Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3—or any version of the Persona series, really. I just own this rather shameless piece of work.

Other Notes: Stormy Cloudz: This chapter has a rather pivotal scene for Junpei so I think I'll address your review for chapter 10 here. I think an interesting part of Junpei's characterization that often gets a lot of flak from the fandom is how "real" he is (Yukari has a similar reputation). It's normal for people to get jealous and the like, so the fact that he gives such honest reactions to what the MC can do is refreshing. I wanted Symbiosis's Junpei to still have those pieces of him, but because Minato is as inexperienced as he is and struggled alongside him and Yukari as opposed to taking to Personas like a duck to water, he had less to compete with and thus less reason to rush ahead to prove himself (though he does anyway). It's still very much a part of him and I imagine he struggles a lot with himself beyond what Minato's point of view can see, but as this Minato is more open, I'd like to think that his inherently nice guy personality would react in kind.

Symbiosis

Chapter Nineteen

Tamamo had been ready the moment the Arcana Hierophant's mask was shattered.

One arm lifted above her head, hand splayed, she summoned forth the shield she'd developed with Minato's help. It was much like the barrier she'd constructed over his mind, meant to ward him from the intensely negative emotions and memories that would drag him down. By using that as a base, she had built up from it, speaking with Orpheus and the other Personas and watching them utilize their abilities to know what she had to block out, just like with negative thoughts.

It had taken her a while to learn how each skill worked in order to guard against it, from the offensive spells to status ailments. And it had taken longer, all the way until this last battle, to learn how to sufficiently guard more than just Minato. She had taken a page from the final battle in the game, during which the other characters sent him their support and strength in order to withstand Nyx's attacks. After all, bonds were two-way, and just because Minato held the Wild Card did not mean he was the only one to reap the benefits of them. Still, learning how to send her power properly down each Link took time and effort, especially as they were not fully realized just yet. But she had done it, through sheer force of will, in her need to be useful beyond what limited information she could give.

And now, as Minato faced the mirror, Tamamo was ready. She focused her power and sent it out, holding the Social Links for SEES, Yukari, Junpei, and Akihiko in one hand. Channeling her spiritual energy down the bonds that connected his soul to theirs. Enveloping them under her protection by using the Links as a pathway to their minds.

Distantly, she could feel them prodding back—Io, Hermes, and Polydeuces—and tried to send them as much reassurance as she could. Thankfully, none of them pulled away. Perhaps they recognized her presence as what had shielded them in the fight before. Whatever the case, she was thankful and held her ground, waiting.

When the Arcana Lovers broke loose from the mirror, invading their minds like a heavy fog, she pushed back with everything she had to maintain the barrier. It fractured under the initial impact, as it was only built for a single hit, so she had to concentrate in order to hold it all together and keep it steady against the intrusion. She forced herself to ignore Minato's panic when his vision went black, his body transported away from the room under the Shadow's power.

"I don't think so, you son of a bitch," she growled, watching as the Shadow pushed against her barrier, black mist creeping down all around it in search of a weak point. The threads of the Social Links burned in her hand—the danger threatening their safety relaying back to her; a fight on multiple grounds—but she held fast to them, keeping them safe beneath her shield. "This is my territory."

Her arm started to buckle under the strain. Defiant, she relaxed her stance for a brief second before shoving back again.

"Do not resist…" a foreign voice whispered, emanating from the fog. If she looked closely, she could see the Shadow's heart-shaped silhouette in its midst, skirting the boundary of Minato's mind as it tried get in. "Give in… Let your desire free you from your shackles…"

The skin on the back of her hand chipped, like glass, black cracks webbing out. Tamamo hissed as pain flared out from the wound, but refused to give in to the fear that began to spread through her chest. She would stand her ground, wouldn't give in—not for anything. Even if it broke her body to pieces once again. "Don't give me that crap! Like I ever would!"

