AN: 2nd last chapter, one more to go! Sorry for the late update, internet crashed last night so I couldn't upload this. A special thanks to TsubasaWitch for their lovely review. Enjoy and R&R politely please! =)

~ WBR

UPDATE: Final chapter won't be uploaded today (Tuesday 9th August) because I am away from my computer files and can't access the chapter. Update on Thursday 11th August! ~ WBR

Awakening: Part 7 – Twenty Questions

The reassuring weight of her equipment bag against her back kept her calm yet her green eyes betrayed her. Bright, darting and wild. Beneath her hood she watched passers-by with limited interest, thoughts muddled with nervous excitement and slight dread. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but that hadn't stopped her intrepid mind conjuring up rubbish that set her on edge.

A week had passed since she'd last seen Kirijo and Sanada-san, and in that time little had been heard from them. Her enrolment letter from Gekkoukan starting in the early autumn sat proudly on the living room mantle. But the piece of paper had been received with mixed emotions. At first the thought of attended had been overwhelmed by her burning curiosity. She needed to know more, to see those seniors again. And she had no bloody idea why?

Kazou had all out ignored the embroidered piece of paper. If mentioned in conversation he'd scowl and purposefully remove himself from the room. She'd originally thought him childish, a spoilt brat that'd had his selection of toys whittled down to just one. She'd grown resentful for a time. But as the week drew on, her temper bubbled over into frustration. Her brother's stubbornness only grew and Tomoko found herself exasperated, resigned to the fact he wouldn't accept it.

Leather straps creaked as Tomoko re-adjusted them across her chest, the Takizawa printed case painted pink and blue from the sinking sun. It slowly slipped into a nest of colourful clouds that stretched out behind the tower blocks around her, encompassing the entirety of Iwatodai's horizon. She tugged back her sleeve and glanced at the small blue watch, its golden face reading 19:45.

The brunette's heart leapt into her throat, her pulse instinctively quickening. She'd blown off meeting her brother at the Bridge, neglecting to tell him exactly where she was off to. Tomoko knew that Kazou would have run all the way to find her if he found out, and forcefully dragged her back to the flat. He was that determined to keep her away from those seniors. So the text she'd sent him had been deliberately vague. A few harmless white lies, courtesy of Mamoru-sensei, even if it meant three nights of extra cleaning duty at the dojo.

She had to see them again, and her…friend was equally as adamant.

"Here's hoping we see some action tonight, I've been dying for a good Maya munch for weeks!" the inadvertent comments had been as frequent and random as that all day, and she had no idea what the 'Persona' was going on about. Hell, she didn't even know what it was or how it-

"For the last time kid, I'm a 'he'! Not 'it', or 'they' or that 'freaky voice at the back of my head'...'he'!" she had to snigger at that, even if the amusement never reached her eyes. He did have a habit of distracting her, which at the moment was a blessing. Her brain was in overdrive, particularly in the creativity department, "Keep that for art class, sweetie"

"Okay, now you're starting to creep me out" she muttered, shuddering as the creature cackling with delight. Glancing either way down the bustling road, she crossed with a light sprint, hopping up onto the sidewalk. Within her clenched fist was a tattered piece of paper. This was the only evidence of her recent late night communication with Kirijo-san.

She wasn't one for staying up, unless she was late back from training or her cleaning job at her brother's bar. But that night had found her restless. And as quarter to twelve rolled by, she'd switched on her laptop. Huddled beneath her blanket she'd placed her earphones into the USB port and tuned out the eerie silence within her room.

She'd noticed the blinking mail icon by chance, brows knitting together as she clicked on it. Tomoko scrubbed at her eyes when she read the address, Kirijo.M? Her mind froze for a moment in realisation before her hand sprung across the keyboard to open it. It was simple, one line sentence, with a map underneath.

Tomorrow evening, eight pm, at the following location.

Tomoko uncurled the paper within her hands, the green and grey ordnance survey map had been annotated for easy use. And as she looked up she spotted the Dorms marker on the signpost ahead. A relieved grin spread across her face as she ducked down the side street, marvelling again at how well built and presented the houses were.

"27 Iwatodai Dormitory, Gekkoukan High" she thought inwardly, glancing up from her map at the four storey building. The last time she been here she'd woken up inside, and had fainted again before she got a chance to see where exactly the place was situated. But luckily for the teen she had the help and interest of a Kirijo, which seemed to count for something.

