For those that want more Persona content, here ya go.
This chapter was surprisingly easy to write, I'd been at 8k before I uploaded yesterdays chs, and finished it a few hours after uploading them.
I wonder if I did right by all these guys.
{Martha's POV two weeks later}
(If Marcus, Valerie and Risa could see me now, I wonder what they would think?) Idly brushing a few strands of my daughter's hair aside, I smiled as she squirmed a little in my lap, letting out a faint 'mumumuuu', as she did. Truly, my little bunny was adorable, but I couldn't help but wonder what my original children would think seeing this. (Risa would most likely be as smitten with Cynthia as I am, though she would most likely try hiding her infatuation under a mien of indifference. Valerie wouldn't care to hide her adoration of this little one, and would probably abduct her for 'nefarious' purposes. Marcus would probably die due to the amount of diabetes he'd gain in her presence...) Thinking about it like that, I realized they wouldn't exactly react much differently then those I lived with did... (Fascinating.) I mentally snorted, and went back to working a new Enchantment onto my main weapon.
At the moment, my Genesis was in its first form, an obsidian Bardiche that gleamed a beautiful onyx in the light. Excluding the Enchantment I was currently weaving onto it, Genesis had another three forms, a chain I would wear on my free arm, a Staff for when I was in a more magic heavy fight or situation, and a bow for LONG ranged situations. There were more forms I wished to give it, forms that I would be basing off the anime I'd gained the idea from, but it would be a while before my Genesis would match up with the Fairy King's spear.
With the Enchantment I was putting onto my chosen weapon, it would hopefully gain the form of a Kusarigama. The chained scythe was an interesting weapon, one that had fallen out of use long ago, and would be perfect for another melee weapon form considering any enemies I faced would be unsure of how to deal with it. (And, it can also work with my style. If I make it so wrapping the weighted projectile portion of it would slowly sap the targets strength, or would apply some sort of debuff, then it would fit my style even more.) I knew I would most likely do both, and then some, but those were the starting thoughts that I could build on later.
My thoughts aside, I hummed as I felt the Enchantment seep into my weapon, clicking into place with the other Enchantments. It had surprised me when I'd learned just how receptive to magic obsidian was, but I gladly used it to my advantage. (Now then, let's see ho...-) My phone vibrated, and I blinked when it did so again. (Is something happening?) Curious, I picked it up, and after unlocking it, saw that the source of the texts was Futaba... Who had linked a news report? (Interesting.)
Opening the link, Futaba knew better then to send us suspicious links, I paused at the headline. ('Former Olympic Gold Medalist confesses his crimes.') I mentally reread that title a few times, then nodded when it sunk in.
Reading the article, I recognized what this was thanks to Tara. (They've conquered the first Palace...) I'd waited for this moment for over a year, and now it'd finally arrived. (Seems it's time to send out the letters.) Tapping my Storage Bracer, I retrieved a pair of letters, both in unassuming standard mail envelops, the icon of The Fool on the front, and sealed in wax with the emblem of a Sakura tree on the back. /Iris, to me please. And do keep your voice down, my daughter is asleep at the moment./
In the blink of an eye, a sphere of light sprang into existence above me. Just as quickly as it appeared, it dissipated, revealing the form of a white and blue feathered bird the size of a Falcon.(Look up the Tori Tori no Mi - Model Caladrius) My Familiar slowly flew down towards me, and landed gracefully, without disturbing my daughter. "How may I be of service, Mistress?"
I smiled at my Familiar, and lifted the letters towards her. She understood at once, and waited for me to spell the letters onto one of her legs. When I was done, I informed her of her task. /The recipients are one Mitsuru Kirijo, and a Yu Narukami. You'll know which letter is to be given to who. Once you are done, you are free to return to what you were doing before, or do whatever you feel like./
Iris nodded, eliciting another smile from me. "As you command, Mistress." And like that, my Familiar left in another ball of light.
Seeing that, I couldn't help but let out a low chuckle. (I really do need to do something nice for Sona.) A week prior, Sona had managed to get us entry to the Familiar Forest, a location that intrigued me for a multitude of reasons. Not only was it famous for containing Familiars, but it was also home to creatures that really had no right to be put under that label, such as the Dragon known as 'The Chaos Karma Dragon', otherwise known as Tiamat. I hadn't gained an audience with the Dragon, but there was always time for another try.
That aside, thanks to being Sona's Contracted Magician, I was allowed to go with them and search for my own Familiar. I had expected the search to be a long and grueling process, so imagine my surprise when a few minutes in, a bird appeared before me with the trill reminiscent to a soft bell. It didn't require a genius to understand my Familiar had found me, so I wasted no time in creating the Bond.
After the Bond was made, I learned just what my Familiar was. Isis, my Familiar, had been a Caladrius. A bird known to not only have healing properties second only to a Phoenix, but was told to spontaneously appear before kings of old to heal any illness they suffered. After learning that, I understood why she appeared before me.
Isis was a blessing for Asia and I, another healer was not only a boon for us all, but she specialized in an area Asia and I weren't as strong in. The two of us could heal nearly any physical wound, magical wounds were doable so long as we had mana, unless those wounds were far beyond us, which we had yet to come across thankfully, but illnesses were something else. I had no inkling if I could heal some truly obscure illness, magical or mundane, but thankfully, I would never need to find out thanks to Isis. (I need something REALLY nice for Sona.)
Rias' Peerage, as well as Tara, would be heading into the Familiar Forest in a day or so, and I was curious as to what kind of Familiar she would obtain. "Muuuu." Looking down, I felt my lips rise into a warm smile as my daughter began stirring, her ears twitching as she wriggled in my lap. When she had wriggled enough, she raised one of her fists to her eyes and began rubbing, opening her mouth to yawn as she did so. My daughter truly was an adorable child, and I'd continue to espousing that truth whether anyone wanted it or not. "Mama..." She seemed to recognize where she was a moment afterwards, and shot me a massive grin. "Mama!"
Her arms wrapped themselves around me, while I did the same, chuckling as she nuzzled into my bosom. "Good afternoon darling, did you have a nice nap?"
Cynthia looked up to me, perching her chin atop one of my breasts, and giggled. "Un! Cynthia was in a field of flowers, pretty flowers like the Moon Petals, and there were bunnies everywheeere! The bunnies were letting Cynthia pick them up and play with them, and that was fun, but then this BIIIG bunny came out of nowhere, and started talking in Mama's voice..." I let out an amused chuckle, and listened as my daughter continued to ramble about her dream.
I'd wait for my letters to incur a response.
