"Alright, so what's the plan?" Ryuji called as he opened the door to the roof.

"We don't have one…" Akira sighed. "We can't do anything to Kamoshida, at this rate we might as well as quit."

"Not necessarily." Lucina took a deep breath. "We could consider Akira's suggestion."

"No." Ryuji shook his head wildly. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, and a thousand friggin times no! We can't!"

"We hear you Ryuji… we're just running out of options too fast." Akira gripped both of Ryuji's shoulders and looked his friend right in the eyes. "At this rate it might be the only possibility we've got!"

Ryuji remained speechless, he stood there with his eyes wide, unable to speak. Within Akira he felt Arsene rumble with approval. The boy will learn, he just needs the right push from the both of you. So you can speak? Akira felt stupid before even finishing the question, of course the persona could talk, it had done so within the castle. The last thing he had expected was Arsene to actually converse with him in the real world. I can converse with you even in the real world yes. The reason being I am you, and you are me. We've made a pact together and it was about time we took a stand. I can't just go behind Ryuji's back though, I owe him more than that.

"Akira." Said boy blinked in realization that Lucina had been trying to get his attention. "Didn't you hear me?"

"N-no sorry, I was deep in thought." Even as he said it a bitter feeling stung in his mouth. How could he say that he was talking to a figment of his imagination?

Lucina shook her head with a sigh. "I said that maybe we should meet up with Morgana. He knows more of that world than we do."

"That's true…" Akira nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe we've got it all wrong and there's a way we can do this without harming anyone."

"Yeah but where would the furball be?!" Ryuji finally shook himself out of his stupor. "We left him back in the cognitive world."

"I… kinda brought him with us." Lucina awkwardly chuckled.

"Then where is he?" Akira looked around.

"That… I don't know."

"What?!"

"Morgana might try to contact me." Lucina shouldered her bag. "I'll send you both a message if that happens."

"Alright… man what a drag." Ryuji sighed. "See you guys tomorrow."

"See you." Akira waved before looking back over to Lucina. "Alright… let's talk about what we both saw."

"A moon over a lake." Lucina nodded "What does that mean?"

"Maybe it's Igor's way of telling us which people are currently outcasts of society?"

"If it is then that makes all of this a little too easy…"

"How so?"

"Well, if we know who we need to bond with then that means we just focus on them. If we're not careful we'll miss someone."

"Hmm, I see it more as a marker of a kind." Akira pushed up his glasses, a small smile playing on his lips. "They give us a location but don't tell us the route. We can do this any way we desire as long as it gets done."

Maybe I should tell Lucina about the other one I saw… Akira watched Lucina consider what he'd said. And how he now has the app as well.

"Alright, I can understand where you're coming from." Eventually the blue haired princess nodded. "What about the other one? The fox under the tree?"

"You saw that one as well?" Akira raised an eyebrow. " That one was thanks to the new student."

"The one with the cards?"

"Yeah, he also has the app."

"...How?"

"I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised if Igor was taking a larger hold of the situation than we thought."

Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "I usually wouldn't say this but I don't like that man…"

"Understandable."

"Why bring another into this so soon?"

"Maybe he doesn't trust us as much as we initially thought?" With a shrug Akira picked up his bag. "We're going to be left behind if we're late. Let's get going."

"Alright."

Akira took in Lucina's expression. The princess was understandably concerned for the transfer student. He was given little choice in the matter here, but Akira was more concerned by what this meant for their plan. If Lucina with her almost non-existent knowledge of electronics could be able to operate the app, then it stood to reason that with enough messing around the transfer student could in fact get himself stuck within the cognitive world of Kamoshida. It was terrifying enough for three people (-and one cat… person… thing? Akira would have to clarify with Morgana later…-) together with personas and weapons but if the solitary person had no way to protect themself then the castle would undoubtedly eat them alive.

"It'll be alright." Akira choose to voice the opposite of his opinion for the moment. "We can talk to him tomorrow, for now we need to focus on the task at hand."

"We do… but the problem won't just go away either."Lucina clicked her tongue against her teeth. "Tch… what would Robin do?"

"Who's Robin?" Akiri deftly pulled Lucina through the crowds in the subway. "He your boyfriend?"

"No, he's my father's closest friend and tactician of his army."

"He's gotta be pretty good then, must suck just waiting on the sidelines though."

"Oh no he partakes in combat just like the rest of us"

Akira stopped in his tracks and turned back to stare at his companion. "You serious?"

With a nod it was Lucina's turn to pull Akira into the subway quickly taking a seat beside him. "To put it bluntly both he and my father can be blockheads."

