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Minatodai Dorm, 1st Floor, Lounge

Morning

Midori wanted to throw up, that was her first sensation upon awakening. She felt horrible on a level that was beyond normal sickness. She had had the flu, naturally. Her Daddy had skipped work to tend her, and she had repaid his love in full when he got sick as well. Fumbling, she found that she was still in her uniform, and that she was covered in sheets.

Her movements were clumsy, uncontrolled, and she suffered for it; she fell. With a thump on her hips as they impacted the floor first, Midori yelped, her throat dry. "Ugh..." she managed to moan and mutter as she fought to free herself of the constricting sheet.

"Stop moving, Midori. You're only making things worse." Ken's voice came to her past the limits of her vision (and only now did she realize that she didn't have her glasses on either), and she took the command to be still literally.

Ken quickly unwrapped her, and once her arms were free, she thanked him and extracted herself from the rest of the cloth. Looking around for her glasses, she identified the shapes that corresponded to the lounge, where she now remembered that she had fallen asleep last night after...

After...

A finger closed her mouth before she could say a thing. Ken carefully used his free hand to manoeuvre her glasses onto her face before making sure she wasn't about to blurt out anything. "You have to be quiet. They're still sleeping." He pointed to Midori's right, where Chidori and Junpei were sleeping; her sitting upright on the couch with Junpei's head on her lap, arms crossed over his chest.

It was utterly and completely romantic, and Midori's heart fluttered at the sight, even going so far as to ignore Junpei's pale complexion and the cloth over his head to keep any fever down. She nodded in understanding, and stood up, rolling her blanket up before dumping it back on the couch she had occupied the night previous. "Water," she said hoarsely, and Ken nodded, leading her back to the kitchen where he poured a glass for her.

"Here. Mitsuru said that you should drink as much as you can." He waited for her to finish gulping down the drink before continuing. "It's my shift to watch over all of you, so I gotta head back out there. I don't want to leave Koro-chan out there by himself. Anyways, Mitsuru, Akihiko and Fuuka are all upstairs in her office, talking about things, and they wanted me to send you up after you woke." He paused to refill Midori's water. "Everyone else is asleep or taking a break. Aigis and Mitsuru decided that everyone should have the day off."

"What did they want to talk to me about?" Midori asked as her throat began to recover. She could still feel the last strains of the alcohol in her body, and she wondered what ever possessed her sempai to feed her that vile draught?

"No idea. You best head up if you're feeling up to it."

"I suppose I shall."

"Actually," Ken's voice took on a slightly more serious tone, "You may want to wash up. Your hands are still dirty from last night."

Midori took one look at the stains of blood that were on her hands and the collars of her sleeves and agreed without hesitation.

4th Floor, Office

Midori knocked, having shed her uniform jacket, leaving her in the white blouse that went under it. She pondered how she was going to explain the stains on the wrists, but rationalized that by the time it mattered, no one would see the dark read on the dark brown, or assume it was nothing in particular.

"Come in," Mitsuru called out, leaving Midori to open the door and bow.

"You summoned me?"

"Yes, come in." Midori closed the door behind her and saw that Ken's information was true to form. Except he didn't include the scattered papers and Fuuka's open laptop in the equation. "I didn't expect you to wake so soon. You were very stressed out last night."

Akihiko spoke before Midori could. "What she means to say was that we didn't have a chance to thank you for what you did. According to everything we've been able to do, Junpei should recover properly."

Midori bowed again. "Thank you."

Fuuka patted the seat beside her. "Come on and sit down. We've been discussing what to do with Junpei now."

Confused, Midori took up the offer. "What is there to talk about? I mean, he's not going to vanish, or anything like that again, is he?"

"No," Fuuka replied. "We've been thinking more of the future."

Mitsuru waved one arm in the air. "What the problem is, is that for all intents and purposes, Iori has been missing for the past four months, and our efforts to cover that up now hinder us."

"You want my help? Why?" Midori rubbed her hands together nervously. "Why?"

