A/N: Is it a good idea to start a new story considering the update history of my previous works? Probably not. Has this idea been harassing my muse for the past year since the English translation was first announced? Yes.

Has my obsession with both of these series been in any way responsible for the fact I dropped off the face of the planet for over a year? Can't confirm nor deny.

Nothing much else to say regarding this abomination of an idea. Another thanks to the usual guys, nitewind and BlueHelix, for helping me with the editing. I'll let the story speak for itself:

A Doll's Inner Demons
Chapter 1
Landfall (I) – A New World Exodus

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He woke to the feeling of an uncomfortable bed and the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling.

Wait, no. No, that shouldn't be possible.

The last thing he could remember, he… He shouldn't have been able to feel or see anything in the first place. He shouldn't even be capable of 'waking up'. It would normally take almost all of his concentration just to detect a vague passing of time. How was any of this possible?

It was a fractured memory that answered his question. A woman dressed in blue. One he knew was unique when it came to her white hair and golden eyes. A sad smile marring her normally calm expression. His own silent understanding this was farewell.

What had she… what had Elizabeth done?

This time, the answer wasn't quite as forthcoming. With his head beginning to spin at the implications, he took note of his surroundings again, if for no other reason than to focus on something other than his impending headache.

The most obvious thing was the room's state of disrepair. It appeared to have been some kind of hospital at one point, if the medical bed he was in and equipment next to him were anything to go by. On the other hand, the thick layer of dust present made it clear the place hadn't been touched by a human hand for quite some time. That likely had something to do with the fact the place looked like it'd been the center of a warzone at some point. The windows had been blown out, the walls were pockmarked with small holes, and the ceiling had collapsed enough that he had a clear view of the floor above.

He did his best to ignore the skeletal remains scattered about the floor.

Well, if nothing else, he now had more pressing concerns. Even if it was clear that the conflict that had rendered this place to such a state had long-since moved on, he entertained no thoughts of staying. Even if the chance was poor, he had no intention of getting involved in conflicts that weren't his own. Especially not as long as he was unfamiliar with the parties involved.

A check of his person revealed that he was dressed as if not a day had passed since graduation. A fact that both comforted and puzzled him. Still wearing the Gekkoukan uniform, checking his pockets only revealed his evoker, his mp3 player, and an ID that carried his face, but that he had otherwise never seen before. A gift, perhaps?

In the end, it was neither the concern for his circumstances or the grim nature of his surroundings that actually got him moving. Hearing his stomach make both its presence as well as its dissatisfaction known was what did it. It didn't need to be said that any food he might've found in a place such as this would have slipped past the point of being edible quite some time ago.

After a final glance to ensure he wasn't leaving behind anything important, he was quick to put space between himself and the place of his awakening.

It became clear almost immediately that the scale of conflict he had first imagined when he had seen the state of that hospital room had in actuality occurred on a stage countless times larger.

The first thing to greet him after passing the exit was the skyscraper. Or at least, what was left of one. Leaning a few degrees off-center on a failing foundation, at certain points a quarter of a floor would just be missing entirely, painting the image of a very somber past. Whichever way he looked, such scenes continued: the abandoned vehicles, the cratered streets, the dying skyline.

What had him most concerned, however, were the Russian characters he saw posted over entrances, written on street signs, and printed on flyers.

For one of the world's superpowers to have gotten into a conflict that left her looking like this? For one of her cities to be left evacuated in what appeared to be an act of war? The only forces capable of such destruction implied apocalyptic scenarios he didn't want to consider. He could only hope he was exaggerating things, that perhaps the events that had happened here were more limited in scope.

Even if Death seemed to make it a habit to laugh in the face of such 'hope'.

In either case, his personal situation was also growing steadily bleaker. Aside from a phrase or two, he knew nothing of Russian, which in turn meant he had no way to communicate with the locals. Worse still, considering the state of this city, the nearest population of said locals could be as far as hundreds of miles away depending on how far this destruction expanded. Of course, that was all assuming that his optimism was rewarded and that there was anyone that was still alive to begin with.

Fortunately, as it turned out, this did happen to be one of the occasions his luck was with him.

Scavengers.

He stumbled onto a group of them entering and exiting what looked to have been a government office of some kind in the past, with papers, crates, and even the occasional server bank being carried in their arms. Yet contrary to the expectations Junpei's videogames had given him regarding such characters, they neither attacked him on sight nor threatened him to leave when they noticed his approach. In fact, one of them who was trying unsuccessfully to lift a larger crate down the flight of stairs in front turned to him and asked for a hand, in his own language surprisingly.

Startled as he was, mostly because of that last detail, he agreed without thinking too much of it, before finding himself helping several of the others as well. Fortunately, they seemed to be of the honorable sort, and when he later asked for a ride to the nearest place he could grab a bite, they pointed to a truck and told him to hop in the back.

He didn't have the experience to interpret what it meant that, whatever state the world was in, a vagrant such as himself was a common enough sight for no one to give him a second look. He did, however, understand enough to appreciate the fact.

The car ride afterward was silent for the most part, aside from the initial questions asked out of curiosity such as who he was, where he came from, or what he was doing in such a place. They seemed to catch on quickly enough from his vague answers that he wasn't interested in talking, and after making their own assumptions, they left him alone. He'd like to believe it was because they respected his silence, but it clearly had much more to do with the identity of his interrogators.

Sitting in the truck bed with him were two girls around his age of similar appearance to each other. At first, he briefly considered asking them what they were doing with such a group, but it didn't take long for his observations to provide the answer for him. After all, he'd recognize the characteristics shared by his closest friend under any circumstance.

The pale disposition. The calculated movements. The inhuman gaze. The impossible strength.

