Disclaimer: Neither Takeshi Yamato nor Xamusel own Kamen Rider Wizard or Persona 3. We only own the idea from the plot, and some of the OCs.
Takeshi Yamato: Hello, everyone!
Welcome to the second chapter of A Wizard in Iwatodai!
A quick note on Nayuki revealing Magic so freely to Mitsuru in the last chapter: She'd promised an explanation as to why Machine Winger worked in the Dark Hour. My belief is that Machine Winger runs on Magic, rather than gas like a normal Motorcycle - and anything that runs on Magic rather than conventional means will function in the Dark Hour. So, in order to explain that, she needed to explain Magic, and the best way to start that explanation is provide an example - hence, deploying the Red Garuda.
Now, let's see what fate has in store for the Wizard next! :D
A Wizard in Iwatodai
Story by Takeshi Yamato, written by Takeshi Yamato and Xamusel
Iwatodai, Kirijo Dorm - 12:15 AM, April 10, 2009
Nayuki waited in the command room with Yukari while Mitsuru and Akihiko got things ready to explain to her how things were going in the area. While she was content to stay still under normal circumstances, this wasn't normal for her, considering that she was about to be forced into a situation where—
"Excuse me, Nayuki-san? Yukari? We need someone to open the door for us," Akihiko's voice carried through the door.
"On it, senpai," Yukari said, as she opened the door to reveal Akihiko and Mitsuru holding trays of food items in their hands.
—she would be waited on by her senpai?
"It was my idea," Mitsuru remarked. "Neither Akihiko nor myself have any kitchen experience, but… given how late it is, I thought that food might help keep us awake…"
"Sounds like a good idea, senpai," Nayuki replied as she took out the Connect Ring. "Let me grab something really quick…"
"CONNECT, PLEASE!" came from her belt as the typical Red Magic Circle appeared to her left, as she reached into it, and pulled out… a bag full of Plain Sugar Donuts.
"Okay, because I'm pretty sure we don't know how that works, could you please explain it?" Yukari asked Nayuki. "Actually, why do you always eat those donuts, anyway?"
"OK, second question first," Nayuki began. "Using my Magic tends to burn through a lot of energy. This can be replenished by sleeping, but I can also recover energy by eating sweets - and honestly, Plain Sugar Donuts are my favorite kind of sweets."
"Er, Nayuki-san, isn't the right term 'calories' instead of 'energy'?" Akihiko asked.
"Possibly," Nayuki replied. "Anyway, as to what I just did, my Connect Ring allows me to open a portal to somewhere else, reach through, and pull something through from the other side. It often goes into a special storage space for a lot of my equipment, but I can also open it to other places in this world where I know stuff is - like my hotel room, where I had this." She took a donut out of the bag and began munching on it.
"Kinomoto," Mitsuru said, "would you like tea with the donuts you brought over?"
Before Nayuki could answer, Akihiko turned to face Mitsuru and said, "Whoa, Mitsuru, this isn't like you! I never saw you like this with anyone before, and that's saying something! Besides, donuts work better with coffee. It's part of common knowledge."
"I would be willing to try the Tea, though," Nayuki remarked. "Thank you very much, Mitsuru-senpai."
Before Mitsuru could pour the tea into the cup, Yukari said, "Actually, I was asking about how you did what you did in general. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a legit Kamen Rider…" That was when realization hit her. "Wait, hold on. You are a Kamen Rider, aren't you?"
Nayuki nodded. "First heard the term when I ran into another Rider named Fourze, but yes." She took a slight bow from her seat. "Kamen Rider Wizard, at your service."
"Shouldn't that be 'Witch'?" Akihiko asked.
"It does make sense," Mitsuru said. "Given the fact that a Witch is a female Wizard, you can imagine the confusion about that."
"Well, maybe," Nayuki admitted. "Still, Wizard was what I was called by others who knew about my Magic before I heard the term Kamen Rider, so Kamen Rider Wizard works well enough." She then held up a few of her Wizard Rings. "As for how it works, my Rings essentially each contain a spell within them - I put the Ring on my right middle finger, and run it over my Hand Author-" she indicated the hand on her belt, "-or my WizarDriver's Hand Author, and the spell activates. For my battle outfits, those require these Rings." She held up her four Basic Style Rings. "They go on my left middle finger, and I need the WizarDriver for that, because it can switch its input from reading from the right hand for spells, to from the left hand for transformations."
