Hour: 10 - Kazuki

The two of us continued walking until we reached our destination. I thought Shadows would pop up any second now, but nothing happens. It's as if they all disappeared. This guy must've killed them all, but himself? Suddenly, I'm not as confident anymore.

The masked man stops dead-center in a spacious area of the floor. "Here should do."

I can't tell what this person is thinking. Their posture is oddly dull, lacking anything close to a personality. He doesn't have any openings to exploit. But all that means jack, his presence is out of this world, like being submerged in a dark, soundless, bottomless ocean. The deeper I go, the darker it gets.

"Are you ready," the masked man asks me.

"Sure, why not? But you promise to get us out of here when I win?"

"Of course."

Then I have no reason to hold back, I'm going to knock this guy the hell out!

"Janus!"

My Persona rockets into the sky. It comes crashing into the ground, demolishing the space around it, and debris scatters everywhere. Did I get him?

"Such a strong Persona, however, that will not do." His silently travels to my ears. He moves into view from the other side of my Persona. Not even a scratch on him. "Though, I give you credit for taking the initiative on the opening attack."

Janus twists its body, delivering a swift kick. Despite its speed, it got nothing but empty space. The masked guy is 10 meters away from Janus, standing as still as a statue. Janus shoots off the ground. He rams the masked guy into the wall behind him. The devastating impact destroys the wall, making a gigantic crater. I don't know what happened to the masked guy, but since he's in Tartarus, he has to have a Persona, and that means he's probably able to withstand a blow like that.

"I'd advise you to be careful. What if the blow killed me?"

This monotone voice is coming from behind me. Flipping the sword to the back, I go for a hastily made attack. But the masked guy stops me by grabbing my wrists. He stopped my arm!? And what the hell is this strength; I can't even move an inch like this!

With a swift, flawless motion of his feet, he sweeps my legs off the floor, perfectly applying the necessary amount of force and speed to do it.

"You drop your guard easily, especially when a move doesn't go your way."

What an arrogant son of a bitch!

"Bastard!"

I swing my blade for his leg. He leaps away from me, widening the gap between us. Can't let him jerk me around like this. Rolling to my feet, I dash after him. Summoning Janus is pointless, and a waste of energy if he just keeps missing. All of my attacks are wild, thoughtless, and lack any proper form. I'm not much of a swordsman in the first place, so this is the best I can do.

"Your swordsmanship is awful, your stance lacks a solid foundation, let alone proper coordination."

"Shut up!"

My sword tears through the air as it closes in toward his head. However, the sound of clashing steel echoes, ringing inside my ear. My blade was stopped by a tanto blade.

"What?"

"What a shame…"

Flashing downward my chest, her blade traces my chest. A warm, familiar sensation spreads across my chest. Blood gushes out of my chest. Some of it hits the masked guy, who doesn't react to it. My legs go limp, and my body drops to the ground like a bag of bricks. I'm getting lightheaded and my vision is getting blurry.

The pain in my chest rivals the one I got from my first fight with the Shadows. The agonizing pain immobilizes me. Breathing is even more painful than it should be, and it only worsens the wound, having it torment me further.

"Don't worry, I cut deep enough to hit anything significant, but you won't be able to move for quite some time. The Dark Hour has begun for them, so you'll be fine."

"What...are you...talking about."

It feels like I'm being stabbed in the throat just when speaking.

"You'll see soon. Also..."

The masked guy walks over to my sword and picks it up.

"That doesn't...belong to you!"

"I'll be taking it for a while. I'll give it back in due time."

"Give...it...back!"

"Before I depart, I suggest you get stronger."

Something so simple as "get stronger" leaves me breathless. The masked guy crushes a crystal in his hands. He's engulfed in a ray of light, leaving no trace behind.

"Damn...it!"

I turn myself to my back to find any sort of comfort, yet even the gentlest of breezes irritate my wound, causing me to scream out in pain.

"Damnit, damnit! It hurts so much..."

Slowly, my vision goes dark as my eyelids close along with them…

Hour: 11 - Kazuki

Something hits my chest. A warm, wet droplet keeps dripping on my chest. My hearing is going in and out, there's a bunch of noise, and I can't what it is… There's a voice, breaking through the cascade of white noise… Fuu-chan? She's crying. I can hear her whimpering. Is it for me? Am I still alive? It's kind of hard to tell since it feels as if my body has gone numb.

Shakily, my eyes open to see Fuuka facing me, her eyes puffy and with tears running down her face. Even now, in an inappropriate situation, she's so beautiful.