The fact he hadn't immediately recognized them for what they were spoke of how far such technology had come. How much time had passed that androids this advanced could even be found amongst a ragtag group such as this?

Eventually, his own curiosity got the better of him, and he broke the silence by poking with some questions of his own. Unlike himself, the girls were much more forthcoming in their answers.

From their responses, he gathered he was currently somewhere within Eastern Europe, which while matching his assumptions, was still a bit unnerving, considering both girls and a couple of their masters spoke fluent Japanese. What was even more disconcerting was that his conclusion had only come about from the vague description of the geography they'd attached with their answers. They'd never once spoke the name of any city he recognized.

They'd never mentioned the name of any cities, period.

Sectors and Areas. That was how they described the land. Not with names, but with numbers. The more he understood, the worse the situation here seemed to be.

A ten hour drive later, they arrived at their destination. He'd lost count of the number of times they had to navigate a detour around what the girls called 'contamination zones'. Perhaps it shouldn't have been surprising by this point, but the place wasn't what he expected. He expected something he could consider civilization. What he got was more of what he had already seen. The only difference between this city and the one he'd woken in was the small population and the fact not every building was an undesired wreck. Nonetheless, with a word of thanks, both for the ride as well as the Russian phrasebook they'd tossed at him, he parted ways with the company of scavengers.

At the very least, it turned out there were some perks that came with living in a post-apocalyptic world. Even penniless and as young as he was, finding means to sustain himself turned out to be as easy as walking into the first business he saw, flashing the ID in his pocket, and using his new phrasebook to ask for a job. Perhaps that had more to do with the fact the business in question just happened to be a bar in need of some helping hands before their evening shift, but he was thankful his fortunes were holding in either case. In fact, the proprietor was even kind enough to let him spend a couple nights in the back. While it wasn't any proper bed, the sofa was comfortable enough, and frankly, his situation was such that the most he could ask for was a roof over his head.

Such was the pattern of how he lived his first couple days after his awakening. He'd find people or small businesses that needed a hand, and in turn, his employers would give him a meal or a place to rest. Any free time he found himself with would be used to study the language of his new home. Through this pattern, it didn't take long for him to understand why it was so easy for him to find work.

They were everywhere. These androids. These 'A-Dolls'. In nearly every walk of life he could imagine they took part in some way or fashion. He saw them serving as waitresses in a café, as the central manpower in construction crews, and as secretaries for business owners. In comparison, human employees came from two undesirable camps. Those skilled enough to work usually came with a high asking price, while those who weren't as qualified saw their list of skills begin and end with: 'knowing how to boss robots around'. As someone of neither camp, it appeared he was something of a rare commodity.

The social implications of what that meant didn't concern him. What was important was that he was sustained for the time being, and that meant he finally had the freedom to do that which he wanted to the most: to look for SEES.

In the end, he wasn't amazed to find they were nowhere to be found, but his search did turn up something else. While limited and unproductive, his job hopping had eventually brought him to a place that could actually be considered a city: a power grid that operated on more than just gas generators; buildings that had either been preserved or reconstructed; it even had a public information network.

What he found with that last one was as frightening as it was a relief: this was not his world.

It would've been easy for his friends to disappear amongst this mess. Port Island could have just as easily been lost within the index of numbers and tragedies the world had become. He could even reconcile the lack of any record of the Kirijo Group with the fact the date had shifted forward by more than half a century. What that did not explain, however, was the history that was so much different than the one he knew, beginning as far back as the turn of the 20th century. It was a bitter reality to accept, but with it also came the peace of mind that this was not his future. That his sacrifice had not been one made in vain.

Because it was apparent this was a future in which Nyx had been allowed to reign free.

Others might have disagreed. They may have tried claiming humanity was still kicking, but the truth was that they were doing so not out of defiance, but while amidst their final death throes. With civilization all but extinct, central governments had become a thing of the past, and in their place, private corporations and corrupt regimes had risen to power. It was all that remained after the effects of an alien plague, called ELID, and a Third World War had run their course. Perhaps it was cruel of him, but he found it fascinating to witness what kind of ordeals his own world may have succumbed to had he not become the Seal.

Yet, even if it was a futile effort, even if it was too little too late, mankind had adapted to the trials they faced, just as they always did.

Tactical Dolls.

Or T-Dolls, as they were more commonly called. Designed for paramilitary action, while sharing many of the features as that of their A-Doll counterparts, their duty was instead to defend what remained of humanity. Rather than a dedicated weapons platform, they were instead meant to be paired with weapons of the old world, and fight as a cheap as well as an attractive replacement for ground infantry. It seemed that whether it was in rebuilding society or fighting on the frontlines, in response to their manpower shortages, this world's mankind had taken the technology responsible for creating Aigis and upped it to eleven.

Regardless, none of this new information changed his personal situation. It didn't change the fact that the full realization of his situation had only torn from him purpose, and with it, he began to touch the fringes of insanity.

Yet it was in that state that he made what was perhaps his most shocking discovery of all. It happened one afternoon while he was idly playing with his evoker, entertaining dark thoughts of what he might've done had it been a real firearm. In a morbid sense of humor, he ended up placing the barrel against his head. He did not expect anything to come of it.

So imagine how speechless he was when he pulled the trigger, and he answered.

He wasn't the only one to answer the call either. The others came as well, all of them, each with their heads bowed in respect. They'd been waiting for him. And so it was that he clung to them, letting them become the lifeline he hadn't realized he'd needed, his sign that there was reason Elizabeth had left him in such a world. When those first days became weeks, however, followed by months, he began to consider it may have just been a final gift, a physical reminder of the bonds he so cherished, and his new sense of purpose was once again lost to him.