"Several reasons. First was that all our actions yesterday were taken in haste. We were focused on the goal of restoring Iori to us that we lost sight of any more long term considerations. Also, you have taken responsibility for Iori's life," Mitsuru explained patiently, "and you are the most consistently creative person in the Dorm. You may be able to come up with ideas that we could not, or help to refine our existing plans with your differing viewpoint."

The sudden upsurge in responsibility knocked Midori's mind for a loop. "But... why me? I mean, surely you can all figure things out better than I can?"

"I want your input, Midori-chan. That is all." Mitsuru finally recognized that she couldn't get away with calling her Komaki-san any more. She had done too much, and performed so far above expectations that it would be rude to refer to her by her family name any more. She realized she may have gone too far with the more familiar suffix, but rationalized it as Midori being a very casual person, who would not mind it at all, even if she gave it any thought. But more importantly, she wanted to show that she trusted and valued the girl's prowess in the fields she chose to work in.

"Um, alright." Midori looked to Fuuka for guidance, and she quickly filled Midori in on what had been decided, which wasn't a whole lot. "We will need to get him to a proper hospital when we get out," was the first thing that everyone agreed on, Midori jumping onto and supporting the conclusion with all the weight she could muster. She really hoped that Mari-sensei would never find out about what she had done, for the punishment would be severe.

"Also," Akihiko said, "Junpei seems to have lost his Persona." He looked at the door in apprehension before picking up the line of thought. "According to Fuuka and Aigis, he doesn't have Hermes any more, which I think we already covered from the other direction when we thought he had died."

"Right. He gave it up to fuse it with Medea to produce Helios." Fuuka recalled the conversation in a bit more detail, remembering for a moment that it was one of those events which showed that Midori knew a lot more than she let on at the time. "We still have no idea of the mechanism behind it, but our best guess was that because of the Dark Hour, and that he felt like he was on Death's door, that he somehow gave it to her."

"And we know, thanks to you and Black Frost, Midori, that Personas can be externalized." Misturu worked through the evidence aloud, noting but ignoring Midori's guilty expression. "But all that means nothing at the moment. We know the results of what happened, and to be honest, either condition would be enough for me to remove Junpei from actively entering the Abyss once he had recovered. With both, I don't feel comfortable with him leaving the safety of the Dorm."

Everyone agreed to that.

"So, what then?" Midori prodded, looking around expectantly.

"Ah, that's where we sort of ran into a problem. We can't exactly figure that out." Fuuka admitted shyly. "What do we say to everyone?"

Midori knew this was where she was supposed to come in. She had the most experience of everyone here, save perhaps Mitsuru in concocting and maintaining lies of this sort and scale. She thought in silence, going back over and over again everything she could think of. Eventually, she had something to start with. "Every lie needs a truth to anchor to," she said carefully, tasting the words as they formed in her mouth. "Junpei will go right to the hospital, right? So we need something that will incorporate that into whatever excuse we come up with."

"Being shot isn't exactly something we can cover easily," Akihiko pondered.

"Then don't!" Midori countered hard. "Don't cover it up, but use it."

"Takaya. He had a gun. We can say that he attacked Iori and that he was moved out of the city to protect him." Mitsuru saw the pieces falling into place. Simple words to cover a complex truth. "That his current admission is a scheduled visit to check on his recovery."

"No," Midori saw where this was going, and objected. "He didn't attack Junpei. He attacked Chidori, and Junpei came to her rescue. That's why he was moved away."

"Why complicate things by adding Yoshino?"

"Have you seen them downstairs?" Midori gestured wildly at the door and the stairs beyond. "She's going to stay latched onto him for fear he's going to vanish again, and going to school isn't going to change that. We might as well insert the 'Brave Samurai' cliché into the deal."

"And Chidori was attacked because she tried to leave Takaya's cult." Fuuka began to madly type at the computer, building up the required ideas. "I think everyone at school will believe it. The public opinion of his cult has dropped rather sharply since February."

Mitsuru was pleased that her expectations were well founded, and that Midori was taking to her new responsibilities with some degree of seriousness. It was a good step.

But while the others took the lead in formulating a plan to reintroduce Iori to society, a positive work that was a necessary change in their outlook over the previous week, she turned her own thoughts toward a more immediate and more delicate concern.

Informing Iori of everything that had happened.