"Kazuki-kun!? You're finally awake… Thank you goodness!"

She's careful about how she's touching me. I don't feel the pain that clenched my chest before. It seems like my chest has been wrapped in bandages.

"Hey, senpai, he's awake! Kazu is alive!"

Jun…pei?

"Kazuki, can you hear us!?"

Sanada-senpai?.

"I…can hear…you…"

Senpai lets out a sigh of relief while Jun cheers the fact I'm alive. They found us…they really came for us…

Fuu-chan is hugging me, squeezing me as hard as she can, and for a girl who's on the petite side, she's squeezing the life out of me. "Kazuki-kun! I don't…I don't know what I…! Don't do this to me again!"

Tears stream from her eyes, relentlessly hitting me. I'm such an asshole. I said I was fighting for her but I never thought about how she'd feel if I went and died in here. She's always been worried about me, and now I'm just giving her more to worry about. I don't deserve her tears or concern if I'm the one making her cry.

"I'm sorry…I'll try not to worry you again."

"You…you have to mean it."

"I won't, I promise."

Junpei and Sanada-senpai share a relieved expression, just watching us from afar. I caused trouble for them and lashed out at Junpei… How can they even stand to look at me after all that? Who am I kidding, I'm the one who can't bring myself to glance back at them; ashamed of my actions.

"All right, now we know that the both of you are okay. We can head back," Senpai says.

Best bit of news I heard all day. I attempt to get up on my feet, but my body is still too weak. I'm about to fall forward on my face.

"Kazuki-kun!"

My fall is stopped by Junpei, catching me at the last second. "I gotcha ya."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Whaddya mean why I'm helpin' ya? We're pals, aren't we?"

"But, I hit you…don't you-"

"Yeah, well, I was kinda pissed at first. But when you disappeared, I got worried..."

"Junpei..."

"...When you went missing, I had time to think to myself… I was acting like a dick. I'm sorry, dude."

"It's all right, and I'm sorry about hitting you."

He pats me on the back, grinning like it's nothing to worry about. "Man, it's like water under the bridge. So, let's just forget about it, 'kay?" As if a weight lifted from my chest, the tight feeling in my chest is gone, I can breathe easier "...But dude, did you really fight the Reaper?"

"The only thing I can say is... Hell yeah I did!"

"You are a freakin' legend, man!"

"Though, I didn't do any damage, just a love tap."

"That's more than what we ever did to it."

He's right, even if it didn't hurt him, I managed to go toe to toe with it and survive. Maybe I am a legend!? No, no, don't let it go to your head Kei, having a swelled head got you your ass kicked. Right now, I have to keep my eyes open for any Shadows. The best I can do is summon Janus, but even that would leave me winded…

.../Kazuki

We reached one of those dead-end floors with a teleporter situated near the blocked-off stairs. Turns out we were closer to a safe area than expected, but with all the Shadows roaming the halls, and if I had to fight a tough opponent while escorting Fuu-chan, it could've gone badly. Besides, we can't work teleports alone.

Jun is watching the moon from a window-view. "Man, the moon's pretty big tonight."

"Yeah, it looks amazing when full."

A full moon reminds me of my first time fighting a Shadow; the heat of battle, my adrenaline running, and my blood leaving my body while I lay under the breathtaking moon… Wasn't there a full moon during the train incident? Two large Shadows, both of them coming out during a full moon. It…it could be a coincidence, but that just sounds wrong.

Fuuka falls to her knees, clenching her head.

"Hey, are you okay!?"

"I…them, Shadows, and they're attacking people!"

Damn it, I knew it! This isn't a coincidence!

"Sanada-senpai, we need to hurry!"

"I know, let's go!"

The lobby of Tartarus - Dark Hour

Running out of the teleporter, the girls are unconscious on the ground, and Makoto is fighting by himself.

There are two large shadows; one looks like a fat lady dressed up as a noblewoman, and the other looks like some sort of emperor going to some fancy party. They tower over everyone in the room, their comical forms make the situation look just as bizarre.

"Orpheus!" His Persona douses its harp in flames to find two weaknesses in one go. The attack bounces off of it, not even leaving a dent on the fat lady's stomach. "Damn, nothing's working!"

I can't stand around here and do nothing! I have to get in there! But my body, past its limit, can't move a single step forward, instead, collapsing to the ground.

"Kazuki, what the hell are you doing," Sanada-senpai curses. Any effort to get up is a waste since this wound is beginning to ache again. Damn it, am I really this pathetic!? "...What the hell is she doing here!?"

"Huh?"