Eventually, he settled into a job similar to the one he had seen on that first day. It turned out scavenging was quite the lucrative business, for in the chaos of disease and a world war much had been lost or left behind of the old world, and more than a few corporations were willing to pay handsomely for people to brave the ruins and find such relics. Supposedly, there were dangers present that made these companies wary for their own people, but it wasn't as if he had anything to fear. He doubted that whatever these dangers were, that any of them could compare to the nightmares he had slain.

More important to him than the money was the fact it felt like it'd be a good fit. Appealing to the sense of adventure he'd discovered while climbing the floors of Tartarus, while also skirting around the technical knowledge he lacked that was a basic requirement for more skilled occupations in this android-driven world. So it was that he signed on with a group, rented an apartment, and used his initial income to buy a nice set of headphones he found in a street market.

Some things never changed.

Like many stories, it began with a girl.

He found her while on the job, contracted by an old gun collector along with a number of other guys and their robotic aids to find a rumored weapons cache that had been stockpiled somewhere in Area S20 during the war. He'd been scouring the maintenance tunnels beneath an abandoned mall, hoping to circumvent some of the contamination zones on the surface, and found her propped up inside an old janitor's closet.

She was young, a year or two behind himself, based on her appearance. Her blonde hair reached down past her knees and was separated into twin ponytails with hair ornaments that glowed an ominous red. The white dress she wore opened at the waist and wrapped around her like a pair of coattails, and to be blunt, the white skirt she wore underneath left very little to the imagination.

She was also injured. Unconscious and missing her right arm from the shoulder down. Poor thing looked like hell: her skin was covered in abrasions; one of her legs was bent in the wrong angle; her hair had even been singed black at the ends as if it'd caught fire at one point. It was clear Nyx had already claimed her, so he could be given a pass for almost taking a step back when he got close enough to notice the rise and fall of her chest.

Which probably had something to do with the fact she wasn't human. Did he mention the fox ears?

From the socket where there normally would've been an arm, instead of blood there was loose wiring, and instead of bone there was metal. An android then. But if that were true, then what was she doing out here? As far as he could tell, she was alone, and yet it was extremely uncommon to find these girls this far out without a human master.

The answer, as it turned out, was found in a bar code tattooed on her midriff.

G41.

So this was one of those rumored T-Dolls he had read about. To be honest, while he knew they were designed with human appearances, he hadn't expected what was supposed to be a weapon of war to be so… cute.

Unfortunately, the observation carried little weight. It wasn't as if her identity changed things. It wasn't as if it'd be the means to save her.

His hand wrapped around his evoker.

Despite what some might've believed, healing spells were more of a matter of time manipulation than they were a medical procedure, the proof for that demonstrated by Aigis. Logically, they should work just as well here as they would on any human. Despite that, he still had a moment of hesitation, struck by a sudden warning originated from his own intuition. If his feelings were right, and the voices in his head guaranteed that they were, then if he did this, he'd be throwing away the normal life he had begun to build. Turning back and ignoring all of this was still an option.

He pulled the trigger.

It wasn't a hard choice. If he had ever had a chance at a normal life, then he had lost it the day he had joined SEES.

It did not surprise him to see who it was that answered the call. Considering who it was she belonged to, she had more experience than most in dealing with something like this among those who dwelled in the Sea of Souls. With a sound like shattered glass, armed with spear and shield, she appeared. Dressed in flowing robes and wearing a crested helm, she was a goddess who stood out even amongst a pantheon of gods.

Athena.

Sparing him a warm smile, she turned to the charge he had given her, one of her hands reaching out as if to grasp something. The light of a reviving spell encompassed the three of them, and before his eyes the girl's wounds knitted closed, her leg straightened out with a sickening crack, and in the time it took for him to blink, her arm was restored anew. Curiously, even her glowing hair ornaments shifted colors to a much warmer orange.

Samarecarm.

A miracle grasped by mortal hands.

After giving her a quiet nod of appreciation, the manifestation disappeared as quickly as it had come. Seeing as how magic appeared to be a foreign concept to this world, he didn't know how the girl might react to seeing the Persona, and so he decided caution was likely the best stratagem for now. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her in their first meeting.

It turned out to be a pointless gesture, for when he looked back, the girl was already awake, heterochromatic eyes starry like a child hearing the story of Santa Claus for the first time. So much for being afraid. The girl looked like she'd just discovered religion.

"Pretty…"

He rolled his eyes as he felt the goddess' pride from within his mindscape. Comments regarding her appearance had always been a topic with which to quickly gain the Persona's favor. Or her ire.

Unfortunately, it seemed the Persona had left an impression that was arguably a lot more dangerous. Fear was something he knew how to deal with, was something with which he was intimately familiar. He had never understood what to do with admiration. Still, at least his sigh knocked the girl out of whatever trance she had briefly slipped into.

"Ah! Um…my name's G41. Master, please take me with you!"

That… was not the initial reaction he'd expected. Did she not have a previous master? Was there not somewhere else she belonged? He asked her such. He immediately regretted it.

Distress flashed in her eyes, one revealing itself to be an aiming reticle of some kind as the red faded to a matching blue, while the set of ears atop her head wilted in a manner that made him think of a kicked puppy. "Did… did I do something to make master mad? Is master going to abandon me too?"

He frowned. Now that just wasn't fair.

So it was, that after much head patting, he agreed to adopt her. He was not certain of the repercussions, of whether he even had the proper means and resources to care for her, but he doubted that even had he possessed such knowledge that his decision would've changed. His thoughts went back to the tragic loss of his parents, of how much his perspective on life changed after joining SEES, and what might've been different had his friends been with him from the very beginning.

Now, he had the chance to find out.