Something approached her from behind, but before she could even chance a look back, a familiar, white-gloved hand covered her own.

"Orpheus!" she exclaimed, shocked. After months of being in the Persona's presence, she would recognize that helping hand any day. "What the—but how did you show up on your own!?"

"I did not," the Persona replied mildly. "You are in danger, so I answered your call. Now, let us expel this fiend from our mind."

Bewildered, but with much more pressing things at hand, Tamamo nodded. She glared up at the Shadow. "Okay. I've got a little trick up my sleeve. Mind if I use you for a bit, buddy?"

"My power is ever at your disposal," Orpheus responded.

Smiling, Tamamo summoned up the same spark she'd been practicing weeks ago, before the shield came into development. It crackled above her hand now, that held up the shield and which Orpheus supported. High above them, the Shadow shifted against the shield, pressure easing as the lightning built up in her hands.

"Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows," she recited as she steadily added in her power. Because why the hell not? "Buried in the stream of time—and I don't remember this part of the incantation, but—let all the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess!"

Pouring in all the strength she could at the last moment, she let the ball of lightning go. It hurtled upwards, a stream of light trailing behind it, through the shield and into the fog. There, it exploded, light engulfing the Shadow's mental presence. Branches of the lightning streaked outwards, all throughout the fog the Shadow created, illuminating it from within. With an inhuman shriek, the Arcana Lovers disappeared, expelling itself from Minato's mind. In her other hand, Tamamo felt the Social Links relax, the danger gone from their ends as well.

Lowering her damaged hand, Tamamo heaved a sigh of relief only to wince in pain when her eyes stung. She rubbed at them, wondering why they had suddenly become so sensitive. Then again, she supposed that the light show that had gone on not moments before might have irritated her gaze somehow. The right, given its lighter color, was highly sensitive, it seemed. Still, she blinked up at Orpheus, sending him a lopsided smile. "Not really the Dragon Slave, but it definitely worked!"

It was just too bad that she couldn't pull off something that amazing outside of Minato's head. Yet. She was certainly trying, but it was much more difficult to manifest power outside as opposed to the mindscape. Even with Orpheus coaching her.

"Indeed," was the Persona's simple reply.

"Minato-kun! Wake up!"

With a gasp, Minato shot up from where he lay sprawled on the floor. "What—?"

Both Yukari and Fuuka's voice gave a sigh of relief.

"Thank god," Yukari said. "I think we were all knocked out when we were transported. I woke up about a minute ago." She frowned. "Fuuka? How are Junpei and Akihiko-senpai? Are they okay?"

"Yes, I heard them respond not too long ago," Fuuka confirmed. "It looks like you all were transported out at the same time, but you were separated into pairs. Which is a good thing because I can sense that normal Shadows have started manifesting in the hotel halls now…"

Yukari groaned. "Seriously? Geez, this sucks!"

"How are you and Mitsuru doing? Did they pass you by in front?" Minato asked, alarmed.

"We're fine," Fuuka hurriedly reassured him. "It seems they just started manifesting in the hotel itself. Perhaps that other Shadow called them there…"

Shaking her head, Yukari looked back down at Minato. "Are you good to go? Looks like we should regroup with them as soon as possible."

Minato nodded, pushing himself up. Looking around, he found his sword lying a little to the side and grabbed it, checking it over to make sure it was still in good enough condition for battle. Once he was certain it was fine, he led the way to the door and stepped out, Yukari following him. She closed the door behind them before readying her bow.

"That Shadow's power is blanketing the whole building," Fuuka murmured. "But I'm pretty sure it's in that one room you were in before. However, it seems to have sealed the door somehow, so I'm not sure how you'll be able to get in… I'll try to find out how to break the seal. In the meantime, please join the others. They're on the floor above you."

Minato wondered vaguely if she was going to try to consult Tamamo somehow. But speaking of… Tamamo? Are you all right? I heard you before I blacked out.

