Gin is steaming mad. You can tell because his entire body is trembling with the sheer exertion it's taking not to blow up at you in front of everyone else. Instead, the others watch awkwardly while Gin tries to compose himself long enough to tell you what he found out.

"Okay…first off, I need you to appreciate just how hard I'm trying not to dope slap the both of you upside your heads right now," he seethes.

"You're the very picture of composure," remarks Hayate, who's enjoying this way too much.

"Shut it," Gin snaps back.

After returning from Kabukicho, you shared what you'd learned from Mako with Rin, who agreed that it sounded like it might be enough to actually let you perceive Saito's Cloud. Of course, that meant bringing the rest of the team up to speed, which in turn, meant sharing the details of your little escapade with Gin.

And that's turned out just as well as you expected.

"I know I shouldn't be surprised by anything you do nowadays, but this is absolutely deranged. Do you have any clue how lucky you are to still be in one piece?" Gin rants, mostly to Rin. Feeling that you can't just sit there in silence while she takes all the heat, you pipe up.

"If anyone deserves any blame here, it's me. Rin had a…plan, but I let things get out of hand. I should have controlled myself better."

"Tch," scoffs Rin. "Gimme a break, Tetsuo, you don't need to bend over for him. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would've happened to me."

Wham!

Gin slams his hand down on the folding table hard enough to make one of the legs buckle.

"Whoa!" cries Koharu as her iced coffee threatens to slide off the edge.

"You're missing the point completely! You shouldn't have even gone in the first place! You are the two most important people in this room – we don't have any room for you to be taking these kinds of risks this far into the game!"

At this, some of the others exchange mildly confused glances. You understand why Gin's concerned for Rin, but why you? Frankly, you never got the impression he cared for you all that much. Thankfully, Yoko steps in to help calm Gin's rage.

"O-Okay, Gin, I think they get it. Why don't you take a deep breath and settle down?"

"Agreed," says Shibutani. "Although reckless, they've obtained some valuable information we wouldn't have received otherwise. With that said, were you able to confirm the presence of a Cloud in Kabukicho?"

Gin collapses into a beanbag and sighs deeply before answering.

"…Yeah. It's at Ichibangai. Saito must have a fair amount of nostalgia for his hosting days."

"Yesss!" you and Rin fist pump in triumph.

"But!" Gin barks, sitting bolt upright, "Before you get ahead of yourselves, I didn't like the look of the place at all."

"Oh God, it's crawling with thugs, isn't it? I-I can't deal with actual criminals," moans Koharu as she retreats farther into her beanbag. However, Gin shakes his head.

"The opposite. I had Chiime scout all the major entrances, but the Kurogawa had no presence whatsoever. It's far too quiet considering the mess you two made."

"Sounds like we'll be walking into a trap, then," says Mariko, and you have to agree. If Saito was unsure about his safety before, he must know you're coming now.

"Yeah, probably," you say. "That's on us, too, but there's no way around it now. If we don't come to him, then he'll just end up coming to us, and there's no way we stand a chance in our world. We knew this wasn't going to be easy no matter what, so we'll just need to stay on our toes and watch each other's backs."

The others nod in mute understanding, the mood in the room having taken a serious turn. This would be it, after all. The end of your struggle against the Shadows and the Yatabuya. Assuming you manage to come out on top and convince Saito to shut down the Book of Avalon, what comes next?

Will the dream world just…cease to exist?

If that's the case, then what's going to happen to your Personas?

Will they go away, too?

And what about your friends?

If there's nothing left to fight…will there be any reason for you to stay together?

As you study their anxious expressions, you wonder if they're considering the same questions. As difficult as things have been this year, you almost don't want it to end. But all good things have to come to an end at some point, right? For the sake of you, your friends, and, well, everyone else, the time is now.

"…The longer we wait, the more time Saito has to prepare. If we're gonna do this, it's better to do it sooner than later. When can everyone be ready to go?"

Hayate speaks up first. "Man, I'd be ready to roll out tonight if you want. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm itching to get my hands on this guy."

