04/02/2012, Kuoh Academy, Day

The Student Council room is steeped in the bright light of the sun, filtering through half-drawn blinds, casting sharp lines across the mahogany table where Sona Sitri sits, her fingers steepled.

Rias Gremory lounges in the chair opposite, her usual poise softened by a faint, almost guilty, smile. Between them, the air hums with the tension of mismatched philosophies, Sona's meticulous caution versus Rias' instinctive and naive trust.

Sona adjusts her glasses, the lenses flashing as she pins Rias with a scrutinizing gaze. "Let me reiterate, Rias" she says, her voice cool and precise. "A stranger, a magician no less, intervenes in a battle against what probably was a mid to high-class oni, one that overpowered both Toujo and Kiba, and you simply… let her walk away? Without anything more than simply a name?"

Rias leans back, her painted nails tapping the armrest. "She saved my sweet servants, Sona. And I did try to stop her, politely..." ber tone is light, but her eyes harden defensively. "Gratitude isn't a leash Rias" says the Sitri Heiress.

"Besides, we captured the oni. Isn't that what matters?" remarks Rias.

Sona's pen clatters onto a stack of incident reports. "What matters is that we know nothing about this 'Elizabeth'. Her powers, her motives, just nothing. She could be with Grigori. Or, a rogue faction. A threat, to say it in easier terms".

"Or she could be an ally" Rias counters, her smile returning, sly and unrepentant. "She did agree to meet me again. Today, in fact".

Sona massages her temples. "And if she doesn't show herself?"

"She will". Rias' confidence is infuriatingly serene. "I have a good feeling about her".

"Feelings aren't strategies, Rias" says Sona on the verge of exasperation.

"No" Rias concedes, standing to smooth her skirt. "But they're why Yuuto and Koneko are alive".

Sona exhales sharply, gathering her papers into a neat pile, a futile attempt to order the chaos Rias thrives in. "At least no one was gravely injured. Small mercies". She rises, her posture rigid. "I'll expedite my meeting with the new student. We'll confront this 'Elizabeth' together".

Rias pouts, trailing her to the door. "Confront? She's my guest, Sona. I'll alone handle the talking".

Sona pauses, her hand on the doorknob. "Diplomacy requires more than charm, Rias. How many times do I have to tell you?".

"Good thing I have plenty of both" Rias quips, blowing a playful kiss as she exits the Student Council.

Alone in the corridors of Kuoh Academy, Rias lingers at the windows, watching students mill in the courtyard below.

Her reflection betrays a flicker of doubt, quickly smothered by resolve. Elizabeth's laughter, her effortless power thanks to which she blocked her infamous Power of Destruction…

'No' she thinks, turning toward the gates. 'She's not an enemy. I'd have felt it'.

04/02/2012, Velvet Room, Day.

The Velvet Room hums with the soft glow of blue invisible lanterns, their light reflecting off the polished bar where Makoto leans, arms crossed.

Ryoji sprawls on a plush velvet sofa on the side, boots propped irreverently on the coffee table. "You accepted to lead the Music Club? Classic you Makoto" he smirks, tossing a caramel wrapper into the air. It vanishes mid-fall, swallowed by the Appraiser of the Fall's shade.l

"Ryoji your feet. Off the table" Makoto deadpans in a serious tone, polishing a glass with unnecessary force.

Ryoji salutes mockingly. "Yes, dad".

The clack of heels interrupts them. Elizabeth descends the staircase with the Persona Compendium in hand.

"Good day" she announces, her voice crisp as winter air.

"Hi, Liz" Makoto says, while Ryoji grins. "Hello, Attendant".

Elizabeth's gaze lingers on Ryoji's boots for a bit too long before turning to Makoto. "I'm visiting Kuoh Academy, for... a curiosity of mines".

Makoto grabs his MP3 player, its scratched surface glinting. "Same. Let's go together". "With utmost pleasure" replies Elizabeth.

The Attendant smiles at Makoto and glares for a second at Ryoji before going for the door. Ryoji waves lazily. "Have fun storming the castle, kids. I'll be communing with the local kami" he says non-chalantly.

"What do you mean?" asks confused Makoto. "I'll visit the local shrine, I want to acquaint myself with all the Town's places".

As Elizabeth and Makoto walk they soon see the school's gates in front of them and a red haired girl impatiently waiting for someone. "That's my stop Makoto. Have a nice day" says Elizabeth smiling at her guest.

