Persona 4: Leave No Words Unspoken

Prologue Part 1: End of the Beginning

February 7, 2010

A/N: A reboot of my previous Persona story, albeit with extra plot and (hopefully) better dialogue and editing. Will be looking for a beta reader as well. Please Read & Review.

Minatodai Dormitory, Tatsumi Port Island

It had been approximately five or six days since the remaining members of SEES had travelled back to when Minato had sealed Nyx away. The first purpose of this journey was to find out why Minato had chosen to become a part of the Great Seal. Secondly, they wanted to assist Aigis in embracing her humanity. Even if Aigis was an android, she still had aspirations to be human.

Yukari and Aigis had decided to continue their studies at Gekkoukan, while Junpei had left along with Fuuka. He wasn't sure, but Chase had assumed that Mitsuru and Aki had left already because Mitsuru had left to fully assume her responsibilities as head of the Kirijo while Aki had wanted to travel as far away from anything that reminded him of the loss of his closest friend. Ken and Koromaru were still staying in the dorm because they had nowhere else to go and that made Chase wish that he could be able to take them back to the States with him. What about Mina? I don't want to leave her alone if she's still hurting but then again I don't want her to leave either because I have no idea what I'd do without her. And that scares me more than anything else.

Currently, Chase and Mina were asleep.

Chase was approximately 5'11" in height and had short blonde hair and blue eyes. He was currently wearing boxer shorts and a plain white t-shirt.

Conversely, Mina had red hair that was currently left untied, and she had brownish eyes. Mina was wearing pink pyjamas with the Roman numeral "XXII" on the left sleeve.

Chase sat up in the bed that he'd been sharing with Mina and looked at her sleeping form, relieved that her nightmares had stopped. Comforting her was one thing but he didn't know how to deal with the nightmares. This was because he didn't really have any previous experiences with loss prior to the past year. Not only that but he didn't really understand what it was like to be without a family or to have his family ripped away from him.

He finally got out of bed and got dressed only for Mina to pull at the covers slightly before waking up herself.

"I didn't mean to wake you. It's just that I'm really worried about you and I just wanted to make sure that you're alright. Especially after what happened to your brother." Chase was reaching for a pair of blue slippers that he'd been wearing around the dorm for the last few days.

He didn't really want to let Mina out of his sight because he was worried that something might happen to her. Plus, Chase wasn't sure if Ken would be able to look after her if he had decided to up and leave. The poor kid had been through enough already.

"I don't know." Mina sighed.

"But I need to know! I don't want to see you hurting like this because I have no idea if I can help you and I don't want to admit it because I'd have failed you. Just tell me. Please." Chase reached for Mina's hand but she pulled away from him making the distance between them wider.

"Do you want me to tell you? You've got a family to go home to and I have nobody! My parents are dead and my brother's keeping Nyx from bringing about the end of the world. You're probably still upset about me and Ryoji aren't you?" Mina stormed out of their room, causing Chase to follow after her.

Mina hadn't gotten very far though. Having arrived in the living room of the dorm, she sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV, almost oblivious to Ken's presence in the room.

"Are you and Chase fighting again?" Ken seemed worried.

"Yeah. I'm sorry if it upset you. He's just worried, and you know how he gets when he's worried." Mina ran her hands through her hair anxiously as Chase had finally managed to find her. And he seemed quite upset to put it mildly.

"Do you think that I'm better off because I've got a family and you don't? For one thing, my father would make Shuji "I'm a backstabbing bastard" Ikutsuki seem pleasant by comparison. Oh, and my two eldest siblings are assholes, Robert's a jarhead and my younger brother Dylan is an irresponsible jackass who cares more about getting drunk, high and chasing girls than he does about anything else. So why don't you tell me if I'm better off then? Or if I'm being selfish for wanting to look after you?" Chase looked at Mina as she stood up and walked over towards him.

"Yeah, you're selfish! Because you just seem to think that everything's absolutely fucking perfect! Which explains why you spent a week avoiding me after we had broken up! And why you disliked Ryoji so much. The only reason you're still here is because you don't want to feel guilty about abandoning Ken and I." Mina was partially right.

