Ok, there's something I want to make clear before this chapter starts. My review section is not a place for arguments. If any of you have a problem with someone, do it on your own PMs. Please, I don't like to read those things.

Chapter 3: Back to square one.

The dark hour ended a while ago with no issues. All the Persona users were inside the dorms, resting on their dinner room. Four pairs of eyes were looking at a tiny fairy Persona who was happily eating a dish of strawberries covered with cream. They haven't never seen a Persona lasted so long after being summon, worst, they haven't seen a Persona being summoned outside the dark hour.

"You're lucky that you have this. Otherwise, I would have blown your face." The persona by the name of Pixie commented to her user.

Speaking of him, Kashida was standing at the last seat of the table. He was looking at Pixie with dead eyes. The tattoos that were covering his body were gone and left his bare torso to be seen.

"She is quite fond of them…" Ikutsuki was the one who break the ice. No one dare to say a word to him, they were still shocked by what he did to those shadows. "Never seen a Persona eating before."

"I'm not a Persona, old man! I'm a fairy!" Pixie screamed but instead of being threating she look very adorable.

"I won't recommend to annoy her. She has the same power as a nuclear bomb."

"D-Does she?"

"She is almost as strong as me. But let's not talk about her. Let's talk about you."

"How curious, I was about to ask the same." Mitsuru commented, already recovered from her initial shock. "Who are you?"

"Kashida Naoki." Mitsuru gave him a frown. "What? Is who I am."

"Kashida-kun. You don't know me, my name is Ikutsuki Shuji. I'm the director of the Gekkoukan High School. I was the one who contact your tutors, remember?"

"No." Ikutsuki flinched at his brutal honesty. "So this is how is going to be? One for you and one for me?"

"That would be for the best, isn't it? Well, you can ask us now."

"What are you guys supposed to be?"

"I'm glad you ask. Tell me, do you believe me if I tell you that the day has more than 24 hours?"

"I hate when someone answer a question with another question. You either answer my question or I make you."

"Hold on, there's no need for violence. What I want to tell you is that the day has more than 24 hours."

"I already know that. We all see that. Answer what I ask you."

"Can you stop being such an asshole?!" Yukari step up. "Who the hell do you think you are?! You have no right to treat Ikustsuki-sensei like this! He just trying to be nice!"

"Takeba, restrain yourself!"

"You know I'm right, Mitsuru-senpai!"

"Takeba-kun, while I applicate-"

"Answer my question." Naoki interrupted them. "I don't care if you think of me as an asshole or not, what you think couldn't make me care. I want my answers and I will not leave until I get them."

"When the clock reaches midnight a secret hour starts. An hour unavailable to most of the people, where shadows appears and attacks people. We called this phenomenon the dark hour."

"Let me guess, you people are a secret group that fights those said shadows during the dark hour."

"Exactly. We are the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, S.E.E.S for short."

"Sounds like a name made by a thirteen year old." All the members were deeply offended by his comment. "Why did you people put cameras inside my room?"

"You know about that?!"

"Oh, so that's why you call Hua Po."

"You were the reason behind the malfunction of our cameras?"

"I don't like to be watch, Kirijo. I'm not a guinea pig. Tell me, you people select me for a special reason?"

"We believe that you could possess the talent of a Persona. As we can see, your talent exceed our expectation."

"I'm not a Persona! I'm a Fairy!" Pixie yelled at them. "Are guys deaf or something?!"

"Can you tell us the nature of….Pixie?"

"She is a Fairy."

"Please don't make jokes."

"Whenever you believe what I told is up to you. Speaking of Personas, what are those?"

"Personas are manifestations of one truth selves. Those who had the potential are able to manifest a representation of one's will. Personas are the only way that humans had to defeat shadows."

"Then why you carry those guns?"

"I see that you are very curious about us. Is something that we both share, Kashida-kun. For your question I will answer only if you tell us how you get…your abilities."

"I eat a bug." All the Personas users stared at him. "Again, is up to you to believe me or not. Now, I have a supposition to make. When I first arrive here, Takeba was about to use that gun of hers. If I'm not wrong, it was during the 'dark hour'. Right?"

"Yes. Evokers are tool we use to summon our personas. They allow us to fight back against shadows."

"And shadows only appear during the dark hour."

"Correct."

"Meaning that you cannot use those 'persona' outside the dark hour."

