So, I'll be addressing some questions from a review at the end of the chapter. First chapter now lists who comes from what!

Enjoy!

"My body aches all over…" Nanashi groaned as they walked out of the building. "Can I just… Pass out?"

"Let's try to keep moving…" Yumi pat his shoulder, stifling a yawn. "Or at least find an empty building to rest in."

"I think there was a nice big one this way…" Isamu pointed, rubbing his eyes. "Come on."

The group began walking after Isamu, people yawning and leaning against others. That fight with Alice had taken a lot more out of them than anyone first thought, it seemed. Not that Nanashi could blame anyone, it'd been rough and demons in the building had kept trying to sneak up on them while they tried to get out.

Add in the fact the third floor exit had for some reason been locked and it wasn't really shocking. He just hoped no one was still pumped and raring to go… If they were, he felt there might not be much rest in the end.

That's when he realized their demonic allies (minus Hallelujah) looked less tired and just injured. Uh-oh… He just had to hope that any humanity they had would be understanding of everyone else being totally exhausted.

"Think we're here." Isamu gestured to the door in front of him, looking back at everyone. "There should be enough room for everyone to keep to themselves in here."

"Then let's go in." Chiaki walked past him, opening the door as everyone poured in after the two of them.

"What the…?" Isabeau gasped. "This… This isn't an empty room…!"

They were standing in front of what looked almost like a hot spring, the water a strange bright green color. In the middle of the spring were to naked women, both smiling from ear to ear. One held a sign up, though Nanashi couldn't make out what is said and the other began to speak to them.

"This is a healing spring!" Her voice was full of forced pep. "It can heal, revive, or break curses!"

"Heal, huh…?" Jimenez whistled from the back of the group. "Looks like we found a fast way to heal up."

It had taken a while to pay for everyone who needed to go in, but soon enough they'd given the bunny girls all the money they owed them… Though Tamaki had to wonder where they'd put the money. She hadn't seen a Macca box or anything…

But oh well. She was gonna take this chance to relax. She was realizing now just how badly she needed a nice, long soak… And it looked to her that the other woman felt similarly to her.

"I'm a bit shocked what was on you came off, Miss Zelenin…" Beth looked at the angel, a hand on her face. "I assumed it was just a part of you."

"I understand the shock, truly." She nodded a bit as she leaned back. "I thought it was a part of me as well."

"Well, I guess we learn something new every day, huh?" Nozomi chuckled a bit as she ran a hand through the dozing Asahi's hair. "Well, most of us do, at least."

"She must've been really tired out by everything that happened." Reiko put a hand to her chin as Asahi began to softly snore. "I can see why, though. That was a real test of endurance."

"Indeed." Isabeau nodded. "It's nice Asahi has an adult she can trust enough to lean on in the spring, though. I would be worried she would drown, otherwise."

"I'm sure none of us would let her drown!" Hiroko smiled at everyone. "At least, I hope so."

"Agreed." Yuka nodded. "We're all friends here, don't you think?"

Yumi shrugged. "Sure… If not friends, we're at least allies."

Chiaki hummed a bit. "I think allies is a better term for this."

"Agreed. Most of us don't know each other well enough to use the word friends…" Toki then plunged her head underwater, as if to avoid further conversation.

Tamaki pouted. "You guys are no fun, you know? You can be friends without knowing each other for that long. Just look at me and Reiko!"

"Sure, but that's you and her. Not the rest of us." Chiaki shrugged. "Different situation."

Tamaki huffed. "Not really!"

"Yes, really."

"Explain how it's different enough to make, well, a difference!"

"You see…"

Aleph wasn't sure how to feel when all the boys and men settled into their side of the healing spring. Most seemed fine with being in there, almost even happy… But at least a few looked like they'd rather heal up any other way.

To be more accurate, Takeshi and Akira seemed to dislike the water in general, while Zayin and Gaston weren't fans of bathing shoulder to shoulder with demons… And, too bad for them, but they were indeed shoulder to shoulder with some of the demons.

In fact, everyone was shoulder to shoulder with someone. Everyone but Jimenez, thanks to the fact so much of him was a stabbing hazard… But still, besides him? Everyone.

"I'm guessing the girls don't have to squeeze in as much as this…" Yuji gave an awkward laugh as Walter and Takeshi's shoulders pressed against him.

"Seeing as there's less of them… Probably." Charlie huffed a bit. "I guess it could be worse, though…"

"How could it be worse than this?" Akira grimaced at Charlie. "I can't think of much worse than this."

"Don't like getting wet, huh?" Louis gave him a sympathetic smile. "Must not be fun having to dry off when you look like that."

"Maybe we should've given him a choice to not get in and healed him up another way…" Kazuya scratched his cheek and frowned. "Sorry, Akira, I didn't think about that."

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Tadano shook his head. "He might just need more time to dry off."

"And you saying that is why he'll make sure to shake all the water off on you." Walter sighed. "Oh well, that means less chance of it happening to me."

"I feel you implying he would even do that puts you at more risk for being the victim, Walter." Jonathan scratched his cheek. "We don't know if he'll use a towel or not yet, after all."

"That's fair, but would a towel do someone like him any good?" Walter hummed. "I'm not sure-"

"T-that's enough now." Aleph held up his hands. "It's rude to talk about Akira as if he isn't right there listening, you all… We should all just try and relax."

"Easy for you to say…" Takeshi began to grumble. "I don't like not having my armor on…"

Aleph let out a sigh. This was going to be an overly awkward bath.

So, first: Who is Nobu? Nobu is the male protagonist of SMTif! Less known since it was Tamaki who got appearances in Persona, but he exists!

I didn't make up any of the names, actually! All names came from somewhere... Kazuya's name I'm not sure, Aleph/Flynn/Nanashi/Tamaki are all official (or at least default), Nobu comes from the if/kahn manga, Naoki from a drama CD, and Tadano from a drama CD!