Yeah, they're not talking much after last chapter.

I guess I can get that. Eh, whatever, time to get a move on.

Just the two of us again… Just like old times, eh?

Please, I literally have a chapter of a rewritten AT sitting in a folder on my laptop if the cringe from that fic ever becomes too much for me to bear.

You… literally have chapter one of an AT rewrite on your laptop?

Hell, I even have one of DFW and BL crossover too (no, I'm not uploading that).

Why?

I am fucking bored, that's why! I beat new games too quickly, so I need something to do all day!

You poor, poor, poor miserable bastard.

No shit!

Helel: Thank my co-author for 90% of that fight.

Raze Olympus: I find it strange how you're reading a fic like this when you hate one of the main characters.

Guess he really likes Yuki… for some reason.

Nightlyy: And I need to collect my paycheck…

You don't even have a job… *I* don't even have a job!

I get paid in biscuits.

Clevernameeh: Considering when all the fighting took place… Yeah, Ryoji will be appearing soon. Still haven't fully figured him out yet, but *shrugs* what happens happens.

Meanwhile, what DID happen?

His brain fried from the two personalities duking it out.

Also, it's ex-co-author now. There was no fall out or anything, we just decided that was best.


Hospital

Kotone sat quietly in a chair and listened to the constant annoying beeping of all the machines the boy in front of her was hooked up to. It had been a day or two since their big fight in the streets and he still hadn't woken up for even a few seconds.

Despite everything that had happened, she still sat there waiting for him to wake up. She stared at the bandages that covered all of the various stitches from the cuts she had inflicted on him. Minato may have been the reason the fight ended, but she was the reason that he had to endure all of the pain.

No, all of that was its fault. It was its fault that Makoto lost his family. It was its fault that Makoto went down the dark path he did all by himself. It was its fault that the boy named Minato became two separate pieces. It was its fault that she had to fight him. Everything was that monster's fault.

Kotone briefly looked behind her and saw another girl's eyes staring back in her direction—but not at her.

"You can see him," Kotone asked Chidori who was sitting in her hospital bed silently. "Can't you?"

Chidori shook her head, never taking her eyes off a particular spot by Makoto's bedside next to Kotone.
"I do not see him anymore than you do. Rather, I just… feel the emptiness around him."

"That's probably why Fuuka couldn't detect him when he didn't want to be noticed," Kotone thought out loud as she combed her fingers through the boy's hair, "normally she detects any signs of life, but he's just devoid of… anything."

"He killed Takaya and Jin, didn't he?" Chidori bluntly asked the question, her voice still maintaining her usual soft-spoken demeanor. She didn't sound heartbroken or even moved, it had just… happened.

"Junpei told you, huh," Kotone replied as she slowly nodded, "Yes, he did. He also killed Sakuya and damaged Aigis."

"Why're you so selfish?"

Kotone immediately jumped out of her seat the second she heard that sentence and faced the hospitalized persona-user, "Excuse me?"

Chidori didn't even seem threatened or moved, she just continued to stare at the source of where this strange feeling of emptiness originated. "Junpei told me about his other self. Tell me, why do you do everything that you do? Why couldn't you just leave him alone?"

"Because I…" Kotone sighed as she shook her head, "from the day I first met him, he just felt… sad. Whenever I saw him in the halls, it was like I saw a raincloud hovering over him no matter where he went. I guess, I just wanted him to be happy again."

Kotone let out an empty laugh as the memories came flooding back, "Before I knew it, he ended up stealing my heart. Even more ironic, the broken thing I'd set out to fix was the one who was fixing me in a way. After that, I dunno… I just wanted to be with him for the sake of being with him at that point."

"But you wanted the real him, didn't you?" Chidori asked as she finally stopped staring at Makoto's beside and began her usual habit of drawing again. "But that's what makes you selfish."

"How the hell is wanting him back to how he was selfish?!" Kotone shot back, not bothering to hide the anger that was quickly welling up inside at the mere thought.

"His friend might have caused his loss, but he didn't cause him to change," Chidori continued, "he wanted to escape. He wanted his pain to end, even if it meant that he lost his sense of self."

Chidori put down her sketchbook and looked Kotone in the eye and said, "Tell me, what gives you the right to bring him back into a world he wanted to escape? What gives you the right to determine what's best for him? What gives you the right to make him experience all of the pain he wanted to get away from?"

"S-S-Shut up!" Kotone screamed, not caring what any of the staff might've thought if they overheard or how Junpei would feel to know that she was snapping at the one he cared about. "What? Are you on that monster's side, is that it?! Who the hell are you to judge?!"