{Mitsuru's POV 30 minutes later}
Walking into my office, and setting my coat aside, I sighed and made my way to my desk. (Of all the days some imbecile could cause me a headache, it had to be the day I was supposed to meet up with my comrades. What a joke.) Arriving at my desk, I turned my personal computer on, and began pulling up the missive I'd been sent some few minutes prior. (If this is some form of false flag, somebody will be the recipient of my wrath.) This really was not the day I wanted to deal with issues within the Kirijo Group, but responsibilities were never fond of being simple matters.
It was while I was searching for the missive, when I noticed something... Out of place. Placed right where any unchecked paperwork was meant to be was a letter... A letter I not only did not recognize, but was somehow here, in my office... This was suspicious, highly suspicious.
I was tempted, highly tempted to call in experts to take the letter away and have it checked for any poisons or pathogens, but something was telling me to not do so. Something long buried in my mind seemed to be resonating with the letter, and I instinctively knew that this letter would not only be important to me, but would also not hurt me. (This may be a mistake... But I need to know.) Steeling my resolve, I reached out towards the letter, turning it ov...- My eyes widened as I saw the emblem on the front.
Before my eyes, a Tarot I was intimately familiar with decorated the front of the letter, looking like the card itself. (The Fool...) My mind rushed with memories of days long passed, of an island that held my most cherished and painful memories, of a group that had become my family.
Of a tower so grotesque and otherworldly that it defied all logic or reason.
Of coffins that littered the streets, monsters that roamed around, searching for victims.
Of a boy with apathetic eyes who'd made the ultimate sacrifice...
Looking at The Fool, feeling the memories returning to the fore of my mind, something within me stirred, something that had stood by my side as we braved the end of the world. A ruler that shone through my Darkest Hour. "Artemisia."
Within my mind, within the deepest reaches of my soul, the Ancient Queen stirred.
As I looked at the letter, my resolve hardened, and I turned the letter over, opening the seal and fetching the contents from within, uncaring about the dangers that could've been hidden.
When I saw the written message, my breath hitched, my heart roared in my ears, and I felt as if the world had frozen around me.
- To the Mistress of Ice and Queen of Old
Journeys have come and gone, adversaries arose and were overcome.
Those who have lost the spark in their lives were restored, those who were lost laid low.
A tower crumbled, a plot foiled with death held at bay.
Your journey completed, your Fool far from reach.
However, a new Fool has taken the first steps of his journey, new allies to be found, a new danger to be prevented.
What will you do, stand aside and let them journey on their own, or will you provide this new Fool with a guide you may have wished you had?
Just what will you choose, Mitsuru Kirijo? -
Over and over again, I read the letter that had found itself on my desk. Over and over did the words resound in my mind like whispers of a lover long forgotten.
'What will you do?'
'What will you choose?'
The words rang in my mind for an eternity, but with the sound of shattering glass, all were silenced. My resolve tempered by ice and frost as I gripped the letter that reminded me of days filled with bittersweet fondness. "I will not fail again! NEVER AGAIN!" For a moment, the temperature dropped, and I felt the familiar presence of my True Self by my side once more. Power that felled the most stalwart of adversaries flowed through me, an ally that had never left my side making herself known once more, a manifestation of who I truly was reaffirming I had not lost myself.
But it was just a moment.
As they all do, the moment passed, and I was 'alone' once more. But my conviction was returned, Mitsuru Kirijo was not out of the fight. And if I had my way, I never would be.
As if responding to my resolve, the words on the letter changed in a bright glow of amber. When the light died down, where the former message had been was now a new one.
One that made me pause.
- Your choice is acknowledged, your resolve renewed.
In one months time, a Portkey will be delivered, it shall be a long golden rope which will be activated by the phrase you are deeply familiar with. You are encouraged to bring your allies, and are free to come armed if you so choose to do there by 2PM.
A meeting will be held with not only your generation of Persona users, but members of the generation after yours(The 4th) as well. More information will be revealed, not only about the new generation's Fool, but of a world you may only have dreamed of. -
Setting the letter down, I clasped my hands, thinking of the new 'information' I'd just received. (So there were a pair of Wildcards before... Minato... There was one after as well... Incredible) The idea that there had been other Wildcards had always made us think, but to have confirmation that not only were there two before Minato, but there had been one after that I, nor the rest of us, had knowledge of was fascinating. (I wonder if they suffered as we had?) The thought came and went faster then I had expected, but I let it be.
Yes, we had suffered, yes we had faced odds children should not have faced, but we did not stop. As the letter had said, adversaries had risen, but we had rose above them. We may not have come out unscathed, we may have lost allies along the way...
The figure of a troubled boy in a beanie arose, his grave following after.
A boy with navy blue hair, eyes that seemed so broken, so dead to the world, appeared after... His serene smile as he laid in the lap of another member of our family...
I closed my eyes, and took a breath. (A decade after your loss, but it still hurts as if it were fresh... You've impacted not only my life, but all our lives so much, didn't you, Minato?) The blue haired boy still caused a dull ache in my heart, even after 12, nearly 13 years. He was our leader, the one who led us through the halls of Tartarus, fought by our side against foes both Shadow and Human, and fought against Death itself. He held a place in our hearts that would never be replaced.
Thinking fondly of the boy for a few moments, I opened my eyes once more, and looked at the second half of the new message. (Magic huh... Well, let's hope we're not old enough to be excluded from our Sorting.) I chuckled at that, and softly shook my head.
Time would tell if there truly was more to the world then we knew.
{An hour later, Yu's POV}
Closing the front door, I was about to call out I was home, but stopped when I registered silence. Normally, coming home, I'd hear the TV, maybe Rise in the kitchen doing something, listening to music, anything.
But no, there was no sound, no music, no TV, or the voice of my wife or daughter providing background noise. That, coupled with the text of 'Something important happened', put me on edge. I knew I wasn't walking into a fight, Rise and I never had real problems in our marriage, and any we did we simply talked out, so that was out.
She wasn't pregnant again, she'd be bursting at the seams to surprise me, and given the atmosphere, it wasn't that either.
I was thinking about what this could be when my wife walked into the entryway, face set into nervous worry as she clutched something in her ha...- I froze as my eyes recognized what she was holding, and looked up to meet her eyes as I recognized it. "Love... Why are you holding The Fool?"
My wife gave me a strained smile, and turned the card around, showing a wax seal of a sakura tree. "A letter?" I knew I said it outloud, but I didn't care. I was officially on edge now, only a handful of people knew what that Tarot meant to us, and even if this was a prank done by Yosuke, Rise wouldn't be as tense as she was. So this was something else.
Something important.
We shared a look, and I set my stuff down, following my wife after I was done, and made our way to the bedroom. As we walked, neither of us said anything, both unsure of just what this could mean.
As soon as we entered the bedroom, I locked the door, she closed the curtains, and we sat on our bed, looking at the letter that could very well uproot our life. We stared at it for a few moments, and after a deep breath, I gently picked it up from the sheets, and opened it, retrieving the message within.
