Chapter 29: The Death Arcana

December 2nd, 2009

Ryoji didn't know why he was standing here at Moonlight Bridge. Nor could he understand why everything was covered in a green tint. Or why blood was pooling along the ground, the sea had become blood itself, or the coffins scattered all over the place. Nor did he know why he found himself transfixed towards the full moon, looming high above him at a size that was mind-boggling. And yet… he wasn't panicking.

Even as he heard mechanical footsteps behind him, he did not feel fear.

"I've been looking for you." Aigis's voice echoes behind him. "What are you doing here?" He turns around to look at her, trying to keep a smile on his face.

"I kinda just… ended up here somehow." He tells her honestly. "It's so strange. The sky and the ground look all weird, and there's no one around. Something bad is happening right now, but for some reason… I feel at peace. Why?"

"Have you forgotten?" Aigis asks, her face frowning in sadness. "This is the Dark Hour. Ordinary people should not be able to roam about free. But you… you've adapted to it somehow. Too well for a human." Ryoji remains silent, not understanding what Aigis was saying, as was evident on his face. Something Aigis could see she as she slowly closes her eyes. "I finally understand. That's why I felt this way whenever you were around. You are dangerous. You are… my enemy."

"Your… enemy? Enemy…" Ryoji asks, blinking his eyes in shock, before slowly resting a hand on his face as forgotten memories return. "That's right. It was on a night like this with a full moon. It was… a long time ago."

"Yes…" Aigis nods at him, her face neutral. "…we've met once before. You and I were enemies." Ryoji looks at her, a pleading look in his eyes as he utters the words Aigis did not want to hear. For she did not want to turn someone who was a friend to everyone at her Dorm into their foe.

"Who… am I?" Ryoji asks in a pleading voice, something that makes Aigis uncomfortable despite her function. "Who are you?"

"I am Aigis. The last if the Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons. I was created to destroy Shadows." Aigis tells him bluntly, as her internal systems label Ryoji as a high-priority target. One that she had to kill, even if doing so would hurt her friends. "And you… your true name… is 'Death'. You are the Shadow I sealed away ten years ago." At that, Aigis activates her Orgia Mode and leaps into the air, aiming to land right on Ryoji.

But just as she was about to do so, they both have a flashback to this exact scene ten years ago. With Aigis attacking a figure wrapped in a large clock on the very spot that Ryoji stood.

…Yes, ten years ago… on the night that I was born, I stood alone on this very bridge…

My sole purpose is to destroy Shadows. That was the very reason I was given a sense of self and a Persona.

I… am the bearer of the 13th Arcana. Everyone knew me as 'Death'. But when I came into being, a part of my power was broken off and scattered… I wasn't at my full strength back then. I was… incomplete.

Even so, your power was still far too great.

Aigis attacks Death with everything she had, yet nothing she did laid even a scratch on the Shadow as it stood there unflinching. Its white sharklike head with a chain watching Aigis, while its single blade gleamed under its clock.

Since I was unable to defeat you, my only option was to seal you away.

However… under the circumstances, there were only two suitable vessels. A human boy and girl who had the misfortune of being nearby.

Near the wreckage of a flaming car, a young boy with blue hair and a girl with brown hair push themselves up from the road, watching the battle unfold before them while the car burned behind them. The figures of their parents inside consumed by the flames.

I had no other choice.

Now I see… I was inside the two of them this entire time. And I unwittingly led them to discover the remaining thirteen pieces. Even if one of them had already been killed before they arrived. And then…!

The flash back ends as Aigis finds herself pushed back from Ryoji, who was grasping his head with both hands in pain while Aigis watched on with concern.

"I get it now… I understand. I remember everything…" Ryoji comments, looking up at Aigis with one eye visible. Glowing an eerie blue. "I know exactly who I am… and what… I am."

"Palladion!" Aigis cries, summoning her Persona to the field as she readied an attack. While Ryoji watched on, shaking his head with a mixture of sadness and shame.