"I'm not on anyone's side," Chidori replied as she began to draw again, but let out a long sigh, "I just don't get it. Even when I tell him not to come, Junpei always visits despite it hurting whenever he does—just like how you're about to hurt him by bringing the real him back. You're—"

Before she could finish the sentence, a loud smack pierced the air as Kotone glared at the gothic girl. "Fuck you! What gives you the right to call me that after I just fought tooth and nail for him? If you want to keep this brooding bitch façade up, go ahead but don't you dare drag him or me into it!"

Chidori blinked for a few moments in shock as she rubbed the side of her face. She expected that to not be something that she would've liked to hear, but that was a bit stronger of a reaction than she expected. "Very well…"

Still feeling the anger burning inside her, Kotone gave one last look at Makoto before stomping out the door before she did something she's regret. Who cares what she said? What would she know anyway? She hardly knew Makoto and she damn well didn't know Minato.


Dorm

Everyone sat around uncomfortably on the fourth floor, unsure how to start the team meeting. There wasn't a question about what was still on everyone's minds, but no one was eager to bring it back up, especially around their leader.

"So uh..." Junpei looked around at everyone in the room filled with tension so thick that you could cut it with a knife, "pretty soon will be out last mission, right?"

"I guess," Kotone responded dejectedly.

"Do you think ending the Dark Hour will make that shadow leave Makoto-kun?" Fuuka asked. Even if they managed to defeat Makoto this time, if he woke up, he'd still have that monster to deal with.

"Honestly, I'm questioning the validity of the belief that defeating the last shadow will put a stop to everything," Mitsuru dared to bring up something that had been on the back of their minds ever since they first fought Makoto, "if Ikutsuki really was planning to betray us…"

"Come to think of it, Makoto helped us kill the other shadows too, right," Yukari said, "why would the shadow inside him even let him do that?"

"There are so many questions left unanswered from all of this." Mitsuru sighed, unable to believe that Ikutsuki was just using them. She wanted to think that the shadow was lying, but for what purpose? It was planning to kill them all, so it's not like it would've had anything to gain.

"Regardless, we still need to prepare to deal with the next shadow," Akihiko sighed, "if we leave it alone that just means that more people are going to die."

"What about Aigis," Ken brought up their fallen teammate, "how's she?"

"Yuk—Arisato inflicted more damage than originally anticipated," Mitsuru answered, almost forgetting that Yuki was nothing more than a false-name meant to trick everyone about who he really was. "It's unlikely that she'll be present for the next operation."

And with that, the uncomfortable silence returned. So much had happened this month; losing Shinjiro, Makoto killing Strega, fighting Makoto and that thing inside him, learning that Ikutsuki was using them for reasons unknown, Makoto all but completely destroying Aigis, and now Makoto's in the hospital while they're left wondering what will happen when they destroy this next shadow.

"I told you, I'm doing fine," Kotone said as she sat in her chair by her desk with a phone to her ear, doing her best to sound like her usual self—especially considering the person on the other end. "Yes, my friends are doing fine too."

Fine? Yeah, right. None of them are sure what'll happen when they defeat this next shadow and Makoto gave everyone a firm reminder of just what this hour has done to people. No one was confident in what they were doing anymore. They just didn't want to say it.

Kotone let out a surprised, "Huh," when she heard the person's next question. "Oh, how's it working out between me and him? It's uh… gotten complicated."

Complicated? Yeah, that's one way to put it. He was in the hospital right now and there was no telling exactly how he would act when he woke up. Would he be Makoto? Minato? Would he just be a puppet with Pharos as the puppet master again? All she could do right now was pray for a miracle.

The voice on the other end could be heard whistling, "Complicated already, huh? Well, you've still done better than my first relationship. Boy, now that was complicated."

Kotone suppressed a chuckle as she shook her head, "Dad please, don't start that story again. It was your fault."

"What? But I—okay, you're probably right," he admitted, "still, you're not supposed just say it!"

"Sorry to disappoint you," she tried her best to giggle. "No, it was nothing like that. Just… he's going through some personal stuff right now."

Personal stuff… fancy way of saying he had a monster use him like he were nothing more than a toy, and she was the one who gave him so many of the injuries that were going to scar when they had healed. Whether she likes it or not, now there'll always be several signs to remind them of what happened because of that abomination.

"Ooh that kind of complicated." The father sounded like he was taking a deep breath and exhaling, "Yeah, that's not my strong suit, sorry."

"Not to be rude, but I was kinda busy…" Kotone tried to sound as convincing as possible.