1st Floor, Stairwell

Midori tiptoed down, spotting the familiar pink cardigan of Yukari, hunched over and watching the lounge through the gaps of the stairs. It was an awkward position, Midori had long since determined, though Yukari seemed to not mind at all.

"Hey. Morning." Announcing herself quietly, so as to not disturb the older girl's vigil, Midori sat down a little farther up, straightening out her skirt as she did so. "You spying on them for a reason, or just didn't want to disturb them?"

Yukari didn't bother to turn around. "She's smiling."

"I know. I saw when I woke up."

"I mean, I haven't really seen her smile, since... ever."

Midori rolled that over in her mind. "Makes sense. The only time she was ever happy was with him, and now that he's back..."

"What if he forgets?"

"What?"

"Forgets. I mean, he doesn't have his Persona, right? Aigis told me. What if he forgets like we forgot after January?"

"Speak for yourself," Midori countered with a slight humph. "I didn't forget. And neither did Aigis."

Yukari stopped her vigil for a moment to twist back in order to look at Midori annoyed. "Speak for yourself. You're just all sorts of weird and wrong."

"And Aigis?" If it wasn't Yukari making the accusation, Midori would have almost felt insulted.

"Robot. She doesn't count."

Failing to find a flaw in that logic, Midori moved a bit further down to share in the silent watch over their restored friend.

Paulowina Mall

Midday

Cramps in her legs forced Midori to move, and with the Abyss off limits, and only so many times she could pace down a hallway, she fled to the mall of the past.

Not that it was much better, but it was bigger. On her way in, she passed by Metis, who may have glowered at her presence, but was gone before there could be any more interaction. Annoyed by this, she instead focused on the other person currently taking a break. "Aigis!"

"Hello, Midori. I see you are well." The blonde replied formally as she stood, watching the fountain flow. "Have you recovered from your actions last night?"

"You mean, have my hands been shaking?" Midori examined them for any flaw, finding none. "No. I did it, and everything that has come from that... well... I don't really know what to say. I just... did it." She sighed. "Mitsuru can be very commanding when she wants to be."

"You did well." Aigis replied. "Thank you."

"I'm going to be getting that a lot, aren't I?" Midori sat on one of the benches, claiming for herself a spot she knew a couple of housewives would occupy later on. She still hadn't decided if she wanted to make room for them yet, or not.

"You saved Junpei's life."

"Yukari's worried that he may forget due to losing his Persona."

Aigis seemed to consider this. "I... do not think so."

"Oh? Do elaborate." Midori patted the seat beside her, inviting Aigis to share the space. "I mean, Chidori is already in bliss right now if her face is to be believed. So a little bit of more good news will do the rest of us a favour."

"It's because we moved him from the Dark Hour to now."

"... That's... pretty sparse logic there, Aigis." Midori recognized several flaws, but latched on to something more primitive in Aigis's opinion. "But you're right. It's best to hope for the best."

"I agree. Mitsuru has concluded that this place was formed in part by our desires, and as such, it was our collective desire to save Junpei when presented with the chance that gave us the opportunity." Midori nodded in half-memory of something along those lines being said, and half-agreement. "I also had a... confrontation with my sister."

Curiosity now completely peaked, Midori turned her full attention toward Aigis. "What about?"

"About the nature of the Abyss, and her actions." Aigis' reply was flat and inflection-less.

"Sounds... ominous."

"It was. A particular point of contention was her continued hostility toward you."

Midori felt a rise of emotion in her, reciprocal friendship growing between them. "Thank you for defending me."

"It was a most enlightening discussion," Aigis said, avoiding the direction Midori wanted to go. "I believe I have some conclusions that should be shared with the rest of the Dorm, once Junpei is awake."

"And?" Midori prompted, eager to return to the relevant portion of the conversation.

Aigis did not reply right away, letting the silence between the two of them be a buffer against Midori's prying. She did have a right to know, and was it not her own responsibility as a friend to tell her? So confusing when compared against her own private wants and desires.

In the end, it was the innocent blue eyes, not capable of lying with their brightness that won out.

"She doesn't like you, for it is her nature. For Metis, you are something that should be rejected, something wrong with everything. She thinks that you are something that shouldn't exist."