As soon as I read the first few words, I knew that whoever wrote this letter KNEW just what The Fool meant to us.
- To the Lord of Truth, the Father of Gods
Journeys have come and gone, adversaries arose and were overcome.
Those who have lost their lives were given justice, the true perpetrator revealed and foiled.
A goddess rebutted, a town free and their sight unobscured.
Your journey completed, your Truth revealed to all.
However, a new Fool has taken the first steps of his journey, new allies to be found, a new danger to be prevented.
What will you do, stand aside and let them journey on their own, or will you provide this new Fool with a guide who can shine a light on this new game?
Just what will you choose, Yu Narukami? -
As soon as we were done reading, Rise had leaned into me and read along, I set the letter down onto the bed, and just breathed. Memories of a world not our own flowed through my mind, a world with creatures out of myth and legend, reflections who just wished to be acknowledged.
Memories of a goddess taking my friends one by one, their cries ringing out as they slipped into the shadows.
Memories of despair turning into a burning determination to rise, to push forward and force the Truth to be seen.
I opened my eyes, not remembering when I closed them, and looked at my wife. Rise looked back at me, waiting for my decision. We both understood that this could very well end the peaceful life we'd made for ourselves, endanger not only ourselves, but our daughter as well.
We both understood that, and I could tell, even without having to get the Truth from her, that a part of her wanted to say no. I did too on some level after all.
We had gone on our journey, we'd saved Inaba from a Goddess that wished to entrap us in The Fog. (Why should we endanger ourselves with a fight that wasn't ours?) I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that we were both thinking that in the back of our minds.
If I said no, she would go along with it. I knew that, she knew that, all that mattered was my answer here and now. (Why should I say yes? Why shouldn't I just let this be?) My thoughts echoed others like that, and I remembered the victims from Adachi.
The school girl.
The reporter.
Nanako... We'd saved my little sister, but the thought of her being taken had shaken something within me.
That something only shook again when I thought about my friends.
Yukiko would've died had we not gone.
Kanji would've died if we hadn't gone.
Naoto would've died if we hadn't gone.
Rise, my wife, would've died if we hadn't gone.
The more I'd thought about them, the more I realized something. (If we didn't act, that would've been it. They would've died, and at the end, Izanami would've won. We would've been lost in The Fog, 'free' to live a lie spun by a malevolent goddess... So what will happen if we say no?)
A part of my mind recognized that maybe this new Fool would be fine. I had no idea what I was doing, and got by thanks to Igor, Elizabeth and my friends, We conquered and overcome any obstacle in our way... So maybe this Fool could too...
But that was a maybe.
There was no guarantee that he would. (So can I let a 'maybe' go, and risk it? Can I risk whatever world altering event this new Fool will deal with, happening?) Looking in the direction of my daughter's bedroom, I had a thought that required my full attention. (Can I risk my daughter's safety on a maybe?)
And as I thought about it, I came to a simple conclusion. "We have to keep her future safe." As the words left my lips, I felt power I hadn't felt in years.
I felt the presence of a God, a king and Father to the land. I felt lightning coursing through my veins, reality redefining itself as a God momentarily rejoined the land of Humanity. My thoughts raced, my heart thundered in my chest, and for a moment, just a moment, I heard the familiar voice of my True Self. "My faith in you was not misplaced, Narukami Yu." And for a moment, I was back in The Fog, staring up at the Goddess who wished to entrap us, defiance and determination allowing me to stand proud in the face of what should've been certain death.
And then the moment passed, I was Yu Narukami again, but now, now I remembered just what that truly meant.
So, looking to my wife, I saw the determination I felt reflected in her eyes. She knew my decision. "I'll follow you till the ends of the earth, my love." And with that, I knew hers.
With a grin that made me feel 6 years younger, I spoke. "Looks like the Investigation Team is coming back."
As soon as those words left my lips, an amber glow lit up the bed, and we both turned to see the message on the letter change.
- Your choice is acknowledged, your resolve renewed.
In one months time, a Portkey will be delivered, it shall be a long golden rope which will be activated by the phrase you are deeply familiar with. You are encouraged to bring your allies, and are free to come armed if you so choose to do so. Be there by 2PM.
A meeting will be held with not only your generation of Persona users, but members of the previous generation(The 3rd) as well. More information will be revealed, not only about the new generation's Fool, but of a world you may only have dreamed of. -
For a moment, we were both silent, equally dumbfounded about what just happened.
Then Rise spoke. "Harry Potter?" Yeah that wa...- I turned to give my wife a raised brow, and she met the look with a confused one of her own. "What?"
"So you're just going to skip over the whole '3rd generation' Persona users bit?"
My wife blinked,. "But magic."
... She had a point.
{A month later, Mitsuru's POV}
Looking around my office, I took stock of my allies, brothers and sisters in arms who had fought alongside me a decade ago... (Hah, time truly does pass us by in the blink of an eye.)
Akihiko was at the front, fit in a form fitting gray muscle shirt, mostly hidden by a gray coat, light blue jeans and trainers. His physique remained at his peak, a few scars dotting his face and more I knew under his clothes. Out of the entire team, he had been the one I'd been in contact with the most given he was not only on payroll as my personal trainer, but also head bodyguard.
Standing to his left was Yukari, who I had to pull some strings to get here on time. Her career as an actress had led to her having the most demanding schedule out of the others, but since she not only wanted to be here, but deserved to be here, I called in a favor or two to get her 6 months of free time. Currently, she was in a light blue dress that reached down to her knees, wore sandals, and had a sunhat to cover her shoulder length hair... I was unsure as to her choice in fashion given the importance of this meeting, but to each their own.
To Yukari's right was Ken. The young boy had grown into a fine man, one who was working on becoming a doctor... A passion we all knew stemmed from the losses we sustained by the end of our journey... Shaking that aside, he looked like a business man, a fine suit and tie, straight and professional pants and shoes. Ken had truly matured over the years, and had grown into his own man.
To Akihiko's right was Fuuka, who similar to Yukari, wore an ocean blue dress, though this one stopped just above her hips, her light blue skirt going the rest of the way to covering her legs, a pair of flat tops adorning her feet to finish the outfit. Fuuka had been easy to contact, she was an artist for fun and set her own schedule, so getting her here wasn't that hard.
Finally, the last member that managed to make it was Aigis, who was on Fuuka's right. The former Android looked just as she had back in our high school days, but she had grown a bit, while also filling out a bit more. It had been fascinating when her change had first occurred, but we had grown accustomed to it by now. She was in a light purple turtleneck, dark blue pants that seemed quite comfortable, and actually wore steel toed boots for some reason... (I'm not entirely sure she has grasped fashion yet...) I let that thought stay for a bit, it amused me, but let it go after I was done with it.
Sadly, this was everyone.
