A/N: Thanks to all who've reviewed so far. I would like to let everyone know that I won't be updating for several weeks as I will be going on vacation. This doesn't mean I'm abandoning the fic because I'm having way too much fun with this to stop now, but it does mean I will be on a temporary hiatus. So in light of this, here is my lengthiest chapter as of yet. Hope you guys enjoy it and when I return, we will be getting into the fight with the Priestess Shadow. So stay tuned!

Minato watched as the seconds hand of the clock at the front of the classroom slowly ticked and completed a full circle. He watched it go around for a second time.

Then a third.

And a fourth.

By the fifth time, he was wondering why he was focusing all his attention on watching time pass. One glance at his teacher made him remember the reason. Placing his head down on his notebook, he decided that taking a short nap would not be such a bad idea. It was not the subject that drove him into the realms of boredom. Instead, it was the way in which the subject had gone completely off topic. Compared to the teachers at his previous school, the ones at Gekkoukan were a very...interesting bunch of people. And that was putting it lightly.

There were the normal teachers, the kind that were paid to stand in front of a class and lecture on whatever the curriculum called for. Minato did not mind that kind. What he did mind was the eccentricity that some staff brought to the table, notably being a trifle too enthusiastic about what they taught. So much so that one donned ancient samurai helmets on himself, claiming that it would heighten students' interest, while another rambled on about the occult and magic whenever he got the opportunity.

The teacher that was currently lecturing them was one of the latter kind. There was no doubt that Miyahara-sensei knew what she was talking about but, her infatuation of seeing the artistic beauty in numbers and equations often enticed her to proclaim her love for it out loud. It was one thing to be able to stimulate a student's interest in a field of study but this? This was borderline ridiculous.

It did not help that his Personas were calling out to him. He could feel them raging under his skin like a violent storm. Minato had no idea where the others had come from but they were there with Orpheus, waiting for a fight and a pull of the trigger. They wanted to emerge. To breath. To taste Shadow blood.

But there was nothing in their cries that could help explain the questions he wanted answered. Why did everything happen the way it did since he returned to Iwatodai? Why was it familiar to see that Shadow on the dorm's rooftop? Why did he have more than one Persona? It was even more frustrating than the challenge question Miyahara-sensei had set for them on the blackboard and the continuous echo of whispers that told him they wanted to play just wouldn't shut up.

This is not the time now damn it!

"Whoa dude, what do you mean it ain't time for lunch?"

Sitting upright, Minato opened his eyes to see Junpei and Yukari standing next to him with strange looks on their faces. He glanced around to make sure that he was really awake and met the suspicious eyes of his other classmates.

"What I meant to say was, I'm not hungry," Minato said, smiling sheepishly. "Those protein drinks in the fridge are really something."

"Sure they are," Yukari replied, narrowing her eyes. "You alright? Maybe you should head to the nurse's office if you're not feeling well. I mean, considering what happened the other day..."

She of course was referring to their most recent trip to Tartarus. They made it a routine to visit the tower every second or third night (only when Mitsuru was around, she wouldn't let them go if she wasn't) and the day before yesterday marked their third consecutive visit. Minato would have gone a fourth time, much to Akihiko's delight, but his proposal was rebutted by Junpei and Yukari; the former arguing that all that training wasn't worth the loss of a good night's sleep, and the latter reminding him that they were still students and needed to keep up with their studies. Maybe it was a good thing he had agreed with them as if he was already this groggy, a fourth visit would have probably sent him right back to hospital.

With those nurses.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You two go on without me. I don't think my nap during class was enough," Minato replied, gesturing for them to leave.

The moment the words left his mouth was the moment the door at the front of the classroom slid open. Normally, no one would have paid any heed since it was lunchbreak and there was a high amount of traffic, with students moving in and out of the room. But this time, it was different. Because when Mitsuru stepped into the classroom, a sense of authority swept across the room like a tidal wave. Students who were telling inappropriate jokes and the latest gossip cut off in mid sentence, students who were pretending to study immediately buried their heads in their textbooks, and students who admired the Kirijo heiress just stared. Yukari and Junpei were equally as stupefied at how the room went from chaos to order and both shot an anxious glance at Minato.