"Don't be foolish, Aigis. You can't win. I'm even stronger than before." He tells her gently, not wishing for her to attack him. He knew how this would end, and Aigis had to have known how this would end as well. Yet, the look of desperation on Aigis's face, the look of fear and sadness told him everything he needed to know. Even as she voiced it towards him.

"A machine is created to serve a specific purpose. I will destroy you… for that is my only reason for existing!" With that, Palladion attacks Ryoji, only to smash right into a barrier before even striking him. While Ryoji looks at Aigis with nothing but sadness. Even though she was attacking him, he held no anger or resentment for it. After all… she had no choice but to attack him.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Aigis." Ryoji silently pleads as he looks at Palladion. Seeing the attack not stopping, he sighs to himself, letting a single tear run down his cheek. "I'm so sorry." He then unleashes a massive blast of energy. Consuming Palladion and Aigis, damaging her severely as she falls to her knees.

I'm sorry… I can't carry out… my mission. I'm a machine that can't even… fulfil its purpose. I have no reason… to exist… I'm so sorry… everyone… I'm scared. With those final words in her mind, Aigis starts to slowly go offline. Just as Koromaru's bark echoes behind her as the rest of the team rush over to her.

"Aigis!? What the hell happened!?" Oracle shouts as she and Fuuka kneel beside her and look at the damage she had taken. Minato and Minako kneel on Aigis's right while Yukari and Ann kneel on her left.

"Did Strega do this!?" Shinjiro shouts while Queen, Noir, Skull, and Junpei scan the area for them.

"I'm sorry… I… remember everything." Aigis tells them as they all look at her. "I remember who I am… who he is…" She slowly turns to look at Minato and Minako, raising an arm at them as she struggles to stay online. "Minato-san… Minako-san… I know why I wanted to be by your sides… I'm sorry… I failed."

"Aigis? What are you talking about?" Minako asks, resting an arm on her shoulder.

"Stay with us Aigis. Focus on saving your energy." Minato tells her in a stern voice.

"I'm… sorry…" Aigis repeats, her energy slowly diminishing, until soft footsteps echo from in front of the team.

"You have no reason to apologise." Ryoji tells her softly, looking at her with sadness.

"Ryoji-san? What are you doing here?" Ken asks, blinking his eyes in surprise as everyone looks at him in shock. Until Aigis's eyes go dark, and her functions shut down. Even as sparks of electricity continue to dance over her frame.

"What is going on? What happened to Aigis?" Akihiko asks, cracking his knuckles.

"It's… all my fault." Ryoji answers, stunning everyone as they all look at him. "I also remember everything. And it turns out… I'm not so different from the creatures you call Shadows."

"You're a Shadow!?" Mona shouts, his eyes rapidly blinking as Ryoji nods his head.

"Yes. But I am no ordinary Shadow. I'm the Appraiser. Born from the union of the thirteen Arcana." Ryoji tells them, confusing the hell out of the team. "The terrifying truth about Shadows… about me. I remember it all. I can't… it's all so hard to believe…"

"You know the truth about the Shadows?" Mitsuru asks, her eyes widening.

"I do." Ryoji nods back, even as he wobbles a bit. "The Shadows are here to facilitate the rebirth of the maternal being. As for the Appraiser… it draws the maternal being to it. Allowing her to awaken."

"And the Appraiser… is you?" Panther asks, shaking her head. "And what the hell is this 'maternal being' you're going on about?"

"She's on a level of her own. No words in our language can describe her." Ryoji tells them, resting a hand on his hip. "Ten years ago, a man collected hordes of Shadows and contained them in a Laboratory. That's where I was born."

"Ten years ago… you mean…" Fuuka quietly gasps, holding her hands over her mouth.

"But the unification was interrupted, and I awoke before I was complete. After that, Aigis took me down, and I returned the favour."

"Aigis?" Junpei asks, looking at her deactivated body.

"What the hell does that mean? Are you for real?" Skull asks, shaking his head.