"They make a cream for that, you know," says Koharu, "but I guess I'm good to go, too. Better to get it over with, right?"

"I've been ready since the moment I joined your cause," says Shibutani, leaping from his chair. "Just point me in the enemy's direction."

"To think, we're finally at the end…of course I'll help you see it through, Tetsuo!" Mariko agrees.

"I-I'm ready, too! I p-promise to make sure we win!" says Nisekao.

"And of course, we're on board, too. We want this finished just as badly as you, after all, maybe a little more. Besides, Gin'll make sure nothing goes wrong, right?" she says, giving him a good-natured jab in the ribs.

"Yeah, the plan hasn't changed. I'll do whatever it takes to crush anyone that gets in our way. Hopefully by tomorrow, this'll all be over."

Your heart swells listening to the eight people assembled here in your garage – who just six months ago had practically been complete strangers, now ready to do something so reckless and significant that it boggles your mind. Overcome with love and trying not to lose your composure, you're compelled to say something.

"Thank you. All of you guys. I…well…I'm not really good at saying stuff like this, but you're all some of the most important people I've ever known. Let's make sure we all live to make it back here again. My life wouldn't be the same without you."

"What's anyone supposed to say to that?" Koharu mutters, despite grinning from ear to ear.

Hayate, on the other hand, drapes himself around you in a great big bear hug.

"C'mon, man! Save that kind of stuff for after we've won!" he blubbers into your shoulder, his eyes welling up with tears.

Rin simply gives you a smile that contains more than words could ever say.

"Hey, gimme a break," you say, prying Hayate off of you. "I really do mean it. When I'm with you all, I feel invincible. And…I haven't felt that way in a really long time. So let's get out there and prove it. I'm counting on all of you."

• • • • •

Tonight, the magnitude of the task ahead of you has swallowed Tokyo whole. As you disembark the train at Shinjuku station, you could hear a pin drop at the other end of the platform. The usually bustling hub of vice has been intimidated into silence by the crimson giant set in your path – the Ichibangai Gate, now blocked by two massive, ornate shoji screen doors with an ashen, monolith-shaped mask in the center as its seal.

"The Tower," says Rin, running her fingers along the numerals XVI etched between its eyes. Tonight, her attitude is anything but cavalier. There's an edge to her voice, resolute and focused.

"What, you mean like one of those cards?" you ask.

"Right. Saito's someone who's been to the bottom, and tasted the peak. People who've experienced both will do whatever it takes to avoid losing again."

"You don't think he'll play fair, huh?"

Rin flashes you a reassuring grin. "We'll be okay. I'm not looking to lose, either."

Beside you, Hayate shuffles about nervously as he polishes his sunglasses.

"Man…I always wanted to know what it was like on this side of town, but this wasn't what I had in mind."

"Yeah, I think we all know what you were really expecting," teases Koharu, poking him in the ribs.

Hayates swats her finger aside. "Yeah? And what about you? You'd probably blow your life's savings on some pretty boy who'd call you 'princess'."

Koharu raises a finger to object, but drops it just as quickly as a lewd smile creeps across her face. "Yeeeaaahhh, that actually sounds amazing. Ugh, I could never do it, though. My brain'd turn to mush. It's so much easier when you get dialogue choices."

"You don't have any trouble talking to me, though."

"Well, when's the last time you called me 'princess'?"

"God, enough of this," Gin snaps at them, glancing up from his work on Chiime. "You do know what we're about to do, right?"

Hayate groans and fires a tired, half-lidded stare back. "Yeah, I do, actually. But trust me, the last thing I wanna do is fixate on this. I know this shit is over my head, man."

"Same," adds Koharu. "I'm doing my best not to hyperventilate, thank you very much."

"It'll be alright, guys. Everyone's feeling it right now, but once we get into the thick of it, we'll do what we always do – take care of business," you tell them.

Taking a deep breath, you place your palm against the gate. The others gather in close.

"Remember, we're probably walking into an ambush. Don't be afraid to scatter if that happens – we'll meet up at the Hotel Gracery once we've shaken the heat," you say, remembering the skyscraper in the center of town.

"Let's do this."

