"Can you tell where they are?" Ryoji asked while looking around. Minako, with the help of her persona, Theia, tried to pinpoint the location of the people trapped in a tower somewhere in the TV world.
"I wonder how many floors this place has," Ryoji said as he stared at the giant clock. Looks like it really has stopped working, he thought. Both of its hands pointed at twelve. The actual time was around 9:40 PM.
"It's a good thing they called us," Shinjiro said. Ryoji couldn't help to nod in agreement. The residents of the Velvet Room have guided them ever since they started this quest.
Before they stayed at the dorm, the three would have been homeless if it wasn't for the help the siblings and their master. At first, Ryoji and Shinjiro were skeptical about the two. But they felt so lost, they had no one else to turn to but them. Also, seeing that Minako trusted them, the two have they decided that might not be that bad. In time, they learned to trust the siblings in blue and their long-nosed master.
"Found them. There's one on the fifth floor, two on the ninth, and another one on the thirteenth." Minako's persona disappeared. "But there's something strange..."
"What is it?" Ryoji tilted his head to look at her. He noticed a slight frown appear on her face.
Minako shook her head. "I don't know," she said," but I have a bad feeling about it. You guys be careful and always stick together, okay? Retreat immediately when I tell you."
"Yes, sir." Ryoji saluted before going up. Shinjiro followed shortly after him. They knew something was bothering her. Whatever it was they decided it could wait later. Right now, they need to focus on the task in hand.
"I found them." Fuuka called off her persona. "It seems that they're at Gekkoukan High."
"Thank you, Yamagishi. Everyone, let's go." Everyone left and headed towards the direction of the school. Mitsuru noticed that Fuuka wasn't move an inch. The girl was looking down, with her brows furrowed. "Is something wrong?"
"I feel something strange from inside of Gekkou High, but I just don't know what..."
"We'll find out when we get there. Right now we have to find those three and whoever they meant by 'them.' "Fuuka nodded causing Mitsuru to smile.
Ryoji and Shinjiro carefully laid two girls on the floor beside the other girl that they found earlier. Minako treated whatever wounds they had, immediately. "I hope we're not too late," she muttered.
"They've only been here for a day," Shinjiro said calmly. When he noticed that Minako looked uneasy he added, "They should be fine so don't worry."
"Okay..."
Ryoji stretched. "Well, that's three down, one more to go." Ryoji slapped his cheeks to keep himself awake. Shinjiro and him have been running around for over an hour now. He looked at his friend who was guiding them patiently through the maze. She looks worse than me and Shinji, Ryoji thought.
Minako checked the unconscious girls for anymore wounds left untreated. None. "You guys can go now."
"One more and we can go to bed," Ryoji rejoiced. "Let's go, Shinjiro."
"Yeah, yeah."
They left. Minako called for her persona again. They're almost here, Minako thought to herself. What do I do?
"What is that?"
"I think it's a portal. I sense someone inside it."
They were at the rooftop, unsure of what to do. The 'portal' in front of them glowed of swirls of green black and red. Looking at its shape, it looked like someone ripped open the universe.
"Good thing I'm always come prepared." Yosuke smiled triumphantly as he walked over to the railings, rope in hand. He tied one end on the railing and another to a stick. He threw the stick into the 'portal.'
"Now what?" Yukiko watched curiously. Yosuke pulled the rope and the stick came out unharmed. He smiled at them like a child who learned how to tie his shoes.
"Why did you tie it on the railing?" Chie asked.
"So that I won't be sucked in," Yosuke said as a matter-of-factly.
The brunette glared at him. "Don't get cocky."
A blur of white suddenly passed through them. It was so fast that it created a gust of wind. "Akihiko-senpai!" Fuuka called him but it was too late. He was already inside.
"Let's go everyone."
"Minako, looks tired." They were on the twelfth floor by this time when Ryoji decided to speak. "We need to hurry."
"Yeah. This place always wears her out." I wonder why, Shinjiro thought this part to himself. They were now at the thirteenth. Shinjiro cursed under his breath. "This floor is bigger than the others."
"Hey Minako-chan, can we split up?" There was no answer. He tried again but nothing. Ryoji grew anxious and so did Shinjiro.
"We need to find that guy and get out of here now," Shinjiro said hurriedly. Ryoji nodded.
"...Hey Shinji?" Ryoji suddenly called out.
"Yeah?"
"Do you get a feeling that we're forgetting something?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh... maybe it was just my imagination."
Unbeknownst to them a black figure was watching them intently.
"Where's Shinji?! Tell me! Where is he?!" Akihiko glared at Minako while she stared at him with surprise. Then Minako turned her head to the person walking towards the male.
"Calm down, Akihiko." Mitsuru turned to Minako with her piercing eyes. The girl flinched ever so slightly.
"Where are your friends?" It took Minako a while to process what she said. When she finally understood what she meant she called her persona. The others who just arrived were shocked. A girl with a persona. A place that looked like the entrance to Tartarus.
"This place looks like Tartarus," Fuuka said, "But it gives off a different feeling." Yukari turned to her with a questioning gaze. Fuuka answered with "It's not as cold and dark as Tartarus was, figuratively."
"No..." Minako called off her persona. She looked horrified.
"Arisato, what's wro-" Minako ran before Mitsuru could finish. "Yamagishi, Kujikawa, Amagi, Takeba, stay here. The others follow her!"
