A/N: Hi all, good news! My military enlistment date has been pushed back till August so I'll still be able to put out chapters till then. This chapter has a lot of references to Persona 3 and 4 though most of the chapters are suppose to reference those games as well. I had explained in the previous story that Maeda Jun, the brilliant mastermind behind Angel Beats! and all of those lovely creations of Key, had told people that Angel Beats! was meant to mirror Persona 4 due to his love of the game. If you played the game you would know what I'm talking about. Actually, skip references, this has Persona 3 all over it.

We are soon approaching the mid-point. And yes, we aren't at the mid-point yet, which proves that this story is going to be longer than the previous installment. Hurray, I've accomplished at least one of my goals for this story thus far. Some people express great interest in what the other leaders' stats are. Sorry to say that you will have to wait.

Angel Beats!

What We Live For

Operation 16

Midnight Despair

Back on Earth

"So tell me once again... how is suppose to help?"

Yuzuru asked, feeling extremely uncertain about this entire situation. As for what sort of situation it was, it would be best described as something horrible. Yuzuru was tied to a chair by rope in the empty clubroom of the SSS. Yuri was standing in front of him with one very large and heavy looking sledge hammer.

"I told you before. I will hit you over the head with this hammer and get you to enter a coma."

Yuri replied in a 'matter-of-fact' manner.

"HOW IS THAT SUPPOSE TO HELP? !"

"Sigh, must I explain it all over again? Look, don't they say that the ones who are most likely to be caught between life and death are those in a coma? So I'll send you into a coma."

"THAT IS THE PART THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE! AND SEND MY INTO A COMA WITH WHAT? !"

"With this sledge hammer of course."

"I'LL DIE!"

"Well, you end up back in that place either way, so isn't it fine?"

"NO! I still have things I want to fulfil in this life!"

"Isn't it better like this? If you still have regrets, the higher the chance of you entering back into that World."

"Wha- NO! SOMEBODY! HELP ME!"

Yuzuru shouted quite loudly, making Yuri cringe a little.

"What, do you think your shout can pierce the heavens? That some lunar medicine lady would come to your rescue? Just give up on your fate and go over as soon as possible!"

Just as Yuri swung the hammer up, the door to the club room slammed open with a rather angry Kanade standing there. It was rare to see Kanade angry and even if she was, it would be hard to discern her angry expression from any other expression she has. But Yuri and Yuzuru, who have both been around Kanade for sometime, knew what sort of aura the student president would have when angry. Something strong enough to crack the floor with.

"Y. U. R. I."

Kanade glared at Yuri.

"Ah, Kanade-chan, good timing. I was just about to send Yuzuru over to the other side. Could you be the one to check his pulse to make sure he is either in a coma or dead? Actually, better make sure he's dead."

"SO DEAD IS THE THING YOU WERE AIMING FOR? !"

"... I will not allow you to harm Yuzuru."

Kanade's voice bordered along dangerous. That only made Yuri even more excited. That was completely wrong.

"Just try to stop me."

Yuri swung the hammer down but Kanade was faster, tackling Yuri straight on. The two girls got into a scuffle, which would involve a lot of hair pulling, shirt pulling, skirt pulling and other sorts of pullings that would be available to two teenage girls. Then, the door slid open once more.

"Yo, sorry I'm late I had to accompany Yui to-..."

Hideki entered the room just as the worst moment possible. Yuri, with her uniform all messed up and half of the buttons missing, was being pressed down against Yuzuru, who was still bound to the chair, while Kanade, whose uniform was also more or less half way undone, was on top of Yuzuru. Do not question what happened during the scuffle as the amount of imagination here is massive. The same amount of imagination was going through Hideki's mind at the moment.

[Hideki's simple mind is processing situation]

[Hideki's simple mind has processed situation]

"... Sorry. Wrong room. Please take your time."

Hideki took one step out of the door. Closed the door. Hideki ran off screaming-

"YUZURU YOU CHEATER!"