She's probably just doing her rounds as Student Council President.

Minato leaned back in his chair, unaware of the looks his friends were giving him, and let his eyes follow her as she looked and walked around. For some reason he knew not the answer to, the room seemed to have brightened upon her entrance. Perhaps it was the way she moved with the grace of a fashion model, her hips swaying from side to side in a motion that was not too subtle and not too exaggerated. Or the way her heeled boots clicked and clacked, and clacked and clicked, on the tiled floor as she walked. He could only imagine what it would be like to witness such elegance on the battlefield and was so lost in his thoughts that it took a moment for him to realize that she had stopped by his desk.

The world around him froze and the room plunged into a silence so deep that Minato swore he could hear the ticking of the clock's seconds hand. And that was far away, above the blackboard that was about five or six desks down from where he was sitting.

He blinked and lifted his gaze to meet hers, trying to remain calm amid all the stares he had garnered, Junpei and Yukari's included. He had been a fool thinking he could avoid something like this. It did not matter how stealthy he was, fate would always find him and throw him a curveball like it always had. The way she looked at him with welcoming eyes and a warm smile was not very consoling either. Instead of making him blush and his heart thump like mad, it only served to amplify his annoyance. At the murmuring of his Personas and at the fact that everyone in the room envied him even more.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Kirijo-senpai?" Minato asked, standing up. As uncomfortable as he was with using such formality, he knew he had no other choice. Using her first name would be suicidal.

"Arisato, I'm sorry to bother you at this time but I need to speak with you after school, " she said, ignoring his formality. And the stares. "I have a special request for you."

"What kind of request?"

"It's something of mutual interest and I don't feel comfortable asking anyone else. I'll tell you more after school, okay?"

"Sure," he replied, though he couldn't help but think about what she meant by those words. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Tres bien. I'll come get you when I'm ready."

And she turned on her heel, the crowd of students who had gathered around them ensuring to make a path for her, and left the room. Seconds after her exit, the boys in the crowd reverted their attention to Minato and shot him a glare that made him feel as if his skin was being pierced like a laser cutting through steel.

"What was that all about?" Yukari asked, turning to face Minato with a look that mirrored the other students'.

"I dunno," Junpei answered. "Tray Ben? What is that, French?" He sighed. "Lousy seniors and their lousy French."

"That's not what I meant."

Their voices were blocked out by the surge of curiosity that established itself in his mind. Something she was only comfortable with him doing? Minato knew Mitsuru probably meant well but from the way his classmates stared at him even during the remainder of his classes, he had the feeling that they all thought otherwise. He supposed it was natural for them to get the wrong idea and his suspicions were correct because when the final lesson of the day was over, a couple of them decided to approach his desk. But before the war of words began, Junpei stood up from his seat and waved them off.

"Hey now, we don't need to start a fight," he said. "I'm sure it's nothing, probably just senpai askin' him to check out somethin' she doesn't have time for."

"Oh you think so huh?" a student with glasses replied. "But what if isn't? What if–"

"Seriously dude, you gotta chill."

The student backed down from Junpei but then gave Minato a pressing look. "Fine. But I'm keeping an eye on you."

"If you feel the need to then by all means," Minato said, keeping his poker face.

As the student stormed out of the room with his posse of friends, there was a ring of a cell phone. Minato reached for his and flipped it open to see a message. From Mitsuru.

I will be late, the message said. If you don't mind, could you please head into the room opposite Class 2-E and wait for me there?

Minato glanced around and ensuring that no onlookers could see who the message was from (he was sure that they would kill him for her number), he replied he would. He then stood up, told Junpei and Yukari that there was a change of plans, and was about to leave for the designated room when someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Junpei.

"Just a word of advice," he said in a low voice, "be careful. I'm sure you know by now but our Mitsuru-senpai has a lot of admirers." He paused for a moment, glancing over Minato's shoulder at another group of students who were giving them long stares.

