I'd like to thank lollad62 and Tsukasa D. Salleh Alto for favoriting/following. I'd also like to thank Guest, Rosalinda Lancaster Leonhart, and MimiZ.
Guest: I'm not really good at details but I tried.
MimiZ: I wasn't really able to see what you suggested since my addiction to Humter x Hunter got the better of me. Thanks though. You were really encouraging.
Rosalinda Lancaster Leonhart: Yeah... I'm really not happy about what I did to her character.
I've been doing this instead of studying and doing my homework ＼(^o^)／ I blame the spirit of procrastination - if it really exist.
"Two... four... Still not enough." Ryoji groaned. "What was I thinking? I can't get a million by working part-time... But maybe they'll actually forgive me for my hard work... I don't think so.
"Maybe I should just tell them the truth... ugh, I can't do that either!" In truth, Ryoji never really misplaced the money. He actually borrowed some from the million when he noticed that he was a few yens short.
He thought that if he returned the money he borrowed as soon as possible no one would know what he did. But Minako came looking for the money to him at the worst time possible, an hour after he used the money. He didn't want her to know about his little deed. If she found out she would ask why he did that; he did really want her to know yet. So, to hide what he did, he lied and said he lost it.
The words "I lost it" opened the gates of hell for Ryoji. During that time Shinjiro was preparing some of the ingredients for dinner - meaning he was holding something really dangerous, a knife. Minako's only weapon was her hands, but they were enough to instill fear in him. He definitely chose the wrong time to say it. The two ran after him: Shinjiro threw his knife at him while Minako tried to strangle him with his scarf. The raven-haired boy just felt like the nine circles of hell combined into the form of Minako and Shinjiro. He really thought it was the end.
"It is my fault... I'm going to work harder." Ryoji's eyes gleamed with determination as he clenched his fist. "Maybe I should check out the Velvet Room too." Ryoji ran, hoping to find another way to pay off his debt.
"Minako-san," Aigis called the girl out. Minako, who was sitting on the recliner face the front door, flinched. She sighed when she saw that it was only Aigis. "It is late. Why are you still here?"
"I'm waiting for Ryoji," she said looking concerned. She looked at the door restlessly. She turned to Aigis and asked, "What about you?"
"I need to go with sister, Teddie-san and Ken-san to Misturu-san for a very important meeting," Aigis said. It wasn't really a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. There is a full moon. In order to confirm their theory about another powerful shadow appearing, the group of persona-users decided to go to tower.
"I see," Minako said. She glanced to the door again waiting for her friend. I should've apologized to him.
Aigis decided to wait for Ken, Teedie and Labrys by the stairs. She observed the female wild card fidget on her seat. "You should try to contact Ryoji-san," Aigis suggested. Minako agreed to her advice.
"May I borrow your phone?" the crimson-eyed girl asked, surprising the blonde. Minako rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I don't really have a phone. I can ask for Shinji, but he's been busy since this afternoon. I don't want to bother him."
Aigis took her phone out and handed it to Minako. The girl thanked her. She watched the girl trying to call her friend. She noticed how the girl was becoming even more uneasy by the second. Minako gave up after her eleventh attempt and gave it to Aigis. "I can't reach him..."
"Maybe you could leave a message."
"Okay..."
"When will you guys come back?" Minako asked Aigis, Ken and Labrys when they were about to leave. Ken answered, "We don't know yet."
"I see... Be careful then."
"Sure do," Labrys said. And they left on a limo sent by Mitsuru. Minako thought that it must be urgent.
A few minutes later Shinjiro came down with his battle axe. "Are you ready?" he asked her. Minako nodded. She took out her naginata from under the sofa. She was relieved how Aigis miraculously didn't notice it.
"Where's Ryoji?" Shinjiro asked.
"He's still not back." Minako answered stoically. She hid her concerns well.
Shinjiro took his phone out and tried calling the boy. Nothing. "Did he forget again?" he said irritated. Before, because they were so focused on rescuing Ken's seniors before, they forgot about the Magician. "Shinji, we didn't remember it last time either," Minako reminded. Shinjiro groaned.
"Should we go now?" Shinjiro asked. He looked at the time trying to see could make it on time if they go now. They still have plenty of time.
"I want to look for Ryoji first," Minako answered. "Let's go to the rooftop."
"Is everyone ready?" Mitsuru asked. Everyone nodded. On the screened appeared a huge female looking shadow. Half of its body black, the other white. It has "B" on its right chest and "J" on the other; its hair is made out of scrolls with written text and it is seated in a very suggestive way.
"If what Aigis and Amada said is true, there would be another powerful shadow appearing tonight. The arcana of the next shadow that might appear is Priestess. It reflects ice and is null against light and dark. It is not weak on anything. Someone weak against ice might not be suitable to battle with this shadow."
Yu and Mitsuru began to choose who would be backup and who would fight the Priestess. Yu decided to go with Yukari, Kanji, Teddie, Yosuke, and Junpei. Fuuka will be guiding them.
While the others were preparing, Aigis talked to Fuuka. "Fuuka-san, can you help find Ryoji-san. Minako-san is very worried about him." Fuuka looked at Aigis thoughtfully before summoning Juno. Everyone in the room was startled because of her persona's sudden appearance.
Fuuka concentrated. "What is this all about?" Mitsuru asked Aigis.
"I'm looking for Ryoji-kun," Fuuka answered. "It seems that I'm not the only one using her persona to look for him. Arisato-san is at the dorm's rooftop with Shinjiro-senpai. Ah... she called her persona off."
"What about Mochizuki?"
"I can't find him anywhere here," Juno disappeared. "But I can faintly sense him in the TV world, at the Paulownia Mall area."
"Very well then. The backup group will be searching for Mochizuki. Agreed?" Everyone responded with an "okay", "understood", or "alright".
"Let's go." Yu led the group to the other world.
"What the heck is that idiot doing here!?" Shinjiro's scowl deepened. When Minako didn't sense Ryoji anywhere in the real world, they concluded that their missing friend could only be in the TV world. They didn't have enough time to look for him becasue they had to run to the Gekkoukan High of this world and climb the tower.
"We'll just have to punish him later," Minako said. "Right now we have to hurry. It's almost time. I sense Junpei and Yukari along with some others near the school. I should've just told them everything. They couldn't defeat that without me there."
"You've decided?"
"Yeah," Minako looked forward with renewed strength and determination. Shinjiro thought she changed but then he realized she's reverted back to her old self.
"I'm going to tell them everything they need to know." Please give me strength to do it, Minako silently prayed.
"I found it!" Ryoji smiled. He quietly followed the golden shadow near the fountain. According to Margaret, if he could find and defeat that shadow, which was always loitering by that world's Paulownia Mall, he would be able to than enough to pay for the money he "borrowed".
Since Ryoji left his weapon at the dorm, he decided to use the broken pipe he found. Ryoji walked briskly to the shadow without making any sound. When he was close enough he stabbed the shadow from above. Ryoji called his persona, Thanatos, and slashed the shadow before it could even escape. "I did it!" Ryoji collected what the shadow left. It was a small stone that looked like it could cost a fortune. "Now Minako and Shinji would forgive me."
"As if! They're never going to forgive you!" Ryoji eyes widened in surprise. He looked around for the source. When can't find the person Ryoji decided calling out for it. "Who are you? Where are you?" He suddenly felt a presence behind him. He turned and ended up regretting it. Run, he thought to himself.
"You can't run away from me." It smirked at him tauntingly. "Because I am you and nobody else."