Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3, Persona 3: FES, Persona 3 Portable, the Persona 3 manga, or the Persona 3 movies. They belong... primarily to Atlus. And if you can't tell from this disclaimer, this fanfic will be mixing all those mediums.

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"Who are you not to be great? You... with the imagination of a brilliant child and the powers of an ancient god. Who are you to be ordinary? You, who can... resend life... or raise the dead. Who are you to be afraid? You who can serve as judge and jury while hoarding infinite lives. Who are you to be a slave to the past? You, who can travel time like the oceans, and rewrite history with a single word! Who are you to be anonymous? You... who's name should be spoken in reverent tones, or in terrified whispers! And who are you to deny greatness? If you would deny it to yourself, you'd deny it to the entire world! And we will not be denied."

XXXXXXXXXX

Persona 3

Two Across

By Cyberweasel89

Piece 2: Greatness Awaits

XXXXXXXX

A group of young people had gathered in an alleyway, listening to a radio and enjoying some cans of beer. Akihiko hung nearby, gazing at a nearby clock. It was almost time for the Dark Hour...

Midnight struck just as one of the men in the alleyway was yawning, and he didn't become a coffin with the others. It was mere moments before he began screaming, melting out of his clothes into a pile of black goop. Out of the goop emerged a Shadow. Akihiko recognized it as what they dubbed a Cowardly Maya.

The silver-haired boy dashed in, rearing his right fist back just as the Shadow turned around and clocking it right in the mask with a right jab. The Cowardly Maya went flying several feet away, scurrying off into an alley.

"What the... It's escaping?" The boxer drew his Evoker from its holster. "I don't have the patience... for dealing with gutless cowards."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Master... Master Arisato Hamuko..."

She seemed to be soaring across a black and white checkered floor, zooming toward a door that opened just as she neared, enveloping her in a bright white light.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a very large elevator, intricate metal grating on the far wall showing they were going up at that very moment. The entire room was a shade of violet-like blue, with a table in the center. An old man sat in a comfortable armchair across the table from where she stood, the hands of a clock on the wall moving at a rapid pace, while four doors sat in the four corners of the room, not connected to walls, with two of them covered in blue sheets. It was... eerie.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear sweet child. My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance." the man seated in the armchair greeted her, his elbows on the table and his hands clasped together, just in front of his mouth.

Wow... That... Dat nose, doe! Yikes.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place. It has been years since we last welcomed a guest."

She looked down to see the red booklet with the contract she had signed at the dorm appear on the table in a flash of blue light, opening with a wave of Igor's hand, with her and her brother's signatures on it.

"Henceforth, you shall be welcome here as a guest in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return..."

"And that is?"

"That you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

"Wow. Is this a dream?"

"Not quite... You are wide awake in the real world as we speak. This visit of yours is what you might call a... daydream. However, you will come here of your own accord, sooner or later. And when you leave, no time will have passed."

"Wow. That's trippy."

"indeed! Now, hold on to this..."

In a flash of golden light and sparkles, an intricate gold key appeared over the table. If floated over to Hamuko, the girl holding her hand out as it dropped into her palm.

"This key signifies that you are a guest of the Velvet Room. Take good care of it."

"Uhh... Sure thing, Igor-dono."

The mysterious old man showed no reaction to her old-fashioned and overly formal honorific. "There is still one more resident of this room, who unfortunately could not be present for your arrival. But I will make sure you two are properly introduced. Another time, perhaps."

"Um... Okay."

"Until we meet again, sweet child."

XXXXXXXXXX

"The boy of the twins... How is Arisato Minato doing?" Mitsuru asked Yukari.

"He's doing well... Why?"

"Well... That's good if it's true, but... Takeba... I have a favor to ask. He is powerless. In the off chance that something happens... protect him."

"In... the off chance?"

"You don't need to be overly worried. Akihiko and I will also help."

"But... What about Hamuko-san? Why are you only asking me to protect Arisato-kun?"

"Takeba... You didn't read their files, did you?"

She swallowed hard. "I... didn't want to invade their privacy..."

"Both have a surprising quantity of medical problems,Takeba... But compared to her brother... The sister Arisato's won't interfere in a life or death situation."

"What... do you mean, Kirijou-senpai?"