.

.

.

The three in the room were just staring at the door, wondering what just happened.

"... Oh well. Let's get back to sending Yuzuru to the other side."

"NO!"

Back in Purgatory

Walking into the Wolves' headquarters whilst stifling a yawn, Katsuragi made a mental note never to sleep in the Wolves' sleeping quarters again. He should have taken Yamato's advice to sleep in the dorms, but he guessed it would take two months for him to actually realize this fact. He spotted Yamato by the request board, mulling over the requests for the day. Over the course of the two months they had spent here with the Wolves, Katsuragi and Yamato had started to learn to work together more often as a team and their skills and tactics complimented each other well. Even Iori was impressed by their teamwork. As such the two began to take quests together rather than solo. There were also others that they called upon for help, like other new members to the Wolves and even some seniors.

But even though they were working together and had been completing requests for almost everyday for the past two months, the two still had yet to obtain their first fang. The proof they needed to be part of the Wolves. The reason for this was because they were still new and were only allowed to do simple GenRe types, unable to take on more difficult GenRe types that included fighting of Shadows. There had yet to be a SquaRe type or a DiRe type, let alone a ORe type that they were allowed to take on. But, it is as Yamato puts it. They take what they have and make do with it. Well, normally Katsuragi would agree, but something didn't feel right. It was like being stuck at the beginner's dungeon in an RPG game, unable to continue because of a bug in the game where the first boss would not appear. Katsuragi walked over to the board, joining Yamato.

"Had a good night's rest?"

Yamato smirked, seeing how Katsuragi was still rubbing the sore part of his neck.

"I can't believe that you're able to wake up and get here earlier than me even though you stay at the dorms."

"I have a very good alarm clock."

Yamato simply replied before turning her attention back to the request board.

"... Still nothing."

Yamato sighed, clearly not happy about the choices displayed on the board.

"We could... do Mouri-san's letter again."

Katsuragi offered, to which Yamato merely glared.

"We've already done that request twelve times. That stalker practically has her request permanently on the board! It's like one of those repeatable starter quests in a game. No, I will not do stupid letter running again. That stalker needs to understand that the NPC doesn't like her."

"... You think she would actually listen?"

Katsuragi countered, to which Yamato had no comment on. Looking back at the board, it was true that there were no proper requests for them to take on. There were the usual, find missing items, deliver supplies, find a cat, and also delivering messages. Once or twice there would be a request for dirt, but that was hardly exciting or worth anything for them either.

"Ah, there you two are."

A voice called out, making the two turn. Iori walked over with a smile on his face, the kind of smile you do not want to get too often.

"Good news for the two of you. There is a SquaRe type that the two of you can handle."

At that, Yamato and Katsuragi both felt a great sense of excitement in them.

"Finally!"

"Yes, well, don't get too excited over it. This is a squad base request so you will be moving out with some seniors- ah, here they are now."

Iori turned around just as two Wolves' members walked in. One was a young man with dark blue hair and his bangs slightly covering his right eye. He had some dark blue ear phones on his ears and looked really... silent, almost perpetually sleepy. The second newcomer though, was quite a contrast. A young upbeat looking girl with reddish brown hair tied into a small high tail behind her head. She too had ear phones, but those were red rather than blue. Katsuragi sensed that these two were extremely similar. Different, yet same.

"Let me introduce you two to them. Private Arisato Minato, and private Arisato Hamuko. If you're wondering, they are twins."

".. EH?"

Yamato and Katsuragi were both dumbfounded at this statement, staring at the twin siblings who were nothing alike. Katsuragi figured that this must be what he felt before. That they were the same and yet different. But something was still not right about that. Were they really twins? Or more?

"These two are extremely strong in a fight, so don't hesitate to ask them for help."

Iori said right before the girl, Arisato Hamuko, ran over and grabbed the two recruits' hands with her eyes glittering and shining with anticipation and excitement.