He almost forgot that behind the innocent façade of a little girl was a very capable T-Doll. His concerns as to supporting her quickly appeared laughable in their futility. It ended up being a task the girl largely took care of herself. In fact, the only thing she ever asked of him was recognition. She'd ask to play, she'd ask for stories, and of course, she'd ask for affection.

It turned out to be one of the most mentally exhausting responsibilities he'd ever taken.

In return, whatever task he placed before her, she would throw her all into. For simply acknowledging her, he would look to her, and find the Universe reflected in her eyes. To think that such devotion, such loyalty, was all the result of a few acts of mercy? Truthfully, the sheer intensity of it frightened him. Not even his Persona had shown such unfaltering faith in following his commands, and they were nothing more than reflections of his inner self.

He had heard it in reference before that T-Dolls had been growing in popularity because of their 'pure souls'. He was beginning to understand that was not some kind of figurative sales pitch. He also knew it was a two-edged sword. The side of him that embraced his humanity marveled at the achievement of such potential, while the other half stained in cynicism pondered just how often the virtue of these girls had been exploited.

It was likely because of those feelings that, before he understood what was happening, he found G41 digging a foundation for herself in his heart. But of course, just as it had been with each of his friendships, it was the little daily interactions that ensured her permanent residence there:

Her insistence to help him with his job. Watching her triple his productivity.

His own desire to reward her by shopping for something more appropriate to wear.

How they left empty-handed after she explained her clothes were a part of her identity.

Mistakenly sending her alone to the market while he made preparations for dinner.

Sighing with exasperation when she returned with enough fish to start an aquarium.

And of course the head patting. It never stopped.

But perhaps what endeared her to him the most, what proved to be the catalyst to everything after, were the nights his past would come knocking. Whether it was losing his parents, fighting within the Dark Hour, or sacrificing himself to become the Great Seal, one did not have life experiences such as his own without the occasional nightmare. Living on his own, he didn't think much of them, intentionally chose to overlook his growing anxiety, and eventually went so far as to accept them as the natural consequence for abandoning his old world.

G41 did none of those things.

He wasn't sure how she knew. They both had the privacy of their own rooms, and he'd dealt with such nightmares for so long he'd already grown past the point in which he'd mutter anything in his sleep. Yet without fail on each night his dreams taunted him, he'd wake with his body in a cold sweat, made all the more obvious by the warmth nestled at his side, and there he would find her, staring up at him with concern, her arms wrapped around him in a grip that wouldn't budge until he scratched her ears in a sign he was alright. Then he would drift off again, and come the morning she'd be gone.

Normally, such a breach in his privacy would've bothered him. Instead, when he realized her nightly intrusions had stopped at the same time as his nightmares, with the realization came an understanding. A grasp as to how this girl had slipped past his usual defenses with such alarming ease. A recognition of why he was so open with reaching out of his comfort zone to humor her. An admission that this was so much more than his initial comfort in finding a kindred spirit.

She was the Answer.

The answer he'd found when he first stood before Erebus, realizing that the true threat was something beyond Nyx, and what had ultimately given him the resolve to become the Great Seal.

The answer worth fighting for.

However, what he saw in her was still immature, and it would need the time and freedom necessary to grow. She would need training. She would need direction. She would need protection. And in that, he found purpose.

Because it was obvious the people of this world didn't realize what they had unwittingly stumbled upon, created themselves even. To them, these T-Dolls were nothing but tools, weapons to be discarded once their use had run its course. If left to their own devices, they would drive these girls to share in mankind's despair, destroying the only hope they didn't know they had. Obviously, for many reasons, he could not let that happen.

But that was a concern for later. Something that would require influence and supporters, both of which he currently had very little of, and even less experience dealing with. It was Mitsuru who had always stood as the leader of SEES as an organization, dealing with the responsibilities that came with such a position, and while he had helped with each of those tasks in some part or another, they were always something he had kept at a side-glance at the best of times. He'd need time to understand the full scope of what those responsibilities had been.

Yet for now, he would listen to the same track he always did, with the same headphones he always wore. He would enjoy the warmth of the sun while sitting on the balcony of their apartment. He would continue looking over the shell of a city they lived in, and wonder what he could do to fix it. And he would do his best to memorize her reactions, as he pat the head of the girl currently taking a nap in his lap.

The head patting. It never stopped.

Sadly, like most things, such peace was not meant to last.

Three months had passed since the day he adopted her, and he'd felt the impression to do something to celebrate that time together. When she inevitably asked him what he was doing, he told her it was a secret, and asked her to wait. She did so, mismatched eyes glowing in expectation, bouncing impatiently on the front doorstep. He left for the market, a list of her favorites in mind he could by this point cite from memory.

He grew curious when he returned, and she wasn't there to greet him. His amusement became concern when he climbed the stairs, and recognized the signs of a struggle. That evolved into panic when his apartment came in view, as well as the door blown off its hinges.

Which all became a tranquil fury when he walked in and saw her lying unconscious at the feet of strangers.

Even then, his mind didn't lose its analytical nature. There were four of them, each female. The first two were visibly surprised, the third looked like she was about to fall asleep on her feet, and the last gazed at him with a calculative expression he imagined matched his own. They were not expecting him. That was good.

Didn't stop them from pointing their rifles at him. That was bad.

One of the first things that had been made clear to him was this wasn't a world where you could rely on authorities to come to your aid. Like the civilizations of old, strength was the only factor that determined one's fate. By all means, with the powers of his Persona there was very little he had to fear, including even death itself, but that didn't mean it was a power he felt comfortable exercising freely. When in competent hands, a secret could be just as dangerous as any weapon. His hand brushed against the hilt of the plain knife sheathed at his hip, opposite where his evoker was holstered. If his intuition was right, then he had means of accessing the power of his Persona without anyone managing to determine the source.