"You should really read the files, Takeba."

Yukari gazed down at the ground... But... it just felt wrong...

XXXXXXXXXX

As the three left the dorm and headed to school, Junpei met up with them at the front gate.

"Yo! Ham-tan, how's it goin'?"

"Sup, sup, Jun-kun?"

Yukari sighed. "Should I be worried how friendly you two are?"

"Man, I'm so sleepy today."

Hamuko giggled. "You sound like my brother. Right, Onii-chan?"

The blue-haired boy showed no reaction, though he honestly looked like he might fall asleep as he walked right then and there. Yukari couldn't help worrying about him... Was it normal for a boy to sleep this much? Then again, she could say the same for Hamuko and her eating habits. That was some appetite that girl had. How did she keep her figure?

"In times like these, it's best to sleep during class! You ever notice how sometimes taking a nap in class makes you feel more refreshed than sleeping at home?"

"Don't sleep in class." Yukari stated coldly.

"Whaaat? Why do you have to be all serious?" Junpei exclaimed in clear exaggeration. "That feeling of being completely recharged is awesome... You go from dead to being completely full of energy again! It's such a great feeling. But I'm screwed later since I didn't hear the lecture! Oh, but we have classic literature today... That means we're stuck with nasty ol' Ekoda-sensei..."

"You know, Jun-kun, I record the lectures for Onii-chan on an audio recorder so he can get all the sleep he needs in class. I could give you a copy if you want."

Junpei's eyes got all big and puppy-like. "You'd do that for me, Ham-tan?"

"You betcha!" the red-eyed girl chirped.

"Ugh! Don't encourage him, Hamuko-san! I swear, you're enabling him or something!"

Yukari jumped when she heard a chuckle. Whirling around she saw it was... Minato? His expression didn't change but... had he really chuckled?

Hamuko, nearby, was casting a smile in the two's direction.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ahem... I'm Ekoda-sensei. I'll be teaching you classic literature. I'll be teaching you about good old Japan all year. Some people say classic lit isn't relevant to everyday life, but oh, how they're wrong! The students, the other teachers... Wrong, wrong, wrong! Nobody really understands classic lit..."

Hmmm... Hamuko recognized this teacher. He was the one complaining to the school store vendor and ordered her and that gossiper to be quiet during the opening ceremony.

"Hey... Are you all listening to me? Wake up, children! Now open your textbooks. First on our syllabus is 'Ise Monogatari,' the origin of Japanese literature. It's a very interesting story. You youngsters might call it 'da bomb.'"

One could swear they heard the sound of crickets chirping. Ekoda-sensei sighed. "I can tell you people are 'zoning out.'"

Hamuko raised her hand. "The Tale of Ise, right? Dating from the Heian period? Is it true that the original author is unknown, only speculated?"

"Very good! It seems at least one of you understands the importance of classic literature, if only a little. Yes, officially, the original author of Ise Monogatari is unknown, but it's been speculated to be Ki no Tsurayuki. Others have, based on the title of the work, guessed that it may have been composed by the poetess Lady Ise, but this is generally taken as unlikely, as none of the other known works of that period use the names of their authors as their principal titles."

"And is it true that the main character is nameless and unknown, Ekoda-sensei?" another student asked.

"Quite true, actually! The identity of the nameless, idealised central character is as ambiguous as the original author, but is suggested to be Ariwara no Narihira."

"So, what's the story about, Ekoda-sensei?"

"Well, to be specific, Ise Monogatari is less a single story and more a collection of waka poems and associated narratives. The current version collects one hundred and twenty-five sections, with each combining poems and prose, giving a total of two hundred and nine poems in most versions!"

Sparked purely by Hamuko's interjection, the classroom was soon alight with questions and note-taking, with the red-eyed girl later being told that Ekoda-sensei showed a lot more enthusiasm in his lesson than he usually did.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sup sup, Ham-tan!"

"Yo, Jun-kun! What's shakin'?"

"I owe you lunch is what's shakin'!"

That gave Hamuko pause. "R... Really?" she asked, her eyes going big, watery, and puppy-like, despite their odd red color.