"Which brings you to our question. How is that she is still here?

"Listen, old man. I'm being saying all this time that I'm a fairy. F-A-I-R-Y. FAIRY. If you can't understand what I'm saying then this conversation is over. Nao, I see you later." Pixie got tired and retired from this realm.

"What an interesting being…"

"H-How was she able to communicate with us?"

"With her mouth."

"Kashida-kun, I will suggest you that you drop off your jokes."

"I'm starting to agree with her that you people aren't listening to what we were saying."

"Perhaps if you give us clear answer instead of giving us the most ambiguous answers."

"You have a sharp tongue, Kirijo."

"I'm the leader of this squad, Kashida. I don't like when an unknown element appears. Even less, if is a treat to my companions."

"Everyone calm down. There's no need for violence. I know we all altered for what happen but I believe that Kashida-kun can be a very reliable..."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"If you want to recruit me into whatever you guys want, my answer is no."

"Can you at least hear me before you make a decision?"

"Nothing that you say will change my mind."

"Listen! The shadows are attacking people! They are a lot of people that get affected by them and they are getting sick to the point that they lost their selves! You must have-"

"Right now, there's someone being mug, raped and/or kill. It happens, all the time."

"Give one reason, why should you help us!"

"I can give you two: I don't want and I don't care." Naoki stood up from his seat. "By the way…you can only summon Persona during the dark hour, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, for those who are thinking of beating the shit out of me." Naoki raised his hand and made a fist. The exact moment he close it, it was covered in flames. All the humans present wined their eyes in a mixture of shock, wonder and fear. "You guys have one hour to use your powers. I have twenty four…scratch that, I have twenty five. So if any of you want to do something or if I learn that you put cameras on my bedroom again….take a guess."

No one dare to say anything to him. "Is a school night. You should all get to bed." Naoki left the room and went to up stairs.

"Kirijo-kun….I believe that we need to contact your father."

She never like to be part of this. The reason why she was here was because of her father. It was all his fault that she couldn't get a normal life. No, that wasn't entirely true. Her mother had a lot to do. If she could still call her by that title.

Yukari wanted to escape from all that crap, and perhaps clean some her family name.

It was she expected to do… but she wasn't able to do it. She wasn't strong, even with a Persona. She was too scared to fight. The day that Kashida came to the dorms, she was petrified. It didn't help that he manage to subdue her so easily.

That boy….that thing wasn't human. The way he kill all those shadows…his strength…his power…that…that…look….nothing about him speak human. And that terrified her the most.

She sleep all the night with an open eye staring at her door, fearing that he will break into her room and kill her. He pretty much threat them to do it.

So the hours passed and the morning started. It was time to go to school even if she didn't want to.

"Takeba, are you wake?"

"Y-Yes." She grabbed her school back and left her room. Outside were Akihiko and Mitsuru waiting for her. "Y-You're coming with us, Sanada-senpai?"

"Is better that we go on group from this day forward. It's not good to go alone when that guy is around."

"Y-You guys don't think that he would do something to us, right?"

"Kashida made himself clear last night. Unless we force our hand, he will leave us alone. But there's nothing wrong to be careful until we figured out what to do with him." The 3 students went down stairs and immediately froze when they saw Kashida sitting on the dinner room.

"Good morning, nice weather we have today." He was drinking a cup of coffee while eating a croissant. "I woke up early to have breakfast. Is the most important meal of the day, wouldn't you agree?"

"What you want?"

"Isn't it normal to classmates to walk together to school? We did it yesterday, I don't see why don't do it today."

"If you think I'm going to let you to be close to them, you going to have to pass through me."

"Why? I'm not going to do anything. Now…" in one bite, he finish what was left of his croissant and push down his throat with the coffee. "Alright, let's go." He walked toward the entrance and stopped. "Well? You guys coming?"

The 3 students look at each other for a moment. Mitsuru was the one who took the first step and the other two follow her behind.

Thankfully he didn't do anything to them during their trip to the station. Yukari wasn't able to look at him, she was forcing herself with all her strength to ignore him. But Mitsuru had other plans. "What's your goal?"

"Excuse me?"

"What you gain for doing this? You made yourself clear last night about us. Why you want to walk with us?" Naoki didn't say nothing to her. "Unless…you want to check out that we don't try to something behind your back."

….

….

