly to Raidou and Butterfly. "He hacked an extremely intelligent robot from afar."

Narumi-san nodded. "That gives me enough to get started."

"He seems to influence humans as well, but we don't have details on that."

Narumi-san was already typing.

"Can she really get us a list?"

Raidou smiled. "Definitely. How helpful depends on your information, but she's good."

"This person operates in secret."

Raidou shrugged. "I'm not sure that really changes the odds of him being on the list." He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "How long has this been going on?"

"About two years."

"Two years?"

Souji shrugged. "We haven't been able to find leads."

"We?"

"Do you really think Butterfly and I are the only Persona users?"

"Do you really think I am the only Devil Summoner? That doesn't mean I know the others."

"Persona users tend to congregate and then..." he looked towards Butterfly.

"Simply put Persona users awaken in groups and most of us know each other."

"You don't want to tell me about them."

"Tell me more about your Shadow," Butterfly demanded.

"That was sudden," Souji muttered.

"It's alright, I just," Raidou looked nervously at Narumi-san working at the computer, "I'm nervous to discuss him here."

"Do you pity it?" Butterfly asked harshly.

"Should I?"

"Do you think we should deal with it?" Souji asked.

Butterfly nodded. "If nothing else I would like to meet it."

"I don't want to go back."

Souji leaned forward so he could speak more softly. "I know it's hard, but it only gets worse if you leave it. We've never seen what happens if someone leaves without dealing without their Shadow, but it could be disastrous. Our enemy may take advantage of it too." He took a deep breath. "You deserve a Persona."

"If you go in with us you should be safe," Butterfly stated.

"When do we go?" Raidou pressed.

Butterfly stood. "Now. We need someplace private. Someplace safe for our return."

"Vincent won't be back for about five hours," Narumi-san remarked.

"How does she do that?" Souji breathed in amazement.

Raidou shrugged at Souji's confusion. Narumi-san had always been the perfect secretary and information gatherer. She knew what she was doing.

"Upstairs then?" Butterfly asked. A light excitement tinged his voice and Raidou could have sworn he saw a fluttering butterfly in the strange man's chest.