"Oh?"

"There are times I know the two are trying to give others in the army a heart attack, the latest stunt proved to be the last straw for one of our knights so now my father can't even get into the baths without Frederick standing by him."

"Sounds like they're real good friends then."

"In some worlds they're more than friends…" The doors shut and the subway began to move… but where were the people?! Akira could feel his breathing catch slightly as a new voice joined in the conversation. "But then again that's an echo of a possibility."

Lucina reached for her bag only to find it missing. Both stood up with their backs to one another and looked around, Akira eventually spotting a man in rather simple clothing- a black dress shirt, red tie tucked into the shirt, blue jeans with a brown belt, and black dress shoes on his feet- standing at the end of the room, in his left hand was Lucina's bag while he used his right to keep a burnt mask from falling off his face.

"Heh… sit down Blue hair, you too Topdeck. I have no plans of harming you two yet, instead I came for a friendly chat." The man smiled at the two, his lips twisted into a cruel grin as he slowly pulled out Falchion. "Naga's tooth, what a wondrous weapon that has no worth in this story."

"Drop it!" Lucina started moving to retrieve her blade but stopped short when she found the tip pressed against her throat. Akira's eyes widened, the movement had been too fast for the eye to see. This was no ordinary human.

"I thought I made myself clear Blue hair… sit… down. I have no qualms ending the story now if you continue this disrespectful behaviour. Didn't daddy teach you to respect your elders before he died hmmm?" Releasing a hoarse laugh he slowly took a step forward making Lucina take a step back.

"What do you really want?" Akira raised his hands to show the masked man no reason to fear him as he took a step forward to stand by Lucina who was struggling to keep her anger in check, her hands were clenched into fists the skin on the tips of her knuckles white.

"Simply put, I'm here to talk. Everything's changed from how it was before so naturally Srishti sends me to have to sleuth up the answers. He could've sent Wrench, one of the kittens, or even my creation but nope he sent me." Proudly he stabbed his thumb towards his chest, his grin somehow becoming even wider. "What do I find though but two individuals from two seperate worlds hangin out all buddy buddy!"

"How do you know about my world?" Lucina growled barely managing to keep herself in check at the way this man had disgraced not only herself but her father.

"How do I know how you traveled through time, met your father, wept in his arms like a newborn babby, and then came to this world on the premise of it all being a training session? You wish to know that?" The sword was away from Lucina's throat now instead it was at the mercy of the hand motioning the man was making, with a twirl of his hands he managed to slice one of the poles clean in two. "It's simple really. I saw the original then I watched the remake. Now enough of your questions you two are on my time right now."

Akira felt a shiver run up his back, who was this guy? Every fiber of his being felt like this encounter was just wrong, something precious violated just by his very presence. Meanwhile Lucina was frozen in a different sort of fear. Only those of the exalted bloodline could use the sword right? What was it she had told Inigo… the blade had been steeped in the exalts bloodline but even then very few had the potential to wield it? Could this man be of the exalted bloodline?

"I know what you're thinking Blue hair but no, I'm not part of your family tree. The fang even now is trying to resist me don't you see?" Indeed the hand holding the weapon was faintly trembling.*1 "My power enables me to bring out the potential of any weapon, if it has a conscience such as the fang exhibits then I can temporarily override it in favor of mine own will. Heheheheh! This might be one of my favorite echoes so far!"

Akira moved a step closer. "So you're here to kill us?" A ripple in the environment caught his attention, looking down he could see the clothing he had worn back in Kamoshida's palace.

"Ah we're already at our destination!" Akira flinched as the masked man flicked him in the face. "And no you idiot, I'm not here to kill you… yet!" Laughing he casually dropped the sword onto one of the seats as he then proceeded to dig around in Lucina's bag yet again. "No, I'm here to mix up the formula so to say, the onlookers have been waiting quite a while might I add!*2"

"O-onlookers, what are you talking about?" Akira glanced at their surroundings.

"Stay on topic!" Drawing a ruler from the bag the masked man proceeded to smack Akira's shins with it. "You two are stuck in an echo, this path will play on the re-pe-pe-peat until you break the echo with a new one!"

"You're not making any sense!" Lucina reached to retrieve her sword only to recoil as the rule targeted her next.

"No! You just aren't listening. This we're all in is an echo, it goes on with an echo, echo, echo, echo. Slowly getting softer and softer until a new uproar starts then that will echo, echo, echo, echo until another and another and another and another and another." Both Lucina and Akira watched as the man dissolved into fits of giggling laughter, doubling over he started to repeat the phrase over and over.

