Under the waning moon, a girl slept peacefully on a bench. The cool wind carried the scent of flowers, lulling the girl deeper into the sleeping world. For a moment everything was still and peaceful. Even the spirit watching the girl decided to sit down and enjoy the view of the city where he once lived a happy life.

"I wonder what's taking them so long. Do you know?" the boy asked his dozing friend. "I guess you don't." The boy sighed and tried to lean on the bench. He knew that it was pointless to do that since he was basically like a floating ghost, he'll probably slip through it. But to his surprise, he felt the hard surface under his head. He jolted up quickly and looked down at his auburn-haired friend.

"I felt the bench." But then he shook his head believing that it was just his imagination, or just plain wishful thinking. "But still, if I can do that..." he lifted his hands and let it hover over the girl's arm, "then maybe..." He gulped before hastily shoving his hands forward, sending the girl to fall face first to the floor.

"Ow!" The girl quickly sat up and rubbed her nose. "I think I'm finally dying..."

It worked, Makoto thought incredulously as the girl groaned. He noticed how red her nose was and suddenly felt guilty for pushing her. "I'm sorry."

"Eep! Who said that!?" The girl warily looked around. Noticing that she had no weapon, she raised her fist in the way she remembered Akihiko did. "I-If that's you Teddie, then you better come out! Wait a minute." The female wild card gave a quick glance at her surroundings. "How the hell did I get here?"

She heard me... He tried to call her name, but she didn't hear him this time. When that didn't work, he tried poking her shoulder only for his finger to pass through her body. The blue-haired boy kept trying, hoping that he could feel even just the fabric of his friend's uniform. But the same thing happened. He now wondered if he really did lean on the bench, or if it was something scientific that he wouldn't bother to think about. He also wondered if he pushed Minako, or if maybe she rolled in her sleep.

"Minako!"

"Junpei?" The redhead turned to the door and saw her capped friend running frantically towards her. Following close behind him were Aigis, Teddie, and somewhere further were the rest of the persona-users. The three glomped the girl, causing her to fall to the floor for the second time that night. "Ow, ow. You guys... get off of me!"

"Ah, sorry," Junpei apologized before offering a hand to help the girl up.

"Thanks," the girl took his hand. Once she was on her feet, she gave the bunch a curious gaze, wondering why all of them were here.

Catching her unsaid questions, Mitsuru decided to answer. "Earlier this night, Fuuka sensed something odd happening in the tower. Not knowing what we will face, I decided to gather everyone so that we could all investigate; we were also hoping to find the child, Reiko. And then we found out that you went missing, so along the way searching for you became one of our objectives."

Minako took in the information and nodded. "Did you guys find the girl?" She raised her gaze to the group and assumed that they didn't seeing that there is no child with their group. "I guess you didn't."

"Actually we did," said Labrys. She faced the female wild card, her countenance oozing with seriousness. "We found her, or in other words, kid version of you."

"'Kid version'? What are you talking about?"

"It's hard to explain. But I think we just saw your childhood minutes ago."

"My what now?"

"Your childhood."

Minako stared at the albino android before giving a quick glance at the rest of them. When her eyes returned to the mechanical maiden, she blinked at her stoic friend before giggling. "You're kidding." She saw Labrys' brow twitch from, which she assumed, annoyance. "I-I guess you weren't..." She continued to laugh, this time nervously before gawking. "WHAT!?"

They decided to stay inside one of the classrooms to explain what they saw to the female wild card. Mitsuru and Fuuka did best to explain gently what they saw when they passed through the portal. They kept a close eye on the girl as they relayed to her the events that have transpired. Though it only took them less than half an hour to explain, Ryoji and Aigis felt like it was an eternity. The blonde girl and the black-haired boy could feel the guilt stepping on them, crushing them until they could no longer stand.

"How did you even get to the rooftop?" Yu asked.

"I don't really know... All I know is that a crime was committed. Invasion of privacy happened," Minako said in a tone too light for comfort. "Or was it that you stalked two kids around like creeps?"

"Watch it kid," Kanji warned, not liking what the girl said.

"I'm older than you," Minako reminded calmly. She returned her attention to Fuuka and Mitsuru and asked, "So what about it?"

Fuuka tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It's like you guys are making a big deal about this time travel thing. I'm sure you guys have been reading every file with my name in it, so what's so important about this then? Then again," Minako paced around the room and stopped by the blackboard, "it happened in the tower. I guess that's why it's a big deal?"