Busy? No one had really been busy the past few days. All they've been is them trying to prepare for the next full moon with a cloud hanging above their heads. She just wanted to get off the phone so she wouldn't have to keep this façade up.

"Right, you're probably stacked with homework," he reasoned. "I shouldn't keep you. Call me anytime."

"I know." Kotone let out a soft sigh as the call was finally ending and she could afford to sound more closely to how she actually felt. "Love you too, Dad. Bye"

Leave it to her dad to call at the worst of times. Usually she loved talking to him about how school had been going, how/who her friends were, etc. She was even close enough to him that she even told him about her 'dates' with Makoto/Minato all the way back when the year first started.

But now, now it was the worst time for that. No matter how she looked at it, in a way, Pharos reducing Makoto to nothing more than his personal plaything was at least partly her fault. She sure as hell believed she did the right thing and wouldn't let anyone dare tell her otherwise, but she was still the one who caused Pharos to get so angry at Makoto to begin with. If she had known about Pharos and approached everything differently, things might not have escalated so far.

That was probably just wishful thinking. Either way, she'd have to deal with Pharos and Pharos turned out to be rather possessive.

Kotone glanced at the weapon by her desk—the same one that had been used to fight off the same person who was dominating her thoughts. Just one more operation, and with luck, Ikutsuki wouldn't have been lying when he said destroying this last one would end the Dark Hour. It may have been a longshot, but it was the only hope she had right now. If this hour finally ends, maybe that demon would finally go away?


Moonlight Bridge

Kotone looked up at the sky and saw the full moon hanging above all of them as they stood at the bridge. One last operation and this could finally all be over.

"It's fitting that it ends here," Mitsuru said for seemingly no reason before following it by, "I was able to see if what the shadow said held any truth, and… It was here. It was right here ten years ago that Arisato's family was killed."

"So in a sense," Kotone's eyes became focused solely on the bridge as she tried to imagine the horrific scene play out in her head, "this is where it all began."

She looked up and saw Arcana Hanged Man hovering above them. It was just staying there, almost as if it were telling them to try and attack.

Back on the bridge came three shadows in the form of strange statues. It was strange to face something as simple as this after fighting that monster that followed Makoto wherever he went.

Fuuka warned everyone about the shadows' attacks and resistances as the fighting began to ensue. Fighting with a team was so different than fighting by one's self.

Kotone's mind seemed to almost go blank as the shadows were pushed back. Everything just seemed so… surreal. She couldn't really explain why, but… something about all of this just felt off.

Maybe the after-effects of the last fight still hadn't worn off? Everything just felt so… easy now that she continually found her mind slipping.

The last of the statue shadows squirmed as it began to fade away. Did she kill that one, or was it one of the others? Speaking of which, what actually happened to the other statues? Everyone was looking at her in awe… did she kill the other ones? Maybe, but who cares? All that matters is bringing that shadow down.

For whatever reason, the loss of the statues caused Hanged Man to descend down into the bridge. It didn't take long for everyone to surround it and begin attacking.

Next thing Kotone knew, she was standing in front of the shadow's face as it shrieked and whined in pain. She wasn't even completely sure why it was crying so much, it was nothing more than another monster that needed to die.

Kotone reeled her weapon back and began slashing aimlessly at the shadow's face causing its ichor to splatter everywhere as it screamed from the assault.

How long did this go on? For seconds or several minutes? She wasn't sure of anything anymore. She just wanted that shadow to die.

Eventually the shadow began to fade away into a black mist, leaving no trace of its existence behind. Even all of the ichor that covered the ground, her blade, and stained her clothes began to fade away as well.

As Kotone continued to stand there panting, her heart still racing despite her mind still feeling the same as it had for the past few weeks, the others began talking about they were going to do now.

However, Kotone thought a similar but different question that would continue to haunt her throughout the rest of the night. Now that the last of the twelve were gone, what's going to happen next?


Hospital

Pharos sat on the edge of the hospital bed, silently watching his friend sleep peacefully after his last battle. It was a long and hard fought battle, but not every fight they have is going to end with success.

Pharos closed his eyes as he felt his final piece return to him, making him whole once again. With his full power restored, he could feel the seal that had been place upon him ten years ago finally break.

Once again being at his full strength and with nothing restricting his powers any longer, Pharos placed a hand on his friend's arm and watched as all of the wounds that Kotone had given him suddenly vanished. His healing spells on Makoto were always very limited when it came to those that had similar power to him, but now that didn't mean anything anymore.

"Ugh," Makoto shifted in the bed for a few moments before slowly opening his eyes. The first thing that struck him was how… empty his mind felt.