"You bet!" Junpei explained, unphased. "You gave me the answer yesterday, and you said you'd share your lecture recordings, so... I owe you lunch! Besides, I can show you the station, too! You're new in town, after all, and it might be a good idea to-"

Hamuko jumped from her desk and tackled the boy in the baseball cap to the floor in one motion. "Oh, Jun-kun! I think I love you! You're so awesome! You made me so happy!"

"Uhhh... No problem, Ham-tan." Junpei groaned. Wow, he'd heard the way to a boy's heart was through his stomach, but... who knew the way to a girl's friendship was through hers?

XXXXXXXXXX

Yukari had been silently observing Minato all day. Currently, since his sister had gone to the mall with Junpei alone, he was left to his own devices. He's spent the past hour wandering from spot to spot, taking five minute naps in each place with something to sit on. The brunette wasn't sure, but she could've sworn... he was searching for the best spot in the school to take a nap in? He finally settled on a spot just under a blooming sakura tree, which Yukari had to admit, was a pretty nice spot.

But... she couldn't help but feel like she was creeping. The Chairman had told her to observe him more closely, and Mitsuru had told her to protect him, but... that didn't mean she had to stalk him, right?

Climbing out from around the corner, she walked up to the blue-haired boy, finding him sleeping silently on the bench. She... couldn't help but notice how peaceful he looked. Sure, Arisato Minato slept more than any human should... but after watching him do it so much, she was beginning to realize that... maybe he was only truly himself when within his own dreamland?

"Um... Arisato-kun?"

The boy's eyes fluttered open as he was gently roused from his slumber. Stretching his arms and silently yawning, he turned to gaze at the brunette. Wow, even his yawns were quiet...

"Um... I have some time after school... I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to the mall? You're new here, after all, so I figured I could give you a little tour."

His face didn't change, but... those icy blue eyes, did they... warm a little? Minato merely nodded, which was enough to bring a smile to Yukari's face.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Welcome to Iwatodai Station! Whenever I hang out with the guys from school, we usually end up here. There's a burger joint, a candy shop, and, oh, oh! This is where you come to buy awesome manga, too. Anyway, there's this great restaurant with traditional Japanese cuisine over here, called Wakatsu. C'mon, let's go eat there."

Hamuko shuffled nervously. "Hang on, I gotta make a quick pit stop. Be right back!"

Junpei watched as she ran off to the bathroom in what he could only describe as a life-or-death dash. Hmm... Kinda odd, but who was he to pass judgment?

XXXXXXXXXX

"This is Paulownia Mall! Just don't try to say that name too fast, eh heh!"

Minato showed no reaction to her joke. He seemed to be gazing around at the stores with disinterest.

"Um... A lot of Gekkoukan students come here after school. There's a karaoke box and a CD shop. Oh, and a really great cafe, too! There's also a nightclub, but that's kinda not for us yet."

Minato's icy blue eyes finally settled on her, showing no expression. "How about I take you to the cafe, Arisato-kun? That might be fun!"

The boy simply shrugged. "Whatever."

Despite the indifferent answer... she actually felt accomplished that she actually got him to say something.

XXXXXXXXXX

"For you, sir, I have a bowl of our deluxe ramen, a side-order of gyoza, and a medium Fountain Dew."

"Thanks!" Junpei grinned as the waitress placed his order in front of him.

"As for you, young lady, I have one order of yakisoba, one order of gyudon donburi, one order of hayashi stew, one order of curry rice, one order of yakizakana, one order of kitsune udon, one order of chanko nabe, one order of tankatsu, one order of miso soup, one order of hambagu, aaaaaand... one extra large Dr. Salt."

Junpei's jaw dropped. "Holy crap! That's ten courses! And chanko nabe? What are you, a sumo wrestler?"

"Oh? This is actually a lot less than I usually get."

Junpei entered into a very minor mental blue screen of death, but rebooted in record time. "Christ! Am I gonna have to wait when I'm done for you to finish all that?"

"Oh? You wanna see who can eat faster?" the girl grinned.

Junpei sent her a competitive glare from across the table, a jolt of lightning passing between them that made everyone in Wakatsu Restaurant feel chills. "You're on!"

it was then that Junpei learned... never challenge Arisato Hamuko to an eating contest. That girl's stomach was bottomless...