From what he had been able to fathom, Nihil weapons did not exist in this world, but because of that, it seemed this world did not operate on the same restrictions as his own. Within his grasp was an ordinary knife, completely unremarkable in all aspects, to the point it wouldn't have been incorrect to say a box cutter was more threatening. A kogatana, as it was called in Japan, though that was sadly a name losing its meaning in this world. The island nation had been rendered close to uninhabitable during the alien plague, the survivors forced to flee by the millions to the nearest mainland. Many of them were forced to work dangerous jobs in places such as the mines or the ruins of old cities. The information had painted a sad light of the people who'd picked him up that first day.

It also made it a bitter pill to swallow that their misfortune led to his benefit. Without a country to call home, and without any history to call its own, the knife in his hand could be truly considered featureless. Perfect for Persona fusion.

One opening was all he needed. Even without a manifestation, Death could ensure he got that and much more.

It was only the presence of G41 that stayed his hand. They hadn't killed her, and they didn't appear to have known of him, which naturally led to the assumption they were here to capture her. If he attacked carelessly, that could change, and he wasn't yet in the position that he could afford the risk.

Eventually, the anger subsided, as too did the power he'd been subconsciously pulling from the Sea of Souls. Reacting with violence was not his way, and it would serve him no purpose here. If a fight were to break out, it would have done so the moment he walked in. The fact there was a stalemate at all presented an opportunity in which this could be resolved peacefully.

His hands dropped loosely to his sides, away from his concealed weapons into a more familiar stance. Though their expressions were still guarded, his assailants responded in kind, gradually lowering their weapons until they held them in a sentry pose. With the tension deteriorating, silence pervaded both sides as they gauged the situation, until that too was broken by one of the two girls wearing similar outfits, turning to her partner in fashion.

"Well, so much for a simple snatch 'n grab. Our intel told us these apartments were abandoned, didn't it? Hm, what do you want to do, '45? Helian didn't mention anything about a human getting involved."

He held back on correcting her. They were unfurnished, not abandoned. It was just that located in an unrenovated part of the city as they were, the owner hadn't gotten around to rebuilding yet. The man had been willing to rent them out for almost nothing though, and even when he'd had the money to move out, by that point G41 had fallen in love with the place. How had she described it?

Oh, right. It was like living in a haunted mansion. He could still remember her disappointment when her ghost-hunting had failed.

It was the first time he'd showed her Thanatos.

It was the first time anyone had glomped a death god.

It was the first time he stood captivated for over an hour as he watched two creatures growl at each other.

It was the first time one of his Persona made him feel like a third wheel.

It was the first time he learned that Thanatos liked T-Dolls. Thanatos wasn't supposed to like anything.

But back with the present where things were sane, the smallest of the four, who really looked in dire need of some rest, shivered while holding her gun closer to her chest. "…scary. Can we go home now?"

The one next to her, dressed in some variant of the German NATO uniform, hadn't stopped glaring at him. "I'm siding with G11 on this one. I still think we should shoot him. I don't like the way he's looking at us."

"What? '416, are you scared of a civilian?"

"Don't mock me, '9. You know the consequences of leaving behind loose ends."

The last of the group interrupted the argument before it could actually turn into one. "It doesn't matter what you think. That wasn't part of the contract. We were explicitly told to seek further instructions if anyone else got involved."

"Whatever you say, 'Sis."

"Tch."

"Can I at least take a nap first?"

And as simple as that, Death left him to take care of the rest.

Five minutes later, he was introduced to the holographic form of a woman. 'Stern' was the first word that came to mind, back straight at attention and dressed in a maroon military uniform. She was even wearing a monocle of all things. Putting that aside, though, it was the armband she wore that drew his attention. Well, at least he now knew who he was dealing with.

Griffin and Kryuger. He knew the name, was kind of hard not to with all the recruitment posters around.

"Greetings. I am Helianthus, Senior Acting Officer for Griffin Headquarters. To skip the pleasantries, most just call me Helian. I assume you're the one responsible for the safekeeping of one of ours?"

Straight to the point, this one. He could appreciate that. He nodded, it wasn't like it was a mystery what she was referring to.

"I see. Then first, let me thank you for her apparent rescue. When she and the rest of her squad went MIA, it was assumed their mission was a failure. While that may still be the case, her survival was nonetheless comforting when we learned of it, and we sent a squad out to investigate."

Contrary to what he was expecting, her words were strangely sincere, but that in turn only made the deception within that much more conspicuous. Regardless of what his personal thoughts were for the man, there was one final lesson Ikutsuki had cemented within every member of SEES before his death. None of them had ever considered questioning the man's motives, and that ended up costing them. He would not make that same mistake again.

Throughout the conversation, his eyes hardly strayed from G41's prone form. Her, and the squad of T-Dolls that still stood around her. He had seen G&K girls before, usually patrolling the wealthier side of settlements. He had also seen their squads occasionally in the ruins of the old cities, and the difference between those squads and these four was clear as day. He was no expert on military matters, but he did possess a few voices that were, and they were kind enough to translate his observations for him.

These girls, whoever they were, were experienced, and even more dangerous. They were not the type you sent out on a 'simple investigation'. They were the type you sent when you considered a mission high-risk, and you needed something just as deadly. So the question was, what had they expected?

He asked that same question, along with a none-too-pleased expression.

To give the woman some credit, she didn't pursue the lie.

"I apologize. Considering the rarity of unaffiliated T-Doll technicians, when we detected her communication module had been reactivated, we assumed the identity of the ones responsible. It was a worst-case scenario. When our team arrived and encountered resistance, they were commanded to subdue."

