-P3-
-Fight Night-
At SEES dormitory…
The members of Gekkoukan's Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad were growing tense. The stress of the coming mission was already beginning to appear. The journey through Tartarus begins on this fateful night. The battle between mankind and the Shadows is escalating, there is no turning back.
"So we charge in, guns blazing, and blow up every Shadow on sight?" an excited Junpei "Asshat" Iori said to his seniors.
"No, your mission tonight is simply reconnaissance, if fighting is inevitable then fight, otherwise just keep observing the Tower," the cool and collected Mitsuru Kirijo clarified with the underachieving teen.
"But why?" Asshat whined.
"Heading to Tartarus with that mentality will get you killed. It changes form every visit and the Shadows within are different each time," Boxing champ, Akihiko Sanada explained.
"Yeah, Tartarus has always been there ever since the Dark Hour began its not surprising that it changes with time," the voice of familiar brunette, Yukari Takeba added.
"I'm lost," Junpei said flatly.
"Good god, I met a talking book once and he told me about some guy he called "Asshat" I think he was talking about this guy here," Gig projected inside a certain bluenette's mind.
"Basically, Tartarus is supposed to be like a living thing, it grows and evolves, and so do the Shadows," the bluenette clarified for the confused youth.
"Arisato is right," their redheaded leader agreed, "in fact the large Shadow we encountered last week was the first of its kind we've seen."
"We're running out of time guys, we only have half an hour to get there," Akihiko complained.
"Ehem," Mitsuru glared, "who said you were going with them?"
"What?" the champ sighed, "I'm going for, you know, moral support."
"At the bottom of course," the other senior finalized.
"Yeah," the youth replied with a hint of disappointment, the kind a kid has when he spills his ice cream.
"Ok! It's time to save the world," Junpei let out a wide grin.
"Kid, can we leave him in this Tartar sauce place?" the Master of Death requested.
Minato seriously considered Gig's chain of thought but was stopped when the rest of the team headed for the door.
"Wait a sec kids," a familiar voice called out, "I'm documenting this."
Shuji Ikutsuki ran down the stairway with a good deal of equipment.
"Chairman?" the young Kirijo addressed.
"I'm looking into some of the data we're receiving from Tartarus and decided it would be helpful if we got more," the elder man smiled.
"Come on then Ikutsuki-san, we're running out of time," the other senior in the group motioned towards the door.
The group made its way to the door with all manner of equipment just as the sky was changing color to a disturbing tint of green, with all power being cut off and people Transmogrifying around them. The younger members of SEES were pondering on the structure the Tower would take this night, and the elders thinking about the large Shadow that appeared the previous week.
At the bottom of Tartarus…
"Holy hell, this place is like some big ass evil corporation type building!" Junpei exclaimed.
"You know, for once I'm agreeing with you on that," the bluenette admitted.
"Would you two quit your gawking and listen to the briefing already!" the hasty Yukari ordered the two.
"Well isn't she being a bossy bitch today," Gig said his voice seething.
Mitsuru stationed her bike just beside the bottom of the staircase along with Ikutsuki's equipment while Akihiko propped up a seat beside them and helped the observers with setting up their equipment. Meanwhile, the three juniors were busy with preparations of their own.
"I wanna get a few things out before we start, you know, just to be clear we're all on the same page here," *Asshat* started a conversation.
"First of all, how did we get these weapons?" Iori held his katana as a demonstration.
"Kirijo Group arms division," Mitsuru answered.
"We aren't using any armor and are wearing our uniforms because…" the young teen trailed off.
"It's easier to move around when it isn't the Dark Hour," Akihiko replied.
"Our school is evil because the Big dungeon thing is here," the youth raised a third observation.
"Only at night though," Yukari replied.
"Okay, we're running low on time now," Minato tapped on his dead watch.
"Very funny," the pink clad girl imitated the bluenette's trademark deadpan look and 'my hands live in my pocket stance'.
"Woah kid, I think she just pulled a truckload of sarcasm on you," the Master of Death gave a big grin to Minato's internal self.
"Gah, who the hell was that just now," Junpei jumped to his feet, fearful of the unknown.
"That's Gig, he's sort of my Persona," the bluenette hesitated at the label of his other self.
"What the fucking hell man, they can talk?" the hat maniac stared at the others, looking for an answer.
"Just his," Akihiko replied without a care in the world as he glanced at some of Ikutsuki's data.
"It's interesting to say the least," the bespectacled chairman added as he continued manning the scanners.
"So why do I just hear about this now?" Junpei's eyes were akin to those of a mentally disturbed individual or the very least, a person left out of the loop.
"It never really came up," Gig shrugged off SEES' seeming ignorance.
"I can work with that explanation," Yukari agreed with Gig as she proceeded to the base of the stairwell.
"You three can start now, but for safety reasons, please enter at the same time," Mitsuru warned the trio.
"We will senpai," Minato saluted as he lead the group towards the first block of Tartarus.
"Why does he get to lead?" Asshat let out a moan of disappointment.
"He's faced them before and he can take point," Akihiko justified the leader selection process.
Tartarus, First Floor…
"Quit your whining punk and get in line," Gig hissed, "Drill Sergeant Gig here is gonna take you to intensive training!"
"Shit man, we're here on reconnaissance!" Iori gave a frightened yelp at Gig's tone.
"In my dictionary, that means, intensive training!" the Master of Death controlled the bluenette for a moment (Minato acquiesced for the lulz of course) and gave Junpei the ax maniac smile.
"Stop scaring him…" Yukari trailed off on Minato/Gig.
"Thanks Yuka-tan," the hat-god gave a sigh of relief.
"He's just gonna become even more useless than usual," she finished with a spirit crushing statement.
"Aw, come on, why are you ganging up on the new guy?" the taller youth complained.
