You and Mariko chase after Hayate (eliciting some strange looks from the Pop Miracle staffers along the way), but are unable to catch up before he disappears into the Air Mall's late-night crowd. Thanks to the Dreamweaver's invitation, the place is more packed than usual. On the way to the exit, you pass by a number of people you recognize from school, each one wearing a weary, befuddled expression and rubbing at their eyes and temples. You've got a hunch that class is going be a little empty tomorrow morning.

Nisekao is waiting for the two of you over near the walkway where you left him. As you approach, he shuts his laptop and wheels over to you excitedly.

"You did it! I can't believe you guys did it! I mean, not that I thought you couldn't, but there were parts that were kind of hard to watch…" Then, his eyes flit between the two of you and his brow furrows. "Wait, where's Hayate-kun?"

"I dunno, he got pissed at us for waking him up and socked me in the face. He'll probably be fine," you say, rubbing your swollen face. "Do I have a bruise?"

Nisekao looks you up and down and cringes.

"I'd be more worried about your shirt."

You'd completely forgotten – your shirt is still soaked with your blood.

"Of course…jeez, and I just ran through the entire mall in this, too. It must look like I'm fleeing a murder scene."

Immediately, you shed your jacket, strip off your shirt, and then button your jacket back up, stashing the ripped, bloody clothing in your bag. Mariko blushes furiously and turns away.

"W-Warn somebody next time, Tetsuo!"

You roll your eyes, saying, "Well, what was I supposed to do, run into a store and find a dressing room? Anyways, it's 'safe' to look now."

"OK…" she says, and hesitantly turns back around.

Nisekao stares out the window at the swiftly tiring city below. Lights wink out before your eyes as even the businesses that stay open late begin to close up shop.

"Do you really think it'll be okay to just let him go like that?" he muses aloud.

"If he doesn't show up at school tomorrow, then we can go looking for him," you answer. Nisekao doesn't seem reassured by that, though, so you add, "If you're worried about him telling anyone, don't. No one would buy this story without any proof. Even less so if it's coming out of his mouth."

"I agree with Tetsuo, Nisekao-kun," says Mariko. She stifles a yawn. "Besides, I'm too tired to go chasing after him tonight. We can check on him tomorrow."

Based on the weary looks reflected in everyone's eyes, it would seem you're all in agreement on that at least. You decide to table the issue until later and get some much-needed rest. With heavy eyelids and sore, throbbing muscles, you leave for home.


Upon returning, you're startled to see the flickering light of the television coming from the living room window. Frustration wraps its hot tendrils around your throat as you come to the realization that you're about to be busted. But you suppose it couldn't be helped – if your parents woke up for whatever reason in the middle of the night to find you missing, there's nothing you could have done. Nevertheless, you take great care to open the door as silently as possible in the hopes that there might be some chance of getting to your room unseen.

As you slip your shoes off and peer around the wall that separates the hall from the kitchen and living room, you find your mother slouched on the sofa in her nightgown, feet propped up on the coffee table, half-empty glass of liquor in one hand, and eyes vaguely focused on the television screen. She notices you almost immediately, but says nothing and returns to the news report she was watching. Once again, the sick little girl is the night's top story.

Oddly enough, instead of relief, her dismissal of your late arrival is somehow disappointing. Ever since she took her new job, it's felt less like you have a mother and more like you're sharing the house with an alcoholic zombie. You'd have been more at ease if she'd actually scolded you for once, or even said anything.

Instead of going directly to your room, you sluff off your bag at the foot of the stairs and take a seat in the armchair next to her. Her eyes flicker in your direction, but aside from that, she still doesn't acknowledge that you're there.

"You're up late," you venture. Kind of an ironic thing to say, but it's the first thing that jumps to mind. "Having trouble sleeping?"

Finally, Mom nods.

"Mmhmm. What 'bout you?"

Her voice is slurred and croaky as she speaks, and the bottle of brandy on the floor next to her explains why. Yesterday, it was more than half-full, but tonight, there's barely a fourth of it left. You let out a sigh. No wonder she's not asking where you were.