"So, the two of you are the new kids right? Hmm! So cute! I could just eat you two up!"

Eat? Just what was this person saying? No matter what, this was starting to freak the two of them out.

"Hamuko.. they are not food."

Minato walked over and grabbed Hamuko by the collar and pulled her back forcefully.

"Eeehhh."

"Don't 'eeehhh' me... sorry for my sister's display."

Minato bowed slightly to apologize.

"Right, since the four of you have met, this is the request for you."

Iori passed them the paper.

Squad Request

Quest Giver: Sergeant Takahara, Fort

Request: Hunt down a six escaped Shadows. They will appear only at night.

Time limit: until 0800 hrs tomorrow

Reward: 1000 MT; Low Rank Promotion possibility; Vouchers for Big Site Onsen and foodstalls

"Promotion? I thought they weren't available till the ORe's."

Yamato said, making Iori smiled.

"Good to know someone paid attention. Well, lower rank promotions are mainly up to the squad leaders, until you have reached a certain rank, all promotions go through the division heads. On a side note, the ranks of the squad leaders are also determined by the division head, therefore you can see a variety of ranks holding the position of squad leaders. Once you are a squad leader, you are no longer bound by normal rank progression and the division heads would promote you based on your squad performance, not just based on your own merit. For an idiot like Imagawa Jin, although his squad is Camelot and does a good job, he himself is an idiot, resulting in him never being promoted pass Sergeant."

"Explains a lot."

Yamato muttered. Katsuragi had to agree.

"Well, you have your mission. Good luck, and may your fang stay sharp."

[Arisato Minato joined party]

[Arisato Hamuko joined party]

[Request accepted]

"So, what are your names?"

Aisato Hamuko asked as the four of them walked over to find the quest giver.

"I'm Katsuragi, and this is-"

"Yamato. Kusanagi Yamato."

"Katsuragi and Yamato-chan... hm! Good names!"

Hamuko smiled cheerfully.

"Erm... forgive me for asking, but how did you get a name like Hamuko?"

Yamato asked.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about offending me. It's always the case. Well, my father gave me that name. He was a huge fan of Hamtaro, and probably wanted a son to be named after that character."

Naming a child after a cartoon hamster, what sort of parent is that?

"But after he realized his mistake, he quickly changed it Hamuko. Not that it is such a bad name. I mean, if you write it vertically, I would be a main character!"

Hamuko proudly said. The main character, Katsuragi had to wonder if being he was being the main character of his own life?

"Hmm... still, isn't it amazing that the both of you are twins and being together even in this World?"

Yamato asked, which made Minato flinch a little. Hamuko's happy expression slowly turned into a sad smile.

"If that were the only case. Our situation is a little... different."

Hamuko said, making both Yamato and Katsuragi look a little confused.

"... Hamuko, don't."

Minato said in a low tone.

"It's alright, Minato. It doesn't mean anything for us to keep being trapped in the endless cycles of despair."

Hamuko replied.

"... Do as you please."

Minato finally relented, walking ahead of the group.

"Forgive him, he doesn't like to talk about it. Well, he doesn't talk much about anything, but he particularly hates talking about this."

"Then maybe we should talk about something else."

Yamato offered, slightly worried that she offended the two.

"No, it would probably be better for us to talk about with someone. Ours is a story that needs to be told, sooner or later. You see, Minato and I aren't really twins."

"... Huh? But Iori-san said-"

"It would be easier for most people to call us twins."

Hamuko said, cutting Yamato off.

"You see, this World isn't bound by time from the normal World. There are people who entered this World earlier than others even though they died a few years after. And with the two of us, we knew that this World isn't bound to one single strand of possibility either."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, that this World of regret is one that links many Worlds of possibility. In the normal World, time is constant. It only moves forward. But even though time only moves forward, there are many different paths that time can travel through. You reach a fork in the road. In one World, you take left. In another, you take right. Each step you make moves you further down the path, each breath you take can change the direction of your future. Like the ripples of a drop of water that spreads outwards. From that one point, the ripples only get larger as they move further away from that point. Minato and I are like that. We both originate from the same drop, but are at the different ends of the same ripple."