"Amazing…" Yukari breathed out. "To think that you're the Kamen Rider Wizard. I must get your autograph later!"
"Whoa, Yukari, give her some space!" Akihiko said with his arms held out to emphasize the point.
Mitsuru, meanwhile, finally poured the tea. "Here's your tea, Kinomoto," she said to Nayuki, handing her the tea.
"Thank you, Mitsuru-senpai," Nayuki replied, before taking a sip. "Mmm, quite good," she remarked, before turning to Yukari. "Anyway, I take it you've heard a bit about my exploits, Yukari-san? Perhaps you could help me explain it to Akihiko-senpai, seeing as how I've already given a basic explanation of my Magic and about Phantoms to Mitsuru-senpai."
The magic rings, the Wizard Rings.
(A red magic circle appears over a black background. Four lights appear at the main corners of the Circle, from which appear the Flame, Water, Hurricane, and Land Style Rings.)
They shine on both hands of the modern mage.
(The Rings float in different directions, Water, Hurricane, and Land going off the screen as Flame lands on Nayuki's left middle finger as she appears silhouetted in front of the magic circle, Driver On Ring on her right middle finger)
As she changes despair into hope.
(A close-up image of Nayuki's head and shoulders, still silhouetted, as the helmet and upper outfit of Wizard Flame Style super-impose themselves over her form.)
(BGM: Life is SHOW TIME [TV Version])
Maji ka? Maji de? Maji da! Showtime! (Seriously [it's magic]!? Really!? I'm serious! Show Time!)
(Wizard Flame Style does a few spins in various positions relative to a red magic circle on a white background, before appearing on Winger WizarDragon, which flies off the screen before WizarDragon flies back onto the screen, lobbing a fireball from its mouth before the flash resolves into the title logo.)
Maru de tsuki to taiyou (It's like the shock)
(Nayuki is seen standing atop the Iwatodai Dorms building, overlooking the whole town, before the scene shifts to a solar eclipse, then to Wizard Flame Style spinning to face her right, and finally to Nayuki spinning to face her left.)
Kasanaru toki no shougeki (When the moon and the sun collide!)
(Nayuki stands in the middle of a crowded street, head down, before raising it somewhat to look at a boy in a style similar to that of a jailbird, who looks up to reveal Pharos.)
Dare datte kiseki shinjite mitai (Everyone wants to believe in a miracle)
(Pharos lifts his right hand up, the back of it facing Nayuki, and the screen shifts to show them reaching for each other's hand, before it shows them walking across the street to each other, Mitsuru appearing on Pharos' side, Minato showing up on Nayuki's side.)
Kitto hitotsu you fukaketsu no ENAJI kokoro no da ne (The indispensable energy that people need comes from the heart)
(The background shatters, before Mitsuru drives up on her own motorcycle, pulling off her helmet before brandishing her rapier and Evoker. Minato then appears, a silhouetted image of Thanatos behind him. Pharos and Nayuki appear in front of a Velvet Doorway.)
Yume to yosou ii imi de uragitte kureru mono (Dreams and expectations will betray you in a good way)
(Yukari Takeba is seen looking through a tome of magic, while a magic ball shows Nayuki transforming into Kamen Rider Wizard, the ball being held by Pharos.)
3! 21! 1! Showtime!
(The scene shows Pharos' immediate area glowing in light.)
Magic Time!
(Wizard Flame Style is seen in front of a building, jumping and spinning in place.)
TRICK ja nai! (It's no trick!)
(Wizard Flame Style lands on the ground, lifting her right hand to her mask, before lowering her arm.)
Mahou HIIRO hanpa nee ze (The Magic Hero is no pushover!)
(A red magic circle appears under her feet, with three separate magic circles, red, blue, and yellow, underneath the Red Garuda, Blue Unicorn, and Yellow Kraken PlaMonsters respectively, before Wizard Flame Style spins around and sends her familiars out.)
Mo-to halelujah
(Wizard Flame Style crushes a card in her hand, as Tsukuyomi appears behind her.)