Carefully, you lean over and move the bottle in between the couch and chair where she can't reach it.

"Yeah, uh…same here."

Clearly, something's wrong – to your knowledge, she's never done this before. You want to ask her, but you have no clue how to phrase it. Parents should be taking care of their kids' problems, not the other way around.

"So, how's work?"

You cringe inside as soon as the words leave your mouth – work has got to be the last thing she wants to talk about in the middle of the night. However, she rubs her forehead and forces her lips into a thin smile. The light from the television accentuates the lines in her face, making her appear ghostly.

"Hmm. I must be really screwed up for you to ask something like that," she says. She reaches down for the bottle of brandy, discovers that it's not there, and casually returns her arm to her lap as if she doesn't want you to notice.

"No, I just wanna know what's going on."

"Don't worry about it, hon," she says, and goes back to the TV.

"You know saying that just makes people worry more."

"You're just like your dad. What'd I do to deserve such sweet boys?" She exhales deeply. "Oh well, here goes: I've been assigned to a tough case at work, and it's kicking my butt."

"What kind of case?" you ask, relaxing back into the chair and folding your left leg over your right.

"The kind of case nobody wants. My client's been convicted of murder, and based on the evidence, there's no way he didn't do it."

"Yikes. And you have to defend him?"

That elicits yet another exhausted sigh.

"If I want to get paid. Of course, it's not impossible to get him cleared; the evidence is mostly circumstantial. But after him, the list of suspects is awfully thin and anyone on the jury with some common sense will be able to come to the same conclusions I am now."

The two of you fall silent for a moment. The anchor starts interviewing the girl's father.

"It doesn't seem fair to make you defend a murderer. You've been working hard enough as it is. You're a person, not a robot."

Your mother sits up and regards you with a look of distant sadness.

"I'm sorry, but I can't turn down a case, even one like this. I may not like it, but I have to do my best for you and your dad."

She groans as she takes her glass to the kitchen and deposits it in the sink.

"I think I'm going to try sleep one more time. You should, too, it's way too late for either of us to be up right now."

She makes as if she's going to head up to bed, but hesitates at the foot of the stairs.

"Once this case is over, things are going to get a lot easier, I promise. But you just worry about you for right now, okay? Goodnight, Tetsuo," she says, and wearily mounts the stairs.

You watch her leave with a twinge of frustration. It says something that the most you've been able to speak to her was at past midnight with almost half a bottle of booze in her. But at least you were able to understand what she's going through a little bit better; even though you're not convinced that Mom understands where you're coming from. For now, though, you'll take what you can get.

Thou art I...

And I am thou...

Thou hast established a new bond...

It shall grant you the strength to open thine eyes...

Thou shalt be blessed under the sign of the Empress Arcana…


"Welcome back."

Elizabeth's voice and the now familiar sound of crashing waves heralds your return to the Velvet Room before you even open your eyes. There they are, hands folded, legs crossed, waiting patiently the way a doctor and his nurse do when expecting a patient. Although the Velvet Room itself has long since ceased to be surprising, the way Minato and Elizabeth anticipate your arrival will always be unsettling.

"What is it this time? I feel like everything went pretty well, don't you?"

Elizabeth and Minato exchange a coy glance. Elizabeth opens her arms in an appeasing gesture.

"Now, now. There is no need to be confrontational. We are not here to assess your performance, but merely to render assistance. If we have given you that impression at any point, we sincerely apologize. It would be a source of much joy if you would come to associate these visits with feelings of opportunity and fulfillment, rather than frustration.

"In any case, my master and I would like to congratulate you on taking the next step in realizing the full extent of your Wild Card abilities! It is ever so exciting to watch your menagerie of Personas bloom, like so many petals unfurling from the bud of a flower!"

"Your words, not his, right?" you say with regards to Minato's annoyed expression, which vanishes once Elizabeth looks back over her shoulder at him.

"To some extent, yes. I may take some creative liberties with my interpretations, but the gist is the same. But…getting back on topic, it is relieving to see that you've taken our advice."

