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Minatodai Dorm, 1st Floor Lounge

Morning

Mitsuru hid her amusement well as Midori came down last and then promptly launched into another round of formal apologies for her actions the day before. Although it wasn't her patience that ran out first, it was Chidori who snapped "Enough!" at her in order to break her out of her mental loop.

Setting the tone for the day, Mitsuru declared "Let us get breakfast first, then we shall advance into the next section of the Abyss." Hoping that was enough, she turned to Aigis. "Please choose your team for after we eat."

"Of course, Mitsuru-san." Aigis replied curtly, though she had made her decisions already. "Ken, Akihiko, Yukari. Would you please join me?"

"Yes Aigis!" "Of course." "I'll be ready." The responses ranged from professional or excited to resigned.

Pualowina Mall

Daytime

Midori glared at the shopping list in her hand. With the others going into the abyss, Mitsuru had delegated the day's shopping to her. And then gave the cashcard to Chidori. It was a simple thing, but she could tell that she was still in trouble. It was just so obvious! Mitsuru wasn't content with her apologizes, and would be heaping certain duties onto her as punishment. Today it was shopping. Who knows what tomorrow would bring?

"Stop it." Chidori's voice cut across her train of thought like one of her throwing axes.

"Stop what?

"You're getting stir crazy." The red-haired young woman strode to the central fountain, dragging Midori along through sheer presence. "You needed to get out of the Dorm, and with no other option, this is it."

"No, I'm not!"

"And yet, you're pacing." The calm observation caused Midori to stop, to realize that was exactly what she was doing. "So relax. You need to."

"I'm alright!" Midori's defence caused her to stomp toward the fountain to prove she could relax. That she was relaxed. That Chidori was just making stuff up. She hugged Frosty, for the comfort and to put out the best 'now you've gone and hurt my feelings' expression.

"That won't work on me, child. Grow up."

"Don't be so angry! You're like Mitsuru, except she keeps her stuff inside!"

"I do not appreciate the comparison. You're actions are partly the result of your inability to adapt to our situation, and I will not suffer for your misbehaviour." The words were harsh, but she felt they were necessary for her own wellbeing.

"But she doesn't like me!" Midori had to counter, carefully modulating her voice to not disturb the people trapped in this day with them. She had heard the others report that the day seemed scripted, unless those from the Dorm did something to get in the way of what happened. Apparently Chidori herself had tried to leave the mall by sliding into a group of housewives, but was denied exit.

"Oh, grow up!" The older girl detested being alone with Midori at the best of times, their personalities just too far apart to find common ground without some sort of mediator between them. And for a moment, she truly wished for Junpei to be here. He could have kept the blue-haired girl in line. She was certain of it. But it was not to be, no matter how much she wished for it. "You're not in trouble."

"Yes, I am!" The only thing stopping her from finishing the shopping was that Chiori held the purchasing power between the two of them. It was a distraction she wanted over and done with so she could get back to being ready to join Aigis and the others in the Abyss.

"No, you're not. Now, what's the first thing on the list?"

Midori sighed, obviously not getting any sympathy from Chidori. "Medicinal supplies from the Pharmacy, then a couple things for personal use by certain people."

They did their shopping in relative silence, the people they interacted with barely noticing that it was still technically school hours and that they shouldn't have been there. "I don't like that," Midori commented after finishing the last of the vital shopping and making for the cafe beside the bar. By casual agreement, anyone could spend time in the Mall to get away from the confines of the Dorm. And in the spirit of that, with no perishables in their bags, the two had decided to take a personal moment or two.

They quickly found empty seats and set down their load before ordering a simple drink each. As they waited, Midori flipped open her COMP to check her e-mail. She frowned at the lack of new messages. "I suppose I should tell Atsuro-san that he doesn't have to worry about the message from Mitsuru. It didn't work."

"You never explained to me how you came by that device," Chidori said with nonchalance. "I have heard that you picked it up during the Lockdown, but you and I never actually sat down and talked about it."

"What is there to discuss?" Midori pondered how to best compose her mail. "I got it, used it, and I'm using it still."

"While I would accept that, that it worked in the Dark Hour, and here tells me it's not a normal machine."

Midori looked up from her planning with a flat glare. "What's that supposed to mean? Talk to Fuuka then, she knows."

Knowing she had misstepped, Chidori lapsed into silence. "I was just curious."

"..." Midori turned her attention back to her COMP.

FROM: Dolly

TO: At-Low

RE: Previous message

Hey! You can ignore it. It isn't going to work out. Have a nice day! I'll tell you when it's tomorrow.

Unknown Date, Unknown Time

Police Station, Tatsumi Port Island

"Well, Sergeant?" The younger officer looked over his older partner and the young boy sitting behind them at the table. "What's the official result?"

"Ehh, you can go now," he sighed. "It looks like an accident. Although despite the circumstances, we can only file this with the routine paperwork." The older officer handed sheafs of paper to the younger to file. He then turned his attention to the young boy sitting alone in the chair.