XXXXXXXXXX

Yukari brought Minato to Chagall Cafe.

"What can I get you?" the waitress asked.

"Ummm... Just a coffee with cream and two sugars please? What about you, Arisato-kun?"

"Ice."

"Ice water? Got it." the waitress replied.

"No. Just ice."

The waitress quirked an eyebrow. "Uh... You got it. Just ice, then."

That confused Yukari. Was he just asking for that because she said she'd treat him? If so, why not ask for ice water instead of just ice? Both were free.

Oh! Hang on... Didn't Minato sleep through lunch? He was probably hungry by now...

Getting up, Yukari ran up to the counter and ordered the first thing she saw. When she came back, she saw Minato had been given a glass of just ice, and seemed to be chewing on something. As she approached, she saw him reach into his glass and grab a handful of ice, placing it in his mouth and... chewing on it. That... was odd, she had to say.

"Um, Arisato-kun?" He gave her a sideways glance. "I noticed you skipped lunch, and I figured you might be hungry, so... I got you a blueberry muffin. I hope you're not allergic or anything, heh!"

She placed the muffin in front of the blue-haired boy, who eyed it. His expression was blank, even as he seemed to be staring down the muffin placed before him. Shrugging, Yukari noticed the barista waving her over, so she ran up and retrieved her coffee. When she returned to her table, she took her seat across from Minato.

"So, Arisato-kun, I-" she gasped upon looking up at the boy's face.

He... was crying?

No, not quite... His expression was the same as always... That stoic, blank look. But... tears were streaming down his face. She watched as he meticulously unwrapped his muffin with so much care it was like he was afraid he'd hurt it, taking the tiniest bite out of it. He chewed slowly, rolling it around in his mouth before swallowing, then took a bite out of the spot he just bit into. When he was done with that bite, he bit into a new part of the outer crust, then continued. It... almost seemed like an eating method he'd developed and perfected. Crust, inside. Crust, inside. Crust, inside.

The entire time, Minato's expression never changed, but... the tears kept streaming from his eyes and down his cheeks. There was something just... downright bizarre about it. The dissonance of seeing someone crying their eyes out with just a blank, stoic expression. She'd heard of tranquil fury... but tranquil sorrow?

Or... was it even sorrow?

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato and Yukari arrived back at the dorm at the same time as Hamuko. When they entered, Minato went to sit on the couch and watch TV, while Hamuko went straight for the kitchen.

Yukari sighed, glancing at Mitsuru behind the front desk. "Is Arisato doing what I think she's doing?" the redhead asked, her face and voice serious.

"Yes. Hamuko-san said she's going to be cooking us dinner and breakfast every day to ensure we eat right, and maybe even make us lunches to take to school. She also said Arisato-kun is going to organize some kind of system so he can collect our laundry in an easier and quicker manner, and he'll be cleaning the entire dorm top-to-bottom at least once a week, maybe twice if he feels like it. He'll also be doing all our dishes and if we have any holes in our clothes or clothes that need altering, Hamuko-san says that Arisato-kun just needs a needle and thread and he'll fix them up for us."

Yukari at first thought Mitsuru wasn't moving because she was thinking... but soon realized she was rebooting from a mental blue screen of death. Without a word, she walked out from behind the counter and stepped up to stand over Minato, who looked up at the redhead with no change of expression.

"Arisato?" He quirked an eyebrow. "This dorm used to have a dorm mother here to perform cooking, laundry, and cleaning duties, but after she left, there is currently only us students. With no dorm mother, we have a stockpile of funds we cannot spend. If I provided you and your sister with a stipend of money periodically, would your sister be able to make bigger and more elaborate meals, and would you do a better job with the dishes, laundry, and cleaning due to supplies of greater quantity and quality?"

He nodded.

"I see... Very well. I have a proposition for you, then, Arisato. I will discuss things with the Chairman. If we allow you and your sister to stay in this dorm for the remainder of the year, instead of transferring you to the regular dorms like we planned, would you both be willing to take over dorm mother duties? Specifically, your sister would cook us our meals, while you would clean, wash dishes, do laundry, and as I heard you proposed, handle any clothing mishaps for us. We will provide you with all the funds you need to do so, and even do the shopping for you so long as you provide us with lists of what to get. In exchange, I may be able to work out something in return. Is this agreeable, Arisato?"

