Persona FEStivities

Author's notes: There is another timeskip towards late March, this is near the end of the month as well so it is rather close to the start of the storyline so that there wouldn't be a small saga dedicated to a month and I don't think any of us have the time to know what someone does daily.

I had a spelling mistake, the name was meant to be Leto for Felice's Persona…this would be changed in previous chapters to accommodate for the mistake soon. *update*Another mistake came up, the game starts in April on the 7th so I'll be accommodating that mistake too.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona, but Atlus does own this fanfic and I know it.

March 29th, Midnight

Port Island city at night was dangerous, known to the local denizen as the one period of day where from the station to the local mall nearby was home to one of the seedier locales beside the Boulevard further away, but people sought out refuge not by pleasure and comfort but one that is tamed towards brotherhood, gangs, and small bouts of violence. Though to one particular denizen Felice Armbruster who stared out at the tall spiraling tower in the distance just a few blocks away from his position in the middle of a deserted street filled with coffins chained at the waist locking whatever that was meant to be hidden, the gangs who roamed the Port Island underground was the least of the worries which were on the young teenager's mind. Carrying a small bag on his back, which held his assortment of food and drink which he prepared for tonight from the supermarket just before midnight had struck so he could walk out of the store with no regrets for stealing, Felice scanned the road up ahead and turned around shining his small flashlight pen into the darkness feeling the stale air chill him to the bone this sight of coffins and blood running in splatters and rivers were a common sight in his life now since the day he discovered the power which Igor had explained to him as Persona or the mask by which a person uses to shield himself in the face of life's troubles, so it had been eloquently put. Discovering the power had put him on a road that he did not anticipate coming from his life, and even now the 'purpose' and the missing memory of signing the contract were stuck on his mind like a rewinding tape.

"Even in the night, Port Island seems to have more troubles than they're worth," Felice murmured as he turned to the right feeling a hand grab his shoulder the teen stiffened slightly before he looked at Leto who had appeared at his side her hand outstretched towards the building as she closed her eyes in concentration. Felice meanwhile took a sip from an energy drink can which he had gotten from the vending machine nearby as an additional energy booster for himself even though he had rested enough for the trip tonight, Felice didn't want to take chances with the creatures he was hunting tonight.

"Anything you could sense out here, Leto?"

One behind us, it has originated from that way.

"Hmm, okay…I'll check it out, thanks." Felice said as Leto disappeared from view, the teen thinking for a moment before he turned around and headed back the way he came his hand going to the leather holster strapped to his thigh which held a simple sharpened kitchen knife he had taken from the kitchen like he always had. Turning the corner on the right, Felice checked his watch again despite the futility of the effort in doing so seeing no movement on the hands the teen sighed as he withdrew his hand to his side letting Leto's senses become his guide. "Okay, let's see where you take me to Leto."

Ten minutes later, near the Iwatodai dorm

"Here, of all places? Is it nearby?" Felice spoke confused by the destination he arrived at, or more like staying behind a corner which overlooked the stretch of road where the dorm laid along the way. Though this was a common route that he had taken, the boy was not about to take chances with the way things were set up now as he looked down at his wristwatch which had stopped right on the midnight mark which had occurred not long ago.

Presence is nearby, but is avoiding the dorm.

"Hmm, tell me Leto…anything specific about the presence, is it a Persona-user or one of those things we've been fighting?"

Not Persona.

Felice nodded at that reply, the teen hearing her voice fade away but not before pointing him towards the residential park as Felice peeked out of the corner to spy something that was becoming a little common on his trips down this road for the last month, the teen almost letting out a swear when the door opened. A head of silver hair in the distance at the steps of the dorm appeared from the entrance, joined by a uniform and red sweater vest with leather gloves closed the door to the dormitory building stepping down to ground level while Felice sensed the familiar bad feeling from the silver-haired stranger opting to go around the teen instead of meeting the person head on. Walking around the corner, he pulled the hood of his beige colored shirt over his head as added protection the cold air began to chill his skin Felice cutting through the alleyways nearby inclining his head towards the right.

The park can be reached from here, I just need to avoid that guard dog and I can reach the place where that thing is, Felice thought as he briskly made his way to the park his head constantly on a swivel for the silver-haired teen who had been showing up for the past few weeks since his first day on the school tour during his forays into the city, the teen had not spoken to him yet but Felice felt like tonight was an ominous time to be out and around in the town. However, he had no choice…there was something that he had to do tonight and Felice knew that it would pose the biggest threat if it were to be left unchecked even if another Persona user was around on patrol, especially when he's had this power.

"I wonder what could be there that's been growing in power for the last few days…anyway, I'm supposed to explore, not to get into fights I can't involve myself in...this is getting rather troublesome already." He murmured as he walked towards the source, his alertness sharpened as he watched for potential ambushes on the way.