Junpei and his wife were overseas, he not only had a full time job over there, but was also raising a family. Of us all, only he was able to find a significant other after all this time, though we weren't exactly sure if it should count considering she was also involved in the Dark Hour. Sure, we all could most likely find someone for ourselves, but deep down, we all wondered how we could truly connect to someone who wouldn't understand what we went through... So we just didn't find anyone.
Koromaru had passed away a couple of years ago... He was a loyal ally, and true companion, but at the end of the day, he was still a dog. Time caught up to him, and he passed away peacefully.
Still, out of all of S.E.E.S, we were here.
Stock taken, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and nodded at my comrades. "Is everyone armed?"
Since the sender had given permission to come armed and ready, we happily complied. The cold steel of my Rapier was a familiar reassurance, one that made me feel more like the Mitsuru Kirijo of old. The Beretta on my hip was a new addition, but one I knew how to use.
In response to my question, my allies showed their equipment. Akihiko showed the Brass Knuckles he preferred to use, while also patting the side he wore his sidearm on.
Yukari raised the hem of her dress a bit, showing the holsters that kept her Tonfas secure. Ironically, it was her career as an actress that spurred her into learning weapons such as those. She was capable of using Tonfas, Staffs, even a Sword, but for this operation she decided to use her personal Tonfas, which could be brought together to turn them into a staff. Unfortunately, she couldn't bring along her sidearm seeing as it was broken in an accident a few days ago and she hadn't replaced it yet, which was another moment of irony considering she had been a ranged attacker back in the good old days... (Note to self, cease thoughts that make me feel old.)
That aside, Fuuka had a 'guitar' case slung over her shoulder, but we knew what was in there. It had come as a surprise that Fuuka was a competent sniper, one who used the weapon as a blunt instrument if the situation called for it.
Ken didn't seem to have a firearm with him, instead opting for the Spear he used when he was a child. He'd grown into it, and was quite a terror with the weapon.
As for Aigis, despite being flesh and blood, she could manifest her ordinances for brief moments, and could return to a state where she was an Android, utilizing her initial form for a few minutes. So her being 'unarmed' was a boon in the event whoever this mysterious writer was, underestimated her.
With everyone's weapons at the ready, I nodded, and got up. "Today we'll be meeting with someone who knows. Someone that has information not only on us, but on two generations of Persona users after us. We'll be going in blind, we'll be going in with a disadvantage, but when has that ever stopped us?" That earned grins from my comrades, and I kept going. "Today, we'll most likely meet the generation after us, and today, we may even gain some information on how to aid Minato." The determination on their faces grew as I mentioned His name, and I could see a brief flicker of hope in Aigis' eyes. Even after all this time, she still loved him. "For that, we will brave hell and high water, we will NOT let any disadvantages slow us down. Am I understood!?"
Like a unit of soldiers, my brothers and sisters in arms saluted. """""Hai, Kirijo-sama!"""""
I smiled at that, and reached out towards them, the golden rope held firmly in my hands. One by one, they grasped a portion of the rope, and when they were all holding it, I spoke the words that we all knew in the depths of our souls. "Persona." And with an amber glow, we were gone.
When we reappeared, we immediately took in our surroundings. The room we'd found ourselves in seemed to be a waiting room, white walls, seats and couches all around, a TV in the corner with its remote on a table in front of it. There didn't seem to be any weapons around, no traps, or anything suspicious. (However, magic seems to exist, so there very well could be magical traps such as Wards.) I thought of the chances this mysterious sender would go through all this just to trap us, and found the odds to be minimal.
Whoever they were, they had information on us, it was unknown how long they'd had this information, so they very well could've had it for years. Years of someone in the shadows knowing who we were, and with access to magic, they could've easily taken someone like Fuuka, and we would've been none the wiser. Instead, they'd alerted us to their existence, as well as offered information, while allowing us to come armed. Sure, that could've been arrogance due to them having magic, but I had a feeling that wasn't it.
My thoughts of the situation done, I looked at my comrades, and shared a nod, no one having found anything out of place. With nothing wrong, that we could find, we all looked towards the hallway that should lead to a meeting room. Akihiko and Aigis stepped forward, taking the lead without needing to speak. Yukari and Ken stepped towards my sides, while Fuuka stood behind us, gripping the strap of her case.
Then, as one, we walked forwards.
We had come for answers, and the time to get them was now.
Making our way down the hall, Akihiko stood in front of the door, and with another collective nod, opened it. The room on the other side was a conference room, a U conference table with numerous seats on either side, and a head seat that was preoccupied by a woman I assumed was the sender of the letter. She looked up from some documents she was looking at, curiosity, as well as approval in her amber orbs.
We entered the room, keeping an eye on the dark haired redhead, while also studying the room for anything that seemed out of place. It had all the hallmarks of a standard conference room, but from looking out the windows, we could see trees as far as the eye could see... (No landmarks then. A shame.) Putting that thought away, the rest of S.E.E.S and I finished our inspection, and after a moment of silent inquiry, we took our places at the table.
I took the seat nearest the wine red haired woman, taking her in as I did so. (Long and braided wine red hair, hair that must be a monumental task to maintain, unless magic is the reason it's as smooth as it looks. Even while she's seated, I can tell she's taller then us all, which is saying something given my own impressive stature. Her face seems regal, sharp and defined, paired with her amber eyes, she looks like she demands respect when she enters a room. The form fitting, nearly given the size of her chest, black dress would've drawn attention to her anyway given the size of her assets. The pencil skirt just adds to the look of a woman that knew what she was doing, and knew she was going to be successful in her endeavors... If I didn't know any better, I'd assume we were related, though I do know there are no other Kirijo's aside from myself... So where have I seen her before?) I was unsure, but the feeling that I had an idea of who this woman was, was there, somewhere in the back of my mind.
Idly, I noticed Aigis took the seat next to me, followed by Akihiko, then Ken, then Yukari, and finally Fuuka.
With us all seated, the woman ran her eyes over us, only momentarily lingering on Aigis longer then she did the rest of us, and I filed that away for later. When she finished her observations, "You are all a half hour early." That was true, though she didn't seem to mind, she seemed more entertained if anything. "Since our other guests have yet to arrive, topics will be limited to information pertaining to all of you." A logical approach, one I nodded to. "But first, introductions are in order." Now THIS was what I wanted to know.
Just who was this mysterious woman?
A snap of her fingers signaled the wide screen TV behind her turning on, revealing a sea serpent coiled around some kind of gem. The emblem meant nothing to us, but that didn't surprise her. "My name Sakura Martha, Granddaughter to Sakura Elaine and Sakura Masaru," And that was where the feeling of knowing her came from. However, before I could delve into that, she kept speaking. "Contracted Magician to the Sitri Clan of the Ars Goteia."