Minato turned to look at them too, figuring that the mere mention of her name was the catalyst, and shot a glare back. The group of students were taken aback at the intensity of his stare and turning their backs to him, they resumed their conversation.

Junpei cleared his throat and continued in that same quiet voice. "Anyway, the fact that she asked you of all people to do something for her is gonna make a lotta people pretty mad. Now, I've only been here for a year but I've seen how ugly it can get. You don't want to be caught up in that mess. So if I were you, I'd do whatever she wants you to do and be done with it. You get what I'm saying?"

"I got it," Minato promised. "Thanks for the advice."

He then exited the room and made his way down the hallway, fully aware that he was being watched by his classmates as well as several other students in the vicinity who had caught wind of what had transpired during lunchbreak. Upon reaching the door to the room opposite Class 2-E, Minato slid it open and entered. Inside was another classroom, the desks arranged into a long table that resembled those in a corporate meeting room. Two students were already seated and they looked up at his arrival.

The girl who was furthest away from where he was standing had a pale complexion, long dark hair, and wore a pair of black rimmed glasses. The boy who was directly opposite her had swept back grayish hair and a face that looked as if he was scowling at something. As he stood up and approached, Minato noticed that he was wearing a yellow armband with an inscription on his left arm. That said Student Council.

She wants me to do something for the Student Council? Why?

"You're not allowed in here you know," the boy said. "Student Council members only."

"Oh well I did not know that," Minato said with a shrug. "Mitsuru-senpai told me to wait for her here so that's what I'm doing."

"She said that did she? How do I know you're not lying?"

Minato opened his mouth but the girl spoke first.

"Um, Odagiri-senpai," she said, "I think that's–"

"Please don't interrupt me when I'm the middle of interrogating Chihiro!" the boy called Odagiri snapped. "As I was saying, how do I– Kirijo-san?"

Minato turned to his left and found himself looking into a pair of beautiful red eyes. He felt his cheeks rise in temperature and immediately directed his gaze at the blackboard in the room. The night of his arrival, in the dim lighting of the dorm's foyer, he hadn't been able to see those eyes with such clarity. I didn't know how lucky I was.

"It's okay Odagiri," Mitsuru said, closing the door, "I told him to meet me here."

Hidetoshi's expression softened, or what looked anything like it since his scowl was still there, and he went back to his seat, muttering an apology. Minato sighed and espied Mitsuru flashing him a small smile as she made her way to the head of the table. Next thing I know, she's going to make me join the Student Council.

"I apologize for making you all wait," Mitsuru said, folding her arms. "I got caught up speaking to the Principal regarding the courtyard that may be demolished. But enough about that, let's get down to business." She let her eyes rest on Minato. "Arisato, the reason I have brought you here is because I would like you to join the Student Council."

Minato blinked and let her words sink in. Did he hear her correctly? He averted his eyes from her gaze and let them wander, trying to process her proposal. Even though the idea had occurred to him, he had to admit it was still unexpected, and definitely not his first choice for an extracurricular activity. If his short amount of time at Gekkoukan had proven anything, it was that he was more well hated than well liked by his classmates. And by nearly every other student in the school for that matter. But when he looked back at Mitsuru and realized she was serious, his heart sank and pounded like a hammer at the same time.

"It's an honor Mitsuru-senpai but why?" Minato asked.

"Being President is very time consuming and I find myself in the need of an assistant," Mitsuru replied. "Someone who is able to lend a hand in the event of an emergency, and keep me updated with Council affairs as well as my other concerns. Of course, if you feel that it's not something you're comfortable with, then you're most welcome not to join."

Minato noticed her wink and upon realizing what those 'other concerns' were, he tried not to smile.

Him.

On the Student Council Executive.

As Mitsuru-senpai's personal assistant.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear Junpei shouting at him to decline the offer right now. You don't want to be caught up in that mess he had said, and do whatever she wants you to do and be done with it. But now that Minato knew the details of Mitsuru's request, he knew he just could not be 'done with it'. Oh no. If he accepted, he was in it for the long haul.

"You must be pretty talented if the President hand-picked you," Hidetoshi remarked as he eyed Minato. "It's rare for her to do that."