Usually, there was always the presence of his other to keep in check, but now he was just… gone. In a last-ditch effort to save Kotone, he completely sacrificed his existence to stop Makoto from hurting her.

"You're awake." Makoto turned towards the familiar voice and saw Pharos who looked very different from before. His hair had grown longer, most notably in the front where his bangs were brushed down closely emulating the fringe that Makoto had, and his facial features had changed slightly making him look more like Minato when he was around six or seven.

Makoto groaned as he placed a hand on his head. He could think a little more coherently now that Pharos had put some pieces of his mind back together. Not enough that he was how he used to be, but enough that he could go on without him.

"I have to go now." Pharos suddenly said with a sad face which caught Makoto's attention immediately.

"G-Go?" Makoto tilted his head confused. Why would Pharos need to go?

"There's not enough time," Pharos said as he began to become translucent as he began to fade away. "But don't worry. We'll see each other again… Goodbye."

"P-Pharos, don't…" Makoto tried to reach out for the boy, only for him to completely fade away at the last second.

And then, Makoto could only sit there as the horrible realization kicked in.

"Don't…"

For the first time in his life…

"Don't go…"

… He was truly alone.

Makoto simply remained there still for several moments before slowly lowering his head and feeling himself being washed away like chalk on a sidewalk—removed to be replaced with something else.

After a few moments, the boy lifted his head and rose from the bed. There was still some time before the Dark Hour ends—not much, but enough.

Pulling the IVs out of his arm, the bluenette began walking towards the door. Even though he was in a hospital gown, it wouldn't be hard to find some clothes if he hurried.

Right when he placed his hand on the knob, the boy heard a voice ask, "So, where will you go now?"

The boy sighed, knowing just who that voice belonged to, "Hell if I know." Not wanting to answer any more questions or waste any time, the boy walked out the room and left the hospital as quickly as he could.

Luckily for him, there was a small clothing store nearby for him to raid and find something to protect him from the cold early November air. All he was going to need was a simple pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie.

Inside the pockets of the hoodie, however, was also something that he was going to take care of when he reached the place he needed to be right now.


?

"I'm so sleepy…" Minako yawned as she struggled to keep her head from leaning against her brother's shoulder.

"Me too," Minato's yawn follow his younger twin's. They had been out all day and night celebrating their birthday, and now both of them were completely spent. They would've left to go home sooner, but there was some sort of car trouble that neither of them understood that caused them to be held up sooner.

"Betcha I can stay up longer than you…" Minako dared as she fought as hard as she could to keep her eyes open.

"No you won't," Minato rose to his siblings challenge. There was nothing like a friendly competition to end the day one.

"How are you two still up," their mother yawned, clearly as tired as the two of them were.

The twins shrugged and both said, "I dunno," before looking at each other for a moment in bewilderment. Is this what happens when twin telepathy goes too far?

Their mother sighed, "I don't even want to think about how hard it'll be to wake you two up in the morn—"

Their mother was suddenly cut off and the car came to a halt as the world around the twins began to change.

Everything suddenly gained a green-ish tint to it and the moon suddenly seemed to be a bit bigger than usual for some reason. The thing that distracted the two the most, however, was that their parents had suddenly changed into what looked like coffins.

Minako rubbed her eyes and pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Minato, what's going on?"

"I don't—" Minato cut himself off when he saw a trail of breath coming from him and his skin stung when he felt a sudden chill in the air.

Confused and growing increasingly scared, the two looked out the car's rear window and saw what could only be described as a ghost slowly making its way closer and closer to them.

The twins remained completely silent when the ghost slowly began to make its way past the car, not noticing the two of them sitting in the backseat of the vehicle.

Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot pierced the air causing the twins to cover their ears in an effort to muffle the loud bangs that immediately followed. Even with their ears muffled, the constant banging caused the two siblings to keep their eyes shut and they remained dead-silent as they sat in the car.

However, as battle continued, something hit the car the sheer force of which caused the vehicle to flip and stop not too far from the edge of the bridge.

"Ugh," Minato groaned as he rubbed his head, having hit it on the door next to him. Minato slowly turned his head to look at his sister. Both of them were dangling in their seats thanks to the seatbelts.

"You okay?" he groaned as he slowly moved his arms and fiddled with the restrain. After a few moments, the belt came loose causing him to experience a short fall as he hit the roof of the car.

Minako let out a pained whine, "M-My leg hurts…" she said, clutching the leg that right next to the door that now had a large dent in it. "Please… help…"

"Hold on," Minato slowly crawled his way to his sister, "just need a mom—"

Before he could finish the sentence, the car was suddenly hit again, this time multiple sections of the car were set ablaze by what could only be described as a supernatural flame.

