"Yo, Kanashi da Persona user's in the house!" Kanashi said proudly as he walked into the dorm. He had just come back from delivering Maiko's letter to the post office with Yashiro, and it was needless to say, he was feeling pretty happy about the fact that he was able to beat that assassin into a bloody pulp, scared off the other one, and just awakened.

"Wait, you have a Persona?" Minato blinked and then stared owlishly at Kanashi. He actually awakened? He was torn feeling that it was a good thing that Kanashi awakened, because then it'd be easier to destroy what was left of the Strega base.

"Hell yeah!" Kanashi grinned.

"He's been like that ever since we got back from the post office," Yashiro sighed. "Fire and fire," he groaned.

"What do you mean by that?" Minato asked. Another part of him was feeling that it was bad that Kanashi awakened because now he was cockier than ever, and he was going to get even more involved in SEES' shenanigans.

"Well, his Persona is Agni. You can guess even by the name that it's involved with fire, not to mention he's the Hindu god of fire and stuff," Yashiro explained. "And well… Kanashi does have a so called heated personality."

Minato nearly wanted to facepalm. How did he not notice that? "Ah right. Well, welcome aboard Kanashi. Hope you don't die," Minato said, his poker face unchanging.

"Heh, what makes you think Kanashi's gonna die?" Kanashi grinned. "I do hope I don't die though. That wouldn't be good."

Yashiro and Minato thought they heard him say something about fans missing him, but they shrugged it off. It was just that if Kanashi ever had a fan club, someone would've noticed already. And Minato didn't, who by now was in the middle of a whole LOT of fan clubs. Yashiro knew that perfectly well too.

…

"You know I've been wondering something after we met Kurow at the Strega base," Junpei said aloud as he walked along with Minato, Yashiro and Kanashi.

"What might that be?" Minato asked cordially. He had no idea where Junpei was going with that.

"Well, where does he live? He kinda just disappeared off the face of the earth after everyone started going home," Junpei asked. After everyone had dropped off to sleep at the dorm, Kanashi, Yashiro and Kurow separated. It made sense. They didn't actually live at SEES' dorm. But they never actually asked where Kurow went after that.

"That's a good point actually," Yashiro agreed.

"Uh, I saw him go to the station after I separated from him at the strip mall," Kanashi said. "I dunno where he went after that."

"Yeah, kinda obvious that you shits wouldn't know where I went after I hopped off straight into the dead of morning."

Minato turned around when he heard that voice. "Holy, Kurow."

"You sure you didn't mean 'holy crow'?" Kanashi chuckled, but his smirk fell when he turned around and actually saw Kurow behind him. "Hey, it's Kurow. Wassup?"

"That'd be the spray paint," Kurow said with a deadpan, pointing up at the ceiling.

"Holy Kurow, what the hell? Was that you!?" Minato asked.

"Okay, I wasn't expecting that," Kanashi blinked. "Well done. Well done," he nodded, clapping slowly. No-one was sure whether he was being sarcastic at this point.

"Heh, yeah. Thanks!" Kurow agreed. "Now where's that dimwit Ekoda?" he muttered, looking around the hallway.

"Um, guys what was the actual question that Junpei was asking before?" Yashiro deadpanned at all of them. "Wasn't it where Kurow-san lived?"

"Drop the honorifics. Makes me sound like a prat," Kurow said. "Also, my wonderful attire hasn't told you anything yet? Am I not well known?"

"No, unfortunately. If you have some beef with Ekoda, I can only imagine what lengths he might go to hide your existence," Minato sighed, subtly pointing out Kurow's still dishevelled clothes that obviously wasn't the school uniform. He was still wearing those awkward clothes from the other night. Was that what he always wore?

"Damned dick," Kurow muttered. "Just like that other guy I spent like every Saturday going to."

"How long was that?" Kanashi asked, squinting at Kurow.

"Two months or something, why?"

Kanashi's eyes widened before he nodded approvingly. "You go bro."

"Dude, why?" Kurow asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kanashi chuckled. "Oh, nothing much," he said. "By the way, Kanashi smells some mighty familiar shit coming down the hallway that's shaped like a man!" he yelled at Ekoda.

And then Kurow and Kanashi started running.

"Those guys are weirdly similar," Yashiro said.

"Dude, don't say that!" Junpei gasped.

"Why?" Minato asked.

"Because the next thing you guys know, they're gonna be similar to a whole lot of OTHER people that we don't know about!" Junpei exclaimed.

Yashiro deadpanned at the capped teen while Minato just sighed. Meeting up with Mamoru didn't sound so bad anymore.

…

Tsume and Mari hung out together any moment that they could spare at school, and considering what the time they had was used for otherwise, they hung out together a lot.

Tsume learned a lot of things about Mari when they talked, including some other things that he mightn't have known about her before that you could tell just by looking at what she did and what she liked. She was depressive. And no-one would have suspected that under the fake smile that she donned for the world. After all, no-one actually really cared about their troubles and most people were selfish enough not to care about someone like that. Someone that they could easily dismiss, and someone that they could say was lying.

Before Tsume met Mari, he probably would have still cared about the fact that she was depressive, but by now he was becoming more and more aware about how selfish his goals could really be with that disregard for most other people that he had. Though in a selfish world, that was something that could also be expected. In any case, in Mari he found someone that he would've done anything to protect.

But dammit!