Your fingers find purchase under the edges of the mask, and with a mighty yank, you break the seal. It crumbles into a plume of black butterflies in your hands, and the screens slide aside. Ichibangai stands wide open, inviting you in.

Summoning all the courage you can muster, you step across the threshold. There's the usual brief, deafening rush of sound, the slight resistance against your skin as you pierce the membrane between worlds.

And you're instantly up against a wall of Shadows.

Dressed in flashy suits and bearing the mask of the Tower, each and every one trains a handgun on your forehead the instant you set foot into Cloud Six.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Holy FUCK, don't shoot!" Hayate screams, throwing his hands up immediately. Everyone else quickly follows suit, albeit more quietly.

You're flabbergasted. The Shadows are packed into the street from edge to edge for dozens of meters. You never stood a chance.

A Shadow in a leopard-print blazer steps forward from the pack.

"Keep your hands where we can see them. Nobody makes a move unless they wanna get ventilated."

Distorted as it is, you recognize that voice.

"You…you're…"

Murozono's Shadow laughs. "What's the matter, kid? You're looking a little put out."

Then, without warning, he swipes a snakeskin shoe across your shins, sending you tumbling to the ground. As you hit the asphalt, the other shoe comes down on the back of your head with crushing force.

"You like that, you little fuck? Thought you'd waltz back onto our turf, do whatever you please?"

Murozono's Shadow leans into you, ramping up the pressure on your skull. Hayate grunts in distress, Rin shouts at him to stop.

"I ought to pop your dome like a ripe melon, thinking you can pull that kind of shit with me."

His heel digs in even harder, and it feels like he intends to follow through.

"To think, all you had to do was show a little respect and all this could have been avoided. Guess you'll just have to take responsibility!" the Shadow shouts, lifting his foot up high.

POP.

The loud crack of gunfire bounces all the way down Ichibangai, and Murozono's body crashes to the ground beside you, a single hole threading his forehead like the eye of a needle.

"As should you, Murozono. And here I thought I made myself perfectly clear – the intruders aren't to be harmed."

As you scramble back to your feet, the Shadows part like the Red Sea, staring farther up the street at the one who fired the shot. Yuya Saito's Shadow stands at the edge of the throng, a still-smoking pistol in one hand. Draped in an extravagant fur coat and white three-piece suit, Saito flips the gun back to the Shadow he took it from and turns back up the street.

"Don't just stand there, boys. Escort our guests to the venue for tonight. I'll be waiting for you there."

Without even a look back, Saito snaps his fingers, and vanishes in a lick of black flames. A couple of the Shadows break off from the pack and force your arms behind your back. In your peripherals, the others are getting the same treatment.

"C'mon! You heard the Boss. Get moving!"

None too gently, the Shadow smacks the butt of its pistol into the small of your back, urging you onwards down the street. The horde marches you down the end of Ichibangai and past the Hotel Gracery, the once lively city all but deserted in the service of a single man. The Shadows bring you to a halt at the door of a small, western-style pub with the name Souichiro's in large, metal letters above.

"Named after his son…?" Shibutani wonders aloud. Knowing what you know about the way Saito treats Souichiro, it strikes you as an odd move, too.

"Keep moving," one of the Shadows grumbles, prodding you through the door. The others file in one by one, followed by only a couple of the other Shadows who keep their guns pointed squarely at them. The rest of grunts remain outside.

Inside, the seating area has been cleared out, save for a single, square, felt-topped table in the center of the room. Saito is reclining comfortably in a polished wooden chair, one of four. Upon seeing you, he withdraws a cigar from his breast pocket and leans forward for one of the Shadows to light it. He relishes in the moment for a while, blowing puffs of smoke towards the ceiling, his mustache twitching with anticipation. Finally, he leans forward and gestures to one of the other chairs.

"Why don't you have a seat?"

"Not enough for all of us. I think I'll stand," you reply.

Saito shrugs. "Suit yourself." Another puff of the cigar. "If you're still put out by the welcome party, I do apologize for that. I thought Murozono knew better, but…well, whatever went down between the two of you must have really gotten under his skin." He allows himself a chuckle at that. "At any rate, I hope you'll consider the matter settled. We've got other business to get to, after all."