It took a moment for that to process, but when it did, I wasn't the only one to draw my weapon. Akihiko had his pistol out and pointed at the Sakura, Aigis had materialized one of her smaller turrets, Ken had his spear gripped and stood ready to vault over the table if he needed. Fuuka and Yukari didn't have their weapons drawn, but they were prepared to do so.
As for me, my Rapier was drawn, and I'd only need a moment to leap towards her to impale her should she provide good enough reason.
However, even with weapons drawn and aimed towards her, the Sakura didn't seem phased. She looked as if she was expecting this, the look of approval in her eyes shining even more. (Interesting.) She looked at us all, but I spoke up before she could say anything. "To clarify, you are an emissary to a clan of Devils?"
The woman hummed, and lightly tilted her head to the side. "Yes and no." My eyes narrowed at that, and she decided to elaborate. "While I am affiliated with, and CAN represent the Sitri Heiress in formal matters, this endeavor is entirely my own." While that alleviated some worries, more still persisted.
"Sooo, what, you sold your soul for magic or something?" Ah, trust Akihiko to be blunt about something like that.
The amused snort that came from the woman was surprising. "The practice of Devils taking souls for payment died out centuries ago, so no, I did not." Excuse me? Seemingly unsatisfied with that bombshell, she dropped another one. "All of humanity has the potential to use magic, some have more potential then others. That potential is one of the reasons I've invited you all here." For a while, there were no sounds, no movements coming from us.
We all processed that information, and I began wondering something. (Could a Persona be some form of magic?) It was a question that had an obvious answer, but there were more that sprang up after it now that the initial piece was put in. (Could a Persona's affinity be OUR affinity if we were to attempt some form of elemental magics? If so, would I have no issues perusing ice magic, or would there just be less issues?) The thought of magic was fascinating, and even as a grown woman, the thought of recreating the frozen fields Artemisia so effortlessly created, made me thrum with anticipation.
"An offer I'd been planning to provide was to teach you all how to use magic." That statement nearly made me say yes, but with a force of will, I reigned in my excitement.
My gut was telling me there was more to this, and I knew to always trust it. So, directing a calculative look towards the self proclaimed magician, I asked some important questions. "And what do you get out of this? Just why would you go so far as to expose yourself to us in this manner?" The woman smiled at me, and I knew she approved of me asking.
Before answering, she hummed, looked at all of us. "I will be tapping the bracer on my arm, when I do, a few documents will come out. Do keep yourselves from getting jumpy." I had to admit, the way she kept calm under threat of being shot/stabbed, was admirable, and earned some of my respect. After the rest of us nodded at her, she did what she said, making a number of folders appear above her palm. With just a glance, I could tell there were more folders then there were people, so they were most likely also meant to be shared with the generation that came after us. "Within these folders, you will find information on what supernatural factions exist, and descriptions/information about them. I want you to tell me what you see as you read through them." That said, she separated enough folders for us all, and slid them towards us.
I looked at her as she did, and she held my gaze. I couldn't see anything that'd be reason enough to keep up hostilities. So, slowly, I raised a hand, and ordered them to stand down. My curiosity had been peaked, and I was not about to let such important information go. The sounds of weapons being sheathed and holstered filled my ears, and I saw the turret Aigis made, disappear.
I'd sheathed my own weapon, and sat down as I passed the folders down the table, my curiosity fueling my interest. That interest peaked as documents pertaining to creatures I'd only thought of as Personas , being truth instead of fiction.
Historical events from the supernatural were detailed in a highly comprehensive timeline, one with supporting documents, pictures, and even moving images that showed a woman with long black hair, and massive black feathered wings. Her face had been obscured, but that was fine. Those images, as well as the background information supplied made for quite believable proof.
Idly, I noted we were all highly invested in reading the documents we were provided with, causing a silence to befall the room. I had even noticed as the young Sakura nodded, and went back to looking over documents of her own, posture hardly changed from when she was being threatened. (Highly competent and not afraid of combat. Yes, I do believe we will get along well.) With that thought, I went back to reading the documents pertaining to the entire world I never knew existed.
It was a few minutes in that Fuuka of all people broke the silence. "What about the humans?" Her question rang out in the silent room, drawing all eyes to her. Though, it didn't seem like she realized that. "Are we just an afterthought?"
That drew frowns from all around, thought the steady hum of the Sakura woman brought our attention onto her. She was giving Fuuka an appraising look, then nodded as she set aside what she was reading. "That was what I wanted to bring attention too. Throughout the supernatural world, Humans are seen in a multitude of different lights. When it comes to Magicians, they can be good resources, especially those who were trained by organizations such as the 'Golden Dawn' that can be found in England. The Yokai have allies within the Onmiyodo, Japan's magical government, but that's mostly it. Humanity as a whole does not have a true ally, and so we are either left to our own devices, recruited, or enslaved." That last one drew breaths from us all, but like she had done so before, she kept speaking. "Devils have created 'Evil Pieces', items capable of reviving the freshly dead into Devils, and tying them to a 'King.' And yes, these pieces are in the form of Chess Pieces, do with that information what you will."
That revelation caused frowns to form all around, and the question came from Yukari. "So how do we know we can trust you? You've said you're contracted to a Devil, so even if you've said you're here on your own initiative, how can we trust that as the truth?" She made a good point.
That point just made the woman smile. "Wonderful observation. To quail any worries, I will offer to set up a 'truth field' as it were. To do so, I would bring out my chosen focus. Would this be acceptable to you all?" That seemed both highly convenient, and the perfect thing to deal with any worries of manipulation. Yukari, as well as the rest of S.E.E.S looked towards me, and after a moment of thinking about it, I turned to the red haired woman and nodded. "Wonderful." Holding out her wrist, a black chain rattled, momentarily making a shiver run up and down my spine as a memory of a monster filtered into my mind. "Genesis, second Form: Belserion." The familiar amber glow lasted for a moment, but that wasn't enough for me to catch the chains turning into a black staff that looked like truly aged wood. It seemed like a normal staff, aside its material, but the truly bizarre part was the head.
The head of her staff seemed to be fitted with horns that reminded me of a dragon. The gold had also been a striking contrast to the black of the staff, but it didn't look bad. It was the ruby red emerald floating in between the two horns of the staff. (Seems like something one of Yukari's colleges would use in her show.) I suppressed the urge to snort, and just looked at the weapon firmly in the Sakura's grasp. It was a head taller then her as she sat, but would most likely be a few inches shorter then her if she fully stood up.
The Magician, because excluding the pointy hat, she now looked like one, raised her staff, and spoke in a language I would most likely believe was Latin. "*Let no lies fester, no mistrust grow. Let the truth find its light here, let there be nothing hidden.*" With a tap of her staff, and the glow of the gem, the room glowed amber fora few moments, before slowly dying down. I, and I was sure my comrades, didn't feel any different. But before any of us could question it, she spoke again. "My name is Sakura Ta%$&." The sound was similar to nails on a chalkboard, making us wince, but we understood the point.