He merely nodded again.

"Very well. Consider yourselves permanent residents of Iwatodai Dorm. At least for now."

"Dinner is ready!" Hamuko called from kitchen, poking her head out in, as Mitsuru noted, just an apron and her underwear.

"That was fast! What'd you make, Hamuko-san?" Yukari asked.

"It's my absolute favorite, fried rice! I hope you're all okay with that." She giggled.

"But... We don't have any rice here." Mitsuru pointed out.

"I reconstituted some old rice krispy treats I found in the back of one of the cabinets! Jumbo box, too, so there's enough for everyone!"

Mitsuru and Yukari's jaws dropped in unison. Was this girl a cooking savant, or something?

XXXXXXXXXX

It seemed that, now that Yukari had tried several of Hamuko's dishes, she could remain mentally conscious during them instead of being transported to a fantasy world. This did not, however, diminish the sheer flavor high she was induced into. Mitsuru, currently, had not yet adapted, and so was only half present in the real world. But Yukari noticed Minato barely ate even a small plate before he left to go to bed. Hamuko said she would do the dishes for him.

"Um... Hamuko-san?"

"What's up, Yukari-chan?" the red-eyed girl asked from where she stood in front of the sink, her arms half-submerged in soapy water.

"Can I ask you... about your brother?"

"Sure!"

"You sure I won't be prying?"

"Yuka-tan! You know my Onii-chan well enough by now to know that if you want to know anything about him, you'll have to ask me. Because he won't say anything otherwise." she giggled at that.

"He... cried today."

Hamuko abruptly paused, but it only took her several seconds before she continued scrubbing the wok. "Oh? What caused it?"

"I think it was the muffin I bought him at the cafe at the mall."

"Oh? Blueberry muffin?"

That made Yukari blink, taken aback. "Um... Yes. How did you know?"

"I'm sure you've noticed, Yuka-tan, that Onii-chan shows no reaction to my cooking, right?"

"Yes..."

"Onii-chan has no sense of taste."

"He... What? But... how?"

"He got a sinus infection when he was really little, and it ruined his sense of taste. In fact, aside from chewing on ice, I'd swear Onii-chan doesn't like eating at all, and considering some of the things he does eat, I'd swear he has a stomach capable of breaking down anything. He's eaten grass and things from the back of the fridge far past their expiration date and not gotten so much as a stomachache. He does have favorites, though."

"How can someone with no sense of taste have favorite foods?"

"The texture, of course. Or, as you'll find out, memories. Or just good old healthiness. That's actually why Onii-chan doesn't really care for my cooking. It's so well-made, the texture isn't really much to write home about. In fact, in general, the worse the cooking is, the more unique of a texture it has, and thus the more Onii-chan likes it. But like I said, he has favorites based on texture, memories, or simple healthiness. Broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, collard greens, walnuts, quinoa, olive oil, psyllium husk, cannellini beans. He has a fondness for fish, so long as it isn't fried. When it comes to desserts, he'd eat nothing but bars of pure dark chocolate if he could, and considers cinnamon the greatest powdered seasoning in the world. He'd put cinnamon on all his food if it were more readily available. His favorite food to eat for breakfast is steel-cut oatmeal, and he'd eat it every morning if he could, just not much of it. If you want to make him something spicy, use turmeric and lots of it, he adores the stuff. Not for the spiciness, mind you. Again, no sense of taste. For him, turmeric is more for the healthiness. There is, however, one thing in the world that will turn an un-glutton like my twin bro into the biggest eater in the world... And that's blueberries. Raw, frozen, or cooked into absolutely anything, blueberries are Onii-chan's only vice. While he may only eat barely enough for most humans to survive, blueberries or foods with blueberries in them are probably the only thing in the world Onii-chan would gorge himself on until he burst. Blueberry pies are worth their weight in gold to him, but above all, Onii-chan's absolute favorite food in the world is-"

"Blueberry muffins..." Yukari gasped.

"You got it, Yuka-tan! The reason for it, though, is two-fold. You might not know this, but Onii-chan and I are orphans... We both lost our parents ten years ago."