"You're so small..." Fuuka breathed as she recognized the scene, drawing the attention of the living to the young man who stood among them.

"Why now?" Ken asked of the show before him. There was no answer.

"Hey kid, I'm sorry that took so long," the older officer was unaware of the byplay of the future observers. "Says here that your name is Amada, Ken. Is that right?"

Sullen silence was his reply.

"I know it's hard. Loosing your mother like that. I'm very sorry for your loss." He tried to sound sincere, but the exhaustion in his voice removed any chance of that. "But you can take solace that she gave her life to save yours."

Midori remembered hearing about this, how Ken's mother had died in a Persona-related incident. Shinji hadn't been the most forthcoming about those events, and afterwards, neither had Ken or Akihiko spoken to her about it. She didn't want to pry, and now it was all on display for everyone to see; she couldn't just not-see.

"..." Ken clammed up harder.

"I know this is hard. But I have to take your statement. You're a witness."

"If I told you what happened, would you believe me?" Ken's voice was soft, so full of hurt and betrayal that Midori had to check up on the real one, to see his reaction. He was showing nothing, which to her was a clear sign of what he was feeling. Nothing good.

Happy at his sudden bout of talking, the officer smiled. "Of course I would! I'm a police officer! You can trust us."

Midori bit back a racking cough of anger. No, you can't trust them. They're just as human as anyone else. She ignored any looks directed her way as she focused on the interplay before them instead.

"My mom... was murdered." Ken whispered.

"What...?" The officer put down the papers to focus on Ken, confusion on his face. "What do you mean?"

"It was around midnight," Ken confessed, "I got up to use the bathroom, and I heard voices by the door. There was a teenager there, holding his head and yelling"

"Shinji," Akihiko said.

"Wait, are you saying he did it? But the whole house was crushed!" The officer refused to believe that the two were connected the way the boy was implying.

"There was this kind of horse monster! It came out of him! And then it roared, and my house and my mom were..! Were!"

The officer understood. The boy couldn't understand what happened, and had to come up with this story to explain it. Monsters, not an accident. "A monster? That's not what happened, kid. I know I shouldn't say so, but after an accident like this, the mind can play tricks on you..."

Ken jumped out of his chair, stopping the man from saying any more. "I know what I saw! I really did!"

Silently the officer took Ken's shoulders in his hands, and got down to one knee to be on his level. "I'm sorry. But that's not what happened. A driver crashed his car into your house, an accident, plain and simple."

"But...! A car crash?" Ken stomped a foot, and raised his voice. "That's a lie! You said you'd believe me!"

The Sergeant was called out, leaving Ken alone in the room. "Wait!" He called out as the man left him behind. "I know what I saw..."

Then there was resolution in his eyes. "I know what I saw. I'll find him myself."

Minatodai Dorm

Evening

"That brought back a lot of memories," Ken admitted with a slight smile. "I thought of a lot of ways to search for him, but I couldn't do any of them alone." Taking the offered cup of tea, he sipped it gently. "And it was in that night I began to see the Dark Hour."

"My apologies, Amada." Mitsuru said quietly. "It must have been my family that set up the 'accident' cover up."

"That's alright, I've moved on."

"But now I have to wonder," Fuuka said carefully, "how come, except for the Mall, we seem to be moving forward in time?"

"I've seen that too," Akihiko agreed. "Mitsuru, Myself, Ken. We're up to three years ago."

"So, who would be next?" Yukari asked, looking around. "I mean, it's not like there's a theme."

"Actually, there is." Mitsuru observed. "Our first real introduction to Personas."

"That can't be right," Chidori countered. "I was aware of my power before Ken was. Therefore your theory is currently incorrect."

"Very well. And the access to Paulowina mall is another strike against my theory." Mitsuru almost sounded annoyed, but that was quickly covered up. "Metis, any input?"

"No."

"Nothing?" The eldest in the room almost looked annoyed by this sudden lack of commentary from her.

"No. If anything, Sister should have been next, not the boy." Metis shrugged, her disinterest in any form of explanation typical. "Other than that, I do not know."

Mitsuru acknowledged the evidence that mounted against her theory with a subtle sigh, leaving it behind with all the other things she had thought of, but been later proved wrong on. It was something that had become more and more common as this past year had advanced, her understanding of the nature of her power and her enemies changing with each new person she met, from Minato, to Aigis, Koromaru, Midori, STREGA...

And she was glad that she had such a supportive group around her, who did not fault her for her errors as would the people in the business world that her father had given to her.

"Well, Ken?" Midori said, completely glossing over all this to focus on the boy. "Anything you want to add?"

"No," he replied softly. "I've grown up since then. I'm not holding on to that anger any more." With that, he stood up and headed for the stairs. "I'm going to bed now."

"Good night!"