The park, twenty minutes later

It was the second time that he watched Shadows feed.

When he had first seen it, the teenager had nearly puked his dinner seeing the poor victim struggle against something overshadowing his entire body before he literally melted in front of his two eyes, the teen barely registering the first crowd of creatures that attacked him the first time he explored the city in a week, and he could hardly fight them off. A horrible experience he was reliving again as he watched a few small Shadows crawling around a pair of coffins leaning against a park bench, the chains that held the coffins together at the waist usually fell to the floor like a restraint keeping the creatures away from the contents within...and it was the first time he was introduced to the fact that he wasn't special when it came to this special point at midnight, that normal humans themselves could transcend the barrier known as the coffins and break into reality, at the cost of being food for Shadows who consume these intruders of the night world. Right now the same thing was about to happen, and sooner or later as he watched the last of the chains being dismantled and pooled around the coffins the victims would appear but it would be far too late when it did…which was why he was ready to jump in at a moment's notice the moment that would happen.

"Leto…Garu."

The burst of wind was the next sound in the small area, the gust blowing the slimy looking masked creatures away from the coffins. Choosing not to directly show himself, the boy continued to direct orders to Leto who was standing ready with her hand outstretched to the group of Shadows. "Garu!" The Persona agreed wholeheartedly scattering the group with another burst of wind before a Shadow had caught on to his trail as Felice silently called for Leto to Bufu it, the Shadow melting to the floor just as a kitchen knife stabbed the mask killing it. Looking up at the coffins Felice could see the two occupants falling out of the coffin their senses alert and awake, the couple becoming aware of their new environment as fear soon gripped their hearts.

"Wh-What's going on?! What is this?"

"Why's there blood on the road?!"

Felice ran up to them, the teen's presence scaring the couple as he was in front of them armed with a knife looking frantically at them the man pushing the woman back as he stood between the both of them, both adults frightened as Felice lowered his knife sheathing it. "Stay back from us!"

"Calm down, I need you two to stay where you are you'll attract more of them if you begin to run!" Felice warned as he heard a growl behind him, the teen barely rolling aside as a burst of Agi exploding near his shoulder singing the fabric of his hood and shirt the heat causing him to sweat. "Damnit, not again with the fire tossing headdresses, get lost you bastards!" Throwing a Bufu or two back in their faces Felice used the knife to finish them cleanly as he tried to stay with the stunned couple, his back facing them as the adults took the chance to escape Felice looking back to see them go.

"No, that's not it! Get back here!" He uselessly called out to the pair but to no avail just as more fire blocked his path, the teen gritting his teeth as he used Bufu to knock the weird floating masked creatures back, their aversion to the counter element killing two of the five. Felice took this time to run back only to have an Agi hit him square in the chest the fire sending him reeling back as Leto protected him with a Bufu killing the aggressor, the teen standing with his knife ready before a loud female scream came from behind followed by a loud high-pitched scream before the sound of flesh being squashed overcame the small battlefield as Felice turned around, the Shadows attacking him suddenly stopping their assault and retreating from the teenager leaving him alone in the park while he tried to discern the origin of the sound. "What the hell was that, it scared them away...if that is right then that means the couple is most likely dead, consumed by one of those things."

"RRRAWWWARRRAAAHHH!"

"!" Felice's instincts went into overdrive as a loud inaudible yell was heard scaring him to death as Leto came to his side ready to combat the newcomer before he felt shivers wreck his body. "What the…this creature is letting out an overwhelming oppressive atmosphere! I can't beat it, not in my current state!"

He had to run. That was what his body was telling him as he heard the low gargle similar to that of a mount, the teen spying a large silhouette coming out of the darkness where the couple had supposedly escaped through Felice feeling dread creep onto his senses as the air grew thicker and more oppressive than before.

"Shit!" The teenager cried as he turned on his heel and ran.

Ten minutes later, 40 minutes into the Dark hour

The teen scrambled to his feet, two dirtied hands palming the tree trunks and bushes pushing them aside as he darted out onto the main path of the park his breathing ragged all the while watching his back before leaves were thrown at him from his right. "GGGRRWWWAAAHHAAAHHH!" The inhuman war cry filled the air as Felice barely dodged for the umpteenth time for the last ten minutes, his hand hitting the pavement of the park while steel whizzed over his head smashing into the ground, sending brick shrapnel flying into the air with cracked webs spreading out into the red dust colored surface. The teenager tumbled aside the knife nearly flying out of his hand but he kept his grip on the handle tightly, Felice staring back in anger at the approaching creature rising to his feet vision blurry and sweat running down his forehead the hood of his shirt thrown back at the chilly air petrified the sweat from proceeding further. "Damn, you're a really tough one than the other small floating headdresses I've been fighting around here for the past month."

