The Longest chapter i write in my life XD Enjoy this one ;D Review and follow
Chapter 3: Shadows & Awakening
Yukari Takeba say goodbye to her mother and went to her home to clean up the table and finally go to sleep. She saw that Misaki was still up, watching TV. Yukari sigh and went to turn off the TV, but Misaki stops her.
"Mom, the movie it's almost over" She said while eating a snack
"You already saw this movie... That guy dies in the end"
"Yeah... I just wanted to see it again"
"Misaki... You have it on Blu-Ray"
"... Touche"
"Please, go to sleep, you have school tomorrow"
"Alright" Misaki got up and before turning off the TV, she changes the channel to see the news. Yukari sighs
"What did I tell you young lady?"
"I know, I know. I just wanted to see the time" She saw the TV, it's almost midnight. "Okay, I'm going to bed now"
"Okay, Goodnight Mis-" Every electric device in the house suddenly turns off, the atmosphere got heavy and the green color dominated the land "Misaki..." Yukari saw her daughter, she was perfectly fine she hasn't transmogrify.
"M-mom... What's happening?" Misaki was scared
"Misaki... Go to your room, now-" Yukari´s cell phone start to ring, her phone was a gift from Mitsuru after the erase the Dark Hour. In case the Dark Hour return, they could communicate with each other through these phones. "Hello?!"
"Yukari, did you see it?!" It was Mitsuru
"Yes... I see it now, but how is this possible?"
"I don't know, but we need to reunite and investigate, prepare yourself and go right to the school... Tartarus appears too"
"I can't believe it"
"You better believe it. It's happening, Yukari. To tell you the truth, I wish this was only a dream"
"Alright, I'm on my way... Mitsuru, Misaki's here with me... She didn't transmogrify"
"I see... Take her with you. I'll explain it to her once you all got there"
"Alright, see you soon" Yukari hangs up "Misaki, get dressed, We are leaving"
"Where?"
"To school" Yukari goes to her room and open one of her desk drawers. There was a little box, inside of it there was an Evoker. Yukari takes it and leave with Misaki who didn't understand the situation. One could say the same for Yukari.
Akihiko was in the middle of the street with Minako and Chie. They were walking down the street to Tartarus, they were near the school so it didn't take them much time to reach the tower. Minako look at the Tower of Demise, it was the first time since the battle in 2010. She sighs, clearly upset.
"What do you think, Minako?" Akihiko asks
"Well... The seal's active"
"Are you sure?" Chie asks
"If the seal was destroyed, then we would be dead by now"
"... You're right. Still, how in the world the Dark Hour and Tartarus come back? It doesn't make any sense at all" Said Akihiko. Minako just look at the ground and curse
"True... I think there's more, something we are not looking at"
"Like what?"
"... I don't know. I don't have all the answers Akihiko"
"Clearly not" They turn around to see Mitsuru Kirijo with Fuuka Yamagishi behind her "It's been a while Akihiko, Satonaka"
"Certainly it's been, Kirijo-San" Said Chie and she gives a handshake to Mitsuru and a hug Yamagishi "It's Hanamura now, you keep forgetting that" She show her the ring on her finger
"It's been a while guys... Too bad we have to meet in these circumstances"
"Yeah..." Minako remains silent for a moment "Where's Yukari and Iori?"
"Yukari is on her way here, Iori said he'll arrive late... He lost the Evoker" Mitsuru explains
"Stupei..." Minako, Akihiko and Chie said at the same time "Well, I have mine with me every time. It never leaves my side" Akihiko said proudly
"I didn't bring mine" Minako say "I wasn't expecting this to actually happen"
"Me neither, although I don't actually need one" Chie say. True, she and the other member of the investigation team don't need an Evoker.