But it was clear she was experienced in conversations such as these, telling him enough to answer his questions, while also sharing no real information with him at all. Before they continued, he'd need to do something to change that, and in that regard…

To send such a team, only to acquire a single T-Doll? It didn't make sense. While dear to him, he was also disillusioned to the harsh truth: G41 was a model series, not a name. Granted, it was one she wasn't willing to part with, but while he was willing to honor that, it couldn't change the fact there wasn't anything remarkable about her. It didn't change that there were in fact dozens of girls with the same face, with the same personality AI, all of whom were being rolled off an assembly line somewhere. Put simply, it wasn't about the girl, because if they wanted another G41, it was as simple for them as writing up another order request.

So the obvious assumption then was that they were after something else, and he had the feeling he knew what it was. He had a certain statistically unexceptional, irreplaceably precious T-Doll to thank for that.

'Master, can I share a secret with you? See this? It's my most precious thing, given to me by my friends. I… can't remember what happened to them, whether they're still alive or not, but now that just means it's really, really important. And since it's so important, I want to give it to Master, since Master is even more important.'

What she had given to him back then was a black box, simple and undistinguished in construction. He hadn't known what it was at the time, and unfortunately, neither had she. Her recovery in the time that followed after he found her had been quick, but it wasn't flawless. Portions of her memory were gone, either corrupted beyond recovery or deleted entirely, and in many cases the only thing she had left was the emotions she had associated with such blanks.

She knew she had friends, but couldn't remember their faces. She knew they'd been on a mission, but not the details concerning it. She knew it'd gone badly, but not by how much. She knew he had found her shortly thereafter, but not how she got there. She knew she'd been entrusted with something from the others, but not what it actually was.

With this showing from Griffin forces, he had enough to begin assigning answers to those questions.

It was a simple means to retrieving it without alerting their notice. More than one of his Persona had an impressive means of storing items, far more than he could ever carry himself, and far from the hands of any would-be thieves. In the past, he'd used those abilities as a means to carry the grocery list of equipment, weapons, and medicine he and SEES needed in their ventures during the Dark Hour. It was simply a matter of asking for it, and he felt a weight that hadn't been there before materialize in one of his pockets.

He failed to hide his amusement when he pulled it out for the others to see, and got wide-eyed expressions of recognition in return.

For her credit, Helian recovered quickly. "That is… I see. Your demands?"

Contrary to her words, however, her tone conveyed a different message entirely. It'd become calculated and cold, probing for his intentions. Whatever he said next would likely be the thing that would determine him friend or foe. If he were anyone else, perhaps he might've tested his luck by asking for money or information, but he wasn't, and there was only one thing from the moment this all started that he wanted.

He asked to be able to check on her condition. After giving him a skeptical look, Helian agreed, commanding the squad of T-Dolls to stand down.

It was easy to understand her disbelief at his seemingly innocent request. What she didn't realize, what none of them did, was that he had just acquired the only condition he needed to win the upper hand here. Now that he was next to G41, even surrounded as he was, he could attack and defend freely without any fear for her safety. But even more important than that, it truly was a genuine request. She had helped him find a purpose in this world when he'd been lost, had stayed by his side until she had become as much of a constant as one of his Persona, and she was a friend.

Which was why a soft smile came to his lips, when he brushed her hair out of her face, and noticed her soft breathing.

One of the other T-Dolls, the one the rest called 416, seemed to be bothered by something in that interaction. "Just so you know, there's no point in trying any tricks. Her digi-mind was overloaded. Even with the proper equipment, it would still take hours for her to regain consciousness."

His response was a flat look, tossing the box that had no more bargaining value to him in her direction, hoping that would get across what he thought of that opinion. Here, he'd be the final judge of what could and couldn't be done. After all, Persona made it something of a habit of circumventing common logic. While he still had no intention of revealing that card, he also didn't need to. Dia was a spell that could be as subtle as it was simple.

Fortunately, it went just as he expected it would, casting the spell without catching any of their notice. T-Dolls, as he discovered thanks to G41, weren't sensitive to the supernatural, and as long as she was communicating through hologram, he imagined the same was true for Helian. A minute later, mismatched eyes stared up at him with her usual excitement, before she noticed they weren't alone, and they lowered in shame.

"I'm sorry, Master. I failed again."

He disagreed, and he did his best to get that thought across by ruffling her hair. It was clear what happened. When faced with unbeatable odds, rather than protect herself and run, she had instead stayed behind to defend what she considered her home. Perhaps he should've scolded her for that recklessness, but doing so would've marked him a hypocrite. After all, it was only because of that same resolve that he and the rest of his friends had been able to stand before something as unconquerable as Death. If anything, he was proud of her.

As for the others still in the room…

"Huh? What? How? EEEEH!?" One was broken.

"So nice…" One wanted to join in.

"She's almost as soft as G11!" One already had.

"9, please stop petting the rogue T-Doll," And one stood above the madness.

"Interesting…" While the last sat back to watch it all.

He could only hope that last comment meant he'd played right what cards he'd shown, for he wasn't so naïve as to believe they were done here. Regardless of what his personal feelings were on the matter, G41 belonged with Griffin. They had invested time, money, and materials in her production to create a weapon they needed, and while those were all things that could be easily replaced, she also wasn't something you just left with a kid who was lucky enough to pick her up. This time, if he wanted to stay close to her, he'd have to be the one doing the following.

The problem was G&K's identity as a private military contractor. As much as he could appreciate the fact their goal seemed to be in preserving human life rather than ending it, he was no soldier. His powers had no place in conventional warfare, and to abuse them by treating them as such felt like both an insult to his arcana, as well as the men actually risking their lives. If he joined with them, he'd have to find a position that avoided the frontlines. Of course, these concerns assumed they'd even consider recruiting him in the first place. Griffin's training program and its difficulty were renowned, enough so that even he'd heard about it.

