(Author's Note:Alrighty, sincerest apologies for such a long wait and the length of this chapter. Also, apologies on um... well... you'll see soon after.)

"I specifically warned you..." The voice was deep and sinister. "If you didn't play carefully...things would not end well for your dearest friend." An uncomfortable laugh slipped through Igor's lips.

Ren gripped his hands tightly with frustration as he vigorously looked around to follow the voice, yet couldn't find him anywhere. Where could he have possibly been though? He sounded as if he was so close to his ear, yet there was no sight of him anywhere.

"HELP ME!" Those words alone snapped something inside Ren as he froze from terror from that discomforting blood curdling scream.

"Shiho..." He breathed out so quietly as if he saw a ghost.

"REN!" He instantly snapped out of his freeze state as he bolted towards her voice.

"Better go after that noise if you want to save her." Igor chuckled as he gave that warning with a sound of amusement, "...Along with her Persona..."

He halted a moment and looked back, seeing Igor's shadowy form bow before him. Ren wanted to lunge toward him, but he knew he had no time and he knew he needed to play things right so he turned back and ran after the discomforting sound of screams and cries of help.

As he struggled his way through the hallways of the school, there it was... the door he sees every time during his dreams, the blood curdling screams enhancing it's noise as he grows closer. While he finally reaches the door-

His heart was pumping as he awoke. Blindness from the sunlight entering through the windows of his bedroom. Trying to catch his breath as he huffs while placing his hand to his throbbing heart. "Damn it..." He huffed, looking straight ahead as he brushed his hand through his unruly black hair. "Another nightmare..." He breathed out, "Please let this only stay as a dream." He prayed as he got up and got dressed to meet the others in hope to save Shiho.

After minutes passed, he was ready to rush towards the entrance, but was halted when Sojiro called out, "Hey, kid. Hold on a minute." He stopped him as Ren gripped the handle of the door, taking in a deep breath as he tried to keep his cool while looking back over towards Sojiro.

"What can I help you with?" Ren asked as he tried to mask his frustrations with a courteous grin as he ended up staying behind.

Meanwhile...

The Night Before...

Shiho was tied up, battered and bruised in a cell. She tried to find a way to escape with the help of her Persona, yet her energy was completely depleted, in both, her health and her spirit. The young teen continued to struggle just so she wouldn't have to suffer in her hellhole all over again and yet she became so exhausted from it all. Hope was beginning to deplete from her as fear began to set in.

She jolted from the sound of a man's whistle, assuming it was the return of the King, but... it wasn't? She squinted her watery eyes before rubbing them furiously to clear them as she looked up at the bars. A... dark figure?

"Who are you...?" Her voice was hoarse and weak at that point.

The masked person chuckled lightly while shaking their head, "Oh, you poor foolish girl..."

Her eyebrows knitted into anger as she tried to lunge toward them, "Shut up! You have no idea who I've faced!"

They laughed maniacally while placing a hand to their chest, finding it rather hysterical for the situation she ended up in, but there was a sense of pity in their eyes as they looked into hers. Seeing the fear begin to set in, ended up reminding them of themselves when they were younger. And for that split second... they couldn't help, but want to assist her.

"Oh, don't think I haven't faced what you've faced, sweetheart..." They cackled to release the pent up pain they've had buried deep in their heart, "I've gone through much worse. So... let me be of help to you." They state as they knelt down, "But... only this once, of course." They laugh lightly with a hint of malicious intent.

Fear, anxiety, despair, and intensity all caved into her all at once. Reminding her of the pressures of school, life, and... volleyball. The coach especially... The horrors of it all returning to her as she felt a strong aura come from this dark figure. She struggled to pull away from this person and yet they had a tight grip on her shoulder. Darkness began seeping into her as she screamed in terror. All of the pain that was once lifted from her Persona, Joan D'arc, started sinking deep into her all over again as tears formed. The words she once learned ended up forming into something new. Along with her very own Persona... And her Persona...? She kept trying to call out to her, but she never appeared. Fear kept creeping in more and more as she quivered.

"Seeing as to how my good deed is done, I'll just leave the rest up to you." They chuckled lightly as they left.

As the spell was completed, there she sat, dead still for several minutes while darkness slowly consumed her whole being. As it surrounded her, the tears that streamed down her cheeks never ended. The overwhelming emotions silenced her completely, yet she wanted to scream, yell, shout, ANYTHING to let out the dreadful intensity that was returning to the core of her mind. Though nothing worked as she struggled... All that occurred was a quiet voice. One that sounded like another man. Terror returned to her. Yet his soft voice sounded rather soothing. More so than she expected.

Ren...? She thought in her mind as she looked around, but it wasn't him...

The voice of human nature is nothing but one prolonged cry... Those words made her jerk back with horror in her eyes, but froze again, leading her to close her eyes. Pain, anguish and suffering in human life are always in proportion to the strength with which a man is endowed... Taking on the continuous pain that sank inside her with every single word this man whispered to her. Yet the one that struck her the most was, May darkness consume you so you may understand the very truth of it all... She felt as if her heart was struck by a spear while pain consumed every bit of her. Her whole attire enveloped to darkness while her mask covered her whole face, matching that of The Man in the Iron Mask...

Screams finally escaped her lips, grasping her hands tightly to endure the endless pain while tears formed and slid down her cheeks again. Her heart was now covered by the same metal that hid her beautiful face. Shiho was once again entrapped in her own sorrow and grief. Pleading deep into her mind for savor, yet this time... there was no one. She sat there on her knees in utter agony as her new Persona now became her very own Puppet Master...

(Author's Note:Anyway, I hope it was ok for now as I try to stretch things out more and update sooner. Hopefully...

The next one's gonna end up being more intense, but I assure you, Shiho will return with more heroism and her Persona's will update and improve just like the game. This is just a bit of a twist to (hopefully) match the original story of the game. Other than that, I hope everyone is doing well and is safe. Until then...)