Saturday finally came. This meant two things.

First, our holiday ended. Yaaaay.

Second, it was the day that kid had warned me about. The full moon.

I decided to keep my mouth shut about it for now, since no-one else seemed to know that anything was gonna go down. If the kid was right, then we'd find out soon enough anyway, and everyone else would figure it out and I wouldn't get suspected of my insanity being able to predict the future.

Hey, as long as it wasn't as strong as the Reaper, we were ready.

Hopefully.

I didn't bother going to bed that night. I spent a few hours in my room doing stretches and getting prepared for the battle ahead.

I was actually meditating when the alarm rang.

I was actually bloody meditating. That's how bored I was.

Anyway, alarm. I burst out of the door fully dressed and saw Junpei bolt out of his room in pyjamas. He reached the stairs before I did.

I couldn't help it; he looks so… weird without his hat. I had to stop and laugh.

When we got there, Yukari was already there in her pyjamas. She looked surprisingly good for someone who's just woken up and sprinted up the stairs. Not that I was checking her out or anything.

Junpei was still catching his breath, but my brain kinda rejects his hatless appearance.

"Where is it!" Junpei grinned. "I'll rip it a new one!"

Mitsuru seemed surprised that I was actually already geared up for battle, but I dismissed it by asking to be briefed on the current situation. "We've detected a Shadow outside of Tartarus." She replied. Kinda figured that already, although the other two hadn't been going on patrols as much as I had. "We don't know for sure, but we think it's another big one."

Huh. Kid was right. "We have to defeat any of them we find, as quickly as possible." Mitsuru continued. "Most people don't know the Dark Hour exists. But, if half the city is destroyed, there will be panic."

Oh, I actually hadn't considered that possibility. Come to think of it, it was practically inevitable. This was Japan after all. Tokyo skyscrapers are the world's most volatile explosive. I remember a mate of mine saying they use nitro in their concrete.

"So in other words, we need to kick some ass right?" Junpei asked with a dark laugh. "Well count me in!"

Yukari sighed as Akihiko stepped forward. "I'm going too." he decided.

"You're not going anywhere in that condition." Mitsuru snapped, mortified at the suggestion. "You wait here for the Chairman."

"Wha-!" Akihiko looked as if he wasn't expecting this. "I'm going!"

"She's right Akihiko-senpai." Junpei pointed out, being a voice of reason for once. "You're still recovering from the last fight."

Akihiko growled, so I stepped in, "Akihiko, you can come for the next mission, but if you continue to put my team at risk I will take you out."

That surprised everyone, for different reasons. Was I threatening him? Was I usurping his authority? Was I expecting more big shadows?

The answer? D. All of the above.

"He's right." Mitsuru decided, being the first to recover. "In your current state, you'd be more of a hindrance than a help. Have faith in them Akihiko," She looked at us, "They're ready."

"Tch…" Akihiko sat down at the computer bank. "Fine…"

"You'll get your chance," Mitsuru told him. "But for now-"

"Wait for the chairman," Akihiko grunted, "I got it."

Junpei slapped his chest with pride. "Relax, I got it covered."

Akihiko looked up from the console, comparing us. "Guess I've got no choice then… Arisoto's in charge."

Junpei groaned. "Him again..?"

Mitsuru looked at me. "We're counting on you." she said.

I nodded, and Junpei turned to leave. "Heh. Looks like you're stuck playing leader again…" Junpei walked off. "Sucks to be you."

Yukari turned to us. "I'll go get dressed too. See you downstairs."

I nodded as she left, thinking. Hermes and Orpheus. Come to think of it, Hermes tries to usurp Thanatos several times in the legends…

I hope like hell I'm being paranoid.

"So," Mitsuru asked me once we were the only ones in the room. "How did you know that this was coming?"

I turned around, deciding that the truth wasn't the correct answer. "The Shadows were more violent than usual last night, and Apathy Syndrome's been on the rise lately." So had the moon. "Since loads of victims recovered after I killed the last one, and Shadows cause Apathy Syndrome…" I shrugged. "To be fair, I was just expecting another patrol."

She seemed to buy that.