Yukari swallowed her guilt. She'd... already known, but she wasn't going to say that.

"Before we lost our parents, we were pretty different. Onii-chan was actually really cheerful most of the time and had quite the temper. I was actually really timid and a big crybaby. After our parents died, though, Onii-chan's personality shifted violently into what it is now. I realized then that I needed to pick up the slack, so I made sure that no matter what, I'd stay positive. I also strived to become just as good a cook as our mom was. And mom... made the best blueberry muffins in the world."

"So, Minato-kun's favorite food... It's the blueberries he loves, of course, but... they remind him of his... your mom?"

Hamuko giggled, still scrubbing the dishes. "You're pretty sharp, Yuka-tan! Yeah. It doesn't matter how bad a cook you are. Hell, the worse a cook, the more unique the texture, and the more Onii-chan will like it. But bottom line is... Make Onii-chan just one blueberry muffin... and he's yours forever. Just... make sure it's sugar-free."

"Why sugar-free? Does Minato-kun not like sweets?"

"No, nothing like that. He's diabetic."

Wait, why would a boy with no sense of taste not like sweets? Yukari silently berated herself for asking that question. Stupid, stupid, stu- Wait, what? "He... he is?"

"Yeppers! Onii-chan has diabetes. He even has to take insulin shots."

"Why... hasn't he mentioned this?"

"You didn't ask, of course!" Hamuko giggled. "I mean, do you tell everyone what medical problems you have? I sure don't!"

Yukari sighed. She supposed... Hamuko had a point. And... it was just then she realized something...

Broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, collard greens, walnuts, dark chocolate, blueberries... All of Minato's favorite foods his twin sister had listed... Those were all considered diabetic superfoods.

"Also, Yuka-tan... Why did you switch from calling Onii-chan Arisato-kun to Minato-kun in the middle of our conversation?"

Yukari swallowed hard. She... She did?

"Just teasing, Yuka-tan!"

Ugh... She'd swear, Hamuko was a female Junpei in terms of sense of humor...

XXXXXXXXXX

It was later that full moon night that Ikutsuki stepped into the command room of Iwatodai Dorm.

"How are they?"

"The same as last night. He's asleep in his bed. His sister, on the other hand, is wide awake, and has been wandering around her room in her underwear since retiring for the night, alternating between watching TV and using her laptop."

"Hmm... Very interesting." Ikutsuki mused. "Even those who have the potential tend to be unstable at first... Memory loss... Disorientation. But these subjects are rather unique. They haven't exhibited any of the common symptoms."

"But... we're treating them like guinea pigs..." Yukari pointed out, frustrated.

"I understand your concern, but it's imperative that we recruit new members. I heard they're your classmates. Wouldn't you be more comfortable working with someone from the same grade? One of them's a female classmate, at that."

"Yeah, I guess. But, still..." the brunette sighed.

A chime sounded as an emergency call from outside rang through the room.

"Command room." Mitsuru answered calmly. "Is that you, Akihiko?"

"You're not gonna believe this... This thing is huge!" Akihiko's voice said over the comm link, sounding strained. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk... It's chasing me... I wanted to let you guys know. I'm almost there."

"Does that mean... he's bringing that thing here?!" Yukari exclaimed.

"Chairman! Let's suspend our observation for now. We'll prepare for battle!" Mitsuru suggested urgently.

"R-Right! Be careful!" Ikutsuki answered.

XXXXXXXXXX

Bursting through the front door, Akihiko slammed it shut just before the thing chasing him could reach inside, locking it and pressing his back against it as he slumped to the floor, clutching his side.

"Agh!" he groaned.

Mitsuru ran downstairs with Yukari and Ikutsuki in tow. "Akihiko!" she exclaimed upon seeing him.

"I'm alright." he assured her, despite his grit teeth. "Get ready to be surprised... It'll be here any second."

"This is no time to joke around!" Mitsuru barked.

"It's one of them, Akihiko?" Ikutsuki asked.

"Yes, but not an ordinary one."

The entire house shook with a loud bang. "Ahh!" Yukari shrieked in fright. "What the...?! You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Chairman, please head for the command room! Takeba, go upstairs and gather the twins! Then, escape out the back." Mitsuru ordered calmly.