"Anyway... Yamagishi starts to scan the area, we need to know if there's a shadow in the surroundings" Said Mitsuru and Fuuka nodded
"Understood" Fuuka walk to the gates of Tartarus and summon her persona Juno. Everyone give her space to scan the city
"What's the plan now Mitsuru?" Akihiko asks
"Well... We won't be entering Tartarus today. We'll see if there's any shadows near, tomorrow we'll reunite again in school to talk about it. We don't have a lead now. We need to be careful on this. Something is not right"
"I see..." Said Akihiko. Fuuka was scanning the area and find something
"I found a group of shadows" She said
"Really? Where?" Akihiko asks. He already has his Evoker pointing at his head
"Near the Naganaki Shrine, Yukari's coming and Junpei is near the shrine" She explain
"Okay, we'll wait for Yukari and go. Tell Junpei to wait there, don't engage the shadows" Mitsuru ordered and Yukari arrives almost immediately
"Sorry I'm late I have to bring Misaki with me" She apologizes, Misaki was behind her just looking around in shock
"Misaki?! She didn't transmogrify?" Minako ask the obvious
"Trans- what?" Misaki asked
"We'll explain later, Misaki. Fuuka, there's other shadows nearby?" Mitsuru asks
"Woah... What's that?" Misaki asks to Mitsuru while pointing at Fuuka's persona
"That's a persona. I'll explain later Misaki I promise" Said Yukari "Just be quiet for a few minutes, if I tell you to hide, you do so. Do you understand?" She asks and Misaki nodded
"Mitsuru!" Fuuka scream gaining everyone's attention
"What happened?"
"Akane's near the Shrine!" Minako's eyes widen as well Misaki's. With the Shadows near the Shrine, Akane was an easy target
"What?! WHERE?!" Minako scream at her
"Ummm... Two blocks away from the shrine, at west" Said Fuuka. Minako looks at the city and grunt.
"Tch, Alright!" Minako didn't waste time and run to the shrine
"Minako, wait!" Mitsuru try to stop her, but she didn't listen "Dammit! Let's go!" She said and everyone went after Minako.
"Why did I sign that damn contract?! What's wrong with me?!" Akane yell at the sky, she regrets signing the weird contract that the woman gives her. She just hope that it won't come back and bite her in the ass.
Akane was walking down the street, she was trying to reach home, but she keeps getting distracted by the scene before her. There were coffins in the streets, the sky was dark green and the moon was closer to the earth. It was the weirdest thing she saw in her entire life. "Maybe it was for the contract I sign early... It can't be". For a moment she thought that signing the contract did this to the world around her but that couldn't be possible. She was in front of the Naganaki Shrine, she remembers going there a lot when she was little... She stopped going a long time ago. "Maybe I could wait there until everything is back to normal? Or I should go straight home?" Akane decided to wait in the Shrine.
"Sigh... Is this all a dream? Maybe I just fall sleep in Hagakure... Or at home" Akane went up the stairs to the shrine. No one was there, only a couple of coffins. She ignores them and take a sit on the banks near the games next to the Shrine. She waits there for a moment. "Okay, let's see... I got home, mom told me that she won't be at home until midnight or maybe sooner, i shower, changes my clothes, go to Hagakure to have dinner... I lost the monorail, meet that strange woman in the moonlight bridge, then this... The world got weird all the sudden and now i'm waiting in a bank at the shrine to see what happen... Did I miss something?... Maybe not"
Akane relax a little and was about to close her eyes when she heard screaming. She got up immediately and went to the entrance of the shrine, a man was running away from a group of black creatures. The man stops to see Akane and the creatures jump on him and start to devour him. Akane didn't scream, she was in shock. Slowly she start to take a few steps backwards toward the shrine, but all the creatures at once look right at her, they didn't have a face.
They all were wearing masks, each one different from the other. Akane didn't know what to do but to keep walking back at the shrine. The creatures didn't waste time and jump at her, ready to kill her. Akane tries to use her arms to protect herself, but it would be futile. She heard someone screaming and after that a gunshot.