In front of me, and to my surprise, is Moriyama. She marches forward in a dull, lifeless daze, muttering something to herself. This is getting weirder and weirder by the second. Moriyama doesn't have the potential, right?

"Moriyama!"

Fuuka runs over to her, ignoring the big-ass Shadows in the room. The Shadows turn their disgusting faces over to Fuuka.

"Get out of there!"

I get up on my feet, pushing my worn-out body with whatever sense of feeling I can summon in my legs. It isn't enough, my body hits the ground again, and this time, my wound is pulsing again. Come on, I don't have time for this crap! I have to protect her, that's what I promised, so I have to do it, no matter what! If I can't even do that, then what the hell am I even doing here?

A silver glint flickers in Fuuka's hand. An object mimicking the form of a gun. An Evoker? When– who gave that to her?

"That's not a weapon," Sanda-senpai yells, running after her with his in hand.

"I know."

A voice penetrates my brain, leaving its voice to echo inside my head. That was…

As the empress's staff swings Coward at the two girls, a bright, but mesmerizing light forms around them. The next thing I know, the attack is repelled by an unknown force. Of course, saying it's u know is wrong; it's because of her Persona.

Materializing, it has long blonde hair, its eyes covered with a piece of cloth. The detail that caught my attention is the dome-like area at the center of the Persona.

"I...I can see!"

"See what?"

"...I can see their weaknesses."

Sanda-senpai chuckles, sporting a confident smirk. "Looks like I was right. She has the same powers as Mitsuru. No, maybe even stronger."

"Be careful." Kirijo-senpai is awake, barely keeping herself conscious. "...they're able to switch their strengths and weaknesses."

"Don't worry, I'll be able to spot the change!"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Sanada-senpai reassures her.

Senpai uses his Evoker, calling his Persona. It tackles the skinner Shadow, electrifying it soon after. Meanwhile, Junpei uses his to have it crash into the other one, smashing its wings against it. This is a scene out of a Kaiju movie.

I can't sit around, I need to get into action. Elevating myself even a little causes my wound to throb.

"Kazuki-kun, you're hurt, you need to rest!"

"I can't, I need to-"

"Please, not just for me, but for yourself."

Shit, damnit! There's no way I can argue back because I know she's right. I'd just be in the way if I got up now.

"Damn it…! You're right."

Makoto, Junpei, and Sanda-senpai, fight the Shadows with the help of Fuu-chan's quick, and insightful support, delivering their weaknesses on a silver platter. Makoto keeps changing his Personas to hit whatever weakness his target has. Senpai and Junpei keep their focus on the plump Shadow, keeping on guard with their combined physical power.

The Shadow's fighting styles vary, and the tall lanky one keeps swinging that sword everywhere. Although dull in appearance, I bet with how big it is, I don't think it not having an edge matters. As for the larger Shadow, it keeps using magic, doing its best to hit them. Between Senpai's impressive footwork as a boxer, Junpei's last-minute escapes, and Fuu-chan's hasty reads, they make for hard targets.

The battle is going in our favor, that's a good thing, a really good thing, but sitting here, watching all of them fight with all they got, of course, I'd be bitter. I got my ass kicked by someone who didn't even use a Persona, treating me like I was a nobody! Until then, I didn't care about strength, I just wanted to use the power I had. But tonight, in all of my life, I hate how powerless I am! In the face of something stronger than me, I'm just…a joke, a pathetic joke!

"...You…ar–"

What the!? That wasn't Fuu-chan's voice, and nobody is next to me, besides her and Moriyama. But it sounded familiar, too familiar…

"...They're down!"

The Shadows are laid out on the ground, vulnerable to an all-out attack!

"All right, fellas! Let's hit 'em where it hurts," Jun shouts, summoning Hermes without skipping a beat.

The others follow suit, readying for the final attack. They strike, hitting them with various spells and strikes, getting them from all sides. Then, Makoto brings out Orpheus, whose eyes glow red, and lyre burning hotter and hotter. Strumming its strings, a massive ball of heat explodes on top of the pair of Shadows. One of them evaporates into black goo. The other remains unfazed by the heat. But Makoto probably already knew that was going to happen. Orpheus brings down its lyre, smashing it into the Shadow's head, bashing it repeatedly until it makes this loud crunch sound. It too, melted into nothingness…

That's it, that's the whole battle… We survived.

Fuu-chan released her Persona. "...Is it over?" she asks, taking in heavy breaths.

"No, I think that's it," I tell her.