"But, what about you two?" the brunette asked, worried.

"We'll stop it here." she turned to the silver-haired boy. "You led it to us, Akihiko, so I'm afraid you'll have to fight."

"Like I had a choice!" Akihiko growled. He turned to the brunette. "What are you waiting for, Yukari? Go!"

"I-I'm going!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Up on the second floor, Yukari began banging on Minato's door. "Wake up! C'mon! Wake up!" There was no response... She had to get Minato out of here! But... wait!

"Minato-kun! I picked up some fresh blueberries from the-"

The door immediately opened, Arisato Minato standing there, though his expression was its usual blank-WAAAAH! He was in just his boxers!

"I don't have time to explain. We have to get out of here, now!" she exclaimed once she got over the sight of Minato's bare chest.

The boy merely nodded.

"Follow me! We need to go get your sister!"

Minato nodded again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yukari reached Hamuko's room, pounding on it. "Hamuko-san! Answer the door, please!"

She didn't need to ask twice. The door opened, the red-eyed girl standing there in a matching pink bra and panties set. Wow... Yukari had to admit, she was no slouch in the upper body department, but for being younger than Mitsuru, Hamuko was probably between them in bra size. Maybe that's how she kept her figure despite all that she ate. All those calories just went to her-

"Yuka-tan? What's wrong?" the red-eyed girl asked.

"There's no time to explain! We have to move, right now!"

Hamuko tilted her head to the side. "Why? What's going on, Yuka-tan?"

"No time! Hurry! Downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!"

"Um... Sure. Whatever you say, Yuka-tan."

These two... How could they be so calm during the Dark Hour? Did they not notice the green hue, the gigantic moon, the lack of working electronics, or the bloody water?

XXXXXXXXXX

They arrived on the first floor in the dining area, stopping near the back door. Yukari and both of the Arisato twins were panting, but to her surprise, it only took several moments for Hamuko to be back to normal. Wow! What energy.

"Alright... we should be safe now..." Yukari sighed, finally catching her breath. Though... Minato still seemed very out of breath. Almost... unnaturally so. Was he gasping?

A beeping sound interrupted the brunette's thoughts. "Takeba, do you read me?!" Mitsuru's voice said.

"Y-Yes! I hear you!" Yukari answered, bringing her right hand to her ear.

"Be careful! There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

"What?!" Yukari exclaimed.

A banging sound shook the dorm, making Yukari gasp. "L-Let's pull back! C'mon, you two!"

As the two ran upstairs, Minato... seemed to be moving slower than her and his sister. He was still out of breath? Hamuko, noticing this, hung back to grab his hand and pull him along.

When they reached the second floor, Minato stumbled. "Yuka-tan! We have to stop! Onii-chan needs to catch his breath!"

"Ugh! We don't have time for that!"

"Then give me one second, I'll be right back!"

Yukari was about to say something, but the red-eyed girl ran off, heading for Minato's room. Yukari gazed down at where Minato was slumped against the wall. He was gasping for air, looking paler than usual. How could a boy be this out of shape? When Hamuko returned, she tossed something that Minato easily caught, bringing it up to his mouth. Where did he get an Evoker? And why was he firing it into his mouth of all places?!

"Wait, Mina-"

Puff!

Yukari paused.

Puff!

It was... an inhaler? "Minato-kun... You have asthma?"

His breathing evening out, the blue-haired boy merely nodded.

"Yuka-tan, hold onto Onii-chan's inhaler, please. Neither of us really have pockets right now." She giggled at that.

As Yukari gently took the inhaler from Hamuko, three thoughts entered her head.

So... Minato wasn't out of shape. He just had asthma.

Now she felt bad pushing the boy so hard without stopping to think about his well being...

How could these two be so comfortable running around in their underwear?!

The sound of glass breaking interrupted any further thoughts the brunette could have as she stuffed the inhaler into her pocket. "What was that?!" she gasped. Some squishing noises with the frequency of footsteps could be heard. "It's getting closer!" The floor began shaking next. "K-Keep moving! Hurry!"

"What about Onii-chan's-"

"If he needs another puff, just tap my shoulder! I promise I'll slow down for him!"

Helping her twin brother up, the Arisato siblings followed Yukari up the third floor, but Minato unexpectedly stopped at the window.