"I've spent the last few days trying to wire 1 million US dollars into a bank account that only Ken would have access to because I want him to have a future beyond SEES. Does that sound selfish to you? I'm not just going to abandon Ken because it'd be convenient." Chase stormed out of the room, leaving Mina and Ken by themselves.

"Sorry that you had to see that." Mina deadpanned.

"I understand. You guys love each other and love can be…. Difficult sometimes. Like with you and Ryoji." Ken smiled slightly.

Mina took the remote and began flicking through the channels, and the news stations were just inundated with coverage of the aftermath of Nyx's being sealed away. Not only that but there were repeats of the coverage of the end of term assembly at Gekkoukan where Mitsuru had addressed the students and ostensibly the outside world. People were discussing the significance of the Dark Hour events as well as their being in a line of incidents that had stretched back over fourteen years or more right the way back to the early 1960s and something called Project SHADOW. From what she could tell, Project SHADOW was an attempt by the US military to weaponise Shadows instead of using nuclear weapons but it had backfired on them spectacularly.

"As I have said before, Blake Consolidated HAS had links with SEBEC as well as the New World Order organization that was led by the late Tatsuzou Sudou but that doesn't mean that the company that I helped lead into its best years is responsible for the activities of those groups or the activities of any other. And for anybody to suggest otherwise is grossly inappropriate and utterly reprehensible. So you can take your little agenda and shove it up where the sun doesn't shine. This press conference is OVER." The man, who Mina had assumed was Chase's father had just thrown a chair at one of the journalists who was interviewing him before storming out.

"He sounds pleasant. Now I know where Chase gets that side of his personality from." Was that sarcasm?

"Chase-senpai wasn't like that around us. Then again, I almost had to stop him from going after Takaya and Strega by himself after he found out about what happened to Shinji." Ken replied.

"Well we didn't know him until last year. Oh you know what, just forget it." Mina sighed, wishing that things weren't so difficult and that Minato was still there.

"Hey, I think that he's in the kitchen and he'd just need a little bit of time to calm down. I'm not sure, but your calling Chase selfish didn't seem particularly nice. Especially when he was just trying to help you. Not that it's my business or anything." Ken added. He changed the channel to something that would be slightly more entertaining.

Mina meanwhile had gone into the kitchen just as Chase had made himself a cup of coffee and had added in cream and sugar. Over the course of the last year, or rather the last nine months or so, Mina had noticed that Chase didn't like to be out of control and had eschewed alcohol for caffeine as a result. It wasn't that she'd minded but it was a little bit odd especially now that Minato was gone in circumstances that would've almost required a few stiff drinks to cope with.

"I didn't mean to call you selfish. I've just been having a tough time and I didn't mean to take it out on you or anything." Mina said, unsure of whether Chase would accept the apology or not.

"I know, and I accept your apology." Chase responded, only pausing to take a sip of coffee.

"If you are going to be leaving either tonight or the next few days then maybe we can leave together? That is, if you've done everything that you need to do here?" Mina asked, knowing that it was a little bit soon to spring that question on Chase. Plus, Mina didn't know if he had important matters to attend to in New York as well, which would make their attempt to disappear more difficult.

There was a pause as Chase finished his coffee and put the empty cup in the sink.

"I don't see why not. I'd like to visit my folks, well, maybe just Dylan. And, I'd need to think about that. I mean, I'm sure that Yukari and Aigis will be willing to take care of Ken but I don't know. I kind of need to think about it. So I'll just be outside and I'll come back when I've thought about what I want to do. So I'll see you later then?" Chase kissed Mina before leaving the kitchen and exiting the dorm so he could think about what he was going to do.

Outside Minatodai Dormitory, Tatsumi Port Island

Chase had left the dorm to clear his head and to better decide what he was going to do. Was he going to leave after today or was he going to stay for a little bit longer? More importantly, where would he go? He thought that it wouldn't really matter where he and Mina would go because people would know who she was mainly because of her brother.

