I liked Pharos's idea. It was a good one. Junpei didn't at first, but then I reminded him of how easily he took out five guys in his first actual fight. Then he liked it.

"Hey Aragaki-senpai?" I asked the badass behind the train station

I wanted to be respectful, but not grovelling. Since he was my upperclassman in more ways than one, it was the correct title.

"…What do you want?" he asked eventually.

"I want to ask you again about coming back to us." I said plainly.

Junpei had been surprised that Shinjiro had been a member of S.E.E.S. at one point, but he was more surprised that someone would even consider leaving it behind.

"Did Aki put you up to this?" Shinjiro growled.

"He'd probably have our hides if he knew we were talking to you after last time." I told him.

"Then Mitsuru-senpai would probably kill us for talking to you about this." Junpei added.

Shinjiro glared. "What did she tell you?"

"She only confirmed that you were one of us when I asked her." I answered. "She also told us that you have a reason not to fight, and that we should leave you alone."

"You should take her advice." Shinjiro grunted. "Get the hell outta my sight."

"Yeah, but since I just got back into my leadership role after a week's suspension for 'poor leadership', and I really want to piss her off in a way that doesn't jeopardise the team." I shrugged. It was one reason, partially true, but the main reason was that Shinji is awesome and want to see him fight.

An eyebrow rose into his beanie. "Poor leadership?" he asked. "Aki makes out that you're some golden boy. What'd you do?"

"We killed the Reaper." Junpei announced, smiling.

That got Shinjiro's attention. "Seriously?"

I nodded. "It involved lots of explosives, but we think he's gonna get better."

Shinjiro nodded, then remembered himself. "It doesn't concern me." he lied.

"Yes it does." I told him. "Why did you leave?"

He turned around and glared at me in the face. Perfect, give me the perfect excuse to concentrate on your expressions.

"What happened?" I asked, hands in my pocket and glaring back, analysing each muscle on his face. "You quit or get kicked out?" Shinji didn't say a word, but his eyes flicked to the left. Looking for an escape route. "So you quit." I said. Shinji's face flashed Surprise. "Why?" I asked. "They do something?"

No response. He glared silently.

"You did something." I said, and Shinji gulped and flashed shame. "You did something and they forgave you." Sadness, slight anger, deep shame. "They forgave you but you haven't forgiven yourself. Since it happened during the Dark Hour, there's no chance that you'll be punished for whatever you did."

Shinjiro's chin rose a millimetre, but fell again as he shook his head. "You don't know anything." he growled.

"I know you began to nod before you shook your head." I said. "I know that you don't believe a word you just said."

Shinji looked terrified. "Dude…" Junpei hissed behind me. "He look piiised…" Correction, Shinji was hiding the fact that he was terrified. And… relieved?

"Why are you so scared?" I asked him, leaning slightly closer. "I can understand how you'd be relieved about the prospect of punishment for whatever you did, but why the fear?"

Junpei was starting to panic, but I blanked him out, eyes on Shinji. "But what I really don't get…" I whispered, since Shinji was keeping a straight face, "Is why you would quit instead of atoning for whatever you did with your Persona?"

Disgust. Clear as day.

"Your disgusted by your Persona?" I asked.

Then it clicked.

Bingo.

"Your Persona killed someone." I said.

One look on Shinji's face meant that I'd hit the nail on the head.

"You some kinda mindreader?" Shinji snarled. "That your Persona?"

"No Persona, no magic." I told him. "I just watched your face and you told me the whole thing."

Shinji blinked, then sighed and leant back, hand on his face. "I lost control." he confessed. "You ever heard of Projecting? It's when a Persona user gets so emotional while summoning that their consciousness shifts between their body and their Persona's."

"Wait… what?" Junpei said in shock.

"But I'm guessing that means that the Persona's consciousness does the same?" I asked Shinji, ignoring Junpei.

"Something like that." Shinji grunted. "Point is that some kid's mom died, I'll never get punished for it, and that orphan is never gonna get justice."

Shinji scowled, then rose to his feet, making me back off. "Satisfied?" he asked. "That's why I-!" He never finished his sentence because I slammed a knee into his gut, winding him so hard that he sat back on the steps.

"The HELL?" Junpei shouted, not believing what just happened. "What's your freaking problem Minato?"

