Chapter 2: Majo Kara no Tegami lit. The Letter From A Witch

February the 13th, 2013, early morning….

A mass murder incident has occurred in Iwatodai station. Five corpses had been found lying in a dorm near Iwatodai station. The victims' face had been smashed by a seemingly powerful gun or an sharp object.

Policeman Akio Hideo and Akihiko Sanada are both involved in this incident as the victim. Sanada's face had been found smashed to half, while Hideo's face is entirely broke. Officer Akio Hideo had left two of his younger sisters.

Since the police cannot find the culprit, they closed the case no longer after the day they discovered the corpse.

Now, if you were about to solve the case, who will you accuse?

The mysterious character,

Or the clearly innocent character?

One month before the incident.

The sun reaches the window as Yukari Takeba opened her eyes. She felt slightly dazzled by the light, but she forced herself to wake up.

"Yukari-san, good morning. Please get yourself ready, or else we'll be late."

A blonde-haired android said, Aigis. A roommate of Yukari, she is responsible for doing all the chores inside.

"Oh, good morning Aigis. Sorry that I overslept…" Yukari replied with a soft voice. Her feet slowly crawled to the bottom of the bed, as she proceeds to go to the bathroom. She then takes her pink clothes to change her pajamas.

"Did Mitsuru-senpai have called you?" She said as she took her bag. "You said that we'll be late."

"…Not yet, but it will be nice if we go to see him first." Aigis smiled.

Yukari nodded. "Yeah, maybe you can say your gratitude to him…"

Nodded in agreement, Aigis began to rewind the moments she desperately fought in search of him, as the bitter times coming…. Only him who can erase the pain. As soon as she knows that he sacrifices himself, she feels guilty. She feels guilty for feeling guilty for his death.

Yet, that time does not come anymore for her, and she just have to continue her life….

-------------

Yukari standing in a grave with a kanji wrote 'Minato Arisato' on it. She stared at the grave sadly for some time. She kneels to her feet and began to pray to her beloved alongside Aigis.

As she finished praying, she heard some footsteps knocking behind her.

"Good morning." Aigis smiled to the people behind Yukari.

A group of people that Yukari clearly know smiling at her cheerfully. They have always helped her when she had trouble, and are never keeping their bonds break. The club members.

"Sorry that we are late, Yukari, Aigis," Mitsuru Kirijo said. "It seems that we are the one who should be late."

"Ah, Mitsuru-san, everyone…It's always a pleasure to meet you all. Even if you're late, I comprehend." Aigis said to Mitsuru.

"Aigis, you haven't changed at all." Fuuka Yamagishi said with a smile, "Yukari-chan, you've gotten a little bit mature, didn't you?"

The brown-haired woman chuckled. "You've said that to me twice, you know. Still, I don't realize that change. It seems that all of us are changed except me. Yeah Junpei, how is it going in Inaba? Nice? You know, I haven't seen you in two years, it seems you've gotten a little smarter now."

"It's nice as ever!" Junpei Iori replied. "The people there are nice, except it's often raining at midnight…."

"Speaking about which, Akihiko, how is it going on Ayanagi?" Mitsuru spoke to a handsome gray-haired man besides her.

"Same as Junpei, maybe….But still, I had so many works to do, so tiring." Akihiko Sanada smirked.

"Akihiko-san must be a though guy, he became a policeman now."

Ken Amada, the youngest man among them all said.

"Ken-san, you've gotten taller. How are you?" Aigis turned to Ken Amada, "I'm fine! Thank you for admitting me that I'm taller." He smiles proudly, followed by Junpei's chuckle. "You must be drinking lotsa milk, don't you?! Nice move, Ken!" He teases him, but replied with a small punch on his stomach.

"Now, now. " Mitsuru interrupted, "Let's finish the chat; our destination to here is not for that, am I right?" She took her flower bouquet and placed it on the grave, and pray, followed by Aigis, Akihiko, Ken, Junpei, and Fuuka. Except for Yukari, and the white canine besides her.

"Wait, who placed this chrysanthemums bouquet here?" When it is Fuuka's turn, she informed.