"Shinjiro-senpai, Ryoji." She whispered as she ran. She ignored the people tailing behind her and pushed herself to go up. She was exhausted, her legs were like lead, but she continued to run. "Please be okay."
"We found him." Shinjiro placed the guy's arm over his shoulders. After losing the game of rock-paper-scissors it was decided that he would be the poor soul to carry the unconscious boy. He tried to stand up. "Man, this guy's heavy." He glared at Ryoji who was leaning at the wall.
"You're so slow, Shinji." Shinjiro glared harder at the boy, making the raven-haired boy flinch.
"Maybe if you help me out it'll be faster." He adjusted his hold and tried to stand again. "Finally did it," he muttered.
"No one will protect you guys if I help you." Ryoji said flipping his bangs. Shinjiro's eyes twitched.
"You just don't want to carry him 'cause he ain't a girl."
"And that." Ryoji looked to the away. He reverted back to being solemn. It amazes Shinjiro how he can turn from carefree to serious. "Anyway, we need to hurry. I'm worried about Minako."
"I think I found a teleporter. Let's turn it on." They walked as fast as they could. Shinjiro tried his best to remember where the teleporter was while making sure that the person on his shoulders won't fall.
"Did you hear that?" Ryoji was looking behind them.
"Hear what?" Shinjiro stopped. He looked over his shoulder to see Ryoji trying to look for something.
"It sounded like swords clanking." Ryoji shook his head. "Maybe I'm imagining things again. Come on." A dark figure suddenly appeared behind Ryoji.
"BEHIND YOU!"
"Mirsuru-senpai, please hurry," Fuuka said urgently. "There's a powerful shadow on the next floor."
"Everyone prepare for battle!"
"That girl," it was Yu. "She's too fast we can't keep up."
"It doesn't matter," Akihiko said. "We're almost there." They found the stairs. They quickly climbed up.
"RYOJI!"
"It came from that way. Hurry!" They heard voices.
"GET THEM OUT OF HERE SENPAI!"
"WHAT ABOUT YOU?!"
"JUST GO!"
They turned around the corner and saw the girl standing in front of a masked shadow. It has multiple arms, each holding a sword. Mitsuru and Akihiko recognized it immediately. It was the shadow that attacked their dorm years ago.
"ORPHEUS!" A wild card, Yu thought. Her persona used it's lyre to hold down the shadow. "What the hell are you guys waiting for!?" Minako turned to them. "Attack it with all that you've got!"
They didn't question the girl and summoned their own persona. They attack all at once, pulverizing the shadow. Not long after their one, all-out attack did they hear an ear piercing screech. The shadow dissolved into nothing, and for a short moment they felt a soft, cool wind hit their face.
"I think we overkilled the shadow," Yu said blandly.
"You think," was Yosuke's sarcastic reply.
Minako quickly ran from the teleporter towards her injured friend. "Ryoji?" She kneeled beside him and checked for his injuries.
After a few seconds, he opened his eyes slowly and tried to adjust his vision. "Am I in heaven? Ow!" Minako elbowed his stomach.
Shinjiro stood next to the girl and said, "You're finally awake." He lightly kicked Ryoji's side. "Some guard you are."
"What happened?" He sat up, slowly. I feel dizzy. He looked around and sighed in frustration. "I never knew we'd get caught this early."
"Yeah." Shinjiro placed his hands on his pocket and followed Ryoji's line of sight. Some stared at them with disbelief. Some were teary eyed. Some were just confused.
Just great, Shinjiro thought corrosively. He felt a tug on his pants. He looked down and saw Minako struggling to sit. Seeing that she was to weak to move he decided to scoop the girl in his arms. "We'll explain later," he said, eyes still on the shivering girl in his arms. She looked pale and her breathing was slightly labored. "Right now we have to leave."
Ryoji remove his jacket and scarf and used it to cover the girl and to keep her warm. Still not enough, he thought when he saw her trembling. He turned to Junpei, causing the male to flinch. "Do you mind if I borrow your hat?"
"Uh, sure I guess." Junpei took his cap of and handed it to Ryoji. The younger male inspected the cap before putting it on the girl. With that done, he moved to a corner and opened a portal that led to someone's bedroom. Shinjiro went first.
"This portal will bring us back to her room. Do you guys mind carrying them out?" Ryoji laughed nervously. "My body feels kinda sore." They all looked at each other. The girls all left leaving the boys to do all the work.
"They're evil," Yosuke said when all the female person-users were out of earshot. Everyone, there, agreed. Yosuke, Akihiko, and Teddie carried the girls while Yu and Kanji helped each other to carry the boy.
Ken and Junpei helped Ryoji when they saw that he was having a hard time staying on his own two feet. "Thanks for the hat."
"No problem," Junpei said awkwardly. This guy really looks like Ryoji.
Ryoji's eyes were slowly closing. Junpei and Ken noticed that he was getting heavier. He must be tired, they both thought. Ryoji whispered something. It was barely audible but they heard it. Junpei's and Ken's eyes widened. The former was about say something to him but he was too late for Ryoji already fell into a deep sleep in a very uncomfortable position.
"Sorry you have to do this Ken... Junpei."
I didn't really how I would make this chapter before. It has hard turn my imagInations to words. Anyway, I'd like to thank seekerskull8692 for following and shadowcatxxp for favoriting (not really a word, I know). Please do tell me what you think. I would really appreciate it.