"Trismagestus!" Akane saw a weird red bird-like creature attacking the black creatures, it burns them alive "Akane!" Akane turn to the voice, it was a grown man in his middle thirties with short black hair, he was wearing a white shirt, black jacket and brown pants. A gun can be seen in his hands. He runs to Akane, grab her by the arm and take her away from the shrine. They run to Iwatodai Station, then stopped. "Akane... Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, didn't they?!" He asked very concern, Akane was very confused, she didn't know the man at all.
"Who are you?" She asks
"...Oh, right, you didn't remember me! Hahaha, the last time I see you, you were 3 maybe 4 years old. It's been a long time, Akane. I'm Junpei... Junpei Iori" She said with a smile
"Iori?" Akane meets a little boy that afternoon, his last name was Iori too. Then it hit her, she knows Junpei, but she didn't remember him. That's why she thinks the last name of the kid sound familiar. He most be his son.
"Yeah, sorry for not being there before. My job takes me everywhere, so I travel a lot, you were lucky I stay a few more days in Iwatodai" He explains
"Yeah... Thanks Junpei-San"
"Forget the "San" I'm your mother's best friend"
"... I thought Mitsuru was her best friend"
"Really?! Aw man I leave for a couple of years and now Mitsuru is the best friend... It hurts man" Akane laugh "Don't laugh, Akane. This is serious!"
"Yeah, right... Very serious" She stops for a moment and ask "What's all this anyway? Why is the sky green? Why there's coffins everywhere? And what were those creatures?"
"Okay, this is the Dark Hour and those black creatures were Shadows, the red one was mine it's a persona. I'll explain everything later, now we have to wait until is over"
"How long would take that?"
"Like the name said it, an Hour. I think we have like forty or thirty minutes"
"Damn, i don't think i would last that long"
"Why?"
"I'm getting tired, very tired"
"Okay, take it easy and leave it to me"
"Alright, Junpei yo- WATCH OUT!" Akane saw a Samurai-like Shadow aiming with a sword at Junpei, she pushes him to the side and receive the attack in her shoulder. The sword gets through and she start to scream in pain. The shadow grab her and throw her to the bookstore.
"Akane! You'll pay for that!" Junpei grabs his Evoker and summons his persona again and fight the shadow, it wasn't that strong so he takes him out in a matter of seconds. After that he runs to the store to see Akane "Akane! Are you okay" Akane was bleeding through the wound and she was breathing heavily.
"N-no... It hurts..."
"It's okay, Akane. You´re going to be fine" He take out a phone and make a call.
Mitsuru and the others were running through the Moonlight Bridge when Mitsuru's phone start to ring. Everyone stopped including Minako, Mitsuru answered.
"Yes?"
"Mitsuru! It's Junpei, come as fast as you can Akane is wounded" Junpei scream from the other side of the phone
"What?!" Mitsuru yells
"Like you heard, i need Yukari's persona right here, right now!" Junpei keeps yelling
"Calm Down. Where are you, Iori?"
"I'm in Iwatodai Station, in the bookstore. Come quickly, she's bleeding out!"
"We are on our way!" She hangs up "Listen, Yukari, Minako, Akihiko you three go to Iwatodai station. Iori's there with Akane, she's hurt"
"Akane... Shit!" Minako run away again
"Minako, wait!" Yukari call to her
"Yukari, don't waste time, Akane's in danger!" Minako yells at her
"Okay, i'm le-" Misaki grabs her
"I'm going too" Said Misaki
"No, you stay-" Yukari tries to convince her to stay with the group but she refuses
"Akane's my friend! I won't wait here, i want to know if she's okay" Misaki didn't want to stay behind while her friend is in danger
"... Okay, come quick" Akihiko, Yukari and Misaki went after Minako to Iwatodai
"Yamagishi, scan the area again. We need to know if there's more shadows"
"Okay" She didn't waste time and summon Juno. Chie was nervous, she didn't know if Yosuke was awake.
"Fuuka, is Yosuke at home?" Chie asks
"I'll see..." She take her time and in a matter of seconds she responds "Yes, he is sleep"
"Okay, wake him up and tell him what's happening"
"Right away" Before Fuuka could talk to Yosuke, she detects something "Mitsuru, there's a big shadow approaching to Iwatodai Station!" Fuuka yell
"Is it powerful?"