For a minute or two, we all tried to lie, either something big or about something small, and each and every time, the sound of nails on a chalkboard would sound out, signifying it was a lie. After that was tested, Martha, she'd earned enough respect for me to think of her with her given name, went over what she'd said before, slipping in lies every once and a while to signify the field was still on and that she was indeed telling the truth.
With the facts given, any tension we had before was gone now. Knowing the truth was being spoken at all times was a wondrous thing. "Now that that has been taken care of, let's return to the earlier topic." And like that, we were back to being weary. "The views on Humanity aren't exactly that great. I, as well as the Heiress I am contracted too, have ideas about how to change that, but those can be spoken of at a later date." That was acceptable. "What I want/get out of the aforementioned arrangement is twofold. I wish to learn more about Personas as a whole, if they are replicable, if not obtainable by magic, and if they can be used in the real world." No lies, so that was fine.
The thought of once more standing my ground with Artemisia was a highly pleasant one, but that co...- "What about Minato?" Aigis' question stopped my thoughts cold, and once more, a silence descended upon the room.
We all knew Aigis would wait for the rest of her life for her love, her devotion to him inspired us when we were in the lows of our life, but now there was more then just devotion and love in her eyes. The hope and determination burning there could've been seen by a blind man, so obviously Martha had seen it. She reclined in her seat, and met Aigis' look with a calm stare of her own. "While I do not have all the information about his case," The former android drooped for a moment. "I can get you in contact with those who could offer you a magical perspective." The fire returned, and burned brighter at that admission. I could tell Aigis wasn't the only one who felt hope rising in her heart. "Through my contractor, I have a direct line to the Satan Leviathan. As you may have read, the Leviathan is responsible for Foreign Affairs. With her assistance, we would be able to provide you with information or contacts from factions such as the Yokai, Norse, Angels... Well, it'd depend on the Angel, but I think they'd be eager to help." Considering Minato's Ultimate Persona was Messiah, her point made sense. "And before it is asked, I would like for us to be allies, that is all I'd ask for in return."
"I accept." It really was no wonder that Aigis didn't even spare a moment to agree. For Minato, she would brave the end of the world, no questions asked.
However, the next responses surprised me. "I agree as well." I blinked, and turned to Fuuka, whose usually soft features were set in a look that wouldn't be out of place on a soldier. "Minato-kun gave his life for us, his freedom for us, so if there's anything I can do to help him come home, I'll take it."
And like that, the other dominoes fell. Akihiko slammed a fist onto the table, not shattering it surprisingly, and grinned. "Hell yeah! Whatever happens, I'll stand by my family, and that's ALWAYS included Minato!"
"Tch, if Junpei-aho was here, he'd probably say something like that. Anyway, I'm in, forever and always." It was entertaining hearing the annoyance in her voice as she spoke of Junpei, the man who'd had a family before her.
"Big bro would've done it for us, so the answer's obvious, isn't it?" Ken had been silent throughout the meeting, but his backing was enough.
All that was left was myself, and I grinned at the Magician before me, feeling the convictions of my brothers and sisters in arms behind me. "S.E.E.S will stand with you, Sakura Martha, you have our word." And for a moment, I felt it again.
For a moment, ice formed around me, power thrummed beneath my skin, my mind grew sharp, and the presence of the Ancient Queen filled my senses.
But she wasn't alone. I could smell the scent of ozone, of the fresh winds blowing across the fields, of a pressure that seemed to be weighing our worth, of the presence of a blade hanging above our heads ready and willing to strike, of a guardian angel looking over our shoulder. Our Personas were with us, our dedication and resolve burning brighter now then ever before.
We would succeed, we would grow stronger once more, and find a way to free our comrade, without dooming the world. We were S.E.E.S, and would not let Gods, Devils or Demons to keep us from our goal.
(Guess who's my 2nd favorite cast, it's really hard, but I think you guys can figure it out. But seriously, I fucking love P3 after P5, and this probably showed that. Really, this wasn't even supposed to be that long, but the more I wrote Mitsuru's perspective, the more I just kept going. This was supposed to be in Martha's POV, but I got Marin Karin'd, so blame Mitsuru.)
It was this scene, the image of our Personas ghostly presence behind us, when the door opened, a new group of people standing there, staring at us in surprise. That ended up with our Personas dissipating into the Ether, and our groups staring at each other... Awkwardly.
Well, until a brown haired man, whose entire posture reminded me of our wayward S.E.E.S member, opened his mouth. "Huh, guess we're in the right place, right guys?" He even spoke like him.
Yukari groaned, and I swore I could hear her mutter something beneath her breath. "Not another Junpei, please Kami-sama."
That broke the ice, letting the new group come in, looking around as they did. We all observed each other as they did, and I mentally blinked as I noted that I recognized two members of the group. "Shirogane Naoto? Narukami Yu?"
The aforementioned duo looked towards me, and did a double take as they recognized who I was. ""Kirijo Mitsuru?!""
"Yukari-senpai?" The sudden female voice surprised us, but seeing who it was didn't exactly surprise me. I'd had an inkling about the former idol, and it seemed I was correct that Narukami's wife was a Persona User.
Yukari though... "Rise-chan?" The two obviously recognized each other, much to the surprise of us all. "You're a Person User?"
"... Was that supposed to be an actual question?" Yukari swatted Ken on the shoulder without looking at him, an impressive feat to be sure. "You didn't deny it was stupid, Yukari-nee."
The younger brown haired Junpei snorted, while the famous women outright ignored both interruptions. "Yeah. I didn't expect YOU were one too!" She blinked, and gasped for some reason. "Were you a Navigator? That'd be so cool if you were!"
Yukari smiled gently at the younger woman, then nodded towards Fuuka, who was looking at the married woman with a look of surprise on her face. "Meet Yamagishi Fuuka, our Navi."
In the blink of an eye, the former idol was grasping the hands of our Fuuka, a pleading look on her face as she did. "Have you had those moments where you were RIGHT about to tell them to go this way, but they suddenly just go another way that's completely opposite of where they're SUPPOSED to go?" What?
We didn't even get to process that before Fuuka's eyes SHONE, and she grasped the Narukami's hands as well. "YES! Oh Kami, Junpei was THE WORST! I swear, that scatterbrained dork needed a collar to keep himself from wandering off for whatever reason he had at the time! And don't even get me STARTED on Ken!"
"Huh?" He was ignored.
The former idol nodded along, and ended up hugging Fuuka! "SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS!"
"Let it out dear, I understand the woes of dealing with excitable man children, as well as a literal child. I swear, the dog was better behaved then the both of them!" Thinking about that, I could feel a sweatdrop form as I realized that yes, Junpei and Ken really did wander around alot... Poor Fuuka...