"He is." I replied, stooping down to Shinji's level and glared into his eyes, inches from his face. "Shinjiro Aragaki, you are pathetic." I growled.

"You don't know shit." Shinji snarled.

"Grind the universe into the finest particles, and I challenge you to show me one atom of Justice." I told him. "Or Mercy, or Truth, Love, Happiness, Hate, Regret, or even Right or Wrong, for all I care!" I jabbed my finger into Shinji's chest. "That's because they only exist in people. People make up your precious justice, the same justice that you claim stops you from fighting to defend it!" I put on an angry face. I was pissed, sure, but I wasn't as outraged as I pretended I was. "YOU are just too scared to accept the fact that you screwed up, and you're too much of a pussy to do anything to sort it out!"

I know why I'm pissed. This guy is just like me.

I pulled an Evoker from my pocket and threw it into his lap. "If you can pull your head out of your backside by Tuesday," I told him as I walked away, "Then you're welcome to come back."

"Hey, wait up man!" Junpei shouted, shooting Shinji an apologetic look before scrambling after me.

"What the hell was that man?" he asked, clearly angry at how I'd been treating Shinji. "I thought we wanted him to regain confidence!" Junpei protested, "Not crush any chance we have of getting him back!"

"If encouragement would have worked, he'd never have left." I told Junpei. "Not trying to come off as a manipulative sod, but I'm hoping that I hit some home truths there, so maybe he'll come back on his own."

"Let's hope so..." Junpei sighed, rubbing his eyebrows.

I really hope so, because we talked to Shinji on Wednesday, and now it's Saturday, and no sign of him. We're starting to work better as a team again, but it's slow progress.

Well, I say slow, but that's not really a word you can use when you're knee deep in various Maya.

"BEGONE!" Mitsuru shouted, summoning her Persona to freeze a few dozen of them. Akihiko vaulted the frozen bodies and launched an electrical assault from Polydeuces, followed by Junpei smashing through them and burninating the survivors.

Ah. They're working together great.

I'm the one letting everyone down.

~ Everyone! The Reaper will appear in 40 seconds! ~

"The stairs are a few feet away!" I shouted to Mitsuru. "I can make it!"

Mitsuru hesitated, then nodded. "Pass me the Traesto!" she ordered. "You go on ahead for the Transporter!"

I pulled the gem from my pocket and tossed it to her. Once she caught it, I shouted "Wait until I'm up the stairs!" or the traesto would get me too.

She nodded, and I waded towards the stairs and summoned my Persona. "PALE RIDER!"

The fourth horseman rode through, creating a path through the Shadows. I ran down it as fast as I could hoping to reach the stairs before

Running away are we? That's no fun

"Arisoto!" Mitsuru shouted, "Hurry!"

Buggery, There's not enough time.

I switched up into the second stage of the Dark Hour and dodged the purple crystal that the Reaper shot at me.

See, it's a stage above the normal Dark Hour where everything moves slower in the black water-like mist.

But here, I'm fast enough to outrun the Traesto.

I left trails of blackness as I moved, and there were ripples in the air as the sluggish crystals burst past me.

I had just enough time to dive for the stairs and scramble to the next floor, leaving the second Dark Hour behind once I was safe.

~ Minato-kun! ~ Fuuka shouted. ~ Are you alright? ~

"Yeah… fine…" I panted. Just like the regular Dark hour, second Dark Hour does a number on you. "Time slowed down a bit though…"

~ It was just your perception of time that changed. ~ Fuuka told me, getting it completely wrong. ~ It happens sometime when the fight or flight condition goes into overdrive ~

"Aw… I wanted time power…" I whined, drawing attention from the fact that I already do.

Fuuka giggled over the link. ~ Mitsuru-senpai wants you to activate the transporter and come down as soon as you can. ~

"Alright…" I sighed as I got up. This was the last Tartarus Boss, as I liked to call them, before the barricade. We were getting close, and I wanted to get the Old Document from there tonight so I don't miss the deadline. All I have to do is hit the switch, come up with a team, and then

WHAM

OOF. I got up to see a Shadow riding on a floating horse. Emperor. It swung the blunt of its lance at me again, but this time I dodged it.