"She knew she couldn't destroy me completely. So out of desperation, she sealed me within two children who just happened to be nearby." Ryoji's eyes fall to the ground, sadness welling behind them. "Two children who had lost their parents, watched them be consumed by flames while trapped in their car." Minako and Minato suddenly felt their breathing hitch, their skin go pale and their eyes widen in shock. They recognised that description, more than anyone could.

"Those children grew up carrying me inside, blissfully unaware the entire time. And by some twist of fate, they later made their way back here. They even transferred to your school, and live at your Dorm."

"Transfer student?" Yukari asks, before her and everyone else eyes go wide with horror, while Noir, Panther, Queen, and Fuuka cover their mouths in shock as they all turn their gaze towards the twins. "You don't mean…"

"Us?" Minako asks as they look at Ryoji with unbelieving eyes. "You were sleeping inside us for ten years? And we never even knew about it?"

"That's right." Ryoji confirms once again. "I've lived inside them for a long time."

"But… how?" Minato asks as he and Minako stand up. "How is that possible? We don't remember seeing you from ten years ago!"

"No surprise, you were only children." Ryoji replies, shaking his head. "And you had just seen your parents burn to death inside a car. I don't think anyone could blame you for forgetting those memories. And when you both awakened to your Personas, the thirteen Shadows did as well."

"Hold up!" Akihiko shouts, cutting him off. "Mitsuru, Shinji, and I beat the Fool last year! And the Magician attacked us before they even awoke!"

"The Fool is what caused them to come here." Ryoji replies, shaking his head and stunning Mitsuru, Shinjiro, and Akihiko. "As for the Magician, it revealed itself to force them to awake. They had it all planned out, all in order to become one with me."

"How the hell do you expect us to believe all that!?" Shinjiro shouts, shaking his head as Koromaru barks at him. "The three of us responsible for bringing them here!? What sort of bullshit is that!? They came here by their own will!"

"It's… all my fault." Ryoji repeats, falling to his knees as he starts to lose consciousness. "I'm sorry. But there is more… I need to… tell you…" At that, he falls unconscious as Skull and Panther rush forward to pick him up while Shinjiro hosts Aigis up onto his shoulders. The sparking had stopped, yet she still showed no sign of reactivating anytime soon.

"Looks like we found our answers…" Joker comments, looking at the twins as they look at Ryoji in stunned silence. "…and they were not what we were expecting."

"Let's get them back to the Dorms." Mitsuru orders, looking at everyone. "Ryoji needs rests if he's going to tell us everything, and Aigis needs seeing too. We'll pick off from where we left off once Ryoji wakes up." Yukari and Fuuka look at their significant others, seeing them standing still in shock as they gently pull them away back to the Dorm. Everyone else followed after them in silence. No one could blame the two for staying quiet after hearing that. And it only made them worried about what else Ryoji had to tell them tomorrow.

December 3rd, 2009

Today was a longer day at school than usual. Well, after what they all heard about last night, none of them could really focus at school as the admission from Ryoji continued to play in their minds. Especially for Minako and Minato. Which was why they were all now in the lounge on the fourth floor, waiting for Ryoji to speak. Aigis was no with them, having to undergo major repairs before she could rejoin them. Leaving just them to hear to what Ryoji had to say.

"How are you feeling, Ryoji-kun?" Haru asks firsts, wondering if he was okay after last night's speech.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks." Ryoji replies, letting out a smile as he grasps one of his knees. "Besides, I have more to tell you guys."

"Then allow me to jump right in. We still have many questions to answer after all." Mitsuru stars off, brushing some hair back. "Yesterday, you said that the Shadows were here to facilitate the rebirth of the maternal being. Tell us more about this. What happens if she returns?" Ryoji lets out a sigh, leaning forward as he looks at everyone in the room.

"The maternal being is called Nyx. She is the mother of all Shadows. In ancient times, she bestowed Death upon this world. If she awakens, the world will be swallowed by darkness, and all life will perish."

"WHAT!?" Everyone shouts as one. Even Koromaru lets out a surprised bark as everyone looks at Ryoji with shock in their eyes.

"All life!?" Ann asks again, double-checking what he said was true.