Kioku no roots moguri-konde kibou sukui-dase (Dig into the roots of memory and save that hope!)
(Wizard Flame Style leaps through a blue magic circle to her right, becoming Wizard Water Style, then leaps up through a green magic circle to become Hurricane Style, then drops down through a yellow magic circle to become Land Style.)
Show Time!
(Nayuki and Pharos reach for each other's hands and grab them.)
Life is showtime! Tobikiri no (Life is Showtime! It's exhilerating!)
(Wizard Flame Style is seen falling through magic circles.)
Unmei to RAIFU mucha shite mo (Even if you're reckless with fate and life!)
(Wizard Flame Style is riding Machine Winger down a road, as WizarDragon flies up alongside. Machine Winger and WizarDragon combine to form Winger WizarDragon, with Nayuki still riding.)
Mo-to halelujah
(Back with the close up on Nayuki and Pharos' hands, as Nayuki moves the Hope Ring towards Pharos' finger.)
Kinou, kyou, ashita, mirai (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and in the future…)
(Nayuki, Minato, Yukari, and Mitsuru are in the Iwatodai dorm, each doing various things. Their positions switch two times, with each switch showing a new set of activities.)
Subete no namida wo (…all those tears…)
(Nayuki is riding Machine Winger, Mitsuru riding behind her.)
Show Time!
(Nayuki finishes sliding the Hope Ring onto Pharos' finger, the ring beginning to light up.)
Kouseki ni kaette yaruze (…I will change them into jewels!)
(Wizard's four main Styles come into view, Flame in the center, Water from the right, Hurricane from above, and Land from the left. The four pose identically as Water, Hurricane, and Land turn into light and merge with Flame.)
Maji ka? Maji de? Maji da! Showtime! (Seriously [it's magic]!? Really!? I'm serious! Show Time!)
(Brief shot of Nayuki holding up her left hand with the Flame Style Ring on it, followed by Wizard Flame Style doing a brief spin and posing in front of Machine Winger, the story logo once again flaming into existence in the foreground.)
Chapter 2: Why You Should Find a Proper Medic
Thirty Minutes Later
"…and that about explains it," Yukari said, getting the attention of not just Akihiko, but of Mitsuru, too.
"So… you've been fighting these Phantoms for over a year now?" Akihiko asked. "That can't have been easy…"
Mitsuru agreed, but she was further aghast at the Black Sabbath Ritual that had been performed, the first one Nayuki had survived, which led to her becoming Wizard, and the second one she had been used for, but it had been stopped by an ally…
"It wasn't…" Nayuki replied. "But I had plenty of help…" She smiled as she remembered her friends and allies from the last adventure. "Wajima, who made most of my Rings… Rinko, the police detective who I saved from becoming a Phantom, who then decided to help me… Shunpei, the amateur magician who I think is now working as an apprentice to Wajima… Beast and Mage, my fellow Riders…" Her smile turned slightly sorrowful at the end. "…and… Koyomi…"
Mitsuru could tell from Nayuki's expression that her memories of Koyomi were somewhat bittersweet. "Was this Koyomi… special?" she asked.
Nayuki nodded. "She was…" she replied. "She could sense Phantoms more easily than I could, though I had to supply her with Magic every so often… And… and she was my first love…" She then pulled out the Hope Ring. "This… this is all I have left of her… after… after she…" Nayuki's eyes began to water with unshed tears.
Mitsuru and Yukari both reached over to Nayuki to help calm her down, even saying in sync, "There, there, let it out." It was at this time that Yukari noticed what she was doing, giving Mitsuru a glare in the process.
Nayuki started crying, burying her face in Mitsuru's shoulder as the tears fell from her eyes.
Yukari eventually got a look of realization on her face, as she turned to face Akihiko and asked, "Senpai, what about Minato-san? What are we supposed to do with him at this time?"
Akihiko's eyes widened slightly as he exclaimed, "Shoot! We have to get him to the hospital, and pronto!"
"You two take care of it," Mitsuru replied, Nayuki still seeming to cling to her. "I'll stay with Kinomoto for the moment."