Around ten minutes later, Junpei, Yukari and I were at the train station waiting for Mitsuru. We were a quarter of the way through the dark hour already, and I didn't want to be wasting any more time.

"Hey, you look edgy." Yukari pointed out.

"I'm used to the Dark Hour, so I've been covering Akihiko's patrol shifts while he recovers." I explained. "It's not nice when Mitsuru isn't there to tell you that a Shadow's about to stab you in the back."

Then I heard a motorbike.

Mitsuru had a motorbike.

A motorbike that worked when everything else didn't. "It's special." She told us. I want a special iPod.

She was going to provide support from the train station, and we had to run along the track and get on the train. In the Dark Hour.

Junpei acted like this was some big deal. I'd done this hundreds of times. Sometimes I timed it just right so I could skip the fare.

With great power, comes great irresponsibility.

We got to the train after a while, and Yukari decided to climb into the train first, but not before giving us a death glare as she grabbed the ladder. "Don't. Look. Up."

I looked up anyway, but for a different reason. I waited until Junpei had followed her inside until I raised my point. I didn't want them running away before it happened.

"You know, I've sneaked in and out of trains during the Dark Hour all the time." I pointed out. "And in all the years I've been doing it," I continued, climbing the ladder, "Not once have the doors been open when the train wasn't in station." I climbed in and the doors closed behind me.

Told you.

Everybody panicked. Told you.

"Come on." I told everyone as Junpei complained about his fingers being jacked up or something. "Shadow's trapped us, so we gotta kill it if we want to leave."

"That is correct Arisoto." Mitsuru said. "The Shadow is at the other end of the train. Move with caution."

"R-Roger." Yukari nodded. The military term sounded forced coming from her. "Let's go."

We moved forward through the train. Yukari and Junpei seemed disturbed to the transmogrified coffins. Come to think about it, I grew up with them, but the others had only awakened recently, so they weren't used to them.

Hell, I remember running on top of them in the city centre. What really crept me out was when my foot fell down a short hole, and I realised that I just stood on a kid. Now that ruins the fun.

Maybe it was because I was on edge, or maybe because I was finally wearing those badass steel gloves I sto- acquired, but I felt a spike of killing intent and I stabbed upwards, straight through the Shadow that jumped down.

"WOAH!" Junpei didn't see that coming.

And that's why I'm in charge, not you. Competence, awareness, and asskicking.

"What the hell man!" Junpei seemed mad at me for some reason. "You let it get away!"

I looked at my sword. Then the door. Then the muttering tiara waving at me from behind the door. Oh.

To be fair, the Shadow's bleeding badly, so I didn't completely fail.

Junpei reached for the door handle but I grabbed his wrist. "What the hell man!" he shouted, pulling out of my grip.

"Something's not right," Mitsuru pointed out, "The enemy is acting strangely…"

Junpei almost lost it there. "But if we don't go after it, it's gonna get away!"

"And?" I asked. "There's plenty more just like it in Tartarus. We're here to kill a big Shadow."

"Arisoto, you're in charge over there. What do you think?"

"We should be careful, so I'm going after it." I decided.

"Who needs your advice?" Junpei shouted, pushing me in the chest a fair few feet, "I'll kill it myself!"

With that, he ran through the door, slamming it behind him.

"Junpei!" Yukari shouted. "Wait!"

"Idiot!" I spat, getting to my feet.

"Watch out, behind you!"

I span around just in time to block an attack headed for- Yukari? Why were they targeting her? Block, they always focus on me don't they? Parry, hell, that first one even taunted us STABSTABSTAB!

I rushed round, sighing with relief as Yukari killed the other Shadow. She sighed a very different sigh. "This is just what the enemy wanted…"

Hold that thought, what they wanted? But the Shadows were just mindless drones… unless…

A Shadow with significant power or rank can think and command other Shadows.

Actually, all the Shadow's we've seen so far are of the Priestess.

Same yesterday.

Last month they were all Magician.

"Mitsuru, can you scan ahead and determine the Arcana of the large Shadow?" I asked.

"It's the Priestess, why?"

Good job I'd bought that Tarot deck recently. I flicked out the book that came with it and ignored Yukari's shock and irritation. "Do you have to do that now?"