"RRRRWWWARRGGGAAAGG!" The inaudible war cry sounded as the moon reflected the image of a mounted knight standing above his height, the golden mask staring blankly at him while the legless steed which seated the dark armored knight atop of it floating in midair gave a neigh to the night sky, the knight raising the large steel sharpened lance in triumph the action causing the wind to swirl around it before an energy discharge dissipated into the air. Felice lowered his knife as he watched the knight cautiously, the teen and his opponent circulating around one another like predators in the small open space of the residential park as the stale tension was silent upon the proceedings, Felice stretched out his hand as the knight readied the lance the floating armored steed huffing while focusing on its target.

"Come, Leto."

"GRRAAAGGGHHH!" The knight charged, Felice not bothering to dodge as he immediately felt the ground suck him up from the attack the memory of Eligor and his charge running through Felice's mind as he called Leto to his side the woman throwing Bufu at the knight throwing the rider off as he reared his horse to shield him from the ice shards giving Felice the opportunity to act upon the small distraction provided by throwing his hand out. "Garu!"

The knight shook from the impact of the small torrent of wind the steed stumbling despite having no legs as Felice get more distance from the knight, Leto coming to his side as he knelt on the ground. "Dia," he instructed as he felt the soreness from his one-sided fight with the physically stronger opponent staring at the ground placing his hand on the bricked surface feeling his knees go weak as he rose to stand on his two feet disorientated by the shockwave of the lance which hadn't been able to completely cure his exhaustion.

Elemental attacks don't even faze him or cause him to fall, so what is the next tactic? This is all that Leto can do right now, if this guy was like those floating masks with headdresses or those slime looking things I would have ended this fight before it began! Felice growled mentally as he narrowly rolled out of the way while a lance smash into the brick road again throwing him to the side against the nearby tree his bag taking the blow for his spine instead he could feel the snacks and several plastic bottles of energy drinks crash into him a wet feeling of water against his back made him throw the bag away from his position, the temporary shield having no more adequate protection for him as he used Shadow Haven to dodge out of the way the steed crashing into the treeline and into several others behind the splintered trunk the teen escaping from the charge feeling exhaustion come over him as he sheathed the kitchen knife into his holster, the teen sighing as he closed his eyes in thought the growling of the knight getting ever closer to him.

"Changing tactics," Felice resolutely spoke just as the knight burst through the bushes calmly dragging the tip of the lance to dig into the dirt the steed letting out a puff of air while the armored warrior let out a sound that Felice could barely distinct it as a laugh under the mask, the unintelligible taunt at his lack of physical ability to match the warrior evident in its movement which had been less tense than before. The muddy blonde haired teen shaking the trembling from his hands as he fought the urge to panic and run before this mighty opponent clenching his fists as he steeled his mind, "Hope this works, Sukunda."

"GRRAAWWRRAR!" The knight screamed out at the debilitating effect, the creature yelling in anger as it did its charge towards the teen the horse using all of its power to zip across towards the Persona-user intent on spearing him before he could react, but Felice was faster as the words rolled off his tongue naturally while the familiar swell of power in his head tore through his mind. "Leto…Gar-urk!"

However fast he recited the spell and had launched it in succession, the lance however had distance and range for its user who towered over Felice's height. What resulted was the wind spell barely throwing the rider off his mount nor did the legless steed even flinch from the move meant to disorientate it from its intended course, the teen feeling the backlash of the powerful blow stunning him backwards as the low endurance of Leto caused him to feel nothing but pain sending him to the floor as his flesh felt it was being intruded upon. "GAH!"

Red became the new color in his vision, the teen struggling uselessly against the embedded lance in his shoulder the floor running with blood on the brick road while adrenaline worked its way into his nervous system dulling the pain he felt coursing through his skin his mind attempting to establish contact with Leto but to no avail as his mind flew into a panic, losing his concentration from a mixture of the pain and fear of the knight who dug the lance a little deeper seeming to enjoy his suffering. "AAARGGHH, you son of a-GGGAARRRHKKK!"

The knight didn't wait for its prey to finish as the armored titan lifted the teenager by the lancetip raising the weapon up to level with its body, the cries of the boy filling the air while the knight let out an inhuman growl mixed with…laughter? Felice couldn't tell from the sound but the tone suggested well enough to the human that it was enjoying the screams and helplessness of its prey the knight letting out a cry as it slowly turned the lance to a vertical stand as its victim was clawing the lance the sticky blood allowing his shoulder to sink into the lance easily, Felice's hands slipping against the hard surface as he was barely conscious.