Everyone gathers around her, paying her compliments and telling her she did an amazing job. I have to agree, for her first time helping in battle, she was amazing. And I'm being honest, I think she has better analytical abilities than Kirijo-senpai… I was scared that she'd be pulled into this because she isn't the confrontational type, but, I guess I was worried over nothing…

"Moriyama-san, are you all right?"

"Fuu…ka… I'm…"

"Thank goodness, you're alright… Good…that's…good..."

Fuuka falls to her knees. I catch her, stopping her from hitting the ground. My movements have gotten slower, I almost didn't make it. Not to mention, my wound is pounding harder than ever.

"Fuuka!"

She's only unconscious, summoning her Persona must've pushed her to her limit for today. Thank God that's all that is.

"Sanada-senpai, how are the girls?" Yuka-chan asks, having finally recovered from the attack.

"They're just unconscious."

Good, everyone seems to be alright, for the most part. Though, my wound is still aching, and Fuu-chan is unconscious. We need to get to the hospital.

I lift Fuu-chan, giving her a piggyback ride. "Guys, I'm going to take Fuuka to the hospital."

"You're still injured," Jun reminds me.

"Don't worry, I'm okay now. I'm a quick healer, so this is nothing."

I'm not necessarily lying, I feel well for the time being, but that can change.

"All right, I'll get in contact with one of the doctors in the hospital," Sanada-senpai says.

"Okay."

The hospital isn't too far from the school, I'll make it before I keel over. Plus, she's not too heavy, so carrying her isn't a problem.

"W-wait!" Moriyama approaches us, her eyes puffy and tears still rolling down her face. "...Is Fuuka going to be alright!?"

Everything that she did, how she messed with Fuu-chan, and just seeing her face pissed me off. There will never be a day where I'll forgive her for any of that, maybe I'll still hate her down the line… But her tears are real, that I cannot deny, no matter how much I want to. If she means it, then I can't express disdain for her, instead, I'll smile.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine."

Through her tears, she smiles, relieved by my assurance. "Thank you!"

There isn't a need to thank me, and I don't want it, it's only natural for me to do this; for her sake.

On route to Tatsumi hospital - Midnight - Kazuki

The Dark Hour is over, the fresh air outside of Tartarus is rejuvenating to me. The air in Tartarus is thin, so breathing in all the air I want is like a freaking miracle! I swear, I'll never take breathing easy for granted ever again…

Fuu-chan's breath tickles the back of my neck as we walk down the barren sidewalk.

"Hey, Fuuka, can you hear me?"

Her breathing is silent, and her heart beats softly against my back. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she didn't just go through a terrifying experience. But in the end, she was more than able to hack it. Heck, without her, we would've been finished. But it's only a matter of time before they decide to recruit her, that much I'm certain of…

"...I was scared of you getting involved. My reason for fighting was to protect you, from Shadows, Apathy Syndrome, whatever. I thought, if you joined, you would get hurt, and I would never forgive myself if I let it happen; that's why I tried ending our friendship, even if that's not what I wanted at all, at least you'd be safe… I was just being an idiot, like usual. Getting caught up in my own selfish desires, I just ended up hurting you anyway…"

I'm such a moron it gives me an aneurysm. My actions just caused more problems for everyone else, and they have to reap the consequences for it…

"It's pointless to ask if you'll join if they ask, I already know your answer… So, Fuu-chan, if you decide to join, I'll do nothing but my best to protect you, I promise. Ah, I also promise to be a good boyfriend to you. Though, you'll have to be patient with me since I have no idea how to."

There's no reply from her, not that I expect one. That's okay, I enjoy her presence either way. This is just me getting a load off my chest, nothing more. Besides, I don't think I can be straight-faced while saying all this.

"I know you will, Kazuki-kun."

H-hold! on! Did she really hear me? Oh, God, this is so embarrassing! Saying it aloud took a lot, but her actually hearing me is just too much! Of course, I mean what I said, but, I...um… Huh? Fuuka nestles her head on my back. Maybe it's alright if she hears me.

We finally arrived at the hospital. I walk us into the main area, void of any human soul in this dark building. "We're here Fuuka, we made it."

My vision begins to blur, my legs give in to fatigue. Collapsing on the floor, blood pours out of my chest, painting the white cloth red, as well as the floor. Huh, guess I wasn't all patched up after all. Oh well, at least I got her to the hospital, that's good enough for me.

"Hey, those...patients...bleeding…!"

Everything is getting muffled, their voices aren't reaching me. It's inevitable, I'll pass out soon from blood loss. My hand reaches Fuu-chan's head, patting her lightly.

"I'll get stronger, for you. I swear."

Saying what I needed to say, I embraced the darkness.