Tsume wiped away his tears as he kept on running. He just couldn't stop crying. It was Mari! And he just failed to protect her. She was gone. Because of him. In the end, was he just destined to be alone? If that was it…

He'd be alone.

And he'd keep himself from ever feeling that way again.

No more friends.

None of it.

It took months for him to ever stop crying over Mari. His first actual friend. After all, when did he ever have actual friends that he could talk to that he didn't just keep, because he thought they could help him later?

…help is too weak of a word.

He kept these kinds of people around, because he thought he could use them later. But Mari. She was different. Just figured that the first person that he ever bothered to get close to would just go and off herself.

Once his tears stopped, all he did was keep his face blank. Getting close…

It was a mistake.

He went back to the way he was before. He didn't really care about anyone anymore. And why would he? The last time he did, the girl died!

Tsume was on his own, clawing his way to his goals with no regard for the people around him.

…

Yashiro felt a wry smile make its way onto his face as he held tight the money in his hoodie's pocket. He got a lot of money this time, so maybe he could get some other stuff like those video games he had been seeing in Junes. Actually, the mere fact that he got that much that time just spoke how good bluffing could be if you knew what you were doing. In reality, when it came to poker, his luck was horrible.

Hm… But really, what should he do with it? How much did he have saved up already? In any case, he was supposed to go over to the dorm since they were finally able to drag Kurow over there. Discuss some things.

Man, what had he gotten himself into? Minato and the rest of the members in SEES were strong as heck so he guessed he could live with going along with them. Though Yashiro did admit, the counterattack thing that Kanashi had suggested did get him some wounds. Not something he really wanted to experience again.

He wanted a Persona too. Maybe with it, he could get back at that guy with the bladefists. Yashiro sighed. Getting stabbed did not feel pleasant. Lucky that Akihiko had a healing spell on him.

…Kanashi. He didn't know why, but somehow that prick was always able to get on his nerves. The things that he said and did, while annoying, actually scared Yashiro. Because of the way that Kanashi was able to make him irritated, it always made him want to strike back at him somehow, verbally or whatever.

He was almost afraid that because of that, they were starting to get closer in some weird, twisted, bro-fisting way. And if he did… he wasn't sure what could happen. How close they could get and what he could find out.

Although, Yashiro thought that it was partly his fault. Kanashi was actually the person that he hung out with the most.

So what about it?

Yashiro shook his head and incoming frown off. He'd just have to be careful about it, wouldn't he?

At the dorm, the members of SEES were discussing the doings of Strega and when they were going to destroy their base for good. Obviously, evidenced by Kanashi's attack, they weren't quite down and out yet and they still had some fight in them.

The general consensus was that Yashiro should get his Persona before they could even think about attacking again, because having it was too big of an aid not to have. It would also help to limit injuries, if none of them ever got too hurt by attacks.

Yashiro sighed inwardly, keeping his gaze blank. He was going to have to get a Persona, huh.

Wonder when that's going to come up?

AN: Aaaaaand CD advances as Kanashi is no longer the main spotlight for now. Yashiro just got opened up. Anyways, plz box me yo thoughts! I'd appreciate it, and I have way too much fun answering reviews.

Imma see ya guys later.

Random thing to be noticing: the Q/A Section isn't exactly what it is anymore. But I'll still keep calling it that despite what it's been turning into. It's almost like a place where I RP the characters and I try and answer them. Well, have fun with that! Try it! And see my awful RPing skills!

Yoshikunitsu: Ahhh, I see. I don't read as many books as I used to unfortunately. No problem!

Nights: Haha, thanks. I'm looking forward to that as well, along with other, many events. Sure will.

Raidou: Yup! I'm sure you know that more's coming now!

Anon: tbh, I actually don't know what that reference is. *sweatdrops*

Q/A SECTION

(Nyx) Convo 1: Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're a Goddess, go talk to yourself in other dimensions and find out how they feel about Minato, in an omake or something, but still.

Nyx: …I've been in the human world for so long I almost forgot that I had those powers.

(Minato) Question 2: Minato, how are you going to keep Maiko safe? She's still a child and you still have assassins on yours and SEES' tails.

Minato: At this point it's not just a 'how.' It's just a simple 'I have to.' And so, I will keep her safe to the best of my abilities.

(Nyx) Convo 3: To Technodude458.

Nyx: …surely. *sighs and tries to cast Death on Hoshiro*

DOD Nyx: So, I have been hearing from other unknown humans that you two… you two think differently of Minato. Is this true?

Nyx 1: For me, it is. I must assume that you… you must not be very close to Minato for you to ask me this.

Nyx 2: Honestly? I wish he'd just keep still for once.

DOD Nyx: …how do you think of him? I am curious.

Nyx 1: I love him, as simple as that. He is remarkably courageous, kind and generous. That masterfully sculpted figure of his doesn't hurt either…

Nyx 2: Doesn't hurt!? It's awesome!

DOD Nyx: *backs away from the 2nd Nyx*

Nyx 1: In any case, you must have met Minato under some different circumstances. Mine were as well, but I admit that being able to talk to him was enlightening… hearing what he had to say about the people around him was also. Minato taught me that humans are definitely not a lost cause, and that as a Goddess, it should be part of a job to nurture human feelings.

DOD Nyx: I see… I do not understand this as of yet.

Nyx 1: Oh don't worry. One year is all that you need.

DOD Nyx: Hmph. We'll see about that.

Nyx 2: He still has months to convince you. Probably will.

DOD Nyx: *sighs* That's reassuring.