As he says this, his eyes glint, and his lips twitch briefly into a ravenous grin.

"What did you have in mind? Clearly you don't intend to execute us, otherwise you would have done so," says Shibutani.

"Believe me, I would…if I thought I could get away with it. This might come as somewhat of a surprise, but I'm not looking to fight you kids."

He crushes the stub of the cigar into an ashtray and hands it to a Shadow before continuing.

"I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now, and needless to say, your efficiency is…frightening. I consider myself something of a betting man, but to challenge a 5-0 record like yours, well…even I don't fancy those odds. Sure, I could surround you with every last man at my disposal and order them to pull the trigger, but even then, I get the feeling that success would boil down to a coin flip. Somehow, you lot have the devil's own luck, and I'm not interested in messing with that."

"Then quit beating around the bush – what are you proposing?" says Gin.

Saito sends him a half-lidded glare. "Settle down, kid. Poor manners won't get us anywhere. What I'm proposing is a more sophisticated way to handle this nasty little business we've gotten wrapped up in. One that's a little less messy, a little more equitable, and hopefully, a little more fun."

Leaning forward even further, Saito places both hands flat on the table, his eyes positively gleaming. Smoke trickles from his nostrils, despite having finished the cigar a while ago.

"Now, I've done well to keep my image meticulously cultivated ever since I took over this body, but I can't deny that I'm still Yuya, and Yuya is me. I've cleaned up his act quite a bit, but try as I might, there's one vice of his that I just can't seem to shake – I still love a good gamble. So tonight, we'll decide our fates…with a little game."

Saito taps a finger on the surface of the table. Four thin panels in the center of the table slide back, revealing two long rows of ivory tiles each.

"Mahjong. We used to be quite the avid player back in our hosting days."

You and your friends exchange concerned glances.

"Is he serious?" whispers Koharu.

"I don't know how to friggin' play mahjong," Hayate says, "Let's just beat the snot outta him and be done with it. That's what we came here for anyways, right?"

Yoko raises a skeptical eyebrow at him. "Are you sure about that? You did see how many Shadows are still out there, right?"

"Yeah, Saito has a point. There's no guarantee that we could fight that many of them and him. I hate to say it, but playing the game might be the best way to take care of this," you agree.

"That said…does anyone know how to play mahjong?"

Everyone else shakes their head nervously, but Rin raises her hand. Everyone's attention snaps towards her.

"I know a little. Let me be our rep player."

Gin's eyes widen. "Hold on, don't just decide that on your own! You don't even know what the terms are!" He looks past Rin at Saito.

"I thought the terms were pretty clear," Saito says. "Even though we'll be playing a game instead of fighting, only one side can walk away the winner."

He reaches under the table, and places a pad of ink and a stamp on the table.

"This is what we'll to use to enforce the terms of the game."

Saito motions for one of the Shadows to come over. Pushing the stamp deep into the ink, he then presses it onto the Shadow's forehead, leaving behind the image of a coiled dragon.

"I've imbued this ink with some special magic that reacts to the results of the game," he says, plucking a few tiles from the walls and arranging them in front of himself and the Shadow.

"Once one of us has achieved victory…"

He draws one more tile, placing it beside the others and tipping them over to reveal a completed hand.

"The other…"

He glances at the Shadow, and without warning, the Shadow's head bursts with a POP! like a firecracker, splattering the floor with gobs of black ooze. Everyone recoils with a smattering of gasps and shrieks, but Rin stands stock still, staring at the Shadow on the floor with its neck still gently smoking.

"Speaks for itself, doesn't it?" says Saito, his mouth curled into a sadistic smile. The other Shadows leap forward to begin cleaning up the mess.

Gin clamps a hand on Rin's shoulder and forcefully pulls her back from the table.

"You're not doing this."

Rin smacks his hand away and locks eyes with her brother.

"Oh? And that's your decision to make, is it?"

"Were you even paying attention at all? If you lose, we all die! I'm not letting you leave this up to chance."