"I don't like that I'm just being faulted for the me of 12 years ago. I was a literal child." He had a point, but at the same time, it was still him.
Fuuka huffed, and turned away from Ken, her eyes landing on the brown haired Junpei, who seemed to be holding in a laugh, and failing. The normally soft spoken Navigator narrowed her eyes at him, then turned to the former idol she was currently hugging. "It was him, wasn't it?"
Narukami Rise moved back, then turned to see who Fuuka was talking about, then nodded when she did. "Yup. Yosuke was, and still is, some scatterbrained doofus."
"Hey!" Like Ken, he was ignored as the Navigators shared a moment.
While they did that, the rest of this new group took their places on the other side of the table. Sitting opposite of me was Narukami Yu, a man known as 'The Living Lie Detector', seemingly able to see through any lie. His work work Shirogane Naoto, the first 'Detective Prince' turned 'Investigation Queen', was nearly legendary.
The seat next to him remained open, so his wife would most likely sit there.
The next seat however was taken by the Junpei of the group, who watched the two Navigators interact with a weary smile on his face.
Next to him was Shirogane Naoto, the woman looking just as regal as the last time I'd seen her in person, which had been about a year or so ago. I'd wanted to hire both her, as well as Narukami Yu, their success rates were nearly 100%, and they were quite competent people, so of course I wanted them on my payroll. Sadly, they didn't want to leave Inaba for lo...- I blinked. (So that was why. If those strange murders that went on a few years ago were the result of their Journey, then of course they'd rather stay there.) It made sense now that I knew they were Persona Users.
By her side was a woman with short brown hair wearing a Gi with sheared shoulders, compact muscular arms bare for all to see. (Ah, so they have an Akihiko as well, huh?) I was starting to see a pattern here.
There were quite a few of them, and I idly wondered if this was all of them or not.
With them seated, all that was left was for Narukami Rise to take her seat by her husband's side... "Did your idiot ever just go up to high places and make dumb noises because he could?"
Yukari snorted at that. "Junpei-aho could never be serious for long. That idiot would hitch a ride on Mercury, and just make airplane noises when he was bored, or even out in the field. It was embarrassing."
The younger Navigator gasped, a bit too exaggerated in my opinion. "Nooo, yours could fly?!" Those of us in S.E.E.S nodded, which made the Navigator sigh. "I'm so sorry for you."
"I'm starting to wish I stayed with Kanji and Teddy." I was unsure of who they were, but inferred they were most likely members of their team, so confirming some of them couldn't come was nice.
The sound of someone clearing their throat cut through the chatter, revealing the source to be Martha. "While it's intriguing to hear old stories, I believe our time would be better spent on something productive, wouldn't you agree?" Narukami Rise blinked, and after a nervous laugh, nodded. Martha smiled, and nodded towards the seat by Narukami Yu's side, the message clear. After the younger Navigator was seated, the rest of S.E.E.S returned to the calm and ready posture they'd long since gotten used to. "Now then, while some of you are acquainted with each other, it would still be prudent to introduce ourselves. To start off, I am Sakura Martha...-"
"Sakura?! As in...-"
"Yes, I am the Granddaughter to Sakura Elaine." I was feeling deja vu at the interaction, remembering having to do the same thing when I was younger.
The newcomers blinked, but the next response surprised even myself. "Doesn't that mean you're 16 or 17?"
My eyes, as well as the eyes of everyone in the room, snapped towards the YOUNG woman, surprise being the most prevalent emotion in the room. However, Martha didn't seem to care about our surprise, and nodded. "Yes. Currently I am 16 years old. Will that be a problem?"
There was silence at that, my thoughts going in a confused circle as I processed that information. (I know I have absolutely no ground to stand on, but my lord, she looks like a fully matured woman instead of the young adult she should be!) That wasn't even factoring her posture, the utter calm she exhibited when we had weapons trained on her, and her general feel. (It's like looking at a younger, and more buxom version of myself.) That thought led into another one. (Perhaps this arrangement may lead to something interesting.) The Kirijo Group had been in my family for generations, but since I'd yet to have an heir, that generational company was in danger of going to someone else should I suddenly pass. (But, if she's like me in more areas, then I could see if I can start the groundwork to have her take the reigns... I'll just need to see if she's worthy.)
My planning aside, the revelation of her age seemed to run its course, and surprisingly, there weren't any negative reactions. It didn't take long to realize why. (We were around the same when our Journeys began.) We of all people understood that age was not a true representation of competence or capability.
Given the looks on the newcomers, they seemed to understand that as well. "Daaamn... Wait a minute, that means you're related to Sakura Masaru!"
Blinking, Martha nodded towards the woman in the Gi. "Yes, he is my Grandfather."
The brown haired woman grinned, and smacked her fists together in a manner that made those of us in S.E.E.S look towards Akihiko... Who was smiling broadly at both women. I was sure that all of us had the same thought as we saw that. (They really are alike.)
"Can we fight later? I'm no slouch in RE-DO," An interesting abbreviation. "But I wanna compare to a pro!"
"Count me in on that! A good fight's something I'll never say no too." It didn't come to a surprise to any of us when Akihiko tossed his hat in the wring.
Though, the brown haired woman grinned at him, brow raised as she looked him over. "You sure about that old timer? Wouldn't wanna mess you up too badly."
Akihiko's grin turned feral at that, and I idly wondered if they were separated as children or something similar. "Don't worry about that girly, these 'old' bones won't give out till the day I die."For some reason, the imagery of a scarred bear and tiger staring each other down made its way into my mind, and I couldn't deny it seemed fitting.
"Note to self, keep them away from Tara and Mother... Sairaorg as well if he spontaneously shows up." That whisper had nearly gone unheard...
Nearly. Naoto showed she wasn't just letting things pass her by. "By Tara, I'm assuming you're speaking of your twin, Sakura Tara, yes?" Martha nodded without a care at the question. "I see, and how involved is your family in these matters?" That was not only an important question, but one that'd test how open Martha was willing to be.
The wine haired woman hummed for a bit, then seemed to nod at some unspoken question. "My sister is the reason I know of your existence." Many eyes narrowed at that, but she didn't seem to care. "Tara knew OF you and some of your adventures, but not everything. It is through her that I know not only you, but of this new generation's Fool." And there it was.
With the confirmation that there was indeed a new Fool, the atmosphere in the room changed. The jovial and competitive air vanished, replaced by a serious and foreboding feeling. "The Mental Shutdowns," The voice of Narukami Yu rang out, steel sheathed beneath his tone. "The Fool and his companions are going to be responsible for stopping those, aren't they?" It was a simple matter of using prior experience to see that, and I was pleased that I hadn't been the only one to put it together after receiving the letter.