Akihiko eyed Mitsuru with a calculating look for about five seconds, before closing his eyes and shaking his head, saying, "Alright, Mitsuru, your call." With that, he guided Yukari out of the room, intent on taking someone to help him get the unconscious youth to the Kirijo-run hospital.
After a few minutes, Nayuki's sobs slowly began to fade. "S… sorry about breaking down like that…" she said once she'd fully stopped crying and stopped clinging to Mitsuru. "It's just… it's only been a month, and it… still hurts to think about…"
Mitsuru nodded, understanding where she came from. "I know what it's like to lose a loved one," she said. "My mother passed away when I was younger, and it feels like my father is hardly there any longer, so…"
"I see…" Nayuki replied. "Th… thank you for understanding…" She paused for a moment. "Anyway, I'm assuming you're wanting to offer me your help in fighting the Shadows, or ask for my help as the case may be?"
Mitsuru nodded, saying, "The latter, actually. We're a bit shorthanded in the battle against the Shadows, so we'll need as many people to help us as possible."
It was at that time the butterfly that Nayuki saw before appeared from through the open window. "Huh? That's odd… where did that glowing blue butterfly come from?" Mitsuru asked out loud.
Nayuki turned to see it, recognizing it. "I saw it once before, just last night," she replied. "Guess that Philemon person has more to explain to me."
"Philemon?" Mitsuru asked.
"He's the one who apparently gave me access to my Persona," Nayuki replied, before offering her hand to Mitsuru. "Come on - if it's appearing to both of us, it's possible he wants to talk to both of us."
Before Mitsuru could accept her hand, however, both of them started feeling faint as they droopily closed their eyes.
Platform of the In-between
Mitsuru showed up on the platform across from Philemon alone, as he performed a bow in greeting to her. "Welcome," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Philemon, a dweller between consciousness and unconsciousness. And now, a simple test. Can you state your name?"
"Mitsuru Kirijo," she answered. "Where did Kinomoto go? I thought she'd be here with me?"
"As she has already gone through this test, she won't need to be here until a little bit later," Philemon said. "Still, it is indeed splendid, in that you can remember your identity when in this domain. It seems you've passed that test. But tell me this; are you aware of the many and varied selves you harbor within you? The self suffused with divine love… the self capable of demonic cruelty. People live by wearing different masks. Your current self may be only one of those innumerable masks."
"I… see…" Mitsuru said after a moment. "I… hadn't thought about it that way before, but it does seem to make some sense…"
"Indeed," Philemon said. "Since you have a very firm grip on your identity, I would normally be inclined to give you something, but you already have it for the time being… the power of Persona."
"Y… yes, I do possess a Persona," Mitsuru replied. "But… what do you mean 'for the time being'?"
"Despair is a powerful weapon. It can only be countered by holding on to hope, whatever that might be," Philemon said in a cryptic manner. "However, when you retain your humanity, you will lose access to the Persona you have at present… unless you accept this gift I am about to give you."
She was somewhat confused as to his cryptic meaning, though the first bit did seem to connect to what Nayuki had said about Phantoms. "Well… I don't quite know what precisely you're talking about, but I'll accept your gift… I am somewhat curious as to what it is."
Philemon produced a blank card that looked like it could be a Tarot Card of the Empress Arcana and handed it to her. "Personas aren't usually summoned by means of an Evoker," he said. "This will be your key to summoning a Persona in the future, when you can't use your Evoker any longer."
Mitsuru took the card, which then dissolved into particles of light which seemed to be absorbed into her body.
It was at this time that Nayuki showed up again, looking around before she spotted Mitsuru and Philemon together.
"So… I take it you needed Mitsuru-senpai by herself, first?" She asked.
"Indeed, my friend," Philemon replied. "It is good that we meet again. Are you used to your Persona now?"
"A bit, yes," she replied. "I take it I won't have any more problems fighting Shadows now?"
"Correct," he answered. "Events are moving in an unexpected direction, even more so than they are supposed to be. It will be up to you and others like you to resolve the issues before the end of the school year, especially since a General is in your midst, and has hidden himself in plain sight for so long. He seeks to bring the death of humanity, while simultaneously creating more like him, which is tied into the ultimate fear of death humanity has."
Nayuki realized what he meant. "A Phantom…" she muttered. "There's another Phantom here? And his plans are that widespread?"