Midori froze at the revelation, the truth of Frosty running through her head. Did Metis know? "Did she say why?"

"No, but I pointed out that we recognized that your Persona's existence was something different than those born of the Dark Hour. That we know you are different, and that it makes no difference, for your actions are what has defined you in our eyes, not your nature." Aigis sighed. "She does not understand."

Midori slid over, and hugged her friend, for that was the only response that was needed.

Minatodai Dorm, 1st Floor Lounge

Evening

After the day of rest, they gathered in the lounge instead of the office upstairs to discuss their plans for the future. The first problem was where to sit everyone as Chidori and Junpei still took up an entire couch to themselves, and no one wanted to ask her to move. Akihiko settled the issue by standing beside Mitsuru at her traditional seat at the head of the table.

"How is he?" Fuuka asked of Chidori as they got settled into their seats.

"Well," she replied, "well enough. He is still in some pain, but for now he sleeps."

"Where are we going to put him up?" Ken asked in a rhetorical manner. "His room is empty."

Midori opened her mouth when Yukari shut it by placing one hand over it. "No, he's not going to stay in Chidori's room."

Chidori flushed at the implication, Fuuka following a moment later. "I concur." Mitsuru thought this over. "Midori is already sleeping on chairs and couches, so our ability to host another is strained."

"He can stay with me," Akihiko offered. "Once he's awake that is."

At the implied question, Chidori brushed a stray strand of hair from Junpei's face. "I find that acceptable. I can reach him quickly if there is an issue." The young man didn't stir, though his face was calm, and his breathing regular.

"Excellent." Mitsuru moved on to the next subject. "With that, there are only four of you left, four doors left in the Abyss."

"Midori, Fuuka, Koromaru and Metis," Aigis listed off. "And yet we are still no closer to determining a proper pattern. Mitsuru's theories about our desires being the directing factor has some merit, although there is a lack of proper evidence for or against."

Fuuka and Midori shared a glance as they evaluated their own private situation. "But we are still one door short; Who desired the mall?"

An awkward silence descended as people tried to figure that out. "Metis?" Ken offered, looking at the second robot. "I mean, maybe she wanted resources to help Aigis?" Everyone looked at her, expecting an answer, but none was forthcoming.

"What about Junpei? Does he get a door? Has anyone checked yet?" Midori asked casually to fill the space around her. "He's one of us, so you never know."

Akihiko shook his head. "Already thought about, and I checked. Same number of doors."

Her face falling, Midori tried to think of anything else to say. But there was nothing as her thoughts kept turning back to ward what would lay beyond her door. This didn't go unnoticed as the others turned their attention to her. "Do you have something to share, Midori?" Fuuka asked gently. "You seem worried about this."

"It's just there are things I've seen that I don't want to share. Not to protect me, but to protect everyone else." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, the seriousness of her declaration enough to cause even Metis to not make a remark.

"If you're talking about Tokyo, Midori," Mitsuru tried to be kind and supportive, having seen the reports for herself, "Then you needn't worry. That's all in the past, and I doubt we would generate the desire to bring that past to life as we all did with Iori."

There were murmurs of agreement from around the table before Aigis spoke up. "I would like to go into the next door tomorrow. I will take Fuuka, Midori, Koro-chan and Metis, as per our discussion previously about those who haven't had their anchor points resolved."

"You never told us what you and Metis talked about," Ken commented, forcing a different line of conversation into existence. "I've been waiting for that."

"Very well. The Abyss has always existed. It was originally a factor of Tartarus, a... basement, or perhaps a foundation. Metis was unclear on that. Just as I was constructed to deal with the Shadows that came from Tartarus, she claims she was build to service the Abyss itself. She implied that she has always been there, which may explain the lack of information you found, Mitsuru, as she would have been 'lost' for ten years."

Midori raised her hand. "I'm confused."

"The Abyss isn't located under the Dorm, but rather is connected to it. And the black shadow we keep seeing? It is no ordinary thing, but rather, based on my observations and Metis' own, it is Minato's Shadow. What remains of him." Aigis concluded, stunning her audience.