"Are you saying… everyone will die!?" Makoto also asks, raising a hand to cover her mouth.

"It'd be more accurate to say we'll all surrender the will to live." Ryoji remarks. The comment hits the future Thieves differently as they flash back to when Yaldabaoth took over Tokyo. Would this be like that, only instead of the will to think and act on their own, it would be the will to live?

"Wait… is that what the 'Lost' are?" Mitsuru asks, seemingly putting another puzzle together. "They are what will happen to us? That… is the Fall that Ikutsuki wanted to bring about…"

"But there is a way to stop it from happening, right?" Yukari asks, her eyes drifting to the future Thieves around the room. That was perhaps the one saving grace they still had on their side. And from what Yukari could see, the other members of S.E.E.S had the same thought in their eyes. But Ryoji did not share the same look as he stared gloomily at the table. Then again, he was never told the truth behind Ren and the others.

"I'm sorry… but there's nothing that can be done." Ryoji interrupts. "You all heard the bell. That's when it was all decided. I'm the Appraiser… the Appraiser of Death. The fact that I'm here at all proves that the Fall is coming."

"And… when exactly will this happen?" Makoto asks, brushing some hair back as the Thieves all glance at each other.

"I don't think you'll live to see next spring. The last day of January… that is when it will happen." When those words left his mouth, that's when it all clicked inside everyone's minds. The end of January was the same day that Apathy Syndrome and the Lost went on a steep and sudden decline until all cases ended in the first week of February. That is what the future Thieves remember. Meaning that if things were still on track for that day…

"Hah! Nyx shmyx, am I right?! All we gotta do is win, and we're golden!" Junpei shouts, voicing the words in their minds. "We haven't lost a single fight yet, have we!?"

"You can't win." Ryoji suddenly cuts in one more time. "When you're up against Nyx, power doesn't mean anything. It's like trying to fight the inevitable, like death or the flow of time. Nyx can't be defeated. She just… can't."

"Then we find another way." Ren tells him, folding his arms. "It's only over when you stop looking for answers. And we won't stop, no matter what. If fate want's us to die, then we'll just carve our own fate." The rest of the Phantom Thieves nod in agreement while the S.E.E.S team look at them in amazement. Even here, being told that fighting Nyx would change nothing, they refused to stop challenging fate.

"Even if you found a way, I doubt it would work." Ryoji once again comments, shaking his head. "But… now I have a human form. So I can speak with you, laugh with you, cry with you. It's the gift I received for existing within them." He nods his head at the twins, who are still silent after learning about the truth. "And because of that, I can give you a choice."

"A choice?" Ken asks, tilting his head.

"Yes. Nyx's arrival is unavoidable now. But you can choose to live in peace until she arrives. You just… have to kill me." Everyone stares at him in stunned silence, the words echoing within their minds as he locks eyes with each and every one of them. "If the Appraiser disappears, all relocation of the Dark Hour would go with me. And that would erase any memories of the hopeless reality. There'd be no way for you to remember anything. When the Fall comes, it'll happen in an instant. You won't have to suffer at all."

"We'll… forget everything?" Shinjiro asks, blinking his eyes.

"I'm saying you can go back to your normal lives. And by doing that, you might buy time and delay the Fall as well. Technically, I'm the same as Nyx. I can't be killed. But thanks to them, there's a part of me that's become human. So if it's done by either of their hands, then it may be possible." Everyone remains silent as Ryoji looks at them all again, his eyes showing no hesitation. "If you don't kill me, everything will stay as it is. With no hope of salvation, you'll live every day paralysed by the fear of your impending death."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Ren remarks, shocking Ryoji as the Thieves all nod as one. "We faced death once before. And it doesn't scare us." Ryoji blinked at the Thieves, stunned at how defiant they were at their impending doom. And yet, he couldn't find any sense of false bravado coming from them. It only made him wonder what it was they went through.

"And we could never kill you." Minako speaks up for the first time at the meeting. "We could never kill a friend."