"All's well," his Other replied, though she winced. "Damn thing tried to break in, but we put a stop to it. Go kick its ass the rest of the way for me, would you?"

'We'?

"Ah, yeah. Orpheus is a sweetheart. Regular hero, that guy. I can see how he'd be able to brave the underworld for his wife. Y'know, outside of the whole undying love thing." She paused. "Oh… I think Fuuka really is trying to contact me. Excuse me."

Relieved she was unharmed as well and deciding to leave the brainstorming to them, he hurried with Yukari to the staircase.

Akihiko and Junpei met them halfway up.

"Good, you're both all right," Akihiko said as they climbed back up. "Fuuka told us you were on the first floor and suggested we regroup, so we figured we'd try to find you or at least meet halfway."

Minato nodded. "She told us the same. What's your guys' status?"

"No injuries here," Junpei reported. "Looks like that thing just teleported us out and barricaded the door to save itself." He snorted. "Coward."

"Let's just be thankful that we weren't injured in the process." Yukari sighed. "And that it was too stupid to transport us further than a few bedrooms."

As they stepped onto the second floor, Fuuka's voice reached them. "The mirrors," she told them distantly. "There seem to be certain mirrors that you'll need to break in order to remove the seal on the door…"

Minato tilted his head when she paused. Was she being told the information right then?

"Try to search for mirrors like the one in that room," she eventually continued. "If they don't show your reflection, I think they might be the mirrors we're looking for."

He was just about to ask when Tamamo filled him in, "I remembered. Yukari mentioning the lack of reflection helped."

Accepting it for what it was, he led the group around the floor, breaking into the different rooms and trying to find the mirrors that lacked their reflection. The first few rooms held normal mirrors, but as they made their way around a corner, they finally found one that fairly reeked of the Shadow's presence. Minato gestured for the others to back away before striking at the mirror with his sword. The glass broke, and a black mist lifted from the cracks before dissipating.

"That's one," Fuuka reported. "I can feel the seal weakening, but it's still there. I think there's another mirror on the floor above you."

Glad to make progress, they made their way out and around, avoiding the Shadows that caught sight of them and chased them. They were slightly more difficult to avoid, as the halls in the hotel were much more narrow than the corridors of Tartarus, but thankfully the team was quick at maneuvering around (and occasionally, over) them. They slipped up the stairs to the third floor, unhindered.

From there, it was another routine circuit around the rooms, trying to find a mirror without a reflection. Once they did, it was a simple matter of breaking it.

"That should do it!" Fuuka exclaimed. "You should be able to fight the Shadow now!"

"I wonder how the hotel staff are gonna explain the suddenly broken mirrors," Junpei said, contemplating the broken glass. Without the Shadow's influence, it returned to normal and showed their reflections, distorted by the damage.

"…Mitsuru will probably take care of it," was Akihiko's answer.

"Won't that be an awkward check to write out and explain," Yukari muttered.

Ignoring them, Minato led the way back to the suite door, bursting in without further fanfare. As his teammates followed suit, they all paused, surprised, when they found the Shadow, shaped like a giant inflated heart with wings, struggling to keep itself afloat in the air.

"What the… it looks like it's half dead already!" Junpei exclaimed.

Yukari scowled. "You say that like it's a bad thing!"

"Well, I just… Isn't that weird to you?"

"It might've been the seals," Akihiko reasoned. "And anyway, stop fighting each other so we can just take care of this already. This has gone on long enough…"

The brunette huffed. "You can say that again… Let's get this over with already. I'm tired of being in this disgusting place."

"Let's try to get it out of the air so we can reach it with our weapons if need be," Minato suggested, getting right into tactics. "If it falls and we get a shot at the mask, great. If not, just focus on whittling it down. Fuuka, can you get a scan?"

"I've got it," Fuuka replied. "It doesn't seem to have any resistances besides light and dark, but there are no weaknesses, either…"

"Well, that makes things a little easier," Minato murmured.