"... Yes"
"Tch, let's go too. Contact Hanamura at once and tell him to come now!" Said Mitsuru and everyone run to Iwatodai Station
Junpei was trying to stop the bleeding, he was panicking. He have in his arms the daughter of her best friend, he won't let her die there. He won't fail her. Akane was in tears she was fighting the urged to cry out loud.
"It's okay, Akane. Help is coming, hang in there a little longer" He try to calm her but it didn't work
"Shit, it hurts so much!" She almosts yell
"I know, the pain will over soon. I promise, Akane"
"... Don't... Promise... If you can't... " Akane didn't finish, instead she falls to the ground, unconscious
"Akane! Please wake up, stay with me! Akane!" Junpei scream her name
"Junpei!" Junpei heard Minako. He gets out of the Store and she was there with Akihiko, Yukari and Misaki.
"Minako! Akane is inside the store!" Yukari was the one who enters first to heal her, she summons Isis and heal the wound. Minako stays outside with the others
"Junpei, what happened?!" Minako was on the verge of tears
"A shadow was about to attack me, she push me and receive the blow" Junpei explain
"... She protect you?" Minako asks
"Yes, she did" Yukari came out of the store with Akane, she was unconscious.
"She's okay now. But she's unconscious because she lost blood. We need to take her to a hospital when the Dark Hour ends"
"Okay, Meanwhile, I'll take here to a safe place" Minako takes Akane.
"I'll go with you" Said Misaki, Minako nodded and they walk away. Akihiko's phone ring, it was Mitsuru.
"Mitsuru, what happened?" He ask
"A shadow is coming to Iwatodai, a big one. It's coming right at you!"
"What?!" Almost immediately a roar could be heard nearby. The shadow appears near the station. It was different from the other Shadows they encounter before. This Shadow looks like a giant spider, but instead of the head it had an upper human form, more specifically a woman with long white hair, the rest of her body was black including the spider body, in her face was a blank mask with the number 0 in it. It was as big as the shadows SEES encounter in the nights of full moon 19 years ago.
"Minako, take Akane and run. We'll take care of it" Akihiko grin, he takes the Evoker he always have with him in case of emergency and aim at his head "Caesar!" He scream and his persona appear "Ziodyne!" Caesar attack the giant shadow with electricity, it wasn't very effective "Dammit, electricity don't work on it!"
"It's my turn, Persona!" Junpei jump to the action and use fire attacks followed by physical attacks. Fire doesn't work either, but physical ones, yes "Good, Akihiko use physical attacks on it!" Junpei yells
"Roger!" They both start to attack the shadow with everything they got.
"Minako, take Misaki too. I'll support them" Yukari takes out her Evoker
"Mom, no!" Misaki didn't want her mother to fight the Shadow
"Go with Minako, Misaki!" Yukari didn't waste time and summon her persona to heal them if it was necessary
"Misaki, let's go!" Minako grabs Misaki's arm
"No!"
"They'll be okay, trust me"
"But-" The shadow uses darkness attacks and knock up everyone, even Minako and Misaki. Minako let go of Akane and she fall to the ground. The shadow ignores Akihiko and Junpei, and go straight to Minako. The Shadow wasn't looking at her, it was looking at Akane, who was unconscious on the floor. It raise her arm to grab Akane, but Junpei attack it from behind, the shadow turn around to see the attacker
"Don't ignore me, ugly spider!" He keeps attacking, but looks like his attack didn't do anything at all now "Why?!" Junpei could swear that the Shadow grin from behind the mask. Then the Shadow throw a wind attack at him and send him flying to the ground.
"Junpei" Everyone scream, the shadow turns to Minako again. She wants Akane.
"I won't let you have her.. You want her? You have to kill me first!" Minako scream at the shadow, she was prepared to give her life for her daughter.