"I think that's quite enough of that," a new voice interrupted the two as the knight was thrown aside from the corner of his eye, the lance dropping to the ground along with Felice the teen unable to fight the pain stemming from his wound the impact of the brick meeting his head caused him to black out for a few seconds, the teen barely able to open his eyes as the screech of the knight fade from earshot the sound of steel thumping to the floor was the only thing that was heard before a sound almost like a suction was heard indicating the fight was already over. The boy hardly had time to register the fact he was saved when he heard the same voice speaking to him as a silhouette towered over his fallen body, the teenager's consciousness slipping but he barely held it while he coughed the taste of coppery blood faintly wafting under his nostrils the disgusting smell causing him to wince.

"What a show, you do have such marvelous talent with that Persona of yours." Felice felt the effects of the Dia stitching up the minor cuts he had though his shoulder was injured rather badly the spell unable to fulfill its role, the teen rising to sit on the floor as he finally came face to face with the stranger as his blurred vision began to clear from the Dia to reveal a silver haired, shirtless tattooed man with golden eyes smiling at him while a revolver was tucked securely behind his belt near the left pant leg of his form fitting jeans his hands still clapping slowly while Felice saw Leto pause. "And such a beautiful power it is indeed, the secrets hidden within her as well as the potential for something more…every time I see something like this, it is fascinating insight into a person's soul."

"…who are you?" Felice asked a hand placed against his wound as he felt the man bristle but no hostility in his eyes the teen feeling his shoulder relax as Felice let Leto tend to his injuries from the fight just before the strange man had intervened killing off the tough opponent for him, the teen eying the man up and down before he gestured to the shirtless man. "And what's with the weird getup?" The man was taken aback by the question before he smiled instead ignoring his blunt question, the expression was enough to make Felice blanch as the pale man folded his lanky arms looking back at the trail of destruction that had occurred with the earlier fight. "I simply wanted to speak to you tonight as soon as I saw that little lightning display where I was out for my prey, surely you can respect that much out of someone who has saved your life from death to not ask so many pointless questions."

"…" Felice kept his mouth silent, the pale man realizing he had won the argument as he kept his hand on his pistol butt but the lack of motion in his body movements calmed Felice down to the fact he wouldn't get aggressive with him, the student wincing as he clutched his torn shoulder the blood soaked shirt unable to hide the gaping hole while his left arm help uselessly at his side like strings cut from a puppet. "Damnit…"

"Having trouble? I could fix that for you." The pale man offered towards Felice with that same creepy grin, the man inclined his head towards the side where the bushes laid as he called out into the darkness. "Chidori, if you would please heal our injured friend here," the rustle of bushes attracted Felice's attention to someone else's presence as pale hands withdrew the curtain of leaves and stepped into the moonlight, the teenager staring blankly as a girl with long red hair and a white dress appeared her dark eyes staring at him without much emotion before she stretched out her hand towards Felice's shoulder the boy closing his eyes as he felt the sinews once torn and ripped begin to suddenly twist and form around itself, muscle and pierced flesh forming back into place as Felice traced a finger along the almost healed injury fascinated by the effects of the healing. "Wow."

"Amazing, is it not, the power that differs amongst Personas? Not even one is the same as the other, a truly powerful gift that is bestowed on us." The pale man indirectly praised the girl's skill, the girl called Chidori saying nothing throughout the exchange as Felice rotated his once injured arm stunned by the fast recovery before he nodded in thanks finding his voice again with the injury completely healed. "Again, thanks a lot for the help and my arm, though I didn't quite catch your name."

The pale man blinked his golden irises brightening in the barely luminescent park, the man releasing his grip on the pistol in his belt. "Yes of course, how rude of me to ignore the most basic of customs…my name is Takaya, and as I introduced before this is Chidori."

"So, you guys are Persona users as well?"

"Indeed we are, in fact we have another one of our group as well but tonight he is away on business and so me and Chidori were simply taking a leisurely walk at midnight searching for prey," Takaya spoke as he gestured to Chidori again who was completely ignoring their presence her frown served to stretch lower while she moved over to stare at the trees waiting a distance from them. Felice looked almost surprised by her adverse attitude before Takaya noticed the shift in attention, the pale man looking over at Chidori with a look of understanding as he spoke with a glimpse towards her back, "Yes excuse Chidori, she isn't one who was the sociable kind of girl but we do not mind…it shows her silent determination."

"I…uh, see?" Felice said confusingly as Takaya ignored his words turning to focus on him now. "Well now that we've saved you and healed your injury, I feel that we have the right to know what you were doing out here on your own."

"Huh? Um, well, I…" Felice trailed off as he felt his instincts scream at him to avoid this man at all costs, the pale skin and tattoos along with the golden eyes were enough to make him scream in terror and run from the duo as fast as his legs could carry him. Even the teen could sense the apprehension being shared through Leto as the muttering of Greek in the back of his mind was beginning to find its conscious, the teen rubbing his once injured shoulder. "I was exploring the place when I saw something in the park and went to investigate this was the first time I had to fight something like that."

"That was a risky venture," Takaya mused as he looked up at the sky. "And what do you hope to achieve by participating in this misadventure?"