"Um, also, I… er, I thought about looking in further and I think I might know a little of what it can do…" their navigator added nervously, much to their surprise. "It's faint, but I think it can use fire spells. Judging by its earlier actions in separating you all, it's likely that it also prefers to hinder your ability to work together. Please, be careful."

"Fuuka, that's amazing!" Yukari breathed.

"Fire, huh? But with no strengths or weaknesses, we won't have to worry about a wrong type of attack landing. Junpei," Minato paused, making sure he had the other boy's attention before continuing, "go all out. I'll back you up. Yukari, Akihiko-senpai, do what you can, but focus on support, please." A round of nods followed his words. "Whenever you're ready, Junpei."

Four simultaneous gunshots rang through the large room as their Personas took their place on the battlefield beside their users. Junpei took off, encouraged by his orders, with Hermes flying above him. The Arcana Lovers fluttered in the air and, though the mask remained unmoved, it gave off a distinctly frantic air as the assault began.

"Don't worry if it seems to be using a non-attacking spell," Tamamo took the time to reassure him as he ran up to cover Junpei's back. "I've got it handled."

Your shield can block the attacks that mess with our heads? he asked, mildly surprised.

"Technically, they all mess with your heads. But yes, I made it for full nullification and went through a crash course in status ailments with your Personas to do it," she replied primly. Given how many skills his Personas were capable of—not to mention how many he acquired over time—he winced sympathetically at the implications of just how long she'd been studying. "I won't be able to block everything since the shield destabilizes after one solid attack, but I'll have it up when it matters."

In other words, count on you, but don't slack off?

"Indeed. Now, go on or Junpei will steal all the glory."

He can have it, he said, but followed anyway, helping the other teen tear up the Shadow's wings to render it grounded. From there, the fight was almost embarrassingly easy.

After the second Shadow's defeat, Junpei trailed behind the others as they left the love hotel, too caught up in his thoughts to feel relief at another operation over and done with. Once the adrenaline of battle faded, he couldn't help but think back over the entire encounter, something nagging at him in the back of his mind.

Fuuka and Mitsuru greeted them once they got out, congratulating them all on a job well done. Junpei barely heard them, eyes trailing over his teammates until they fell on the back of Minato's head.

And it clicked.

During the first battle against that seriously fat Shadow, it had attacked them all with the higher-tired Mazionga spell. None of them had been able to dodge. He saw that with his own eyes. He'd seen the lightning fall down on him and Akihiko, watched as Yukari curled up and covered her head with both hands as if it would help. But when it was over, none of them had been hit. It was such a shock that they'd all looked at each other in wonder—except Minato.

Junpei hands clenched. Something burned in his chest, and he felt all the worse for knowing exactly what it was.

Sure, Junpei had his moment as a hero with the monorail, saving the other guy from falling to his death. But after that? It was all his show. Him, Minato, with the fancy Persona shuffling. It wasn't enough that he was made leader, but he had to show them all up at the same time.

Like with Fuuka. The damn Shadow was weak to something only Yukari could use. She was out of the fight, but she wasn't out of range. And yet what did he do? He pummeled the damn thing himself before any of them could do much else. And now this. Junpei hadn't even seen him cast any spell to protect them and yet they were all saved by his hand.

It figured that just when Junpei thought he could be different, could be something other than his deadbeat dad's son whose only real skill was baseball, there was still someone else better than he was.

"All right! We should head back, too," Yukari's voice brought him back to the present. She and Fuuka stood opposite of them, clearly intent on returning to the dorm. "Junpei, Minato-kun, you coming?"

Minato took a step forward.

Before Junpei could think about what he was doing, his hand shot out to grasp his shoulder. When he saw Yukari and Fuuka looking at them in surprise, he forced a grin onto his face. "We'll catch up, Yuka-tan. You ladies go on ahead."

They looked unsure, but left, shooting glances over their shoulders until they were out of sight.