"Minako, Don't!" Akihiko scream. The shadow saw her for a moment, then grab her and throw her in Yukari's direction. She lands on top of Yukari, unconscious.
"Hey!" The shadow turn to the voice, it was Mitsuru. Behind her was Chie with her persona card in hand. "Leave them alone" The Shadow roar at them. Mitsuru takes out her Evoker "Let's see how you handle an execution" Mitsuru summon her Persona and attack with everything she got...
Akane wakes up sitting in a chair, she didn't know how she got there. What surprise her was that the room was completely white, there wasn't a ceiling or a wall or a door... Nothing. Only the chair where she wakes up and another 8 chairs forming a circle, her chair was in the center of the circle. She got up and examined her surroundings, nothing at all. Looks like this place was infinite.
"Where am i?" She ask and her voice made echo through the whole place
"You're in a place between your world and the sea of the souls" A little girl appear before her, she was wearing prisoner clothes, she also has chains around her neck as well around her legs. She has long black hair and clear blue eyes. She was staring at Akane with a creepy smile
"Hello...?" Akane asks
"Hello, my Queen" Said the little girl
"Queen? I think you're wrong. I'm not a Queen" Akane laugh a little
"Really? But you made this place didn't you?" The girl asks. Akane looks at the empty room and sigh
"I... Made it? When? And how exactly?" Akane was full of questions that couldn't be answered easily
"Long ago..." The girl just say
"Okay... This is just another dream, i need to wake up now" Said Akane and close her eyes, she starts to count to ten.
"It's in fact a dream"
"Cool..."
"But this place is real, it can only be visited through the dreams. Like the Velvet Room" The girl explains
"The Velvet Room?"
"You'll understand soon enough. Now you have to come back, they need you"
"Who are they?"
"Your friends... And your mother"
"Mom?"
"Yes... A Shadow of the Fool Arcana was attacking when you lost consciousness" The girl explain
"A shadow, those black creature?"
"Yes, My Queen"
"I'm not your Queen, girl. I already told you that..." Akane sigh and stop for a moment to process everything, a lot just happen and it's too much for her. She feels like her head was about to explode "I don't feel so good"
"I'll bring you back where you belong... And you will feel fine when it happens"
"Happens what?"
"Your awakening... i'm looking forward to play with you again. I want to have a tea party with the other 8 members of the club, like you promise"
"Club?"
"You'll see... Farewell, Your highness" Everything went black to Akane and she close her eyes. She open them again, she was looking at the green sky of the Dark Hour. She got up only to see Mitsuru, Akihiko, Chie, Yukari and Junpei in the ground. On her right was the shadow, it has Misaki at her feet, unconscious, and her mother in her arms. Akane's eyes widen, she took a rock and throw it at the Shadow, hitting it's head. The Shadow turns around to see Akane, back again on her feets, Minako saw Akane and scream at her with all her might.
"Akane, Run!" Her scream make almost everyone turn to Akane. They tell her to run too. Akane was nervous, she didn't know what to do against the Shadow, but she won't leave them to die. She walks a couple of centimeters and step on something, she looks down. It was the gun Junpei had, she peek it up and look at it. She points at the Shadow for a moment, then stops. Something was telling her that the gun didn't work that way. Instead, she points at her head, she start to breath heavily, she start to shake but stop... Her breathing normalizes, she looks right at the shadow. The shadow lets go of Minako and walk to Akane, Minako try to get up, but she falls again to the ground. "Akane, Don't do it! Run!" Akane didn't listen, before pulling the trigger a grin could be seen in her face. She feels it, she could feel the power coming out of her.
"Per... So... Na!" She pulls the Trigger and a blue aura came out of her, the shadow stop and saw strings coming out of nowhere. Then a woman's voice could be heard.
"I am thou and thou art me... from the sea of the souls i come..." Akane's persona start to form, it was a woman with white a robe, long Blue hair, Purple skin, yellow eyes and Egyptian Tattoos were all over her body, except her face. Strings were coming from her arms and when they move, music could be heard "I'm Hathor, Goddess of the strings!"