"Well, I don't really know yet but since I had this power…I felt I should just do something," Felice said as he wondered what Takaya was thinking about when he said it, the man humming in thought before he folded his arms. "I see…have you ever thought of possibly joining us then?"

"Huh? Join you and her, I don't even know what you guys do in the first place," Felice said as Takaya looked almost incredulous but held his thoughts the man touching the butt of his pistol almost affectionately. "I see you haven't heard of us, well no matter…we're part of a group that have decided to use our powers to protect the populace. We go by the name of Strega though I am not surprised you have never heard about us anywhere on the net," Takaya explained to Felice who had hesitated.

"What do you mean by protect?"

"We help those who cannot help themselves with the power that we have, and deliver justice on those who aren't able to fight back against those who would decide to oppress."

"So you guys are rebels or something?"

Takaya chuckled at the teen's inquiry the man tugging his belt. "No, nothing of the sort like that...unlike rebels we don't fight this oppressive society simply because we have nothing else on our hands to do, but we have to the talent to do so. We take those oppressors who torture the weak and simply make them suffer for it." Felice snorted the teen feeling like this was becoming rather pointless as the teen shrugged his shoulders. "Doesn't convince me or move me in the slightest towards your cause, I haven't found my purpose yet but I know well enough it has nothing to do with you at all or your little gang of avengers.."

"No need to get so defensive about something that is true, isn't it? When you have the talent and the opportunity to become someone more wouldn't you be the type to reach your hand out and take it instead of lying around with no doors to expand your horizons? To be honest I can see that you are having a power you're not using properly, and wandering around traipsing in the Dark Hour when you have nothing better to do with your boring miserable despair-inducing life, that would mean something to you." Takaya pointed out as the teen kept silent, unable to answer him before he spoke. "Dark Hour…what on earth are you babbling about?"

"That's what this time of the night is actually called, it is the Dark Hour to us Persona-users who walk during this hour…and I bet you've seen the Tower of Demise as well during all those nights in the middle of the city?"

"Tower of Demise…?" Felice asked his head beginning to feel a tiny headache coming on as he tried to register the looming tower up in the horizon of houses. "What kind of name is that? Though now that I think about it…it's rather fitting, but what does this have to do with the Dark Hour or even how we're able to walk about?"

"It is where our blessings pour out from, my dear clueless boy." Takaya spoke his eyes shining as he lifted a palm out as if to cusp the upper half of the Tower of Demise in his hand, the man joyfully sharing his words with Felice who felt a chill run down his body. "Did you not know of this? The Dark Hour is a special phenomenon that chooses those who it deems worthy to carry out its wishes in the world, and this means that we are its servants performing the intended works that we are supposed to do."

"…you're kidding with me, right?" Felice replied after a few moments of hesitation his mind unable to come up with any kind of answer to his declaration. "Seriously, I can't imagine such a lone Tower even has the power to do it much less 'select' who it deems to be servants for a purpose in this city."

Takaya frowned but the glimmer in his eyes didn't disintegrate as he lowered his hand looking back at Felice with a creepy look. "I and Strega have spent our lives finding our purpose, perhaps you could join us and with it find your true calling in this world, this Dark Hour…and find what it is that makes your life full than empty. That is what we as the chosen ones of the Tower of Demise should be doing, isn't it? Banding together."

"That may be true, I don't know why I got this ability but I'm pretty sure I am not so desperate to search out groups without rhyme or reason. If you are asking me to join you, it's a pretty bad sales pitch you're trying to sell me. To be honest I wouldn't care how I got this power, only that I was gifted with it...I can find my own way." Takaya narrowed his eyes spurning the man to turn on his heel speaking with an inclined head towards Felice while Chidori followed her expression remaining unchanged throughout the whole debate giving only one glance at the teen before she left ahead of Takaya the man clicking his tongue in disappointment yet let out a chuckle soon after closing his intimidating yellow irises. "If that is what you wish to lead your life, I won't stop you…but I still am willing to consider if you happen to change your mind or when you have opened your eyes to the truth that is right in front of you."

"Truth…that's a debatable subject but I'm sure I wouldn't need to join anyone."

"You may regret that statement in time dear boy…remember that well," Takaya said as he disappeared into the night alongside Chidori who just gave him an apathetic glance thrown his way before she shuffled away, the darkness of the park bringing back the eerie atmosphere surrounding Felice who stood still in the same spot before he snapped out of his thought processes, walking over to the tree and retrieving his bag which was roughed up really bad from the exhausting fight, Felice opening the zipper and stared inside the bag his eyes assessing the damage before an uncomfortable silence filled the air.