Makoto looks at the red haired who reminds him of Mitsuru. 'Is there a red haired girl in every school I go?' he asks himself joking.

'I have to say Universe, that girl is quite the sight... 8.9 out of 10' Makoto jolts hearing the voice of Apollo in his mind. 'Are you seriously rating a teenager?' says another voice to Apollo, the egyptian god Thoth.

"Elizabeth I'm so happy you came I really wanted to-" Rias stops as she sees Makoto looking at her. "Hello" she politely says to him before moving closer to Elizabeth whispering to her.

"Could you follow me? Let's speak somewhere more... private" she asks her. "Is there a problem with Makoto being here?" asks Elizabeth.

"You know him?" asks Rias. "Of course I do". While the two women talk Makoto silently gets away heading to the Student Council. "If you know him then I'd like to invit-" Rias looks around herself "Where has he gone?".

"Oh, he said he had a meeting too" says Elizabeth.

"Fine, ok follow me please let's go to my clubroom" says Rias leading the way.

The Gremory girl and the attendant enter an old building behind the school. "What place is this?" asks with curiosity Elizabeth. "It's the Old School Building, it's where my club and I meet. And this. This is the Occult Research Club room" Rias opens a door on the second floor of the building reavealing a large room.

Rias walks to the end of it and sits behind a desk on an almost throne-like armchair. "Good Morning Miss Elizabeth and thanks again for yesterday" says Kiba bowing who was leaning on the wall near the window before the arrival of Elizabeth.

Koneko sits up from the sofa cookies in hand and offers one to Elizabeth who accepts gladly. "Thanks" softly says the short girl. "It's quite the rarety seeing Koneko this open. You must have made quite the impression on her" says Akeno who moved to stand beside Rias.

"I don't think I know your name" comments Elizabeth looking at the black haired girl. "I'm Akeno Himejima, nice to meet you". Akeno then pours some tea and offers a cup to Rias and another to Elizabeth.

"First of all, I wanted to apologize again for our fist interaction. It was really unkind and if you want something to amend my rudeness I'm all ears" says Rias. "Actually I have something I wish to know. It has to do with why I was looking for an empty place yesterday" Elizabeth then pulls out the flyer.

"It says to make a wish and a devil would have appeared I tried to make it work but it doesn't. Is this a common object in this town?" seeing the Gremory family flyer surprise everyone in the room. Rias is the first to speak "That is one of the flyers we give to people in town" explains her "it is practically our job to give out flyers and then us or our familiars fulfill the request".

"I understand. Makoto did a similar thing for me, but I just asked him to bring me some mundane objects. Oh! and sometimes I also asked him to bring me somewhere" Elizabeth smiled thinking about the help Makoto gave her for understanding humanity as a whole.

"If I may ask, what is your relationship with that boy?" asks Rias. "He's my dear guest" immediately answers Elizabeth flatly.

"Guest? what do you mean by it?" asks Kiba raising his hand. "Miss Elizabeth, yesterday you mentioned that you were a ruler of power, what did you mean?". Hearing those questions Elizabeth stands up looking at them. "I'm Makoto's Attendant. My goal and my very mission is to accompany him through his journey, wherever it may lead".

04/02/2012, Student Council, Afternoon.

Meanwhile Makoto already knocked on the Student Council door. "Come in" says a feminine voice as soon as he hits the door.

Makoto quietly enters the room. "Good Morning Yuki, right? My name ks Sona Shitori, and I am the proud Student Council President of Kuoh Academy".

Makoto greets Sona and accepts to sit on the chair in front of her. "Tsubaki informed me you wanted to join the Music Club, am I right?". Makoto just nods at Sona's question.

"Good. I checked you curriculum and I must stay, Yuki, I was impressed and I still am. You finished your second year at the prestigious Gekkoukan Highschool in Iwatodai after moving there in April" she says.

"Despite that, you passed all your exams top of your class and you even arrived second in the regional track field competition. I'm amazed by your curriculum, I'm sure you will do well here at Kuoh. But I must ask you, why do you want to join the Music Club" asks Sona with an inquiring look.

"I like music" shortly answers Makoto. Sona sighs "You aren't very talkative, aren't you?" Makoto simply nods.

"Well, seeing your curriculum I must assume that you prefer speaking facts rather than words. It's a good thing, really. A quality I prefer above many others" Sona stands up and shakes Makoto's hand.

"Welcome to Kuoh Academy Yuki, I hope you'll find yourself well here". "Thanks Shitori". As Makoto shakes Sona's hand he hears Elizabeth's voice in his head.