~ What? But the Guardians never make the first attack! ~

Surprised as you Fuuka, but right now I'm too busy dodging to pull out a weapon. "Can you scan it?" I asked her, ducking under the blade.

~ I'll try! ~ Scanning Tartarus Bosses were tricky, even Fuuka only got half results.

"Need my help?" Pharos asked me.

"Yeah!" I shouted, blocking the stabbing lance aside with my arm. I got hit by a Garula for my trouble. Good thing I've got Pale Rider right now, or that would have done much more damage.

~ It's weakness is wind! ~ Fuuka told me. ~ But it has barriers protecting it against wind spells! You'll have to get through them! ~

"How does she expect us to do that?" Pharos asked, entering my head and giving me the eyes.

~ I think that if you can get under the horses armour, you can take it out long enough to activate the transporter! ~ Fuuka suggested. ~ You can't take it alone, you just won't have time! ~

Wow, Fuuka countered my counter-argument before I got chance to think up of a counter for her argument. I dodged as the Horseman stabbed, then dodged again as it swung. I kept dodging, it kept attacking. Once I picked up the rhythm, I grabbed my Evoker. "PALE RIDER!"

~ That won't work!~ Fuuka told me as the Rider locked blades with the Horseman.

Don't worry, it's just a distraction. I ran forward, getting behind the lance just as my Persona dissipated. I skidded under the iron skirt of the horse's armour, then stood with my Evoker at the ready. "Woah, this is weird." I said, looking at this being that was hollow and solid all at once.

~ Now's your chance! ~ Fuuka reminded me. I put the Evoker to my temple and pulled the trigger.

BAM! I fell over as the Horseman charged forward, but it the Garula still knocked him off balance.

I recovered first, running straight for the transporter, activating it.

Then a big green spike shot from it, right into the Shadow's head.

I turned left to see Yukari draw another arrow, sending a Garu along the shaft as she aimed. That… actually makes a lot of sense, since the wind would increase the velocity of the shot, and the added spinning motion would increase the armour piercing ability of the arrow itself, and THEN it's charged with magic. "Nice shot." I told her.

"Hurry and get a weapon!" She ordered me, taking aim as the Emperor stood up.

Ah, right. Forgot. I unrolled the scroll and grabbed a decent loggers axe. "An axe?" she asked.

"Spear beats sword." I explained, tracking the Shadow's movements. "Sword beats axe, and axe beats spear."

"How?" She asked as I charged forward towards the Shadow. The Horseman decided to joust, pointing its lance at me as we rode towards each other.

Idiot's never played Fire Emblem.

I ducked beneath his thrust, then rose as the Shadow lost balance and I swung my axe down on the lance, bringing the Shadow to the ground before breaking its weapon. "NOW!" I shouted as the green arrow sped past my face, making a beauty hole it its mask.

Damn, Yukari was Good.

"You alright?" She asked.

"Yeah." I replied. "Slightly soiled, but okay overall." She hid a giggle.

She's trying to stay angry. I could torment her a bit, get her to laugh, but then the problem wouldn't be solved.

Well, now isn't the time to be mending bridges. "Come on." I told her. "Few more floors then home."

After we got to the barrier and I handed the Old Document to Elizabeth to pay for my 'surgery', I hit home.

Home hurt my hand.

Damn you home.

Damn you and your brick walls.

Luckily, I still had my gloves on, so nothing broke.

Except for that lamppost I kicked in retaliation a few seconds later. Hopefully no-one will notice.

It's barely even bent anyways.

If anyone asks, Junpei did it.

I spent Sunday in the Velvet Room fusing new Personae for Tuesday. I saw this new guy there so I checked him out. He said that he didn't have a name, but he was the Demon Painter. He painted pretty well for a guy in a blindfold.

Mind you, since time spent in the Velvet Room is no time at all, I was left all day to play detective. The majority of the Lost have come from a certain street called Shirakawa boulevard. I paid it a visit, and it appears to be some kind of red light district.

I thought I saw someone look familiar there, but it was probably bad manners to make eye contact here, so I ignored it, becoming very interested in one particular vending machine by one hotel.

I tell you. These Japanese folk have vending machines for everyone.

Durex. Connecting people.

...

Hey, this one over here sells porn.