A shaky breath escaped her as stared up at it, a sudden sense of nauseating anticipation and dread coiling inside her gut. Tomoko could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she knew…she knew that when she rung that buzzer that her life would be forever changed. The 'Persona' within her stirred at the sudden build-up of anxiety and unfurled within her mind.

"There is no going back now Hakashi Tomoko" her eyes widened as he echoed her name, making it sound like a passing of judgement, "The wheel of fate has already started to spin, and you have no choice but to let it sweep you along"

Her fingers clenched round the sheet of paper in her hand, the other tightening on her bag strap. She could do this. Tomoko didn't understand why she felt so desperate, she just…had to. There was no turning back….

"No…no turning back" her voice came out deeper than intended, the underlying tone of the 'Persona' coming through as well. Steeling her nerves, Tomoko took her first step up the flight of stone stairs with renewed determination.

There is no going back once the wild cards have been set in motion…and fate has intervened.

Kirijo's ruby eyes stalked her across the lobby after Akihiko let her in. The brunette carefully set her Takizawa bag down and slipping her shoes from her feet. It was as Tomoko remembered, though far more cosy now that night was on its way. Glancing around, her hand coming up and running through her scraggly hair, she found that the seniors where not alone here after all.

The man smiled at her amicably, slowly getting to his feet. His smart brown suit and long slick back hair made a strange combo, but he held an air of importance about him so she decided not to comment. His glasses flashed under the lamp light above, and as he outstretched a worn, warm hand she faltered.

A flicker of recognition blared inside her for a split second, confusing her completely as she numbly gripped his hand with her own. He must have misread her expression as his smile widened in what she guessed was reassurance.

"It's great to finally meet you, Hakashi-san. This week must have been quite the revelation. I'm here to help though, my name is Ikutsuki Shuji" Tomoko's eyes darted over to where Mitsuru sat perched on the couch armrest. Ruby irises flickered and she got to her feet, "I take it that Mitsuru and Akihiko haven't told you much?"

"We had to be sure, Chairman" Kirijo gestured to a seat at her left. The brunette dropped Ikutsuki-san's hand and followed, sitting tensely beside her, "But I am positive. Penthesilea detected the potential in Hakashi-san"

The blonde man sighed, seating himself across from them with Akihiko, "Of course Mitsuru, I meant no offense. I need to make sure Hakashi-san fully understands what is happening to her before we propose anything"

Tomoko's grip on her hoody cuffs intensified, her already rigid shoulders creaking under taunt muscle. Her voice finally worked its way through the knot in her throat, though it sounded broken and hoarse when she spoke, "A-A proposal? No offense o-or anything but….what the hell?"

The three of them shared a smile at her response, Mitsuru looking to the chairman before speaking, "The last time we met you collapsed after coming in contact with this" she slowly drew out a very familiar silver gun, causing the teen to recoil slightly. Within her mind Tomoko felt the creature surge forward, almost desperate at the sight of the weapon, "There…see? You had a similar, if not more extreme, reaction the first time you saw this. It's not a proper gun, but what we call an evoker"

"When you woke up here in the dorms, do you remember what happened?" Tomoko looked from the evoker to the senior and back again, before nodding adamantly.

"You bloody well put that thing to my head!" she had shuffled away from the red head at this point, causing Ikutsuki to interject.

"As she said, Hakashi-san, it not a real gun. Now please, recall what happened" Tomoko frowned as she turned her attention back to the weapon. Now that she thought about it, the memory of that night was quite frayed, her brain had been so clogged up with fear and under control of that 'Persona' that….that she…

"A-Arrius…" her voice was barely audible, but Mitsuru had heard her quite plainly and froze.

"What?"

The brunette looked up like a deer in headlights, so it took her a moment to collect herself before she could explain.

"W-When you used that…e-evoker thingy; I heard his voice in my head…like I always do when we meet. He caught hold of me and pushed his way out, used m-my voice…'Persona'? That's what he is…Arrius…he's a Persona isn't he?" Mitsuru's eyebrows were raised and she shared a startled look with Akihiko and the Chairman. Ikutsuki merely chuckled.

"It's not uncommon. You're potential was overdue for discovery, it would seem. Your Persona can become agitated if sealed passed its time…and if strong enough will find a way to emerge before it's too late and its optimum passes"

"So…uhh, what exactly is a P-Persona?" Tomoko asked feeling completely out of the loop, though from the looks on the seniors' faces, it seemed they too had learned something.