A broken man surely.. Arsene rumbled within Akira. His power is not to be questioned though, have you noticed his eyes? Akira strained to see what his persona was talking about. After a bit the man was done with his laughing and looked straight up to Akira.

"You need something Akira Kurusu?" His pitch black eyes locked onto Akira's, the small white pupils in the middle flickering as if they were static. "Maybe you've realized the demon you're in front of hmmm?!" Before Akira could react the man's face was pressed close to his own. "One last thing before I let you both go… this story is taking a rather grim turn. Demons you wouldn't have run into before will show up in droves, hordes will block your way, magic will have properties they didn't have before. People who shouldn't even exist will suddenly force themselves in, another histories greatest will be portrayed in a light neither of you wouldn't expect... The changes are infinite in possibility." Akira visibly cringed at the smell, it reeked of death and decay.

"Enough!" Lucina pointed falchion towards the mans chest. "Unhand him now!"

"Heheheheh…." The smile that hadn't dropped throughout the whole encounter grew even larger. "HAHAHAHA! OH YOU'VE GOT SPIRIT! I might just have some fun with this after all!"

"You think this a game?"

"It's all a game Ylissean princess! We're all just pieces to be moved around on the screen to give a sense of accomplishment towards the player!" He moved away from Akira, running his right hand through his hair as black liquid started leaking from his eyes, doubling over with another fit of giggling he pounded his free hand against one of his legs.

He's laughing so hard he's crying… Lucina recoiled visibly in disgust. Is he even human to begin with?

"Oh calling my humor into question? Don't worry it's very cut and dry!" He was gazing out of the corner of his eye now. "Maybe if I trade you my arm you could give me the last leg!"

The train was starting to slow to a stop now, the masked man's grin finally wavered a little for the first time.

"Damn, I wasted all of your time. No matter, a warning if you wish to continue down this path. In the castle waits a dark mage who cannot be killed but with a certain kind of magic. Blue hair will know who I'm talking about eventually, before you go to the rescue though, take a side path that will lead you to a deck of cards. One of you will know how to use them, hopefully you won't have to deal with it the same way as with a mirage!*3"

"Cards, what kind of cards are you talking about?" Lucina's eyes widened with realization.

"You'll see!" The room was slowly coming back into focus, people suddenly appearing as they were leaving the subway car. "We'll be chatting again all too soon, you might even see the others what with the dragon gate being open an all."

"Dragon gate? What are you-" Akira tried to call out but by then it was too late. The masked man was gone and people were staring at the two high schoolers who were standing there with baffled looks across their faces.

"I don't think he followed us…" Akira swiveled his head around to check their backs as they rushed down the way to Leblanc. "Who was he?"

"I don't know." Lucina's left hand kept a grip on the handle of Falchion still hidden inside her bag. "Is your phone working yet?"

Earlier the two had tried to contact Ryuji but both phones seemed to be unresponsive with only a black on white profile image of a tophat with two small ovals seemingly connected to it being displayed on the screen.

"I think so yeah. I'm going to call Ryuji."

"Good idea… how are you feeling?"

"I'm not entirely sure Lucina… that whole encounter just felt wrong." Akira's hands were trembling as he opened the chat room. "Not just because he was obviously insane. No that's not the reason."

"What's the reason then?" The two stopped out front of Leblanc, Lucina turning to face Akira.

"So far it feels as if things have been slowly ramping up haven't they? Like before things were at a zero and we're slowly reaching one. That guy showing up was as if someone ramped the switch all the way to an eleven out of ten."

Lucina kept watching Akira as he slowly typed into his phone. Should she say something? What could she say that would push the unease in the air to the side for the moment?

"Thank god… Ryuji's online." The relief in Akira's voice seemed immeasurable.

RyuJinguBang: Took you guys long enough. I've been waiting forever for you guys to friggin get on.

AkiraDrift: We were a little busy dealing with a psychopath.

RyuJinguBang is typing…

AkiraDrift: Ryuji we're fine, just a little shaken up is all.

RyuJinguBang: I should've been there…

AkiraDrift: I kinda wish you had been.

RyuJinguBang: I'm coming over there, gimme a sec.

LucySteel: Be careful, no telling what could happen now.

"You both seem to be a little under the weather there hmm?" Lucina recognized who the voice belonged too and swiftly turned around to face the black cat looking down on them from the roof of the bathhouse. "By perchance were you searching for me dear princess?"