"Then what do you want us to do, Gin? Fight? Use the others as shields? I guess you don't have a problem with that, do you?" Rin's eyes are ablaze with indignation, and Gin shrinks back.

"You may not care about them, but I do. So go on, then, brother dearest. Tell them that you want them to die for me. Either do that, or let me play the damn game."

Gin quails beneath her barbed words. Pained, he sputters, "This is about him, isn't it?"

Rin refuses to respond.

"All right…fine. We'll leave it up to you. But whatever you do…you have to win."

His sister's expression softens. "I will. Is that okay with everyone else?"

Seeing as none of you know the first thing about mahjong, no one musters an objection.

"Okay then! Now," she turns to Saito, "what rules are we playing with?"

Saito's face lights up. "I've prepared a very special version of the game tonight, so I want all of you to listen very carefully. Even though this young lady will be the one sitting at the table, you'll all have a part to play."

Murmurs of confusion ripple through the group as you consider what that could possibly mean. Saito shifts himself into a more comfortable position, and launches into the rules.

"Normally, a typical game of mahjong takes a quite of bit of time to get through, so seeing as I'm an awfully busy man these days, we'll be playing a significantly shorter game. One hand will decide it all."

Rin seems taken aback.

"What's wrong?" you ask.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she says, "A game of mahjong is eight hands, usually more. If the players are short on time, they'll play four. One is insane, though. There wouldn't be any room for error. If I'm unlucky, we could lose in minutes."

"You're right," says Saito. "It also wouldn't be very entertaining. That's why I'm imposing a minimum score on this hand, to keep things interesting. The winner's hand will need to achieve a minimum value of yakuman."

"Oh. So that's how it is." Rin cracks a smirk before turning to you to explain.

"Yakuman hands are the highest scoring hands in mahjong, to the point where finishing one almost certainly wins you the game. The problem is, they're almost impossible to pull off in normal play. Competent players won't let you finish a yakuman by calling discarded tiles, and you'd have to be crazy lucky to draw the tiles you need by yourself. Seems to me like we have the opposite problem now, huh?" she says to Saito. "If we play like that, we're almost guaranteed to draw."

But Saito just waves a dismissive hand.

"You'd be right – if we were playing normally. Remember when I told you that all of you would be involved? This is what I'm proposing:

"When we start the game, all of us will draw from the wall and take our usual thirteen tiles. However, from that point onwards, you won't be drawing from the wall at all. Instead-" Saito indicates you and the others, "-your friends will be the ones making your draws."

"I'm…not following," you say.

"I've stationed one hundred and forty-four of my men - the boys you met outside - all around the city tonight. One for each tile in the game. You'll find the designs clearly marked on their chests. Each time you defeat one of them, that will serve as your rep's draw. Of course, each time you receive a tile, you'll still have to discard one, as usual. But aside from that, you won't have to wait for your turn to come around to get new tiles. The speed of your play will be entirely dependent on how quickly the others move. And what's more, they'll get to pick and choose which tiles you receive – no real luck involved. I'd say that makes achieving a yakuman much more reasonable, wouldn't you?"

"Real generous, yeah," says Rin. "And how about you? There's no way you're giving us that kind of advantage without one of your own."

"That's a fair point. Obviously, we'll need two other players to fill the remaining seats, so I'll have two of my boys sit in with us. Between the three of us, we'll conduct a normal game. And even though you'll playing the game with a…different set of 'tiles', anything you discard will still be fair game for us to claim."

The Dreamweaver rubs his chin thoughtfully.

"And, well, I suppose that about does it. What do you think?"

"Let me talk it over with the others," says Rin.

With a sigh, Saito obliges. "If you have to. But make it quick – I'm eager to get started."

He allows Rin to take the group to the other end of the bar, just out of earshot.

"I dunno about you guys, but that sounded like a pretty sweet deal to me," says Hayate. "All we gotta do is dust the Shadows you tell us to and we'll win. Like what, does he think they're actually gonna slow us down or something?"

"…That's not actually the case, is it?" says Mariko. She's noticed the furrows in Rin's brow as well.