"Its best explaining what they are used for first" the blonde man leaned back in his seat, straightening his spectacles before continuing, "There is a hidden time space, an hour approximately, between midnight and 1 am, called the Dark Hour. During this time, all electrical sources are rendered useless and those without the potential are transmogrified into coffins. The world around us changes, shifting into the realm were creatures, Shadows, are found"

Mitsuru chuckled lightly at the disbelieving look on the girl's face, her specs hanging off her nose comically. She carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, effectively startling her from her dazed state, "Are you following so far?"

"E-Eh…" the brunette rubbed her neck awkwardly, her mind racing to keep up with all she'd heard.

"The first time Akihiko and I met you was in Mall's square. Do you remember the time? Just after midnight, the lights had gone and the sky had changed colour" reaching back for the memories, the fifteen year old began to nod, "That night you ventured into the Dark Hour without realising it, and even encountered a shadow, although it had struck you before you noticed it"

"You mean that was why I blacked out? All I remember was that creature, err…Arrius, blethering on about 'working together' and 'staying alive'"

Ikutsuki shook his head with a smile, "Sounds like this Persona of yours has been dropping hints for a while"

Tomoko looked at him with a deadpanned expression, "You have no idea"

"Anyway" Kirijo's voice took centre stage again, "The fact that you retained your human form means that you definitely have the potential – by that I mean that you have the ability to summon a persona. And to answer your earlier question, a Persona is the incarnation of one's soul. So to you, this…'Arrius' reflects you inner self" the brunette blanched at that, earning a sympathetic look from Akihiko, "And it's through our Personas that we can fight the Shadows of Dark Hour"

Silence fell upon them as Mitsuru finished, leaving Tomoko to process just what exactly she'd heard. Some of it was already starting to add up, the power cuts when she walked home from the station, the feeling of being watched and the creepy green nights. But obviously, most significant, was the revelation of Arrius - whom at that moment was being uncharacteristically silent.

She wriggled in her seat under the expectant gazes before forcing herself to look up at Mitsuru, "So then…this proposal you have?"

The red head smiled, stunning the questioning teen into silence, "First let me explain a little more. Akihiko and I are the only two persona users that we know of so far. Chairman Ikutsuki-san, unfortunately, is not able to summon one"

The man in question raised a hand to his head in jest, "How sad, I know"

Rolling her cherry eyes the Kirijo woman continued, "That is why we have formed a group known as S.E.E.S. - the Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad. At Gekkoukan we are a school club, but as you now know this is only a ruse. This…also has a few implications as of now I am afraid"

Tomoko's face fell and a flare of fear rose in her, Akihiko's voice startling her as he finally spoke, "I wouldn't have put it quite like that, but we must ask that you tell no one of anything that's been said here, Hakashi-san"

"Y-Yeah, don't worry, I promise…not like anyone would believe this anyway…I'm struggling to as it is" Mitsuru's hand upon her shoulder tightened and caught her attention. The red head was staring intensely at her fellow senior for interrupting. And it seemed as if Akihiko had realised the significance of her look because he shot another sympathetic glance Tomoko's way.

"We must ask something of you now, Tomoko" the use of her first name had her going tense again, but Ikutsuki retained his friendly exterior, "You know that we have so few members, and you've shown great potential – literally!" a chorus of sighs issued at his lame pun, "We want to ask you to join us. Of course, we would like to see you in battle first, but either way we would love to have you in our team"

"Please Hakashi-san" the brunette found herself lost in ruby eyes again as Mitsuru looked down at her, "I understand the strain between your brother and us, but I can assure you that I will speak with him and sort things out. So please, lend us your strength"

Green irises trailed away and landed on the evoker that rested on the red head's lap, her heart thumping in her chest. Arrius stirred within her mind, finally reawakening as she gazed almost longingly at the gun.

"Trust them kid, this is the best way forward" she rolled a shoulder to relieve the tension there, inadvertently shaking off Mitsuru's hand and giving the wrong impression. She didn't notice the frowns that arose as she conversed with her Persona. After a few moments she nodded slowly and a satisfied grin began to grow.

Eying the gun that Mitsuru had now picked up, Tomoko looked up at her at last, "Okay then…where do I sign up?"