Not that he could blame them, mind you. The prospect of being in a business where you were surrounded by a bunch of cute girls had a tendency to bring its own troubles. Naturally, the expectations had to rise to avoid that.

Which is why it was his turn to be caught off guard when suddenly he had the solution to both problems handed to him.

"As heartwarming as all of this is, this still leaves us with a predicament. This mission is off the record, a part of Griffin's corporate security, and that leaves you as an unfortunate witness. Since you aren't an employee of Griffin, we can't swear you to secrecy, and that leaves us with few options, most of which I'm not particularly fond of."

"Fortunately, I think I can offer you a deal that should satisfy my superiors. You've shown a surprising level of expertise in T-Doll mechanics, expressed concern for the T-Doll in your care, and a strong mindset familiar with gaining control of a situation. All of which are traits Griffin values within their staff."

"So this is my offer: Become one of our commanders, and we can both pretend this mishap never happened."

He was suddenly reminded of the premonition he'd had all those months ago when he stood indecisively before an injured T-Doll. Sometimes, he really hated being right.

In the end, when compared to the many other trials he'd faced, there was very little he actually had to worry over regarding Griffin's 'difficult' training regime.

Quite frankly, the hardest part was dealing with G41's sudden absence. Mostly because his nightmares had returned.

Granted, perhaps it wasn't fair to compare his idea of 'difficult' with that of everyone else's. His time in Tartarus, his experience as the field leader of SEES, and not to mention the military legends that made their home inside his head gave him something of a unique advantage. While he liked to consider himself a jack-of-all-trades in his efforts to build his social links, sadly, when it came down to it, fighting really was the thing he was best at.

Which was kind of a valuable trait, when your company stood at the brink of open war.

Sangvis Ferri.

Like Griffin before, he knew the name. Unlike before, he was familiar with little else, but his new instructors were quick to remedy that. They were one of the industrial manufacturing companies responsible for the rapid rise of popularity, as well as demand for T-Dolls during the course of WWIII and in the time since. Previously, they were also one of the chief leaders in weapons development and were direct competitors with G&K's manufacturing partner, IOP.

'Previously', because the current status of the company and its employees was unknown.

Like a scene straight out of one of Junpei's favorite movies, the T-Dolls of the company had for some reason gone rogue, and weren't opposed to killing any human that crossed their path. G&K was currently the ones contracted with putting down the T-Doll rebellion, and had already encircled Sangvis territory, renaming it with the sector terminology he'd grown accustomed to, but it seemed there was a crucial weakness amongst Griffin's ranks. A weakness Sangvis forces had apparently exploited well, to the point G&K forces were finding it was actually them who were being pushed back.

G&K T-Dolls, barring a few exceptions, were purposefully left tactically inept, relying on human commanders to coordinate their actions. Sangvis AI, from reports, apparently didn't suffer from the same limitation, and as if that didn't make things precarious enough, a recent string of assassinations had resulted in the deaths of several key figures within Griffin's command staff. The few remaining human personnel assigned to positions bordering Sangvis territory were quickly finding themselves overwhelmed, and Griffin, struggling to hold down the offense, had begun hiring a new series of tactical commanders in a state of emergency.

It was now apparent why one of their representatives had been so quick to sponsor him.

On that note, when he'd accepted Helian's offer, he'd expected to find himself the center of attention as a young face amongst a class of men and women at least a decade his senior. Such expectations couldn't have been farther from reality. In fact, roughly a quarter of the cadets with him couldn't have been a day over seventeen. The normal barriers he was used to such as age, physique, and experience had been left behind by G&K, with the hope the changes would reveal natural talent and unrealized potential that would normally go unrecognized in the face of first impressions.

As for the 'difficulty' in Griffin's training regime? He'd originally believed the rumors were just the exaggerations of military life by those who had simply been lured in because of the cute faced subordinates, and while that definitely played a contributing part, the real culprit was Griffin's unorthodox selection methods. Half the class that entered with him were gone by the end of the first week, and in the following month, all that remained was a group a few bodies larger than SEES. Despite that, he had to admit their methods were effective, if subtly sadistic. It was that last detail for which he couldn't be more relieved at the impossibility for this 'Kryuger' and Mitsuru to ever meet.

Namely, because this 'selection process' was the T-Dolls themselves.

G&K's main training facility, as it turned out, happened to be dual-purposed. Not only was it where rookies were introduced to the expectations of their new occupation, but it was also where new T-Dolls were brought to run simulation testing, and Griffin apparently didn't see any need in separating the two. Apparently, the company head was a firm believer in "learning on the job," and every recruit's first task? To form their first echelon.

He'd call it organized chaos, but frankly, he felt that term gave too much credit to Griffin and their leadership, as it implied there was someone actually attempting to keep control of things. Instead, he was pretty certain at least one of the instructors had pulled out their phone just before the announcement was made, and he felt fairly confident it wasn't because they'd gotten a call. The silent laughter among some of them certainly didn't do them any favors either. Putting aside what he thought of that, however, he had to admit the roughhousing made quite the sight. Gathered in one of the hangars that were a part of their new home, he and the rest of his class had just been given their first mission:

They had a week to convince those amongst the dolls on base to form a team, and failure meant contract termination.

The silence in the seconds that followed was still enough to rival that of the Dark Hour. Then with someone's incoherent battle cry as some sort of rallying signal, pandemonium broke out almost immediately thereafter. He didn't have to spend much time wondering why. G&K had a tendency of using their girls in company ads to promote their services, and because of that, there were a few T-Dolls whose popularity had risen in media culture above the rest of their sisters. The availability of such models tended to be as rare as they were expensive, however, and as was the case whenever the 'first come, first served' policy reared its head, courtesy became the first of many casualties.