'I am Thou. Thou art I. Thou hast established a new bond. Thou shalt have the Universe blessing when choosing to create personas of the Empress Arcana'.

"Yuki is everything alright?" asks Sona noticing him spacing out. "Yes, it's nothing". Makoto puts his earphones back on, but Sona stops him before he can leave.

"Yuki before you go. Would you like to play a game of chess?" asks her. "Why this suddenly? Not that I have complaints about it" asks Makoto back.

"I'm convinced that a game of chess is a great way to know someone as it explains a lot of how people think" the bespectacled girl puts a chessboard on the table looking directly at Makoto.

'Please Universe I'd love to play a game of chess' begs excited Apollo from Makoto's mind. 'You really are shameful Apollo. You want to play so badly that you wish to defeat a teenager' Thoth chastises the persona of the Sun Arcana.

'Silence Thoth. It's the Universe choice not yours. So Universe can I? Can I? Please" insists Apollo. "Yuki? Do I need to call the nurse?" asks worried Sona. "I'm sorry. I'd like to play a game" says Makoto playing 'changing seasons' on the mp3 player. Sona leaves the white to Makoto and the game begins with Apollo guiding Makoto's hand.

"Checkmate" says Makoto while Apollo cheers in his mind.

'Victory by Apollo's Mate! The greatest move in all of Olympus and above!'. 'You really are to be pitied, Apollo. An olympic God celebrating his victory against a kid' says Thoth ashamed by Apollo's behaviour. 'Shut up you monkey! I won because I'm the greatest chess player in the Universe! Both literally and metaphorically' says mockingly Apollo.

Thoth just sighs in frustration. "Well done Yuki, I didn't expect the Legal's Mate. Congratulations, I hope to play again with you" says Sona. "Me too, goodbye president" says Makoto leaving the Student Council. 'Legal's Mate? What blasphemous thing is that!? It's Apollo's Mate!' shouts Apollo in disappointment.

After Makoto left the room Sona sits down watching the chessboard. "That guy surely is something. He played like a chess master, no wonder he was a star student".

Sona hears the door opening again and sees her queen Tsubaki entering the Student Council. "You were spying on me Tsubaki?" asks Sona with a bit of annoyance in her voice. "I'm sorry but I didn't want to interrupt" Tsubaki says bowing apologetically.

"But I have to agree with you. Yuki is surely something to be reckoned with" says Tsubaki looking at the chessboard. "Do you think he could be a fine addition to the peerage?" asks the queen changing subject.

"Yes" states Sona without thinking more than a couple of seconds. "He has everything we could ever need in a peerage member. He's smart, has good grades. Good Satans his curriculum speaks for itself. And here we have the proof that confirms it" says Sona pointing at the chessboard.

Tsubaki nods. "But, we'll have plenty of time for knowing him. I'll make him the proposition in due time. There is no need to hurry".

Outside the Student Council Makoto is ignoring Apollo and Thoth childish fight, once again. 'Oh the mighty Sun God just defeated a kid in chess, what an heroic deed! May all the bards in the world sing of this victory!' says sarcastically Thoth.

'And the Moon God is just a sore loser because the Universe chose me, the virtuous Apollo, instead of him, the boring Thoth' mocks Apollo.

'Don't drag the Universe in this conversation!' responds Thoth taking the insult personally. 'Or what else? You are gonna read me some scary stories?' Apollo laughs mentioning the book Thot always holds. 'Just shut up'.

04/02/2012, Occult Research Club, Afternoon.

"Attendant? Why should someone like you follow an highschool student?" asks Rias with genuine curiosity, but she just annoys Elizabeth which doesn't go unnoticed by Akeno. "President I think we shouldn't press Miss Elizabeth on personal topics" says Akeno trying to not seem rude.

"Yeah... sorry Elizabeth" apologies Rias. "No problem, but to answer your question. I do it both because it's the task my master gave me and because I love Makoto" says Elizabeth shocking Rias a bit. "You love him? But-" Rias tries to speak, but Akeno covers her mouth with her hand. "Rias. We are no one to judge" says Akeno smiling politely at Elizabeth.

"So, are you gonna tell me how does this flyer works?" asks Elizabeth looking around herself. Kiba takes out another flyer and shows Elizabeth how to use it. "You just have to pour a drop of blood on it and it will be active. But what would you need from a devil, Miss Elizabeth?".