What Hamuko was saying did not make a whole lot of sense, but in a way, Katsuragi knew what she was trying to say.

"You are saying that you... and Minato-san are the same person, but from different Worlds."

Katsuragi concluded. Yamato stared at Katsuragi's answer, dumbfounded by it but Hamuko merely nodded with a sad smile.

"Yes, we are. Both Arisato Minato and Arisato Hamuko are the same being. You may think it is impossible, but we are living proof. Or dead proof if you like. My actual name is Arisato Minako, and Hamuko was my pet name by my parents. I prefer Hamuko so that Minato and I would not be mixed up so easily, so please still call me Hamuko."

At this point, it seemed Yamato's brain was not processing much of anything else. Her mind was completely blanked out by the looks of her face. Not that Katsuragi could blame her, since he was finding this rather hard to understand himself. As for how this World was not bound by the normal time line of the living World, he understood that. But how could that be the same for parallel Worlds? This wasn't the butterfly effect of chaos theory anymore. This was completely science-fiction stuff.

"But... wouldn't that mean that people would see more versions of themselves?"

Katsuragi wondered.

"Yes, they would, if you look at it normally. But like I said before, Minato and I are special. Besides, even if we weren't, would every parallel World contain the same person dying in the same horrific manner? Would they hold the same regrets as their self from the next? In Minato and my case, we have both experienced near identical situations, and the circumstance of our death is... complicated."

It was clear that Hamuko would not want them to probe any further than that. For Katsuragi, he did not really want to go any further. Besides, it looked as though Yamato had already blown all of her fuses in her head. Smoke was actually coming out from her ears.

[Yamato suffered major mental damage]

[Yamato is completely mind-fucked]

[Yamato is not responding]

[Yamato has crashed]

[Yamato has entered the blue-screen of death]

[Please reboot; if repeated appearance of this message, please contact our support hotline]

"So, the Shadows in question were meant to be brought in for investigation, however there were slip-ups in security and they escaped. They disappear during the day and only come out at night. Two of the six have been altered by the program, so we advise caution. Kill them and do not leave a single trace of them behind. Your squad leader has told me that he would be giving you your reward directly so no need to report back to me once you're done."

That was what they were told by the quest giver and the group prepared for nightfall.

"Tomozuki had given us information that the Shadows were last seen to disappear down at the running track. We shall make our stand there."

Hamuko said and all agreed with the plan. When night came, the four of them stood on one end of the track field, waiting for their targets to appear. Yamato loaded her shotgun with slugs while attaching additional slugs to the stock of her gun, as well as putting on bullet belts. Two around her waist and one more belt around her body. Yamato had spent quite a few MTs on these belts and additional slugs, as well as a bayonet attachment to her shotgun. Katsuragi slotted his extra cartridges into pouches around his belt which he got at a discount. Additional grenade launcher tube under his rifle cost him a good 800 MT, and he really wish it would be worth the cost. As for the two Arisato, they took out weapons that Yamato and Katsuragi did not expect them to bring.

"Um.. Arisato senpai, the two of you are melee fighters?"

Yamato asked as Hamuko took out a long naginata from its bag. Minato took out a rather scary looking steel long sword.

"Would you rather I use this?"

Hamuko asked, taking out a bus stop stand from nowhere in particular.

"... No. The naginata is fine."

Yamato said, feeling that if she said anything about that bus stop stand, she would be lowering down her mental level. Hamuko smiled and put away the bus stop sign.

"It is true that when dealing with Shadows, distance and power of a gun are better choices, but Minato and I have chosen these weapons because we know our strengths best. There are many things in life that are hard to understand or comprehend. Each person is different, living the way they like in the manner which suits them. And though the person may be the same, the number of choice they have are infinite. Understanding even your own self can be difficult at times."