"Eh, it's not me! " Yukari noticed the flower and walked over to see, "And what is this letter?" She grab a letter with a butterfly-shaped wax on the middle.

"Maybe it's his relatives? Don't get suspicious quickly, Yukari." Akihiko said.

"Maybe you're right, but….Does a normal people ever had a cousin named 'Beatrice the Game Leader'? " Junpei said sarcastically, feels bizarre to the name.

"Maybe we can open it? If we're done, we can close it again," Mitsuru said ignorantly as always.

After thinking about it again, Yukari slowly reveals the paper and began to read it in front of her friends,

For all of you the chosen Persona possessor,

I'd like to congratulate you for your victory of defeating Lady Nyx and Lord Erebus, the leaders of The Fall. The later game had been finished clearly with your help.

Regarding this fact, I am willing to tell you that you must prepare with your new gameboard.

The difficulty level is bittersweet. There is a hard and easy times. Nevertheless, prepare with the obstacles you had to confront.

You, who had been in the two previous games, shall not follow and better ignore it before it is too late.

However, the previous protagonists and their assistants shall follow the game and proceed. In addition, my mistress Philotes shall choose the new destiny to assist all of you.

Do not worry, you will be fighting Lady Nyx no more; the antagonists shall be new.

Please get yourself ready.

"Games…? What is that supposed to be?" Junpei spoke, "Did she means that The Fall and The Abyss of Time are all games and bullshits?!" He blows into anger, his fists clenched.

"Iori, calm down; Yukari's about to read the next letter." Mitsuru signed.

Philotes Oku-sama had told me, as her assister, to give you this message. She, as the chief who assists you shall tell you the name of the chosen people who is involved with the game;

She had said that she chose these people;

Hiromi Katsura,

Katsumi Hideo,

Aya Daiki,

Hotaru Kameyo,

Hiroki Isamu,

Hajime Kei,

Isao Junichi,

In addition, the previous game player,

Aigis,

Yukari Takeba,

And the beloved wise man whom are you waiting for. Oku-sama had thought that you know who he is.

That is all I can tell you today. Please make your preparations.

See you in the game; I hope you are safe from those coming obstacles.

The Assister,

Beatrice, the Witch of Rebirth

"What-what does she mean she chooses Yukari-chan and Aigis?" Fuuka asked curiously, as she finishes reading the letter. "Why did she know us and Nyx? She even called her 'Lady'….As if she had some kind of connections to her…"

"This is getting odd now…." Ken spoke. "Is she saying that she'll make us fight again? I don't want that happens…"

"That lady wrote 'new gameboard' in the letter, right? That means she and her mistress will make the Dark Hour appeared again?!" Akihiko said curiously that he holds his fist tight.

"Now, Akihiko. Do not get so emotional. Maybe this is just a childish prank that someone made off to fool us. "Reminded Mitsuru.

"However, Mitsuru-san." Aigis eyed at the redhead, "How could possibly true that a regular human know about Nyx, Dark Hour and Abyss of Time? That is not an absolute truth."

"I see….Aigis, you've got a point. "Mitsuru sighed wryly.

As her friends, continue debating, Yukari still looking at the paper skeptically. If Beatrice, the sender, really says it as rightful truth, she had never allowed it to be true. She had been trying so hard, and her hardwork, her dream, cannot be destroyed by anyone. It's already a solid stone.

For easing her uneasiness, she went to rip the paper, but her hearts said do not rip. Defeated, she only takes the letter out of her sights.

"Yukari, we can discuss this tomorrow, "Mitsuru finally spoke to her. "Nevertheless, we cannot regard this as a normal prank; the sender knows about Nyx. If tonight Dark Hour is approaching, then she is right. "Mitsuru informed as she walked away, followed by the others.

Aigis stared at the sad-looking brown-haired woman behind her, squeezing the paper.

"Yukari-san, let's go."

As they walked seven steps away from the grave, the tomb's text had gone, unknown to them….

And, as if replaced, a blue-haired man stands in the grave, smiling.

Yukari, I'm coming.