"Indeed," Philemon said. "However, he is also being manipulated by a being that desires to awaken humanity to the chaos in their hearts. You must stop the Crawling Chaos before it can carry out its goals! It was initially going to wake up in three years time, but the arrival of a Wizard has caused it to start waking up early, something which was not meant to happen initially. Are there any questions?"
Nayuki looked somewhat shocked that she was supposedly the cause of this 'Crawling Chaos' waking up early, but figured that was why Philemon had 'recruited' her, since she would need to clean up the mess. "My main question at the moment," she began, "is: how? How did my arrival cause this being to awaken?"
"Your arrival caused it because of the sheer potential that you hold to eliminate the Chaos in the hearts of humanity, as this was made a place where chaos is due to show up," Philemon answered. "If you hadn't shown up at all, things would have been less chaotic overall, but the hearts of humanity would be filled with Chaos still." Turning to face Mitsuru, he asked, "Do you have any questions yourself?"
Mitsuru thought about it for a moment. "Nothing at the moment," she admitted, "but suppose we have questions in the future. How would we get in touch with you?"
"You can always find a way to find me in the form of the glowing blue butterfly," Philemon said. "Now, whatever path to the future you choose, remember that the choice was yours and no one else's."
With that, the vision of being with Philemon ended, prompting Nayuki and Mitsuru to return to reality.
Iwatodai, Kirijo Dorm
Nayuki and Mitsuru returned to reality at about the same time, in the same positions they were in when they had been whisked to Philemon's realm. "Well, that was definitely enlightening, in a semi-cryptic sort of way," Nayuki remarked.
"Indeed," Mitsuru said, nodding as she did so. "That could have gone worse just as easily as it could have gone better."
"Yeah," Nayuki agreed. "And, as to what we were talking about before he showed up… sure, I can give you guys a hand. I mean, not counting the fact that there is a Phantom running around, likely with a few other Phantom underlings, these Shadows do seem similar to Phantoms, from what I can tell."
"I see…" Mitsuru said, digesting the information she was given. "Well, that would be something we'll need to investigate as soon as possible."
"Right," Nayuki agreed. "First things first, though…"
"CONNECT, PLEASE!" called out the Hand Author as Nayuki brought her Connect Ring over it, opening a portal which Nayuki reached into, pulling out her backpack.
"I can check out of the hotel later," she remarked. "Got an empty room I can move into? Figure I might as well share your place of residence, if I'll be working with you."
Mitsuru looked a bit shocked, before she shook it off, nodded, and said, "Of course. You can find a few empty rooms on the third floor, where the girls are supposed to sleep."
"Thanks," Nayuki replied. "I'll need you to point me to which rooms are occupied and which aren't, then once I drop my stuff off we can swing by the hotel and get me checked out of there before going to the hospital to check on Minato-san."
Mitsuru nodded, saying, "Very well, I'll lead you to an empty room on the floor below." With that, they walked over to the third floor, before getting a room found.
Tatsumi Memorial Hospital - 2:30 AM, April 10, 2009
Picking out a room hadn't been too hard - they'd ended up going for the room next to Mitsuru's. Getting checked out of the hotel wasn't too hard, either - just a short drive from the Dorm, with Mitsuru riding on the back of Machine Winger, then dealing with a few items, and Nayuki was good to go there.
The drive to Tatsumi Memorial Hospital had taken the longest, since it was over on the island, just like Gekkoukan, and now Nayuki and Mitsuru were standing outside Minato's room with Yukari and Akihiko, talking to the doctor.
"So, physically, nothing seems to be wrong with him?" Mitsuru asked.
"Exactly, Kirijo-sama," the doctor answered. "However, whatever happened to him, it was meant to make him sleep a good while… and we don't know how to wake him up yet."
"Hmm… I guess all we can do is just wait for him to wake up…" Nayuki remarked. "We'll need someone to stay and keep an eye on him, though…"
"I'll do it, Nayuki-san," Yukari said, raising her hand. "I was there when he was fighting those Shadows, so I feel responsible for the whole mess."
Mitsuru nodded. "Alright, Takeba," she replied. "I'll see about forwarding your schoolwork to you here, and we can come up with a good cover story as to why you and Arisato are not in school, so it should work out."