"Well you've got them rather paranoid now." Two men were standing ontop of Leblanc's roof, watching as two High schoolers quickly walked down the alley. The one speaking adjusted his stetson, glancing at the man in a mask fiercely grinning next to him he continued. "Why didn't you wait like Srishti asked?"

"Wrench, Wrench, Wrench, Wrench my old buddy old pal! I'm a fierce believer in opportunity!" With each repeat the masked man clapped his hand against his cohort's shoulder. "We could fix this now or allow something new to bloom! While I know we're technically peaking at the contents of the next chapter and spoiling it for the readers, this time it twas a necessity. I doubt they'd have lived against Imhullu given how weak they are right now. The princess has yet to unlock the saint within herself and this new boy… he has a connection that we can use for some fun."

"Manmask no, it's bad enough we're here." Wrench turned his back on his ally, withdrawing a small flask he began drinking. "I still say we should fix this damn mess and be done with it. The hand is already planning an invitation for Akira Kurusu so they'll be able to meet later."

"I agree to disagree. C'mon Wrenchy, think about it. Personas! I bet I'd get Jack!*4"

"Which one there's like five."

"You know which one."

"I suppose so… alright what about the dragon's gate?"

"What about it?"

"It's wide open you idiot! Someone completely unrelated to this incident could pop in for a drink!"

"Hmmm, are you thinking about Dagda?*5"

"He's only a drop in the pond compared to whatever could show up."

"Garon would be interesting… though there aren't any cards for the people in that world quite yet."

"Don't even get me started on those cards Manmask. That old man only thinks with his second head."

"Heheheheh! A man's got their needs Wrench, he won't ever get what he's lookin for though!"

"And what would that be?"

"A chance to lose his purity before he dies!" Manmask fell to his knees in laughter. "Too bad Aversa didn't cut them off! He would've at least been given a reason to stop trying!"

Against his better nature Wrench felt a small smirk pass by his lips. Neither of them were good people, the only reason they were here in the first place was because neither wanted to be damned to hell for disobeying the boss. For now they'd watch, but the first moment something seemed to be going wrong Wrench knew he would have to end the fun and games.

"Why don't we make a little wager then?" Wrench took one last swig from his flask before putting it away. "If I win you owe me Dionysus wine. If you win I'll let you meet up with those two again."

"Oh? I'm all ears…" Manmask glanced towards his ally. "One twist though, if I win, you have to go talk to them. Now tell me what this bet is."

*1 The reason behind the trembling has to do with keeping the weapon sharp. He's basically manually overriding the block built into Falchion.

*2 Is he calling me out?

*3 If you get the reference I'll be happy. Fun game but the story... I'll stop here.

*4 "Jack the Ripper, could be anyone or anything... except maybe that can opener...": Manmask

*5 Given that the Dragon's gate can connect FE Fates to Awakening or Awakening to any other FE game, then it just stands to show that Shin Megami Tensei isn't gonna back down either hmmm? Also Dagda is considered the god of knowledge in Irish legend. He's actually a very kind god all things considered but as anyone who's played Apocalypse knows. This game twists him around a bit.

I really debated hard on allowing these two to show their faces. Their original characters of mine that actually were created way before I adopted this story and they along with the group they're a part of hunt and kill immortals.

And that's the next chapter, one of which I spent way to long on a debate with in myself. While working on this I'm still stuck on Lunatic+ in Awakening and about to try a prisoner emblem for fates. Replaying the same week over and over again in Persona and learning about other sorts of franchises I might wanna wright about even if I have little to no knowledge in them. Friend of mine said I should try Touhou (whatever that is... and I regret putting this in... to lazy to take it out tho :3)

So yes I tried to put up a poll, emphasis on TRIED. It didn't work though so I'll just put it plainly. One would you guys like to see these two (Johnathan Mask and Henry "Wrench") more often or just keep them as few of times as possible? [Spoiler: A few of them are actually Personas in the making so... ya... sorry?] For this vote I'm going to be putting in a transformation unit from fates, you can either tell me you wish for the Kitsune, or the Wolfseggner. Or you could pull a Corrin and request on from earlier on in the series like Path of Radiance or Radiant Dawn. I have no qualms though I will tell you right now I pity the beast units in those games... Reason why is because of the timer.

Anyway that should do it. I've given a really good hint as to who that dark mage waiting for them is and if you have any Fire Emblem knowledge on this guy then you know what the only way to kill him is. Thank you for reading this rather small chapter, I'll be pushing harder next time.

And back to doing nothing for the next four months!~ (I kid! I swear!)