"Dude, tomorrows the big day!"

Junpei followed me to school on Monday. I was hoping for some female company, but Yukari left earlier than me.

Damn me and my need to sleep.

Damn me I say.

"Yeah." I told Junpei, keeping my thoughts to myself.

"Man, I'm totally stoked!" Junpei shouted, milking the giant cow in the sky with his hands of enthusiasm. "Like right before a big tournament or something, ya know?"

"You've never been in a tournament." I said it as a question, just to be safe.

"Hey, I was pretty awesome in Little League ya know." Junpei said proudly. "They said I could hit balls as hard as a middle schooler!"

"What happened?"

"I quit." Junpei said. "Come on, we're late!"

By which he means that his dad spent his Little League money on booze.

I went to Kendo practice that afternoon. Kazushi was doing really well on his new combat technique, he was even keeping me at bay. I'm limited to using just kendo, no Persona enhancements or anything, but it's still a big achievement.

"KAZUSHI!" the coach roared. Kaz turned around, looking pale.

"Y-yeah coach?"

"…What do you think you are doing?" Coach growled.

"J-just practising coach!" Dammit Kaz, when you lie, you don't make excuses! The correct answer was 'Practising a new defensive stance coach!'

"That's enough practising for you." The coach ordered, glaring. "Come to the nurse's office. The rest of you!" He shouted, "Back to work!"

Once they were out the door, people started talking. Yuko, for example, came up to me.

"He's such a bad liar!" she told me. "You can totally tell that he's favouring one knee!"

"That's the point of the stance." I told her. "It's meant to allow greater rotation so you can fight multiple opponents while not moving from one spot."

Yuko looked at me, then sighed. "I knew you had something to do with this Minato-kun…"

"Well, yeah, I helped him develop the stance." I said, lying like awesome.

"Kaz is a sportsman." She explained. "He'd never practice something that wouldn't be helpful in tournament conditions. Why would he practice fighting multiple opponents," She asked me, "If tournament matches are one-on-one?"

Busted. "Alright, you got me."

"Follow me." She said. "We're going to the nurse's office."

Once we were in the corridor, Yuko began talking to me again. "Listen, I'm sorry about my dad…" She said.

"Ah, it's okay." I laughed. "I'll admit, shovels are new, but Junpei does worse in the morning."

"You're a very good liar, Minato-kun."

"Thank you." I said, smiling.

Yuko laughed "It wasn't a compliment!" she shouted, punching me in the arm. "Honestly..."

"I spoke to your mother about your leg." Serious Edogawa said in serious mode.

"You're throwing caution to the wind young man." Coach warned Kazushi, who was swearing under his breath.

"He knows what he's doing." I said to them.

Coach turned to him. "Minato-kun, you wouldn't say that if you knew what he was doing!"

I laughed. "Who the hell do you think taught him how to compete without hurting his leg?"

"Hey!" Kazushi shouted. "Minato has nothing to do with this!"

I shook my head. "Sorry Kazushi, but since everyone in here knows…" I looked at Yuko "Well, Yuko's pretty much figured it out, but I'll be honest."

"That's a first." Pharos said. Shut up Pharos.

"Mr. Edogawa, I taught Kazushi how to compete without putting pressure on his injured leg." I confessed.

"WHAT?" Coach roared.

"He has his reasons for competing, and I respect them." I told coach. "So I taught him how to preserve his leg until after the tournament, so he could get it treated and achieve his goals. If I did wrong, please tell me."

"Minato-kun!" Coach said, so angry he was forgetting Japanese and shifting into Angrish. "This… This is… Grfgl..."

"Minato…" Kazushi muttered. "Why the hell did you just bring yourself down with me?"

"Why did you try to go down alone?" I retorted.

SMASH

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana.

"Actually, the young man is correct."

Coach looked at Edogawa in disbelief. "If he truly can fight without putting pressure on his injured leg, then there is no problem." Edogawa stated, "So long as he gets it treated straight after the regional tournament."

"I don't mind that."

"Me neither."

I turned around to see Saito and Manaka walk in. Hideo poked his head from around the door and gave his tuppence worth. "I don't mind if he's competing in the regional. If it's just an individual competition, then I don't have to worry about him dragging me down."