"You are their leader, aren't you?" She nodded. "You're right. I don't trust you that you won't do something when I'm looking elsewhere. After all, you put cameras inside my room. So you people don't have a good background in my eyes."

"Just answer me one thing and I will leave you alone for the entire school year."

"Ask."

"Are you an enemy or an ally?"

"Hmmm…..I'm not your ally but I'm not your enemy either. Although, that thing could change depending of what you people do or not do."

"How can we be sure that you won't do anything?"

"Last night I told you that I have no reason to help. Also, I don't have any reason to be against you. So highly recommend you to not do get me on my bad side."

The rest of the trip was….remotely peaceful. It was tense, of course. No one wanted to talk and he was ok with the silence. When they arrived to the school gate, Yukari ran towards her friends and went straight to her class.

She felt guilty to leave their friends alone but she wanted to be as far as she can from that boy. She just wanted to escape.

He didn't pay attention of what the teachers were saying. Thankfully, they didn't ask him to answer a question or resolve a problem. It was a very peaceful and eventless day. The Persona users didn't try anything on him, but just in case, he summoned some tiny demons to check on them. Just to be sure.

Naoki decided to let him go back by their own. They pretty much get his warning, so he hoped that they wouldn't do anything. And if they did, they will know the consequences. He didn't want to hurt them. He knew that they weren't bad people, they were sincere. In a way, he envy them. To be able to like that…it was something that he lost back at the vortex world. The amount of pains and betrayals he suffered inside that world, change him…cut something from him. The ability of just trust someone….but he knew the nature of humans and what happen when you put them on edge. Everyone has problems and they are very good at hide them.

But what happen to them is not his problem.

The day finish but he opted to not back to the dorms. He wanted to train a little. Tatsumi Port was pretty big. The commercial district was huge and had a ton of variety. But he needed a place where no one could bother him….or get hurt by him.

Perhaps he could go to the docks and train there. Maybe there was an abandoned factory that he could use?

"Excuse me?" Someone interrupted his thoughts. He turned his back, behind him was a girl. She look….odd. She had a long dark blue dress, it was the same kind of uniform than stewardess wear on plane trips. She even had one of those ridiculous hats. Her skin was pale and her hair platinum. And her eyes resemble the one of a demon.

She wasn't a human being. He realized that immediately. But he could also tell that she wasn't a demon. Nor a goddess. Nor an angel. Whatever she was, he had never encounter a being like her.

"You are Kashida Naoki. Also known as the demi-fiend." Naoki clinched his fist as a respond. "Please don't be alarm, Naoki-sama. I have no ill intentions towards you."

"Who are you?"

"My deepest apologizes. My name is Elizabeth, I'm nothing but a mere assistance for my master, who wishes to speak to you in private."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because this concern the reason behind the dark hour."

"I have no intentions to help those people fight against shadows."

"Forgive my rudeness but this matter is beyond human affairs." Naoki raised an eyebrow. "This matter is equal as the conception, Naoki-sama." For the first time in a very long time, a true expression of shock appeared on his face. "Please, follow me." He follow her to an alley, to his surprise there was a blue door standing on the middle of the alley. "Please."

He hesitated for a moment, just in case, he activated his tattoos and open the door. The room was very good looking, it remind him of an elegant hotel lobby. But he had a lot of complains of the color palette, or the lack of. Because everything was blue.

Sitting at the middle of the room was an elderly man. He was ugly. Bald head, big nose and bug eyes. And yet, he had an aura of elegance and mystery.

"Welcome to the velvet room. My name is Igor and is it a pleasure to meet the one who rejects all the reasons."

"Are you the one who call me?"

"Yes and no. While I want to talk to you, I'm not the one who organized this meeting."

"Then who?"

"That would be me."

Suddenly, out of thin air, another elderly man appeared before him. The man was too old and weak. He was on a wheelchair and being pushed by a young woman who was dressed like a widow.

"Old man?!" Naoki knew him too well. He was the reason why he become a demon. The one who wanted to turn him into the perfect weapon against god: Lucifer Morningstar. "Why are you here?!"

"It's been too long, Naoki. I'm glad that you managed to get into such prestige school. We hope that you managed to finally graduate from school."

"Answer me! What are you planning?!"

"Nothing. I'm here just to give validation to their words. All because this is my fault."