"It's not that," Mitsuru said. She looked at the crimson-eyed girl stoically, "There incidents that I don't understand, like your sudden change of personality, how you had a premonition, and what happened on the bridge - what you did."

"Senpai," Fuuka whispered to the red-haired woman, "do you mean that spark?" Mitsuru nodded.

"Please, enlighten us about that."

"Before I do that, I have a question. Do you mind?"

"No, ask ahead."

"Did you not notice anything else that's weird?"

The woman pondered over the question. As she did, the other persona-users did their best to recall what they saw. Minako on the other hand, grabbed a chalk and wrote something on the board, waiting for them to answer her question.

"Before you changed personalities," Naoto said with a start, "there were people who you called some people names. I assume that it happened often before when I saw how frustrated your parents were."

"True, true," Minako said almost dismissively. "Anything else?"

"They're lives changed, just like you did."

"Bingo, we have a winner."

Chie stood from the chair she was sitting at. "Are you saying their lives changed because you suddenly became a different person?"

"Not really." The sound of chalk hitting the board halted. Minako, with chalk still in hand, turned to them. "I've been changing lives before I even became like Makoto, a ray of sunshine."

Somewhere in the room, Junpei shook as he tried to stifle his laughter. Seeing this Yukari jabbed him again for the second time that night.

"'Changing lives'?" The brunette detective scrunched her nose, flummoxed with what the girl said. "How?"

Minako beamed at them and said "Because I can grant wishes!"

...

They all stared blankly at the girl. Chie could feel her legs itching to kick someone. The smile on the auburn-haired girl's face wasn't helping placate her growing irritation. Is she kidding? What's wrong with her!?

"What's wrong Chie-san?" the girl asked innocently. Her smile slowly lost its brightness, "You don't believe me, do you?"

"You expect us to believe that?"

Minako nodded. "Of course I do. It's not really hard to believe. I mean all of us have powers - personas - and we can even go inside the TV literally. Ask Ryoji, though I'm not sure if he remembers."

The group turned to Ryoji. It took a while for him to realize the eyes on him since most of his thoughts were stuck on what they saw. "Uh... What?"

"Minako-san said she can grant wishes," Ken, who was beside him, whispered. "They wanted to know if you know anything about it."

"Not that I recall..."Ryoji said.

"Then I guess that's a 'no' then," Minako said immediately. She walked over to the teacher's desk and sat on top of it. "I'm telling you the truth, I can do it."

"Then do it," Mitsuru said. "Prove it to us here what you can do."

"I can't just do that."

"Why?"

"Because it will kill me if I keep using it," the wild card explained. Minako sighed tapped her shoes rhythmically slow. Her eyes were half-lidded as if she were deep in thought. "Honestly, I don't know what how Makoto's powers works. I don't even know how strong his power is or what it can do."

"Why would you lie about that?" Mitsuru asked. When she noticed the dark look on the girl's face, she didn't bother waiting of an answer because what she saw in the girl's eyes was answer enough. The woman sauntered toward the girl and stopped when she was a breath away from the crimson-eyed wild card. Mitsuru leaned forward until her lips barely grazed the Minako's cheek.

"I always knew you were hiding something," said the woman loud enough for only the girl to here. "With what you're doing, you are possibly putting lives in jeopardy. If you still insist on withholding information, then I will never forgive you for whatever happens to anyone harmed by this 'force' you speak of."

Mitsuru pulled back and stalked off. The others, followed suit and would glance at Minako before turning to door. They wondered what Mitsuru said to the girl, but they doubt they'll now any time soon seeing how the girl avoided their eyes.

Once Minako thought she was all alone, she got of the desk and returned back to the blackboard. She continued what she left there slowly.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked her.

"Drawing the future..." she answered blankly.

"Are you sure that's the future?"

"No, but I hope it will be like this be like this."

"Me too..."

Minako was nearly finished when she noticed who the owner of the voice was. She quickly turned around to see the person, but there was no one in the room but her. Crestfallen, she finished her drawing before leaving the classroom.

"I wonder if this will ever happen," Makoto mused as he gazed at the image Minako made. It was everyone, the members of the Shadow Operatives, himself, and Minako all gathered in one large table. All of them looked so happy and carefree that it didn't even seem possible. Then again it was impossible, or so he thought.

I was able to talk to her...

It was the first Sunday morning after the full moon. Minako left the dorm early to go visit Bunkichi. She had high hopes that the old man was alright now, that he could return to his normal life. On the way, she made a quick stop to buy a bouquet of daisies. She also bought three melon bread and cans of tea. I wonder how they are.