Hamuko said, taking a swing out of her weapon.

"Hamuko senpai..."

"Minato and I had fought enough during our life time. We fought against the darkness of human ambition, against the power of greed, we fought against the will of humanity. We had both chosen the path to protect our friends and loved ones. We fought against everything that the World had thrown against us. We sacrificed everything to ensure that those left behind still had something to live for. But even that was not enough. Our efforts could only amount to so much. Minato and I both know that what we did when we were alive would not be enough. That the darkness that would kill our loved ones would return. That sooner or later, our fated battle will come once more. Even if we have to stand against the wishes and will of all humanity, Minato and I will fight on."

Hamuko's eyes were filled with determination. A kind of force that Katsuragi was surprised by. It was... moving. Pure determination. There was a hint of sadness in her tone and eyes. Sadness for leaving the side of a loved one.

"Senpai... is it all worth it? To go against the will of humanity? To possibly be the most hated person in the World?"

"Minato and I are used to it. But don't worry about us. We can handle our own. We fought with these weapons and they have served us well even till now."

Hamuko reassured Yamato, who had gotten rather fond of using her shotgun and thus did not particularly trust a close combat weapon. Katsuragi did notice that both Minato and Hamuko did carry pistols. A different sort of pistol.

"... They are here."

Minato suddenly said. The cloud cover soon parted way as the moon lit slowly lit up the track field. Across the field, the ground started to gather a strange formation of dark mist-like glob. The globs soon rose up and formed into the creatures of night. The mist like monsters that haunted this World and hunted down the SSS2. With their dark red bead-like eyes, they hunger for nothing but to devour the souls of the dead.

"Shadows."

[Six Shadows have appeared]

Katsuragi and Yamato loaded their weapons as Minato and Hamuko got into stance. The battle was soon to begin.

".. Let's do this."

Minato and Hamuko charged forward, leaving Yamato and Katsuragi to cover them from behind. Katsuragi took the first shot, pushing back the first of the six shadows with suppressive fire. Minato charged at the same shadow and dragged his long sword across the ground upwards, cutting through the monster with ease. The monster suffered a large blow but was still alive. Hamuko jumped over Minato and brought her naginata down, cleaving the shadow into two and forcing it to disappear. A second shadow appeared from behind, attempting to strike Hamuko but a loud bang echoed the field as a hole punched right through its body that came from the slug out of the smoking barrel of Yamato's shotgun.

"Thanks!"

Hamuko winked as she twisted her body to let her Naginata swing a wide arc, cleaving through another Shadow. Minato dashed from under Hamuko's swing and dragged his long sword skyward, cutting a cross into that shadow. Katsuragi fired a burst into the fourth shadow but something was wrong. The bullets were not tearing through the creature. Rather, it looked to be absorbed.

"Senpai!"

Katsuragi shouted, feeling that something is amiss. Hamuko and Minato both realized this quickly and retreated back. The shadow that swallowed Katsuragi's bullets soon did something unbelievable and rather horrid. It devoured another Shadow. The first shadow grabbed the small shadow and a large gaping mouth appeared on the first shadow where the head was. The first shadow then proceeded to swallow the second shadow whole.

"Wha- what is going on? !"

Yamato demanded, though no one could answer her. Everyone was asking the same thing. After the first shadow was done devouring the second, it started to grow larger in size and then turned to the third Shadow, devouring it as well. Soon, it had swelled up to the size of a building. All could only stare in horror at what they were facing up against. Suddenly, Minato charged forward, trying to attack the larger shadow, but the moment his blade hit the Shadow, his swing was stopped. The dark mist started to envelope the sword and was creeping up to Minato as well.

"Minato! Duck!"