"What the hell you talking about Hideo?" I said. "Even injured, Kazushi could hand you your arse on a silver plate!"

We all laughed about that one. Kazushi agreed to take it easy during training, and we agreed to let him keep training for the regional meet.

Tuesday morning. The big day. I walked to school with Fuuka today.

"How're you feeling?" She asked me.

"Ready for a scrap." I grinned.

"Wow, you're amazing!" Fuuka smiled. "We're gonna have a quick meeting tonight about the operation." She added. "So, please return to the dorm immediately after school."

"Immediately?" I asked. Bit of a letdown. "Alright, I'll probably hit the gym for a bit before the meeting."

"We have a gym?" Fuuka asked, surprised.

"We do now." I grinned.

You know the best part of being a secret millionaire living in a school dorm is?

During school hours, no-one's around to see the delivery men set up a secret weight room and gym in the basement.

It was after school, and I was bench pressing 120 Kilo's right now, waiting for Mitsuru to call the meeting in about six or so hours.

"Hey Minato, Fuuka said you'd be..." Yukari's voice said, before pausing. "Wow, when did we get this?"

I looked up to see her paused at the stairs, glancing around the room, looking surprised. "Hey Yukari." I said, putting down the weights. "And recently."

"Did you pay for this?" she asked, admiring the sandbags.

Direct and to the point. "What else am I going to spend it on?" I asked her. "Other than Persona, I can't drive in Japan, got no vices, and I don't want to attract any suspicious attention."

"Riight…" Yukari said, looking around. "And how is this not suspicious?"

I waved the concern away. "Everyone knows Mitsuru lives here, so no major firm would think twice about something expensive being delivered here." I looked in the corner. "In fact, I'm thinking of installing a steam room there."

She blinked. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Nothing else to do with the money other than ride the stock market, and I don't exactly need more money." I said.

"No buying expensive gifts for any friends?" she asked with a smirk.

I looked straight at her. "You asking for a bribe?" I smirked. "Because you 'aint getting one."

"I know, I was just… curious." she admitted, arms crossed.

"Curious?"

"Yeah, you're earning enough to support a wife, three kids, a mortgage and a car, but you're not doing anything with it." she said.

"Not so." I replied. "I'm clearly using it to build gyms in the basement."

"Yeah, you probably have some scheme set up so you're set for life once you become an adult." Yukari said, smirking slightly at the joke.

"Still gonna get a job." I said.

She looked at me curiously. "You have one, don't you?"

"A real one." I told her. "I only go in on Sundays to hand my work in and discuss business with suits. I actually want to do something, why do you think I've got so many skills?"

"Fair point." She said. "So this… Social Linking your current job?"

"Pretty much." I said. "Keeps me busier than I've ever been."

"Then what about Yuko?" Yukari asked.

I didn't like that question. "Yeah, she's of the Strength Arcana."

"You dating her just for her power?" she asked.

Ouch.

Reminds me of Jessica and the Sons of Blood all over again... Wait, that's what this is about?

"Wait, that's what we've been so awkward about for ages?" I asked her.

"Huh?"

"Well, I care for her." I looked straight at her. "Friendships go both ways."

"Yeah…" Yukari seemed relieved. "Yeah, you're right." She smiled. "Sorry, it's just that… I never thought of you as a manipulative person before…"

"Oh, I am." I smirked.

"I never said you weren't." Yukari smiled properly now. "So, am I a Social Link then?"

"Nah." I told her. "If you were, then it would have initiated by now. I think it only works for people with problems."

Yukari was surprised. "Yuko has problems?"

"Small ones." I said, "But they do like to eat." Ah, wait a sec, "Actually, just realised, You, Junpei, Mitsuru and Akihiko are all part of the Fool Social Link."

She raised an eyebrow. "Fool?"

"You've got a Lovers Persona, Junpei's a Magician, Mitsuru's an Empress and Akihiko's Persona is an Emperor. My Persona's a Fool, so I guess it all just blends together."

"Ah, right." She said. "So, you feel good about tonight?"

"Would I be wasting energy on a weight machine if I wasn't?" I smirked.

"No." Yukari admitted. "You'd be wasting energy on the punchbag."

"Exactly." Hey, she did know me pretty well.