His mind might have been playing tricks on him but he saw a tall man with long hair in a black three-piece suit with a mask on his face. What was unusual about the mask was that there was an orange butterfly on the right side, and Chase had no idea why. The mystery man was also surrounded by blue butterflies that were currently flying around him, one of them even rested on the lapel of his suit.

"Is your name Chase? Chase Blake?" The mystery man looked at Chase, who merely nodded.

"Yes. But, who are you?" Chase responded, unsure as to who the mystery man was.

"I am Philemon. And you might say that I am an envoy of a higher power, if that is what you were asking. Perhaps you're also wondering why I am here talking to you, am I correct?" Philemon smiled behind his mask.

"Yes." Was Chase's only reply.

"Although you were not one of the guests of the Velvet Room, your contributions in regards to the successful sealing of Nyx and Erebus have not gone unnoticed. I should have said that about all of your comrades in SEES if I think about it. No matter, Minato would have failed without you supporting him as you did." The butterflies were continuing to circle around Philemon.

"So, what else are you planning on telling me?" Chase still seemed unconvinced by Philemon.

"A new adventure will begin next April. Another entity that controls Shadows will make its presence felt and that will set things in motion again. There will be two new Wild Cards as well and your brother Dylan will be one of them." Philemon fell silent for a couple of minutes.

"You're telling me that Dylan's going to be getting the call too? Have you met him? Dylan's an irresponsible jackass at the best of times and an utter moron at the worst of times. If he's one of the people who's going to be saving the world next year, then you need to have a pretty good back-up plan just in case he screws up. But that's not why I'm standing here by the way." Chase shrugged. He wasn't quite sure if telling Philemon about his personal life was a good idea or not.

"I see. So, you're in a relationship with Minako then. And correct me if I'm wrong but you don't wish to see her suffering." Philemon said no doubt observing Chase's general demeanour.

"I don't. And that's why I'm going to leave Port Island with her. She needs me and I don't want to abandon her." Chase replied, making sure that the point carried across.

"That's quite noble of you." Philemon said, even if there was more that he wasn't telling.

"I wouldn't call it noble. I'm just trying to be a good person that's all." That wasn't all, and both Chase and Philemon knew it.

"Whatever it is, just remember that neither you nor Dylan have to be prisoners of your family's past. Edmund was a good person, so there's nothing stopping you. I suppose that I'll be seeing you around." Philemon disappeared, leaving Chase standing by himself.

"Thanks for the pep talk?" Chase said, fully aware that Philemon had gone.

He sighed, looking up as clouds began to obscure the horizon. I'd better get back inside, or Mina's going to be worried. Plus, I'm not exactly dressed for rain anyway. Chase went back inside the building.

Minatodai Dormitory, Tatsumi Port Island

Chase had returned to the dorm, wanting to talk things over with Mina. Upon entering the living room, he saw Mina and Ken sitting on the couch with Koromaru curled up by the table.

"Ken, I'd like to have a private conversation with Mina so would you mind just waiting somewhere else in the dorm please?" Chase asked. Ken and Koromaru went to the kitchen so that Chase and Mina could have their conversation without Ken overhearing.

"So, have you decided yet?" Mina asked, gazing at Chase expectantly.

"Yes. I've decided that I want to leave with you. But I just want to be sure that Ken will be looked after, besides, Yukari and Aigis will be going to Gekkoukan still, so they could look after him while we're gone. Plus, he's got Koromaru here so he wouldn't be so alone." Chase said, certain that they were doing the right thing.

"Great. We'll tell Ken and then we'll tell Yukari and Aigis. It's only fair." Mina was going to say something else, but she was interrupted as Ken and Koromaru had come back.

"I heard all of that. You guys don't need to worry about me. Besides, Chase-senpai's been sorting a lot of financial stuff out for me so I'm set no matter what. I do know that it goes without saying, but I'm really going to miss you guys. Oh, and I'm sorry for walking in on you guys that one time." Ken looked sheepishly down at the ground.

"Don't worry about it. You'll learn all about that stuff in a few years, but hopefully not too soon. Mina and I going to be keeping in touch with you and the rest of SEES so it's not as if we're abandoning you." Chase replied, reassuring Ken that they weren't going to forget him.