"You shouldn't worry about that Odagiri," Mitsuru said in an attempt to quell his doubts. It didn't quell his scowl though. "Arisato knows what it's like to be a leader and is proficient at adapting to different situations." She turned her attention back to Minato. "If you decide to take my offer, you will be working with me, and alongside those in the Student Council Executive Committee, which includes my colleagues here. I'll let them speak for themselves."

The girl with glasses stood up and bowed. "I'm Fushimi Chihiro, the Treasurer. I'm a sophomore, and um, I'm still learning the ropes so...please be patient with me Minato-senpai." Her face turned bright pink as she finished speaking and she sat back down, her eyes fixated on the papers in front of her.

Minato bowed and turned to Hidetoshi.

"You probably know by now but I'm Odagiri Hidetoshi," he said. "I supervise the Disciplinary Committee. There's a couple more of us you'll need to be acquainted with if you do join but unfortunately, they had other commitments to make today."

"In any case," Mitsuru said, "you now know where to find us so I'll give you some time to think it over." She then took her eyes off Minato and was about to say something when he spoke.

"There's no need," Minato said, causing Chihiro and Hidetoshi's eyes to widen. "Because I'll take the position. Is there any paperwork I need to sign?"

Mitsuru smiled and gestured for Hidetoshi to grab the necessary documents.

The blue haired boy knew of the consequences. He knew of the issues that his decision would eventually bring about. But he did not care. He was already helping her fight the Shadows, and if that was already dangerous, then adding a little more danger would only make life more interesting. And yes, maybe he was walking into a death trap and maybe it would blow up in his face one day. But it didn't matter.

Because when such opportunities came, you took them.

The amount of paperwork was surprising to say the least. Just a few signatures here and there and it was done. He was officially her assistant. The meeting was over a few minutes later but before he could freely head off, there were still matters that needed to be settled. Matters that related to S.E.E.S. Closing the door to the council headquarters behind him, he followed Mitsuru through the now empty hallways, out the school doors, and down the entrance pathway to the front gate. He was about to ask her where they were going when a sleek black limousine pulled up by the curb. It appeared to be the same one that she had used to bail him out of hospital a week earlier.

He entered the limousine after seeing Mitsuru gesture, the smell of polished leather filling the air. The scent changed as Mitsuru took a seat opposite him and his nose tickled in adjusting to her familiar but subtle scent of spice and luxurious florals.

"So, we're not going back to that hospital again are we?" he asked a few minutes after the limousine had started moving.

Mitsuru chuckled. "No, we're not. As I won't be in the dorm tonight, I thought that this would be the best way to discuss matters regarding work that concerns you." She reached underneath her seat, brought out a familiar silver briefcase, and passed it to him. "Here, this is yours. Tailored specifically to your request."

Minato took out his Evoker, now a glossy charcoal grey instead of the default alabaster silver, and raised it to his temple to test the modifications. As he had requested, it was lighter, with the left-handed grip fitting perfectly in the groove of his palm.

"This is perfect," he said, lowering the Evoker. "Thank you."

"You're most welcome," Mitsuru replied. "Make sure you take care of it."

Minato nodded trying his best not to think about how well those slight dimples suited her understanding smile. It was difficult, and her scent did nothing except pull him deeper into holding her gaze. He tried to say something, anything to break the spell, but he knew that there was nothing more that needed to be said on the matter. The gateway to his inner psyche was precious and its importance was something that needed no words. Summoning what willpower he had, Minato averted his eyes from hers and placed his Evoker back in the briefcase. When he did, the hushed echoes of his Personas began once again. It was louder than before and this time, he could hear their voices rolling around in his mind like thrown dice.

Moon. Shadow. Twelve. Fall. Death.

The words went on in an endless loop, sometimes in the same order, sometimes in a different order. But for some reason, 'Death' always came last. He shut his eyes in an effort to make it stop but only found himself being plunged further into the void, where the cacophony of chanting voices continued to crescendo.

Then he heard another voice. One that was not loud enough to drown out that of his Personas, but different enough for him to distinguish between the two.