"I searched all yesterday for some clothes that could satisfy my likings but I didn't find any" at the mention of clothes Rias lights up. "You need advice on shopping? You could have said it sooner. I'm the best advisor for something like this!" Rias stands up and takes Elizabeth's hand.

"We can go now!" declares Rias happily. Seeing their president so excited for some shopping make the entirety of the Occult Reseatch Club facepalm.

04/02/2012, Velvet Room, Evening

After spending the afternoon shopping, Elizabeth went back to the Velvet Room wearing a new outfit.

A blue long sleeved shirt with a golden necklace with bell-bottom trousers of a darker shade of blue.

"Where is Makoto?" she asks Ryoji who was reading a manga, his legs resting on the armrest of the sofa. "Upstairs, he just came back and wanted to take a shower" he answered without looking at her.

"I really wanted to try out my new clothes" she complains and sits on a stool waiting for Makoto. "Aren't you wearing them right now?" asks Ryoji, flipping a page. "Yeah I am, and?" answers Elizabeth confused. "Nevermind".

After twenty minutes Makoto finishes to wash and goes downstairs where he's greeted by Elizabeth and sees her new clothes.

"You look good Liz" he comments. "Thank you Makoto. Now let's test them".

Without waiting for an answer she grabs Makoto's hand and opens the door leading to Tartarus. "What are you planning to do?" asks the Messiah. "A fight obviously, I wouldn't like my new clothes to not be able to withstand at least an Armageddon or two".

She looks like she had just said the most normal thing in the world. "Liz I don't think those clothes are made for fighting" tries to say Makoto, but the attendant doesn't seem to mind. "No sense Makoto after all we won't find out until we try". Elizabeth leads Makoto to an empty floor on the Tziah block. She looks at him and tosses away the omnipotent orb. "Good now we can start our test".

Makoto summons the Blade of Lucifer in his right hand while on his left he's ready to swiftly take the evoker. 'Let me fight Universe!' Makoto hears a persona proudly say from his mind. 'I'll show the Attendant what it means to be a hero! Let's fight side by side!' Robin Hood states as Makoto points the evoker to his head.

"Robin Hood!" he shouts and the heroic archer clad in a white and gold superhero suit, with a clear capital R and H on his chest, is summoned into reality as thus beginning the fight.

Makoto plays 'Mass Destruction' as he orders Robin Hood to strike Elizabeth with a rain of arrows. The Attendant replies by summoning Surt which parries all the arrows with his flaming sword.

After the rain of arrows Elizabeth counterattacks casting Inferno. Surt swirls his sword conjuring a circle of flames launching it at Makoto who extinguishes the fire.

"Let's take this fight to the next level" says Elizabeth summoning Jack Frost and casting three bufudynes one after the other with the Demon Doll spinning with each cast. Makoto switches to Orpheus Telos and heals himself with a diarahan. The Master of Strings then plays his lyre and attacks Elizabeth with a ziodyne. The lightings strike Elizabeth and the woman is forced to heal herself before attacking again.

"Come forth! Robin Hood!" Makoto doesn't waste any time and summons again the noble thief the letters 'RH' shining on his chest. "For the people!" shouts Robin Hood shooting three light arrows at Elizabeth. The attendant block the first and dodges the second, but she's hit by the third. Elizabeth gets up and summons Pixie.

"Megidolaon!" a wide explosion occurs striking directly Makoto. The ex SEES leader holds his left arm looking at Elizabeth. The attendant smiles at him "You aren't going all out Makoto" comments the woman.

Elizabeth seeing Makoto unable to use his evoker goes for a melee attack with the compendium. "Robin Hood! Kougaon!" surprising Elizabeth Makoto performs a summoning without the evoker and Robin Hood bathes her in light magic.

"I must say I'm surprised" Elizabeth tried to limit the damage, but she still got severely injured by the literal shower of light. Elizabeth prepares to cast another megidolaon but she sees Makoto pulling the trigger. "Armageddon!".

The world stills. A bell tolls, deep, resonant, shaking the tower's bones. Above, the air splits. Satan, a hulking silhouette of horns, arms, tails and molten chains, duets with Helel, the androgynous seraphim radiating prismatic light. Their voices intertwine: a basso roar and a crystalline hymn.

Darkness and light spiral into a single beam, a helix of annihilation. Elizabeth crosses her arms, bracing, as the blast consumes her.

"I lost" she says smiling at Makoto. "I admit you didn't lose your touch Makoto" she says with a smile. Makoto helps Elizabeth to stand up. "Are you satisfied now?" he asks. "Yes. I am".