"That's good. So when are you guys leaving anyway?" Ken asked.

"We'll be leaving either tomorrow or the day after that. Which means that Chase and I are going to be packing and trying to book flights and everything. Speaking of which, maybe we'd better get started?" Mina asked, directing the question at Chase.

"That sounds like a good idea." Chase and Mina walked out of the living room arm in arm. Their suitcases weren't going to be packing themselves.

The Great Seal

Despite being a part of the Great Seal, Minato wasn't confined within it. However, he was able to view images of Port Island and the rest of the world along with things that he wouldn't have fathomed before he had sealed Nyx and Erebus away from each other thereby preventing The Fall from happening.

The Universe Arcana signified the end of his old life and the beginning of something completely different as Igor had told him when he created it. As a result of obtaining the Universe Arcana, he had the power of Creation in his hands and could therefore shape the environs of the Great Seal into whatever he saw fit. Also, he was gathering new Personas, not for himself, but for his replacements.

Minato could see his replacements, not as they were now or whatever passed for now but he saw them as what they would become.

His first replacement, Yu Narukami, had silver-coloured hair and grey eyes. In Minato's vision, Yu was the leader of his team because he was the most able for the job and the rest of his team had agreed to it. Yu was the one who would ultimately prevail against the entity who was controlling the Shadows, but he could see that there was something else there. Minato wondered if the entity, Izanami, would be acting alone or if there was something behind her pulling the strings.

His second replacement, Dylan Blake, was Chase's younger brother. From what Minato had heard about Dylan, he didn't think that Dylan would be one of his replacements because he was incredibly irresponsible. Plus Dylan would have cared more about baser pursuits than saving the world so Minato was naturally surprised that Dylan would be the other person to be associated with the Fool Arcana.

I wonder if Yu and Dylan will be able to work together for the greater good. I didn't have a problem with Mina because she was my sister and I almost single-handedly looked after her after that incident ten or eleven years ago. Hopefully Chase is taking care of her, I always thought that they'd stay together after I'm gone and I hope that I'm right in thinking that.

Minato's thoughts were interrupted when he saw one of his three main Personas, Messiah approaching him. Orpheus Telos and Thanatos were elsewhere on an errand and they'd be back later. He'd forgotten that time within the Great Seal was utterly different to normal time in that it didn't actually exist within the Great Seal.

"Hello Minato." Messiah's voice rang across the expanse of the Seal like a bell.

"Hello Messiah. I can only assume that Erebus hasn't managed to break the Seal yet." Minato said.

"I am happy to report that he has not. By the way, I can only assume that Orpheus and Thanatos are finding more Personas in order to help your replacements. It's quite noble if I might say so. Although I wonder if you're meant to interfere in the world now that you're sealed here." Messiah asked, wondering if there'd be an issue made of it. Well, not by him, but by the Twelve and by extension YHVH himself.

The Twelve were, by order of parentage; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Each of the Twelve represented the Biblical Twelve Tribes of Israel, with Judah being one of Messiah's ancestors and the Well-spring of the kings. They had also been tasked with watching the Great Seal in case Erebus were to break free from it and Minato wasn't enough as well as preventing anyone from breaking Minato free from it after The Answer had been found.

"You're not worried about The Twelve are you? They're only there to protect the Great Seal. Besides, I don't think that I'm doing anything wrong here." Minato replied.

"Be that as it may, I wonder if this would balance the scales in favour of your replacements. Although I don't think that's a bad thing given what they'll be facing do you?" Messiah's voice rang out clearly over the expanse again, echoing outwards.

"It's not. But I really hope that it's going to be enough." Minato said, wondering if his assistance was going to turn the tide especially as there were other entities besides Nyarlathotep, Erebus and Nyx around. Entities who were powerful and dangerous, because they were the very embodiments of the Shadows' darkness.

Notes:

The Twelve are based on the Biblical sons of Jacob/Israel and although they aren't making a direct appearance, they're going to be in the background.