"Even if it would remove our memories, we would never do that." Minato agrees in a quiet voice. "Neither option sounds appealing anyway."

"I could never give up my memories either." Yukari ads, nodding her head. "That's like… running away from the truth!" Ryoji sighs to himself, seeing that no one would be agreeing with him tonight as he stands up.

"You still have time to decide. December 31st, New Year's Eve. You have until then to think about it. After that, I'll dissolve into the blackness of the Dark Hour and lose my physical form. When Nyx arrives, I'm going to disappear anyway. So please, don't worry about me. I'll be back when New Year's Eve rolls around." And with that, he leaves the room, leaving the Phantom S.E.E.S to their own minds as they digest everything they have been told.

"That was… heavy." Junpei remarks, rubbing the back of his head.

"And devastating as well." Akihiko adds, shaking his head. "I mean, what does one say about hearing all that and being told there is no way to stop it? But… we know that won't happen. Don't we?"

"That's right." Fuuka adds, looking at the Phantom Thieves. "After all, you are all here. If what Ryoji-kun said was true, you would have vanished after we defeated the Hanged Man, right?"

"Indeed we would have." Yusuke agrees. "And yet, here we remain. It would seem our final confrontation will be at the end of January."

"Still… I can't help but shake." Yukari admits, letting out a full-body shake. "Those words… they are like a death sentence. And Ryoji did not enjoy saying it one bit."

"Regardless, I think we should all take a moment and think about what was said." Mitsuru tells everyone as she stands up. "We should focus on calming our minds, even if they are not as rattled as they could be." Everyone nods at her as they all make to leave, yet as they do Fuuka notices Minato had not left from his spot on the couch. Tilting her head, Fuuka walks over and sits next to him, seeing a long distant look in his eyes as she rests a hand over his.

"Minato? Are you okay?" She asks gently. She had noticed how he had been acting distant all day, and it worried her at his silence. For a moment, it looked as though he would remain silent, until he finally responds to her.

"It's my fault." He says quietly to Fuuka, shocking her. "Those Shadows came back because Mina and I returned to Tatsumi. If I didn't suggest we transfer over to here, none of this would have happened. Ryoji wouldn't be the Appraiser, and Nyx wouldn't be bringing the Fall. All of this is happening… because I suggested we come here…"

"Minato… this isn't your fault." Fuuka tells him, turning his face to look at her. "Neither of you knew that he was in you. All of this was out of your control. Ryoji-kun even said that the Fool was there to put the idea into your mind. And the Magician was there to force you both to awaken. It was all out of your control." A tear falls down her face as she looks into his eyes. "And… what would have happened to me if you never arrived?" Minato's eyes widen in shock as Fuuka continues.

"I would be dead inside Tartarus, bullied at school, or unable to move past who I was. But you helped me grow. While everyone was a part of it, you were there from the start. Helping me grow into who I am now." Another tear rolls down her face as one rolls down Minato's face. "So please, don't blame yourself for what is happening. Nothing that we learned has changed what I feel towards you. I love you, Minato. And nothing will change that. And if you find yourself without a rock to keep you stable, then let me be that rock. Just like how you were one for me." At that, Fuuka leans in and kisses Minato on the lips, before hugging him tightly as Minato returns the hug. Another tear ran down from his eye.

"Fuuka… thank you. And… I love you too." Fuuka nods her head into his shoulder as the two continue to hold on to each other. Being the others rock in a storm of thoughts that threatened to consume them both.

"Minako? What's wrong? Why are you up here on the roof?" Yukari asks her girlfriend, seeing her on the roof looking up at the moon. Minako stays silent, keeping her gaze locked on it even as Yukari walks to her side. The two stand there in silence, Yukari patiently waiting for Minako to speak until she lets out a sigh, her gaze dropping from the moon and landing on a plant pot.

"You know… I was the one who bugged my brother we should transfer to a different school." Yukari looks at Minako in confusion as Minako kicks her foot along the ground. "The two of us were always picked on at our old place. They called Minato a 'silent, emotionless robot' while calling me the 'hyperactive kid'. It just kept on happening that I eventually bugged Minato that we should transfer some place else. He then suggested Tatsumi at random, and I agreed with even thinking about it. All of this, the Fall and Nyx… it's my fault."