With that, everyone that wasn't asleep or Yukari walked out of the area, leaving Yukari to enter the room and see how she'd sleep… wait, hold on, what's a butterfly doing in a room without open windows?
Walking over to the butterfly, which was floating in place next to Minato's bedside, she was about to escort it out the window when she noticed it was glowing a bright blue… and then she fell asleep standing upright.
Platform of the In-between
Yukari found herself standing on a platform standing across from Philemon, next to…
"Minato-san? What's going on here?" Yukari asked Minato.
"I have no clue, Yukari-san," Minato replied. "This is definitely a lot different than that Velvet Room place I was in a night or so ago."
"Velvet Room?" Yukari asked, wondering if she'd be able to understand what that was.
Before Minato could answer, Philemon said, "Welcome. It's a pleasure to meet you both in person. I am Philemon… a dweller between consciousness and unconsciousness. And now, a simple test; can you state your names?"
"Minato Arisato," Minato replied.
"Yukari Takeba," Yukari added.
Philemon nodded, saying, "Splendid. There aren't many who can remember their identity when in this domain. It seems you passed that test. But tell me this; are you aware of the many and varied selves you harbor within you? The self suffused with divine love, the self capable of demonic cruelty. People live by wearing different masks… your current self may be only one of those innumerable masks. You, though… Yukari Takeba, you have a firm grip on your identity. When the time comes, and you require the power I grant, you will be able to use your Persona in a greater way than now."
Yukari raised an eyebrow. "The power you grant?" she asked. "A 'greater way than now'? What do you mean?"
"I'm usually the one to grant the power of Persona, mainly to those who have firm grips on their identities," Philemon replied. "An example would be Minato Arisato, a Wild Card born with the power to hold a vast number of different Personas, even more so than a regular Wild Card."
Minato wondered if this was in some way connected to the Velvet Room, and asked, "Philemon-san, do you know a man with a nose about as long as his head is wide named Igor?"
"Indeed, Minato Arisato," Philemon answered. "He is my… subordinate, if you will, given the word choice of what he really is doesn't have much weight in today's society. What he is incapable of saying about your contract, which is for nobody's benefit if it's left unsaid, is that it's sapping you of your lifespan until the day you die in under a year's time."
Minato and Yukari's eyes both widened. "U-under a year?" Minato asked, incredulously. "Why can't Igor say anything about it?"
"Due to the nature of the contract, the source of this death is able to force those who give it to the one signing it to be unable to talk about it," Philemon said. "In short, Igor is unable to say anything because the very concept of Death, Nyx, herself, a very ancient entity far older than Igor is, had forbidden mention of it by anyone outside of she and myself. She wanted to be sealed, to prevent the untimely demise of Humanity, which would cause her to die by the end of January 2010."
"And… I was meant to be this… seal?" Minato asked, which caused Yukari's heart to clench for some reason she didn't know.
"At the time, it was deemed the most viable option, ten years ago," Philemon answered. "Not because of random selection, but because of what you currently have sealed within you, which is the reason why you were even given the contract to begin with."
Minato's eyes widened, as did Yukari's. "Wh… what do I have sealed inside of me?" he asked.
"You have the Greek God of Death, Thanatos, sealed within you… as well as the embodiment of a being who wants to usher the Death of Humanity in one fell swoop," Philemon said. "The Fall of Life must be averted, otherwise Erebus will be able to aid a dark being's plans to destroy the World a second time."
At that point, Minato decided hearing any more might break his brain. "Alright…" he said. "So… if that was what had been planned, what changed?"
"What had changed was the arrival of the one known as Nayuki Kinomoto, a Kamen Rider who had been the piece of the puzzle that could paint a different picture of the whole," Philemon answered. "Her presence has derailed many of the plans that were made for the coming three years, even the plan started some ten years prior, when you were first affected by the Dark Hour. There are forces at work that would love to eliminate her to 'fix' the timeline, but the damage was already done, as things were bound to change."
Yukari nodded. She knew of what Wizard could do, and the fact that Wizard, aka Nayuki, was actually helping them out… it changed the ballgame entirely. "So… what now?" she asked.