"…My snacks and drinks need to be replenished, oh man my allowance is going to be chewed out at this rate if this is going to be a regular occurrence, and maybe I should just patrol my neighbourhood instead." He said as he dragged the torn bag with its broken goods in it over his shoulder, the events just now playing through his head while he walked through the park while recounting what the man was saying to him earlier. Spying something from behind him along with the clapping of shoes trailing after him, the teenager moved towards the bushes to stay out of sight when a flash of silver hair appeared upon the battleground a distance away, Felice holding his breath as he watched the latecomer come into view through the bushes recognizing it as the guy in the red sweater vest that he had seen exiting the dormitory not long ago the teen deciding to sneak away not waiting to hang around for more questions than he already had.

Change of POV

The park was a mess, the cracked webs and uplifted dirt with decimated tree trunks and branches lying scattered around the small area of the park was what Akihiko was greeted to when he had seen the pillar of blue electricity originating from the park, the teenager walking blindly towards the scene of conflict kneeling down to place a leather-gloved hand on the torched ground which was still releasing small trails of smoke Akihiko almost feeling a sting from the residual electrical energy found within the boy turning his head away to avoid the overwhelming smell of smoking dirt and brick the smell mixing with the uncomfortable smell of bark and leaves stinging his nose.

"What happened here? Was that a Shadow?" Akihiko said aloud as he walked over to the torn branches, the destruction of nature with a single path swathed to a clearing by something obviously large the silver-haired teen scratching his head before he tapped his ear.

"Mitsuru, Mitsuru are you there?"

"I hear you, what's going on Akihiko?" The teen heard a reply over the line as he looked around the scene Akihiko speaking while he searched the ground. "Well, Mitsuru I am not so sure…I'm at the residential park and, well, if only you were here to see this. Trees are scattered all over the place and the road is cracked, there is scorched ground too…most likely a Zio spell being cast."

"Zio? Is it a Shadow then?"

"Well, I'm not so sure but there isn't any other evidence I can find yet that pinpoints to a Shadow though the destruction of the road and the swathed path I found this is mostly likely a big Shadow that had entered the city," Akihiko reported as he turned to leave the area the teen letting out a sigh of disappointment. "Well that's a shame that it all ended already, I was hoping to run into whoever was causing all of that."

"What was that, Akihiko? Were you planning to do something reckless while under my supervision?"

"Uh…huh, no of course I wouldn't, not at all! I'm going to return to the dorm for tonight, I'm feeling tired all of a sudden!" Akihiko said with a bit of desperation as soon as he heard Mitsuru interrupt his thoughts the teenager sweating a little as he walked towards the park exit the white-haired teen ruffling his short spiky hair. "Uh, Mitsuru about the damages…"

"I'll get the Chairman to handle it as usual while he investigates on his end, you wouldn't have to worry about that of course though this is rather strange," Mitsuru muttered as Akihiko could share the sentiment of his fellow senior the teenager turning a corner. "You're not the only one, the usual mobs of Shadows that have been wandering the place aren't showing up anymore for some reason and all the false alerts of the groups throughout the patrols so far…it's too consistent this month to be some kind of coincidence, something must be happening to the Shadows that's thinning their numbers."

"I agree, but there isn't much evidence to support anything right now the only thing we can do is wait and hope we're faster this time around or we get to anticipate what comes next. In the meantime I do suggest you do not wander into fights too soon, it was a handful when they were three of us once and having an inexperienced junior as well as a potential recruit is going to make us more valuable in experience." Mitsuru sighed as Akihiko made his way back to the dorm for the night to rest up, unknowingly being watched by a boy in a beige shirt with the hood cast over his head watching the teenager disappear before walking off into the night.

7th April, late afternoon Iwatodai dorm

"Ah, good all of you are here." A welcoming voice invited the visitors in front of him into the large room, Mitsuru glancing at the armchair to see a familiar face with slightly wavy hair slicked back along with glasses dressed in a brown suit smiling at her as she gave a look of acknowledgement with Akihiko coming in second the two seniors sitting opposite each other at the two couches before a girl with short brown hair in a pink cardigan over her uniform and red ribbon came into the room almost hesitantly the door closing awkwardly behind her with a soft click. "Uh, so what's going on?"

The glasses-wearing man pushed his glasses up with his fingers before he lowered his hand and crossed both arms looking at the three teenagers in the room. "Well, firstly I wanted to inform you three of what is happening tonight. We're firstly receiving a new potential teammate who's on his way to Iwatodai, he'll be staying over for the school year and helping us out with our problem."

Mitsuru nodded as she recalled the call she received from the man, "I remember you talking about that over the phone…does he have the potential though?"