"No. He wants us to think we've got the upper hand, but if we agree to play the game that way, we're definitely going to lose."

Without elaborating, Rin walks back to the table. Saito's Shadow reads her expression right away.

"What's the matter? You don't look very satisfied."

"I want an amendment to the rules."

The Dreamweaver blanches. "What's this, now? And here I thought I was being generous, leveling the playing field for you."

Rin pulls up one of the chairs, resting her elbows on the table.

"Yeah, that's not what I'd call it."

"Then go on. Explain what's not fair here."

"It's the other two players. Since they're both Shadows, neither of them will try to win. Instead, they'll spend the entire hand feeding you the tiles you need. And since your draws and my draws are pretty much separated from each other, it'd take you three no time at all to speed through the wall until you got a yakuman. We're all pretty good at hunting Shadows, sure, but there's no way the others are going to be able to run around the city faster than you can play a single hand."

There's a heavy pause as Saito and Rin lock eyes, seemingly attempting to stare the other into compliance. Finally, Saito forces a laugh through clenched teeth.

"That is a problem, isn't it? I guess I must have…overlooked that detail. You know quite a bit more about this game than you let on, don't you?"

With a smirk, Rin says, "It's helped me settle a few debts."

"A few what?" Gin blurts, but a glare from his twin gets him to back down again.

Nevertheless, Saito's Shadow is visibly agitated for having been called out.

"All right then, I'll let you make one amendment. But make it reasonable – remember, this is my world, after all. I'd hate for us to be unable to come to an agreement and have to settle things the old-fashioned way."

"I want a player from our team to be a part of your game. They'll sit to my right, and help make sure that you don't completely run away with the game. That's not too much to ask for, is it?"

After another brief silence, the Dreamweaver shrugs.

"That's all? I have to admit, I expected you to ask for more, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. It's a concession I'm willing to make. So then, who'll be joining us?" He scans your faces with barely concealed mockery. "Hopefully someone who can keep up."

Rin looks back to the rest of group for a volunteer. You'd like to step up, but you're not sure that it's smart to stay at the table spinning your wheels instead of being on the strike team. Judging from the expressions on the others' faces, they're thinking the same thing.

But then, Nisekao raises a shaky hand.

"I-I'll join you, Jidou-san. I d-don't know how much help I can be, but I think I can at least do enough not to mess up. Besides, it wouldn't make any sense to keep two Persona users here."

A flash of surprise crosses Rin's face, barely long enough to exist. But she doesn't object.

"There you go," she tells Saito. "Two of us, two of you. Ready to get started?"

The Shadow's lips pull back to reveal two rows of wide, pristine teeth, plumes of smoke billowing from the corners of his mouth.

"Without a doubt. Ah, my heart is throbbing already – can you hear it? Or perhaps you can't over the sound of your own. We've both taken such great pains to be able to meet like this tonight, and now we're going to put all of that effort into the hands of fate. There's such a fire stirring in my chest right now – I can't wait to see how you stand up to it! Now, quickly! Come here, and we'll put up our wagers."

You wince as one of the Shadows presses the stamp into the back of your neck. It burns like a cattle prod, but the sensation fades quickly. You resist the urge to feel it for fear that you might set it off accidentally. The others receive their stamps one by one. Koharu shrieks as the ink touches her skin, whereas Shibutani and Gin both grimace and quickly shrug it off. Finally, Saito takes the stamp from the Shadow and slams it into his forehead.

"There's no turning back now! We'll begin as soon as you set foot outside this bar. I've taken the liberty of ensuring that every screen in this city broadcasts a feed of the game, so don't worry about being kept out of the loop. You'll know the exact moment when your life is about to end."

"Thanks for the encouragement, asswipe," Hayate mutters under his breath.

"You'll let us know which tiles you need, right?" you ask Rin.

She places a hand on top of yours, and your heart swells.

"I'll make this as easy for you guys as possible. You just get out there and do what you do."

"Y-Yeah, we'll be fine," adds Nisekao.

"Okay, then. Good luck, guys. We're counting on you."