"Yep," I answered, leafing my way to the correct page. "Any later and this'll be meaningless." There, Priestess.

Portrayed as an old woman with a closed book, the Priestess Arcana is a symbol of hidden knowledge or other untapped power, wisdom, female mystery and magic when it appears in tarot readings. The Priestess means someone with knowledge and wisdom, yet the reversed version of it means someone unable to use that knowledge or someone not able to take decisions.

"Great," I grunted, putting the book away. "This Shadow is smart."

That confused people, so I just headed for the door saying "Priestess represents hidden knowledge and wisdom. They're based of Tarot cards."

Other side of the door had Junpei surrounded by half a dozen Shadows. Idiot! It's easier to fight with your back against the wall than it is to have an enemy there!

Still, he was doing well. I jumped in and punched the lights out of the closest Shadow; an arrow flew through the one to my right.

"Minato!" Junpei seemed shocked to see me. "What the hell-?"

"Idiot," I told him, grabbing my Evoker. "ARHANGEL!" The Shadows around us fell as they were struck by lightning from Mazio.

I looked at Junpei. "You okay?"

Junpei huffed and looked away. "O-Of course I am... I was doin' just fine..."

"Excuse me!" Yukari shouted. I agree, he was getting his backside handed to him on a silver plate.

"Be careful you three," Mitsuru interjected, "I don't detect any movement, but stay-"

Never found out what we had to keep doing, since the train started moving. "Woah, What the-!" Yukari shouted, "Why are we moving?"

"It seems like the monorail is under the enemy's control."

What do you mean, 'It seems'?

"Waddaya mean, 'It seems'?" Woah, Yukari. Mind Synch.

Then the train sped up, as if to spite her. This doesn't look good.

"Uh... This doesn't look good" Woah, Junpei. Mind Synch.

"If we can't stop that thing, it'll crash into another train!"

"WHAT?" Yukari screamed. "Oh God! What are we gonna do!"

Well, I'd recommend calming down and getting to the front of the car and killing that Shadow.

Oh, you were swearing, not deifying me. I was gonna say, I'm not that awesome. Nor am I that humble apparently.

Oh right, back to being doomed.

"Calm down and listen." Mitsuru said, trying to regain control of the situation. "I sense a strong presence in the front car. That must be the one we're after." I knew that, but then again, I wasn't panicking. "You'll have to defeat it to stop the train." Wait, I'm not panicking.

I'm gonna die and I'm not panicking. I've actually gotten used to this.

And to think I came to Japan to get away from all that.

Shadows came down. More Tiaras, couple of Tables. "How long do we have?" I asked, putting the Evoker to my head.

SMASH.

Pyro Jack, MARAGI!

I got my answer as the Shadows burned. "Three Minutes."

I sheathed my sword "Let's get moving then!" I shouted, pulling my jacket over my head and running towards the wall of fire. "Don't bother with your weapons, JUST USE PERSONA!" I shouted as I dove through, shortly followed by Yukari, then Junpei. More Shadows came to block our path, so I put my Evoker to my head while running.

"HERMES!"
"IO!"
"PYRO JACK!"

I couldn't summon the first two of course. Yukari and Junpei were quicker on the draw than I was there, and the result was fire tornadoes.

Yes, fire tornadoes. Little ones, incinerating the Shadows. This was easy.

Too easy.

"Two minutes Forty seconds."

I looked back. Junpei had slung his sword over his back, and Yukari was unarmed. The bow was only going to slow her down, so it was a good call. I reached for the door to the next car, stopped when I saw the huge mass of Shadows on the other side of the window.

"WHAT! Where did these come from!"

There's so many Shadows that they're crushing each other against the wall.

This was gonna be a full on brawl in a tight place.

These two haven't experienced anything like this before.

I passed Yukari my sword, "We just need to get through." I told her. "Hack and slash, don't stop. Keep moving, don't slow down to make sure anything's dead." I gripped my Evoker. "How long do we have?" I asked Mitsuru.

"Two minutes twenty five seconds. The leader's in the compartment after this."

Fetch me my brown trousers.

Clenching my teeth, I closed my eyes and opened the door, pulling the trigger.