"Arisato-kun?"

"The moon..." Minato said quietly, gazing out the window at the giant yellow moon, which was full that night.

"What are you doing?!" Yukari shouted. "Our lives are in danger! Do you want to die?!"

Still gazing out the window, Minato spoke in the same dull, quiet tone the brunette had always heard him use, but it was what he said in that tone that shocked her. "I don't really care..." Yukari gasped. After a moment, Minato turned to cast her his usual dull, icy blue gaze. "Is dying that scary to you?"

"How... can you say that?" the brunette asked in barely above a whisper, utterly shocked. Hamuko honestly couldn't blame her. Most people reacted that way when her twin brother said that. It was, after all, hard to imagine anyone not being afraid of dying.

The entire dorm shook, a massive black figure moving in front of the window.

"What... is that?!" Hamuko gasped.

The window completely shattered as a massive black hand reached in, Yukari diving to tackle Minato to the ground and get him out of the way of the probing appendage. Hamuko honestly wished she had her cell phone on her so she could take a picture of a cute girl on top of her Onii-chan clad only in his boxers.

Getting up, Yukari pulled Minato to his feet and ran off, holding his hand to pull him along. "Hurry up! To the roof!"

Hamuko followed the two up the stairs, noticing the brunette's thigh had a gash in it, blood running down her leg.

"I can't die in a place like this." Yukari said to herself. "I haven't learned anything yet! I don't want to die!"

The trio burst out onto the roof, the brunette sighing in relief as she locked the door behind them. "The door's locked. I think we're safe for now..." A roar made her eat her words.

Turning, the trio saw a huge black hand reach up from the edge of the building and grasp the ledge of the rooftop. It was soon followed by another huge black hand raising up, holding a blue mask with the roman numeral for one on the forehead, rotating it back and forth as if looking around with it. Five more arms arose next, grasping the ledge, then yet another six more arms emerged from below as well, each holding a giant sword!

What could only be described as a mass of tangled black arms holding swords and a blue mask face climbed onto the roof, approaching the trio. "You gotta be kidding me!" Yukari exclaimed. "It climbed up the wall?!"

XXXXXXXXXX

With a slash of her rapier, another Cowardly Maya was dispatched., "Is this the last one?" she wondered allowed, spinning around to face behind her. "Akihiko! Report!"

"Sorry, I've lost sight of the biggest one." the silver-haired boy groaned, clutching his side. He brought his right hand to his ear. "Chairman, nothing's shown up yet?"

"Nope. There has been nothing over here. In the meantime, it seems all right to rest..." Ikutsuki replied from the command room.

"Right. To the command room!" Mitsuru directed.

As Akihiko and Mitsuru returned to the command room to join Ikutsuki, they found the three students via the security cameras.

"There! They're on the roof!" the silver-haired boy pointed out.

"That gigantic Shadow... Just what is it we're dealing with?" Mitsuru said.

"Let's go, Mitsuru!" Akihiko roared.

"Wait!" Ikutsuki urged them.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell is that, Yuka-tan?!" Hamuko exclaimed, hiding behind her twin brother with her hands grasping his shoulders as she gazed out from behind him.

"That's the thing that attacked this place... We call them Shadows! O-Oh yeah... I have to fight... I... I can summon mine... No problem..." The brunette pulled the pistol from her thigh holster. "H-Here goes..." she said nervously, putting it up against the center of her forehead, as if about to shoot herself. She... had to protect Arisato-kun!

"Yuka-tan! What are you doing?!" Hamuko shouted in shock.

Yukari closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She had to protect him... somehow...

"Yuka-tan, I know the situation is bad, but giving up like that's not the answer!"

Glowing with a red light, the Magician summoned a plume of fire right in front of Yukari, sending her flying back into the wall.

"Yuka-tan!" Hamuko cried, running to check on the brunette.

Her pistol went flying out of her hand, hitting Minato's bare foot in a puddle of blood. Reaching down, he picked it up in his left hand, gazing at it. His face having not changed at all the entire time, he pressed the gun to his left temple, displaying what Yukari could only describe as, as... a slasher smile!

"Per... So... Na..."

"Onii-chan, wait!"

Blam!