"Arisato! Are you alright?"

Minato awoke from the void and once again found himself staring into Mitsuru's eyes. Seeing them even closer than before was an agonizing joy and when she pulled back and let go of his shoulder, a concerned look on her face, the part of him that yearned to be lost in her beauty only intensified.

"I...I...What happened?" he asked, placing a hand to his temple and wincing when he moved his head. Was it his Personas that were causing the headache?

"Don't scare me like that," Mitsuru said with a sigh. When Minato raised an eyebrow, she continued, "You started mumbling to yourself ever since you put your Evoker down, saying something about the moon and death. You don't remember?"

Minato thought hard. He remembered the voices. But he didn't remember mumbling. "I'm not sure if this is the right time to speak of this but..." He trailed off, unsure of whether to continue, but Mitsuru gestured for him to keep going. "Well, there's something unusual about my Personas." He then proceeded to describe everything he could. How his Personas churned under his skin. How they whispered to him. Even the five words that they repeatedly said. He tried to be as detailed as possible and when he was done, Mitsuru looked even paler than before.

"To be frank, I don't know what to tell you," she said after some time. "Hearing the thoughts and voices of your Persona isn't strange and if it has become more apparent than usual, it usually means that a summoning is overdue. But in your case, it's possible that it has something to do with having more than one. Is this the first time it has happened?"

"If you mean to this extent, then I think so," Minato said, nodding. "I knew the others were there since the first time we came back from Tartarus but, I don't remember them being this restless."

"I see. Do you have them under control?"

The stern look she gave made him hesitate. He knew this was serious but Mitsuru seemed to be afraid of something, her tone reminding him of what Akihiko had mentioned on the night he and Junpei joined S.E.E.S.

"For now, yes," he assured her, feeling the limousine stop moving. Minato glanced out the window to his left and realized that they were in front of the dorm.

"If time allows, I'll have a look into it with Akihiko and the Chairman," she said as they exited the limousine and walked up the pathway to the dorm together. "I have a hunch that what they feel is linked to how you feel so in the meantime, try not to do anything that will agitate you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes I do Mitsuru-senpai," he replied.

"Good. It's probably best that we don't speak of this to Takeba or Iori just in case. If you have any concerns, only let either myself or Akihiko know. It has taken us quite a while to build up a team this large and the last thing I want is a schism, or you being unable to perform your duties as field leader."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Mitsuru nodded and turned to return to the limousine. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave. See you tomorrow."

Later that evening, Minato returned to his room and set down the briefcase on his bed, opening it once more to reveal the Evoker inside. The gateway to them. It was a strange way of describing something that resembled a handgun. Wondering if there was some correlation between their calls and how close he was to an invocation, he placed the glossy black barrel against his temple and curled his finger around the trigger.

The Dark Hour struck.

He squeezed.

And nothing happened.

No bright blue flashes of light, no shattering of the mind. Just the ongoing swirl of voices that resonated in the back of his mind, which, to his surprise, did not rise in volume. That was odd. If the Evoker was supposed to be a gateway, then why was it not opening? All the variables were there. His Personas were restless and he wanted them to come out. So what was blocking the road?

"Hi, how've you been?"

That voice. He knew that voice. Pivoting, he saw the little boy in those same pajamas sitting on his study chair.

"You again? How did you get in?" Minato asked, Evoker in hand.

"What kind of welcome is that?" the boy replied with a pout. "Besides, I'm always with you. Anyway, I have come to tell you that three days from now, there will be a full moon. A new ordeal will be waiting for you."

"What kind of ordeal?"

"You will encounter one of THEM," he said, teleporting to the base of the door. "I'll come see you again when it's over. Goodbye for now."

He was gone in the blink of an eye. Whether he had used the same disappearing trick as before or actually the door this time, Minato hadn't the slightest clue.

A new ordeal, a full moon...Moon...Moon?

Moon. Shadow. Twelve. Fall. Death.

MOON. FULL MOON.

Minato loosened his grip on his Evoker and heard it thump on the wooden floor. His Personas were not chanting nonsense like he had thought. They were chanting the answers.