"Mitsuko-baasan," Minako called as she knocked on the door. "I'm coming in."

"Minako-chan," the old woman greeted. "How are you dear?"

"I've been busy lately, but I'm free now. How about you and Bunkichi-san?"

"Same old me. The doctor's said that Bunkichi's health has improved but he is still hasn't woken up and he's still weak."

"Oh..." Minako gave the tea and bread; the woman thanked her in return. "I'm sure he'll wake up soon." The girl said optimistically. She placed the daisies and the old man's share of food on the side-table before dragging a chair and sitting beside the woman, by Bunkichi's bed. Minako wolfed down the bread, her breakfast.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to help much with the bookstore," Minako said when her all of her bread was in her stomach.

"It's okay dear. You and your friends helped me without even taking anything in return. And besides, my niece said she'll take care of the shop while I'm here."

"That's good."

No words were exchanged after that. The two were enveloped by a comfortable silence as one sipped her tea and the other took small bite of her food. Minako was sure that she would miss her show, but right now she didn't really care. She would rather miss the show than to miss the waking of the old man. The wild card was now willing to stay there twenty-four-seven if it means being there for the miracle to happen.

And it did.

"Dear... and Minako-chan, you're here... I'm glad."

But it didn't last long.

Minako sat at the shrine's bench quietly. She could feel herself grow numb as time goes by. The cries of the Mitsuko still echo in her head as she stared at the blue sky. "Makoto, I couldn't save Bunkichi-san too...," she muttered in her dazed state. "I killed him..."

"You saved him," Makoto said. He stood in front of his friend and repeated what those three words over and over, hoping that she would hear him just like before. "You saved him."

"Hey, do you think he died because I didn't tell Mitsuru-senpai and the others the truth? Do you think we could've saved him if I told them? ...Are you mad at me too?"

"Minako, no."

"I'm sorry..." Minako continued to stare emptily at the sky. She wondered when the sky will take her or when the ground will swallow her. She was just so tired of everything now that she didn't want move. "Maybe I should take a nap...just a short nap..." And she was gone again, escaping the real world.

Makoto 'sat' on the bench beside her and copied how she sat, only with his legs slightly open. "You and everyone saved him, but it was just his time... Don't be like that now, Minako. I'm not mad..."

"Mako-chan, I think I'm going crazy..." The blue-haired boy leered at his friend curiously. "I think I've gone so far that I'm starting to hear things."

"Minako-chan's not answering her phone," Ryoji said as he watched the credits of the girl's favorite show roll.

"That is because she left her phone in her room," Aigis said, while looking for the remote.

"How did you know that?"

"I heard it ring."

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ryoji whined. He furrowed his brows before keeping his phone in his pocket.

"I didn't know you were calling her." Aigis replied. She finally found the remote and handed it to Labrys.

The albino changed the channel to the news where people kept talking about a "Super Alzheimer's" and how many businesses are having a great loss of manpower. Then they would talk about miracles on how some people manage to recover. "I guess the full moon shadows really solve our problem there," said Labrys.

"Yeah," Ken agreed. "Hey I was wondering."

"What is it?"

"What did Mitsuru-san say to Minako-san?"

Labrys turned to the boy. By the way she looked, Ken could tell that the albino was just as curious as him. The questions like "What did she say?", "Why did we left Minako behind last night?", and "What the hell happened?" frequented their minds like an annoyingly catchy tune. Ken was sure that he'd probably be thinking about it for quite a while.

"You guys shouldn't think too much," Shinjiro said flipping through a cooking magazine. ("You are finally doing it in public," Aigis once said, making the male blush.) "You'll never get an answer that way."

"Yeah, yeah," Labrys said.

Hey guys. Sorry this took a while. I was busy stressing over going to school so I couldn't write. But everything's peachy now, I think. Still, updates might not be as frequent as before( if it was ever frequent). Anyway, thanks for reading.

Megami Tensei Emperatriz: I don't really know what to say because we already talked about it. I'll just repeat, all will be revealed soon.

xxRisexx: Thanks for the fav. It wasn't really a shadow that kidnapped her haha. And I've thought about making them siblings, but I can't really picture it well. Plus they can't be for plot stuff. I want to ask though, why do you want them to be siblings?

Asahar4: Thanks. So next Arcanas are Hierophant and Lovers. I wanna make fun of that operation so bad.

The Female Wild Card: Thank you. I can't believe this story can save math survivors... LOL I'm actually using some of Persona 2 (this game is so serious compared to 3 and 4) as reference. The mask though, I only realized that now.