Minako let out another whimper, "Hurry…"

"I'm trying, I'm trying," he said as he frantically tried to get the restraint off his sister, "i-it's stuck!"

Still in pain with tears falling from her eyes, Minako tried her best to squirm free from the belt instead, but all that did was cause her to cry out in pain from her leg.

Minato looked around and saw that the fire was spreading rapidly, "sorry about this." Not giving his sister anytime to argue, he tried his best to force her and her leg free from the restraints causing her to let out an ear-piercing shriek in pain that continued until she was finally free.

With his sister finally free, Minato tried opening the car door on his side. Giving him trouble at first, Minato proceeded to push the door open as hard as his small frame would let him, causing the door to open just enough to slip through.

"Come on, this won't be easy." Grabbing onto his sister's shoulders, Minato began to drag her out.

Feeling the sharp pain in her leg as she was slowly being dragged, Minako cried out in pain, "Stop! Stop! Stop! I-It hurts… It hurts too much!"

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I…" Minato looked around and saw the flames getting closer and closer, and Minako was unable to move because of the pain in her leg.

"I-I… I'm sorry…" Shaking his head and cursing himself, Minato slipped through the open gap and ran as quick as he could from the wreckage. All the while, his sister was continuously calling his name, begging him to come back.

After running several feet away, Minato looked back at the wreckage and lost all strength in his legs. He saw Minako using all of her strength to crawl away, still calling his name… but not quick enough that she could escape the fire.

Over and over she kept screaming his name before being engulf in the flames. Minato could only watch helplessly as he watched his sister writhe and cry as she was burned alive. He didn't even know when the tears started falling… She was so close to getting away… If he'd just helped her for a little bit longer…

Minato almost didn't notice the chill in the air in the midst of everything. Slowly turning his head, Minato saw the 'ghost' staring back at him…


Present

The boy continued walking through the mostly deserted streets with his head hanged low. The Dark Hour had ended a few minutes ago, but that was fine. He didn't need any more reminders other than the one that was permanently scarred into all three pieces of his broken soul.

He sighed as he reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out the same mask that led to everything that had happened during October. He didn't bring it or anything. It simply 'followed' him before resting itself inside his pocket.

It was funny in a way. So much pain and death could be traced back to this one little mask in the palm of his hands.

Without a second thought, the bluenette crushed the mask with his bare hands, crumbling it to pieces. It was astounding really, the thing was strong enough that a shot from Takaya's revolver bounced off it but now it shattered so easily.

Letting the bits and pieces get carried away in a gust of wind, the boy put his hands back into his pockets and walked a short distance to his destination.

Exhaling, the boy took a seat and faced the stone in front of him. "Hey sis," Foundation greeted the grave that neither Inheritor nor Prince had the strength to approach, "been awhile, hasn't it?"

Of course, a piece of stone wasn't going to provide him with any response.

The boy sighed, but not before feeling a drop of water fell onto his nose. Raising his hand, the boy felt more and more rain drops beginning to fall.

"Just not my day, is it?" The boy chuckled before leaning back with his hands supporting him. For the first time in ten years, he was completely in control without anyone else being present in his head.

Inheritor sacrificed himself in order to save the person he loved.

Prince put himself to 'sleep,' simply unable to continue anymore.

That only left Foundation, the one that began it all when he left his sister to die years ago.

"And then there was one…" Minato mumbled as he continued to sit by the graves of those he had lost.


Yikes, how do you feel about that Pharos?

Pharos? Oh shit, he's gone!

Whoa, didn't expect him to actually leave… Well, that happened.

Massive cop-out during Kotone's 'fight' though.

How do you write a fight for something like that?! Hell, why is range even an issue?! Personas can fucking fly!

Everything has a limit!

Oh, really? *points to P5's final boss*

… Okay, yeah, that does not make any sense.

Anyhow, I feel I need to clear something up. Allow me to explain the THREE personalities.

Prince – Makoto… pretty simple.

Inheritor—Nice Minato (the name "Inheritor" comes from the fact he kept his old name). For future reference, he will now be referred to as "Arisato" just so he's not confused with the personality below.

Foundation—the first/true Minato who the other two personalities are based on. It's actually not the first time he's shown up. *points to lemon chapter, Aigis' declaration of protection in-school, and the post-Sakuya hospital visit*

Still not talking?

She did kinda black out during the Hanged Man fight… I think she's just fantasizing about her next opportunity to pin him down into bed.

Yeah, that sounds about right.