"Do not say that, my lord. No one know that Hikawa Doi was able to commit such a vile act."

"What are you talking about?"

"Allow me to explain." A flash of light summon a handsome man at the side of Igor. "Forgive me to contact you this abruptly but we are desperate for what is going to happen in the future. I'm Philemon, the creator of the velvet room. A place between dreams and reality."

"You all keep saying all this stuff? What's going on?"

"Naoki-kun, you experimented the phenomena known as the dark hour during the pasts days. As well, the ones who used the power known as Persona." Philemon explained everything that he already known. "The Kirijo group was under the impression that you were also a Persona user….and they weren't wrong."

"I don't have a Persona."

"That's because of me." Naoki turned his eyes towards the king of hell. "You have the potential like your classmates. A wild card, to be specific. The strongest of all of the Persona users."

"Your fate was to come here and stop the dark hour….this is how it was supposed to be until April 6th of 2003."

"The Conception."

"And the same day you died. The same day that I turn you into a demon." Lucifer added. "Personas are the manifestation of one inner thoughts and desires. Of their hearts. Something that we, demons, do not possess. Only humans and animals are able to use them."

"So when I die, I also lost my Persona."

"Exactly. When you return the world back to its former form, you should have turn back into a human being."

"But because of me, I let you keep your demonic powers. Losing forever your capacity of summoning a Persona."

"Hold on. Are….Are you telling me that I have some kind of destiny bullshit prepare for me?"

"No exactly. While the universe had plans for you, it was your choice to accept it. No one was to force to do something you didn't desire to do."

"Which bring us to our current situation. Without you, the S.E.E.S squad cannot defeat the twelve shadows and stop the dark hour. Only with the power of the wild card can succeed in their goal."

"So you want me to help them?"

"While your assistance will certainly help them…the power of the wild card is the only way to stop the dark hour. Even with all your power, you cannot stop the dark hour. Only a human soul can stop it."

"If only a human can help then what you want me to do?"

"We come into contact with your replacement. While strong, she doesn't possess a strong heart and will. The power of the wild card depends of the bonds they made. The stronger their bonds are, the stronger their Persona will become. Unfortunately, she doesn't know how to connect with others."

"Why?"

"She does possess a Persona and a heart….but she is not a human being." Naoki looked confused. "I know that I'm contradicted herself. She is a mechanical humanoid."

"….A robot?"

"The official title is Anti-shadow Suppression Weapon. An android made to destroy shadows. Their makers are unaware but she now has the ability of a wild card. We want you to help her to connect with humans."

"Why? Why me?"

"Because you are the only one who can understand her." Naoki looked at Lucifer who was staring at him. "You, who was formerly human, can not only understand how humans live but how is the life of a being who isn't. Those classmate of yours can be her friends but no one will be able to understand her situation. Only you, who walks the line between humans and demons can help her to understand humans."

Naoki tried to keep up with them but he was trying too hard to conceal himself. He hates whenever someone tell him that he had to do something that he didn't want to do. Hijiri made him resent everyone who wanted to order him around. Being a pawn for someone else's plans was something he promised to never be again.

He didn't like this. Once again, he was completely clueless of what was going on and he wanted to punch the shit of everything that he sees. How the fuck did he end up in this shit?!

"Naoki-kun." Philemon walk close to him. "I will not say that I understand your pain because I don't. No one here could understand what you live through during the vortex world. I know that I'm asking you a lot, but please, you must understand that this isn't a fight for humanity's fate but for life itself."

"I wouldn't normally involve in humans matters. But for what Philemon inform me, the shadows objectives is to summon Nyx who will bring the end of the world."

"You telling me that another conception will occur."

"No, is worse. If that will be the case, then the same situation you lived will be repeat it. This is different, if Nyx destroys the world it won't be a vortex world that would bring new world. Once Nyx end the world, it won't be a new one born from its remnants. IT will be the definitive end for the life as we know it."

"And why does it concerns you?"

"Because it will affect hell as well. All the demons will suffer the same fate as humanity."

"Including you?"

"Including me." This…was something that he couldn't imagine. What kind of monster was this Nyx? "Is my fault that this world lost its savior and if it dies, my kingdom will be next and even with all my power, I cannot stop death itself."

"So tell us….will you lend us your power, Demi-Fiend?"

"….. ... Her name….What's her name?"

"Her name is Aegis."