Hamuko screamed, throwing her naginata at the Shadow. Minato ducked as the naginata embedded itself into the Shadow, but like the sword, it had no apparent effect and was being swallowed up as well. But this gave Minato time to retreat back. The two Arisato's looked on in horror as their weapons were being swallowed up by the Shadow. Yamato fired a few more slugs into the monster, throwing some grenades at it as well but like before it had no effect.

"Tch, is this the cause of the alteration by the program?"

Hamuko hissed through her teeth.

"Program?"

"The Angel Program. It was found by the intelligence division to be the thing that gives rise to the Shadows and Angels. We do not know how it works or how to shut it down and the number of Shadows who have been altered by the program have been increasing by the day."

Hamuko replied. This was certainly not a good piece of information.

"What do we do? We have no weapons that can work against it!"

Yamato cried out. But then Hamuko smiled.

"We still do."

Hamuko nodded to Minato, who nodded back. The two of them unholstered their pistols and Katsuragi now saw that their pistols were indeed different. The handle was tilted slightly back and the barrel was thin. Engraved along the side were the letters S.E.E.S.

"Like how the Angel Program can affect Shadows and Angels, it too can be used to enhance our abilities."

Hamuko explained as both Minato and her loaded their pistols with only one bullet.

"A tool isn't inherently good or evil. It only provides the means. You two might want to stand back."

Hamuko smiled. She then turned her attention back to the Shadow.

"Oh, and whatever you do, don't scream."

"Wha-"

"From the depths of the abyss, we walk."

Hamuko said in a serious tone.

"Climbing the never ending spiral of despair."

Minato continued her words.

"We gave our lives for the ones we cared for."

"We gave our souls for the ones we loved."

"Bound by the contract of the hour."

"Bound by the sins of our past."

Both Minato and Hamuko raised their pistols... to their own heads.

" "We are the Fool, the ones who would gather the cards, the ones who guide the lost. We are the beginning of all. We are the wild card of fate." "

The two of them pulled the hammer down of their pistols.

" "We are the ones that tempt fate, the ones who carry the burden of the World upon our shoulders. We are the seal and guards of the last gate of humanity. With this bullet, we release thee. Come forth-" "

BANG

Both Minato and Hamuko pulled the trigger and as the guns went off at their heads, the sound of glass shattering could be heard.

[Angel Program activated]

[System access; granted]

[Program: Persona; activated]

" "THANATOS" "

[Operation Thanatos; Engage]

A great gust of wind came from nowhere, swirling around the two Arisato's as two identical large creatures materialized before them. Dressed in some sort of dark dress with a pointed skull like head, having a string of coffins float around them and having a sword in hand, the creatures seemed to silently stare at the large Shadow before them. No, they were just staring, they were targeting.

"Those are... Shadows!"

Yamato realized. And Katsuragi saw that to be true. Minato and Hamuko summoned two identical Shadows before them. Was this their power? Without warning, the two armed Shadows opened up their mouths, unleashing an unearthly howl that made Yamato and Katsuragi cover their ears. It was a ghastly scream that seemed to go right through their souls, striking fear, cold darkness... and death into their hearts. It was beyond what Yamato and Katsuragi were prepared to face. Don't scream? Yamato and Katsuragi could not even open their mouths to say a word, paralysed with fear. The two summoned Shadows charged at the larger Shadow before them, bringing their swords the bear. Their strikes, however, did work, cutting through the Shadow like it wasn't even there. Their furious swings slicing through their foe, using their hands to grip and tear apart the Shadow before them like it was fresh meat. It was a ghastly scene, a frightening scene. Yet it was a scene so pure that Yamato and Katsuragi could not know what to think. What were they suppose to think? In a matter of seconds, the two sword-bearing Shadows had completely torn the enemy into shreds. Giving one last howl to the moon, they disappeared. Hamuko turned around to face Yamato and Katsuragi with a sheepish smile.

"Looks like we won."

[Enemies defeated]

[Gained Black Essence X2]