Again, Martha nodded, an approving look in her eye and small smile as she did. "Yes. However, The Fool has yet to latch onto that trail. Given time, I'm sure they will, but at the moment, The Fool and his compatriots are focusing on what they do know, and can do." That made sense, especially when I remembered these Shutdowns had been going on for over a year, and The Fool had only just emerged. Compared to that, they would surely lose without getting stronger first.
The 4th Fool, because he was clearly their leader, a fact that made me slightly jealous, nodded, but kept the hard look in his eyes. "We can come to how she knows about us later. But, and you may have already answered this with Kirijo's team, I want to know your intentions. What do you gain from this?"
Martha grinned, and folded her hands in front of her, adopting a posture I recognized as a leader as she stared at Narukami, returning his judging stare. "I gain allies. Not only for myself, not only for my contracted clan, but for my family. All of you are people that have braved odds out of your favor, braved dangers that only the most suicidal or foolish would think to fight, and most of all, you have character and traits that show you were worthy of the powers you earned. Having allies such as yourselves will not only provide another defense my family may call on, but will also be the first step towards creating a power for Humanity, stronger then the more isolated factions amongst Humanity."
The Fool and The Magician stared at each other, neither looking away as they evaluated the other, creating a tension in the air. However, after a few more moments of staring at each other, The Living Lie Detector nodded, relaxing into his seat as he did. "Good." Looking away from her, he looked down his side of the table, meeting the eyes of his comrades. They met the look, and after a supportive squeeze from his wife, Narukami Yu, the 4th Fool, smiled at Martha. "The Investigation Team, reporting in." With that proclamation, ethereal cards flickered into existence in front of them, getting shocked looks before said cards shattered like glass, once more filling the room with presences foreign, yet familiar.
A man with the hair set ablaze appeared above Hanamura Yosuke, a silver haired armor clad woman floated protectively above Satonaka Chie, A woman with multiple arms and a head reminiscent of a telescope wrapped a pair of arms around Narukami Rise, a golden haired woman readied her saber as she looked over Shirogane Naoto's head, and above Narukami Yu, a god in white stared down at us all, judging us.
In response to the Personas of The Investigation Team, our own Personas rose once more as they joined our side. The room seemingly shook under the pressure of our Ultimate Personas, the wood of the table splintered, glass cracked and shattered as neither side backed down. Privately, I worried about the outcome of their manifestations, but that thought was banished when thunder rumbled in the distance, and the sound of a roar cut through the air.
The sigh that came from Martha went momentarily unnoticed, we were all more focused on the figure producing a shadow over us all. Outside of the building, golden scales reflected the sunlight, gleaming sapphire eyes peered down at us as leather wings caused storm like gusts. Seeing the figure, we all unsheathed our weapons, our Personas by our side as the thr...- "Tara, no." I noticed Martha pinching the bridge of her nose as she said that, exasperation radiating off of her.
We didn't get a moment to process that when the dragon spoke. "You sure? One of em feels like Sera, just a bit weaker ya know."
I managed to make the connection to the Satan Leviathan with that comment, but the exchange went on still. "Yes, I'm sure. Now shoo, I'm in the middle of important business, and I'd rather not learn you let Cynthia wander off with your sudden disappearance."
The dragon tilted her head at that, hummed as she looked at us, which made the hairs on my neck stand at the challenging look in her eyes, then nodded. "Kay." Her eyes hardened, and she directed one last look. "Hurt her, I hurt you." And with that parting shot, the dragon changed into another red haired woman who had her back turned to us, and disappeared in a flash of lightning.
We were all silent at what just happened, our Personas vanishing either at the loss of an enemy, or being out of power. Either way, none of knew what to do about the sudden arrival of a dragon, not even I kn...- "THAT WAS AWESOME!" All eyes found themselves aimed at Satonaka, who seemed to be brimming with excitement. Seeing our looks, she blinked. "Oh come on, that was a dragon! An honest to Kami DRAGON!" ... S.E.E.S as a whole turned to Narukami Yu, and gave him a pitying look. He returned our looks with a sigh, understanding just why we were doing it. "What?" She went ignored. "... Guys?"
The meeting went from there, and it was safe to say, it went great.
Martha had promised, under the truth field she'd deployed, that she would contact the Satan of Foreign Affairs about Minato. She couldn't promise we'd get information back instantly, but she did tell us that even if that avenue turned up with little leads, she would do her utmost best to assist us in our endeavor to free our Fool.
And if we happened to guide a new Fool along his Journey, then so be it. It wasn't as if any of us were opposed to such a condition.
[Omake - Endgame support? Yes please! Futaba's POV an hour after the meeting ended]
"Don't throw the controller, don't throw the controller, don't thr...- Huh?" The ringtone playing meant I'd gotten a message from my genius cousin, and that distracted me from my previous anger at that stupid fucking Martyr. Checking the text, I blinked in surprise at what I saw.
Queen Irene - Starting next week, Shirogane Naoto, a former Persona User and current 'Investigation Queen' will be traveling to Tokyo. She will officially be going due to her interest in Mental Shutdowns and The Calling Cards. Unofficially, she will be there to meet The Phantom Thieves, and make contact with them. To do this, she will be staying in the Sakura property myself, Mother, and Tara stayed at when we came here.
Queen Irene - Joining her will be Yamagishi Fuuka, as well as Aigis, a former android turned human, yes you read that right. The three of them are highly capable, and even without informing them explicitly about who the new Fool is, they will most likely figure it out in a few days.
Queen Irene - They will also be coming by Leblanc because she has been recommended it. It is up to you if you want to reveal yourself, as I have not told them about you.
Reading those over again, I dumbly nodded, and put my phone down. (... Holy shit. Cousi doesn't do things by halves.) That was going to be something to look forward too.
Thankfully, I'd have a week to figure out if I wanted to expose myself or not...
But for now, I'd get back to beating the shit out of this stupid boss!
In my story, Junpei and Chidori got married, moved to America, and had kids.
Kanji and Teddy ended up together, Kanji's whole thing was him accepting he was gay, so I just kept him as gay instead of making him bi or straight. He runs a business in Inaba with those knitted items he makes, and he helps out Teddy.
Teddy ended up bi, I also think it was canon that Yosuke ended up letting him run the Inaba Junes(I think?), so both of those should be enough.
Yukiko is running the inn, so she doesn't have enough time to go.
Also, a barely there Izanagi No Okami being nearly as powerful as Sera, two explanations there. 1) He's literally based off the father of all Japan's gods, if he wasn't buff as fuck, it'd make no sense. 2) Serafall limits herself to 50% of her total presence around Tara and the others, at the start that was 30-25% before Tara was good enough to not fly away, so that's just Tara's perception, not gospel.
Though, I wonder what will happen when Yu manages to get enough proficiency to fully manifest Izanagi No Okami into reality. ~Whistles innocently.~