"What are you talking about? This is not your fault or your brothers." Yukari tells Minako, shaking her head. "You didn't know Ryoji was inside you, did you? And neither did he."

"But it's because we were here in Tatsumi that the other twelve Shadows woke up… even if the Fool influenced us somehow when it was beaten, we still made the choice to come here." Minako lets outs a long sigh, her gaze not leaving the plant plot. "We never should have come here… all we've done is bring nothing but trouble…"

"The hell you have!" Yukari shouts, startling Minako at the suddenness of her voice. "Listen to me, Mina, you've done way more than just 'bring trouble'! You've helped us climb Tartarus ever since you arrived. You and your brother saved me when the Magician attacked. You helped all of us move past the troubles that were holding us back." She grasps Minako's hands as a tear runs down her face. "You helped me start mending ties with my Mom and discover the truth about my Dad. How can you say you've done nothing but bring trouble when you've both helped us with so many things."

Yukari suddenly moves forward, hugging Minako as another tear runs down her face. "So please, stop trying to shoulder the blame for all of this! Neither of you are at fault for this. Aigis isn't at fault for sealing Ryoji inside you, either. All of this is because of Mitsuru's grandfather. He's the one who brought nothing but pain to all of us, Mitsuru especially. So stop trying to make yourself a Martyr! Because that's not what you are… you're Minako. My girlfriend… the one person who helps me move forward in life. The girl with a happy smile who can brighten any room. Please… don't throw that part of yourself away! If you need a shoulder to lean on, then lean on mine… isn't that what partners should do…?"

Minako remains speechless as Yukari cries into her shoulder, her words ringing about in her mind. Before she eventually returns the hug, tears flow down from her own eyes in response. Yukari's words fought back against the gloom that threatened to consume her mind.

"Yuka… thank you!" Minako shouts, tightening her hug on Yukari. "I promise I won't ever leave you alone!" Yukari nods her head into her shoulder as the two hold on for dear life. Even as the moon shone down from above, neither were willing to let go.

For what was to come, they would all need the support for the end.

September 15th, 2009

"Are you for real!?" Ryuji blurts out as the Thieves all display varying levels of shock at the S.E.E.S team. They couldn't believe about what they had just heard, and yet the looks on everyone's faces told them everything they needed to learn.

"Nyx was going to kill everyone? And Ryoji gave you an option to just… forget everything and let it kill everyone without knowing?" Ann asks, shaking her head. "That's messed up."

"How can that be called mercy?" Sophia asks from beside Makoto and Ren. "All that would do is make everyone forget. It wouldn't stop it from happening."

"That's what Ryoji wanted." Minato replies, shaking his head. "He didn't want any of us to suffer because he was our friend. That's why he gave us the offer to kill him. So that, in his eyes, we wouldn't suffer with the knowledge about the Fall."

"But… the Fall never happened." Haru points out. "We're all still alive. So… did you manage to defeat Nyx? And, what happened to the version of ourselves from back then? Did they leave Japan?" The S.E.E.S team all look at each other, some with pain others with conflict on their faces. The silence not doing any favours for the Thieves as they all start to feel uneasy.

"What's with the silent treatment?" Isara asks them. "We're almost at the end, right? Don't tell us you're getting cold feet now."

"No… where not." Mitsuru replies, breathing through her nose. "We are resolved to tell you the truth, and will. We won't run from this. Not any more." The Thieves all glance at each other, slightly concerned at how… cryptic that had started to become even as Ren served more coffee. Mitsuru was leaving down a blank check to pay for everything they had drunk, so Sojiro wouldn't receive a loss.

"In that case, can you tell us what happened after Ryoji revealed himself to you?" Makoto asks, brushing some hair to the side. Minako nods as she remakes herself comfortable, resting her arms on the table as she lets out a sigh.

"Well… we did have a tiny argument on the tenth…"