Minato turned, expression questioning. "Did you need something?"

Junpei took a moment to look over the other boy, conflicted.

It would be so easy to hate him, he thought. The guy was so freaking lazy when not leading a team (and sometimes even then). He wouldn't stir up trouble if Junpei took his frustration out on him. He'd probably just let it drift past, let him cool down a bit, and then accept it when Junpei talked to him again, as if he didn't even notice him acting a different way. He would let Junpei be Stupei (goddammit, Yuka-tan) and not let it affect anything in his bubble of a life.

It would be so easy.

"Jun—"

"You know, you really piss me off sometimes," Junpei confessed. He heard the other boy's mouth click shut. "You've got all these talents, but you never brag about it. More than half the time, it's like you live under a rock, but you can be quick when you want to be. And then when there's a fight, you do all this amazing shit with your Personas, but you don't own up to it. Like it's just some normal thing for you." He forced himself to laugh. "God, it makes me wanna strangle you or something, y'know? It's so unfair it's not even funny, man."

He could be everything Junpei wanted to be. But it was like he didn't even care.

"I didn't ask for this," Minato began, and this time Junpei really laughed.

"Yeah, I know. That's why it sucks." Removing his cap, Junpei ran a hand over his short hair before resting it on the back of his neck. "I… overheard what you said in Tartarus a while back. Before we saved Fuuka. I mean, it was over the little communicator thing Mitsuru-senpai had so you probably already know, and… well. I just wanna say that I get it. You had a rough time and I get it. But I still can't help getting all jealous because you're the leader and the designated hero and I'm… well, me."

Minato made no move to reply, so Junpei was left to think. It was uncomfortable to feel the weight of his gaze, so he let out a relieved sigh when Minato turned to look elsewhere.

It would be so very easy to hate Minato Arisato. The mysterious and good-looking transfer student that still managed to turn heads even when he said nothing at all.

But…

But he'd gotten enough of that crap before, Junpei knew. So much that he admitted he'd up and stopped caring about the shit people said about him and to him until he came to Port Island. And as much as Junpei wanted to hate him, as much as he could just turn away and act like a total asshole until he could calm down again… The idea of adding to that experience just made him sort of sick. Especially since the guy probably would just take it without blinking.

Because he was used to it.

That was just plain sad. And Junpei… well, Junpei had always vowed to not be like his dad. If he got angry, it wasn't gonna be for something stupid.

"I guess I just wanted to say that. Let you know and all. Since you said your piece for everyone to hear." In a way, Junpei was still trying to emulate him. Like trying to figure out how someone worked by doing the same things they did. And maybe it was a bit of a subtle competition as well, to see if he could do what their leader could. If he could be just as brave not only in battle, but out of it. "C'mon, let's head back. The others are probably wondering if we got attacked on the way or something by now."

He hurried on ahead after shoving his cap back on, trying not to go too fast that it looked like he was fleeing. He probably failed, seeing as how it was really damn awkward to walk beside the other guy after speaking his mind like that.

It was only when Minato spoke up from behind him that he slowed down to listen. "You can still be a hero."

Junpei blinked, looking over his shoulder. "What?"

Minato kept walking, his gait slow with his hands shoved customarily in his pockets. He gave a one-shouldered shrug. "You can still be a hero," he repeated. "Stories never really have just one, you know. It just depends on the point of view."

And, as Junpei watched, dumbfounded, as the other boy kept walking… his lips pulled up in a grin. Tugging at his cap to ensure it stayed on, he ran after his friend, laughing. "Ha! That's right, isn't it? We'll be regular partners against crime! Just you and me, bro! Takin' on the world… Yeah!"

It wasn't a perfect fix. He knew that. He had a lot of issues to work on. Jealousy didn't just disappear overnight.

But it was an olive branch. An acknowledgment that the other guy had heard him loud and clear, but was still willing to put up with him. Like hell he wasn't going to take that.