"Because its fun," the other three (Gig included off course) said simultaneously.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Gig stopped the three from proceeding, "Let me *Dominate* you two."
"What?" the two companions were confused at what exactly dominate meant.
"The kid here's done it already, in layman's terms it gives you a shitload of almost immoral levels of power just by being my lackeys." the omnicidal existence explained.
"Is it safe?" the brunette said with hesitance.
"Yeah, he just says dominate insert name here, assigns our battle formation and poof we get crazy strong." The bluenette advertised the process.
"How exactly is that supposed to assure us?" Junpei asked once more.
"I have the Cat's Cradle set-up, for the two of you, that means a 35% ability bonus," the Master of Death spoke proudly of his acquisition.
"That's legitimate how exactly?" Yukari followed up with another question.
"Stop with the questions and let's get this over with already!" Minato grew impatient.
"Finally," Gig sighed "Dominate Yukari and Junpei!"
*Pop*
"That's it," Gig finished.
"I don't feel any stronger…" Asshat gave a conned expression from his face.
"Try wailing on that Shadow over there." The bluenette pointed at a lone Shadow ahead of the group.
The Shadow in question was merely a miniature of the Shadow that arose the other day. It stood alone and didn't seem to notice the Junior's that were nearing its position. Junpei approached the unsuspecting darkness and whammed it with the back side of his sword. And to the youth's surprise, the creature fell in a single strike.
"Holy Shit that's cool!" the hat maniac exclaimed as he got visibly pumped up with a safe dose of bloodlust.
"See, what did I tell you kids?" the Master of Death smirked thru the bluenette, "We now kick more ass than Chuck Norris with machineguns strapped to his legs!"
"Lemme try!" the pink clad Takeba was excited to test the levels of strength the group had achieved through domination.
As if on cue to the teenage girl's enthusiasm, a group of Shadow's appeared from the edge of the corridor and charged the trio. The girl, now brimming with confidence, fired a single arrow and slew three Shadows instantly.
"Whoa, that was awesome Yuka-tan!" Junpei gave a sincere compliment at the sheer badassery that had occurred before his mortal eyes.
"Okay that's enough warming-up, the real training starts NOW!" Gig gave a disturbing laugh that was so beyond maniacal…It would make Hitler look like a mime.
With Gig's foreboding tone, a large mass of Shadows all shapes and sizes were creeping up from every possible entrance. The swarm gazed at the three outsiders and stood still waiting for the group to react.
"Gig!" the bluenette panicked at the sight of what may be the entire Shadow population.
"You can take 'em on easily…" the Master of Death laughed off the threat, "but, if you feel so strongly about it, I'll add *Living Now* so you can use your Persona's abilities without passing out."
"Your being awfully helpful today," Minato said with suspicion as he cut down entire waves of Shadows effortlessly with a combination of sword strikes and magic from Gig and Apsaras.
"Don't get me wrong kid, this let's me enjoy the look on people's faces when we kick their asses with our weakest attacks, power grinding just helps with that." Gig answered the cautious bluenette..
"This other guy in your head is insane man!" Junpei confessed as he narrowly dodged a Shadow's Ice Magic and retaliated with a well placed Agi spell by his Persona, Hermes.
"Don't you have some video game item thing that let's us power up faster?" the pink clad girl asked as she was blindly firing arrows in every direction.
"I do, but it cuts your effective abilities by half," Gig replied as he enjoyed the slaughter.
"What the hell!" the girl's eye twitched in shock to the psychopomp's reply
"Exactly how is this helping them?" Apsaras wondered.
"It takes care of the Shadows, makes them stronger and gives us a team building exercise," the Master of Death drew out a list of things he could add to the training.
"Yukari! Cover me," the bluenette ordered as he headed for a large Shadow in the center of the room. "Junpei! Take the sides"
"Tch. I got it boss," the angst ridden youth complained as he swathed the enemies approaching from the sides his blade and Hermes' physical attacks.
"Minato, there's a tank!" the brunette pointed at the enemies rear as a tank-shaped Shadow fired a round towards the group.
"Guys, spread out," the drowsy teen displayed unusual level headedness considering the situation as he elegantly dodged the tank shell which demolished a nearby wall.
"Shit!" Junpei could only stare at the tank's raw power.
"I got a signal," the welcome voice of Mitsuru Kirijjo got through to the group.
"Senpai," Yukari got a word in as she used a Garu spell to knock over the nearby Shadow's.
"What's the situation?" the redhead inquired.
"The enemy has a tank, can you analyze it for us?" the brunette replied.
"Understood…It's weak to electrical attacks," the young Kirijo quickly answered.
"Dammit, if only Akihiko-senpai was here," Takeba fired in the tank's direction to no avail.
"Electric attacks?" Gig raised his already booming voice.
"What?" Minato was concerned at the maniac's Eureka moment.
"Kid, I got something in your shirt pocket that can help," the Reaper explained.
"A subscription to Playb-," the bluenette was cut off.
"The other pocket dammit," Gig sighed.
"How the hell did you get a taser?" Minato burst out.
"With your cash, how couldn't you?" the Master of Death answered.
With that the bluenette aimed at the tank and unleashed the full charge of the taser. The tank was soundly shocked, incapacitated then subsequently destroyed in a fiery explosion that took down most of the Shadows with it. The remaining abominations sensed the rapid loss in numbers and then retreated hurriedly.
"I'm glad that's over," the hat god gave a sigh of relief albeit ached in his exhaustion.
"I'll say," Yukari added with sweat pouring out profusely from her pores.
"Let's head back," the field leader propped his companions up as they neared a teleportation device that headed to the lobby.
To be continued…
AN: Don't worry about the next chapter guys, it's just gonna be a minor boss fight, follower by an explanation of things.