"That would be up to the boy, but we are certain that this student is capable of doing it," the man assured the three while Akihiko smiled thinly barely hiding the anticipation about getting another fighter on the front lines. "I hope that he does have the potential to do so, that means that we have another front line fighter on the field and maybe we'll have a shot at Tartarus first chance we get," he said confidently his fist in his palm while Mitsuru shook her head at his one-tracked mind the girl in the pink cardigan keeping silent in the background her hands on her kneecaps. The man with glasses nodded in agreement when he heard that, placing his fist under his chin while he spoke up thoughtfully after Akihiko's declaration, "Well even if we do receive a support-type we'll be fine since Mitsuru here isn't completely helpless in battle…but having a fighter wouldn't be too detrimental either in our efforts to deal with the Dark Hour."

"I wanted to ask," the cardigan-wearing girl spoke up attracting the attention of the man and both seniors to her. "Who is this guy that we're expecting to the dorm?"

"Glad you asked about it, his name is Makoto Yuki surprisingly a resident who was living in Port Island with his parents ten years ago until he was orphaned in a car accident at the Moonlight Bridge," the man said as he grabbed a folder which laid atop of the table opening it to stare at the profile picture which depicted a boy with night blue hair, a fringe covering his left eye while the remaining blank orb stared devoid of emotion at the camera a thin frown on his face which the girl found unnerving though she kept her own emotions reined in at the mention of the Moonlight Bridge, a sense of dread overcoming her as she looked at the bespectacled man. "Do you mean that he is…?"

"Yes, he is one of the lucky few who made it out of the incident ten years ago from that disaster in Port Island. It was a miracle that he managed to escape then when many others weren't so lucky," the man commented as he retrieved the folder stashing it onto his lap while he tented his fingers. "Now that things are settled with the new potential, I trust you'll be keeping an eye on him while I am gone? I have to report back to Takeharu about this, and won't be back until tomorrow to meet him so I appreciate it if you guys kept him out of trouble."

"Of course Chairman."

"Great!" The Chairman happily clapped his hands at Mitsuru's agreement, the man rising from his chair in joy as he moved towards the office door in the back of the room. "I'll need to settle some things here so this meeting is dismissed as of now." Akihiko and the cardigan wearing girl took it as the cue to leave the room while the redhead stayed behind with the chairman who was already speaking with her, the two teenagers closing the door behind them as Akihiko sighed relaxing his tense shoulders while rubbing his shoulder. "Well this is going to be interesting, but I have to rest up and prepare for the patrol tonight, see ya."

Walking away the high school senior threw a hand up in the air while holding his jacket over his right shoulder, leaving the pink cardigan wearing student behind who looked a little lost on what to do before she shrugged following Akihiko down the stairs to the third floor. Reaching her designated room, the student entering the living space and settled down immediately plopping on the bed saying nothing while she stared at the window blankly in thought while the Chairman's words about the new potential echoing in her head.

"A survivor from that incident ten years ago, just like me?" The words sounded foreign on her tongue as she bit her lower lip an assortment of unwanted memories associated with that sentence, the girl removing her cardigan and tossed it aside while she reached for a drawer near her bedside retrieving a small folded paper and unfolded it reading the content again. "Dad…I promise I'll find out what happening here."

Late Night

"Attention passengers. This is the final stop for this train at Iwatodai station, I repeat final stop Iwatodai…please, remember to collect all your belongings when you are about to exit the train," the electronic announcement played over the PA while a crowd of latecomers surged out of the train the sound of shoes slapping tile echoing amongst the murmurs and chatter of business men and women on their phones a small handful of teenage groups joining the sea standing out in the black and white with a rainbow of dark and light colors though none caught the eye of several passengers to a peculiar passenger who had exited amongst the crowd, the fluttering of blue hair dancing to the blowing wind poking out like a sore thumb. Apathetically the mass of blue hair filtered and slipped his way through the tiny gaps in the crowd the flash of metal at the sides of his head barely visible amongst the tall adults, the smaller passenger had the greater advantage of speed making his way towards the card reader which was being hogged by misaligned queues.

"Thank you for riding with us, enjoy your stay in Port Island City!" The voice from the reader thanked the paying passenger, the passenger breaking free of the slightly crowded and stuffy terminal to reach the open streets the fresh air coming to hit the face as a thin hand reached into the pocket removing a cellphone and flipped the screen open.

11:59pm

Closing the phone and stuffing it into his pocket, the identified male shifting his head taking in his surroundings for the first time since he had entered the train. The male with blue hair walked onward the map of the city forming in his mind while he grabbed the large sports bag he held containing his belongings, the music playing loudly in his eardrums the beat pounding in his body.

Dreamless dorm, ticking clock
I walk away from the soundless room
Windless night, moonlight melts
My ghostly shadow to the lukewarm gloom
Nightly dance of bleeding swords
Reminds me that I still live

I will-

*bbbzzzztttt*

"!" The male felt the music cut itself off as he let out a surprised gasp, the player coming to a complete stop as a hand tore the headband of his headphones down his neck the sudden static burst causing his ears to echo with the annoying buzz. As his eyes shut tight the boy failed to notice the change in the environment around as the dirty streets and somewhat neat tiled floors of the train station becoming stained with sudden spurts of crimson red pooling onto the ground in splatters the blue-haired teen shaking off the feeling as he opened his eyes.