You hold up a hand. "Wait, I'm getting mixed signals here. First you're saying you don't care what I do, and then you tell me you're 'relieved' that I'm doing what you say. Which is it?"

Another look passes between the two of them, this one more hesitant. What is it they're still keeping from you?

"In a sense, both," replies Elizabeth at last. "In fact, it is very much so inaccurate to say that we 'don't care' what you do. In fact, we are quite invested in the results of your journey. More so than is typical, if you are truly curious."

"I've never met anyone who says so little in so many words," you say as your frustration with her cryptic allusions mounts. "Am I going to be allowed to know why exactly you're so invested in me at any point? What are you getting out of helping me like this? What's your motivation? Who are you? Why are you here? I've terminated two Clouds already, but when it comes to you, I'm no closer to figuring out what your deal is than when I started."

Minato sighs sadly, shaking his head. Him, you almost feel bad for. You feel as though he would be more ready to answer questions than Elizabeth is. Sure, Elizabeth says that she's speaking for him, but seeing as Minato doesn't seem able to say more than a few words at a time, all you have is her word.

She smiles, an upturning of the lips containing coquettish thoughts, and doing little to alleviate your suspicions.

"My! What is this tantalizing, yet thoroughly improper feeling coursing through my veins right now? Master, surely you must feel it, too?"

Minato nods in agreement and thoughtfully bites down on a knuckle.

"Understand that it is not our place to divulge the nature of our presence in this space other than to say that it is the result of some act of fate. Certainly there can be no other cosmic force that would intertwine such colorful threads in such a manner! Indeed, for you to be our guest, and for us to play your hosts is a curious wrinkle, but not altogether unintentional. What to do, Master, what to do...?"

You're beginning to notice a strange dynamic between Minato and Elizabeth. Although she refers to him as "Master", it certainly feels as though it's really the other way around. Whether this is intentional or not is still unclear, however.

"Listen, I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but you're still avoiding my questions," you say.

Elizabeth turns back to you and says, "My apologies - sometimes I forget myself. But as I said before, there are limits to what we can and cannot do. And for now, explaining all of the detailed intricacies of our mission is expressly forbidden by our Lord. But what we can tell you is this-" she stops and gestures to Minato, who continues for her.

"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate.

Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope.

Yet, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.

Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end.

It matters not who you are...death awaits you."

Then, he closes his mouth, and falls back into his chair. His face becomes tired and gaunt, slackening as if dragged down by some great weight. Terrible, icy hands grip your spine, causing you to stiffen. The gravity of your situation and completeness of your ignorance comes down around you all once, oppressive and crushing in its totality.

"Death...awaits me? Why...why do you keep telling me these things? What am I doing here?"

Elizabeth shakes her head, refusing you the reassurance you crave.

"Would that we could provide you the answers you crave. But rest assured, as long as you venture forth into the shadow carrying the light of hope and confidence in yourself, you will survive and beat back any delusion. Remember that death does not always signify an end. Whenever you feel threatened by its finality, call that to mind. Mankind is not a hopeless endeavor. That is what we hope to prove. Now stand, please. You will soon arrive at a critical milestone in your journey, and your strength must not be found lacking."

Embarrassed, you find that you've fallen to your knees, clutching at large clumps of your hair and shaking. Taking Elizabeth's outstretched hand, you straighten back up and try to recompose yourself.

"Much better!" she says, her voice regaining its usual lilting quality. "Despite some initial concerns, you have demonstrated the qualities of a capable Wild Card as of late. Although the changes you are experiencing may seem severe at times, we believe that you are more than strong enough to withstand this trial. Keep your head held high, and continue to keep your heart open."

With this, your vision begins to blur, and dark tendrils of unconscious eat away at the scene in front of you.

"It may be some time before we meet again, but do not forget that as long as our fates are intertwined, we are forever your steadfast allies!"

Elizabeth's last words barely register before sleep drags you forcibly from the Velvet Room and into its snug embrace.

Thou art I...

And I am thou...

Thou hast established a new bond...

It shall grant you the strength to open thine eyes...

Thou shalt be blessed under the sign of the Death Arcana…