"Now, you will need to fight to save humanity," Philemon answered. "The first step involved with that is to forcibly remove Erebus and Thanatos from Minato Arisato's mind, but, in the case of Thanatos, not from the sea of his soul. Only when that is completed will his lifespan be restored to full."
Minato nodded. "Alright," he said. "I definitely would like to live past this year - do it."
With a shake of his head, Philemon sadly said, "The process will take some time to start, time you do not yet have, given the state of reality. If someone like my rival were active, he'd be inclined to mess with Time and Space, but for worse purposes than to remove Erebus and Thanatos from their prison like that."
Before Minato could say anything, however, a vibrating sound was heard for what seemed to be about fifteen seconds… before it stopped all of a sudden.
"Hmm… it seems that there is a way to give you the time to do what it is you need done," Philemon said.
"What is it?" Minato asked. "Can you tell me?"
"Indeed," Philemon said. "What it is, is a trip to an alternate reality that will seem to take a whole lot longer than it actually will. This trip is one that will give you the time you need, without your body aging longer than it will take for you to wake up."
"Hold up," Yukari replied. "I can see a problem here - if the time of the trip is from now to when Minato-san wakes up, won't he be noticed as missing from the hospital?"
"No, he won't be," Philemon said. "This is a trip for his soul to take, not his physical body. While he is given the time to restore his lifespan, he will also have the chance to confront Erebus and Thanatos at the end of the journey, as well as the opportunity to fully use the full power of Thanatos as blessed by him by the time he comes back."
Yukari nodded, now realizing it. "Will he be the only one going?" she asked. "I… it was my hesitation that meant he had to summon a Persona in the first place, so I feel somewhat responsible for him."
"The fact that you asked and feel responsible is grounds to allow you to go with him, Yukari Takeba," Philemon said, nodding his head. "Now, hurry, if you don't go at this time, you won't be able to go ever. What will your choice be, both of you?"
"I'll do it," Minato said. "If this is the only way to ensure I live past this year, then I'll do it."
"I… I will go," Yukari said. "I will help him on his journey, as best I can."
"Very well," Philemon said, nodding. "I will grant you the means to have your power to summon a Persona back upon losing it, should you ever lose access to it, Yukari Takeba." With that, he handed her a blank Tarot Card of the Lovers Arcana, which vanished in a cloud of light particles into her very essence. "Do you have any questions about how you will be able to fight your foes?"
"Yeah, what about my Evoker?" Yukari asked. "Will I have access to it? …And Minato-san's going to need one, too, if he's going to be summoning Personas."
"When you first need to summon your Persona, you won't have an Evoker gun, but you will have the more universal way to summon a Persona," Philemon said. "Focus on the image of a Tarot Card in your hand, before you crush the card in it. That will be how both of you will summon Personas while away from your native reality."
Yukari nodded. "That… okay, I can do that," she said. "Any other advice?"
"Yes," Philemon replied. "Remember that despair is a powerful weapon, and the only counter that can repel it is hope."
"Right," Yukari and Minato said at the same time, before nodding as one.
"Good," Philemon said. "Now, the trip will seem long before you know what happened to put you there, but it's for good reason, Minato Arisato and Yukari Takeba… the soul can't live without a body to anchor it, which is why I'm going to give your souls anchors, ones that will be momentary at best."
With that, the two of them left their native reality via the Platform of In-between, their bodies sleeping for the time being.
Xamusel: Well… this chapter ended on a different note than intended by Takeshi. We were going to be writing more Nayuki/Mitsuru bonding (Takeshi: If you hadn't guessed already, those two are our main pairing), but then I got the crazy idea to make it so that Minato and Yukari both head over to a different universe to fix the problem of Erebus and Thanatos stealing Minato's chance to live past the year 2010, the end of his school year to be exact. Then there was the fact that we basically derailed the canon plot of P3 by just writing this story, effectively putting an end to that story… or did we, now?
Now… you'll see the side-story soon enough, under the name of "AWiI: Foreign Saga", mainly because the story will take place in a universe that has problems with things called Gnosis. It will take place while Minato and Yukari are out of their native bodies… and any further is spoilerific.
See you all in either AWiI: Foreign Saga or here, whichever updates first!