"…What?" A soft suppressed croak was only uttered as the blue-haired boy faced the new alien grounds of Port Island, a panic rising in his chest as his heart was the only audible noise thumping against the cage of his chest demanding to be free. Gotta calm down, this isn't going to help anyone…I have to get to the dorm as quickly as possible and I can think over this later, the blue-haired boy thought as he immediately took off from the station at a brisk pace the boy not looking back or stopping for anything as the map in his head planed out the route he was taking to the destination.

Iwatodai dorms

Made it, the door of the building closed shut behind him as the teenager barely managed to let out a breath of tense air he had held up the whole walk through, releasing his bag onto the ground as he closed his eyes feeling his heartbeat which had gone erratic start to slow down into a crawl, the sound relieving to the blue-haired teen. "Why good evening! We finally meet each other at last," A cheery voice caught his attention just ahead of him, the blunette's eyes darting upwards to see a strange sight of a child with dark blue hair and deep blue eyes dressed in a striped outfit smiling at him near the counter his hands behind his back. "Looks like you've arrived later than expected, but what can you do about the traffic?"

"What is up with this child? Why does he feel somewhat familiar?"

"Hmm, well it doesn't matter now…you're just in time. Please, sign your name on the book over there," the small child gestured to a book as the blue-haired boy walked over towards the book his eyes glancing across the lines. "This definitely without a doubt looks very familiar."

I, _, promise that I will personally be accountable for the choices that I make and that the consequences which arise from it are accepted in stride.

Without thinking, the boy took the pen provided with no shred or moment of hesitation began to write his name onto the blank line provided in the statement the bluenette finishing up placed the pen on the book, the child grabbing said book to look at the content his expression still happy and unfazed as he closed the book, a blue butterfly appearing just as he threw the book up into the air…and the item promptly disappeared into the air like it had not existed the boy chuckling a little at the boy's slightly agape expression showing confusion.

"No one can escape time, for it delivers us all to the same end. You can't cover your eyes or plug up your ears…I'll be seeing you around, Yuki Makoto…" the child lectured as he stepped back into the shadow of the room disappearing from sight as the blue-haired student took a step forward with a hesitant hand half angled into an outstretched pose his voice unable to call out to the strange child who had just vanished leaving him in the empty hall with his bag on the floor. "What was that? That boy…I feel like I've seen him before but I don't know where or when have I even met him…"

"Who's there?!" Yuki immediately tensed as he eyed a head of brown hair poke out into the main entrance hall her breathing ragged and tense as well, the blue-haired teen taking note of her pink cardigan and red ribbon while a school skirt was seen underneath the form fitting fabric with some appreciation, it wasn't everyday that an attractive girl would appear in front of him. However whatever thoughts he had on the subject were cut when he noticed something else at her right thigh, the boy feeling his instincts yell at him to dodge out of the way as he shifted towards the armchair ducking away from the girl who was grabbing the gun and bore it on him. "Stop right there and don't move!"

"Wait. Surrendering," Yuki spoke calmly as he held his hands into the air while hiding behind the armchair in defeat as the cardigan wearing student was about to speak further before a voice cut into the air halting her actions.

"Takeba, please hold on! This is him." Another voice echoed as Yuki perched his eyes up from the armchair, his eyes falling onto another beauty with red flowing hair who appeared from the opposite side of him wearing a formal white blouse and black knee length skirt with her arms folded across her chest Yuki's white eyes blinking rapidly as he felt his heart skip a tiny beat at the newcomer, his hands still in the air even when the girl called Takeba had holstered her weapon sighing in relief just before the lights came on filling the dark room with light the change in lighting was noticed by Yuki who looked up at the ceiling and back down at the two girls on both flanks.

"Blackout?" He asked simply the most logical reasoning coming to his mind as he got a nod from the redhead, the girl walking towards the armchair as she stuck her hand out to Yuki, the boy feeling a red tint show faintly across the line underneath his eyes Yuki rising to his feet when he took one last look at Takeba to make sure the girl wasn't still wielding her gun at him and cautiously grasped the redhead's hand shaking it lightly.

"I'll explain everything to you soon, but for now I guess introductions are on the way, my name is Mitsuru Kirijo and the girl over there is Yukari Takeba. You were quite late to arrive, Yuki Makoto."

End

And so it begins…the story from now will switch over to Yuki Makoto's POV due to him still being the main star in the story. I figured that for this time around I would put his personality according to the status attributes in the game, so it goes as follows.

Academics: Smart

Courage: Ordinary

Charm: ? (You will figure it out in time…you'll figure it out)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this transition chapter and enjoy your day.