Which was why he stayed put where he was, watching as some of his more desperate colleagues climbed over themselves to get back out the way they came in. Which begged more than one question now that he thought about it, considering that, mind you, they were in a military vehicle hangar of all things. The exit wasn't exactly single file.

In other words, he was pretty certain the elbow tackle he just witnessed was completely unnecessary.

Once things settled down, though, he left behind those who would be his instructors along with a few of his more sensible associates, deciding it was as good a time as any to see the grounds of what would be his home for the coming months. So, with hands placed casually in his pockets, he wandered off to see if there was anywhere he could find some solitude and a nap.

Walking the company grounds, it was at times such as this that the contrast between Griffin and a true military organization became apparent. On the one hand, there were the obvious differences such as the battalion brawl he'd just witnessed, a disregard for discipline that no self-respecting army would've permitted, and definitely wouldn't have let go unpunished, but that didn't mean there weren't similarities too. Showing that same disrespect to one of their trainers or another superior was supposedly the quickest way out of here, and the scenery between training facilities was something you'd expect to see while walking on the lawn of any military academy. A fact he couldn't be more grateful for, as the shade under the courtyard trees was looking particularly appealing at that moment.

Unfortunately, hidden under that shade, he quickly discovered he wasn't the only one to think so.

She looked to be a few centimeters shorter than himself, with her platinum blonde hair waist-length and fanned out beneath her. She wore a standard green military uniform, though he doubted the black miniskirt she wore would've met the standards of any official dress code. A red beret had been pulled over her eyes at some point, and if the gentle rise and fall of her chest was anything to run by, she was here for the same reasons as himself.

If her unique appearance wasn't enough of a tip-off, then the rifle lying next to her further identified her as a stray T-Doll.

He shook his head at the sight of such wayward behavior, but nothing about it surprised him. His months with G41 had long exposed him to the understanding that, like Aigis, despite the fact their decisions were made with a logic-based artificial intelligence, the mindsets of T-Dolls could be just as strange and quirky as any human's.

He took note of how comfortable she looked, implying she'd been here for some time. That also probably meant she was in trouble, since according to his knowledge, all T-Dolls on base were currently tasked in one way or another to help prepare for tonight's ceremonies to welcome the batch of new recruits. That implied this one was skipping out on her duties somewhere, a thought which brought an amused smile to his lips, old memories of Junpei and his antics springing to mind. It was that nostalgia that led him to the decision to keep an eye on her, figuring that as one of the new cadets he could deflect some of the trouble undoubtedly coming her way.

It shouldn't hurt anything if he lied down for a minute or two while he was at it…

It was another nightmare that startled him awake, his eyes opening slowly while his mind slipped into immediate alert. When he did so, however, it was to find his new acquaintance was no longer slumbering idly next to him.

Red eyes stared at him with an odd combination of fatigue, intrigue, and concern. The last one was a look he was familiar with, and for a brief moment, he wondered if T-Dolls had some kind of passive ability that allowed them to detect feelings of distress, though more likely it was just a case that his emotions weren't hidden nearly as subtly as he thought they were. Speaking of which, how long was she going to keep staring at him like that?

If the blush spreading on her cheeks was anything to work off of, she'd just asked herself the same thing.

"My apologies, Sir. I'm G36C, pleased to meet you. Um, if it's not too bold of me to ask, what's a human doing here?" She tilted her head, looking at him with honest puzzlement. As cute as the action was, he didn't understand the meaning of the question. This was a training center for new commanders, weren't there always humans here?

It was worth noting here that despite his powers, he was not omniscient. He didn't know that the girl was merely referring to how strange it was to see a human napping next to her.

He didn't know that with the dangers of the ELID virus still fresh in their minds, most people weren't willing to risk the dangers of exposure just to take an outdoor nap.

He didn't know that during his time as a scavenger, such dangers had become a reality when he'd carelessly fallen asleep in a pocket of radiation.

He didn't know that the week he'd spent in bed as G41 helped nurse him back to health was the results of his body suffering from the symptoms.

He didn't know that the presence of Death within him had laughed at the threat, before killing it like it did everything else.

He didn't know he was the first human to develop an ELID immunity. It would be quite some time until any of this was brought to his attention.

As for the things he did know, he ended up returning the girl's confused expression with his own, before replying he was here as one of Griffin's new recruits. Whatever his expectations had been, he didn't anticipate the alarm that would bring her, meaning he was perplexed even further as she began looking left and right like a startled rabbit.

"Eh?! The new commanders arrived today? Uuuu, oh dear. Nee-san's going to be very cross with me when she finds out I forgot again. What am I going to do?"

He asked her what was wrong. With a reaction like that, it would've been harder to ignore.

"My sister placed me in charge of putting together some thank-you packages for all the T-Dolls working on the preparations today. She warned me several times not to forget too. At this rate, there's no way I'll be able to finish everything by myself."

He had to resist the urge to scratch the back of his head. He settled for sighing in exasperation aimed at himself. One of these days he was going to learn the value in not getting himself involved in the life problems of every person he met.

G36 sighed for the umpteenth time that day, exhausted, but with the satisfaction of another job done. As it was previously, command had wanted a proper welcoming ceremony prepared for the new cadets to motivate them forward, as well as give them further advice towards their first task after what was likely a day of failure. It was the standard laundry list: Setting up the stage for the welcoming speech, preparing food for the dinner hosted afterward, and selecting the dolls who would provide the music performance during said dinner. It had been her duty as one of the main T-Doll coordinators to make sure the responsibilities for each job was properly relegated, as well as complete her personal task of ensuring the dorms were prepared for their new occupants.

Aside from a few hiccups – damn you, P7 – they'd managed to avoid any major catastrophes, which meant she could finally start breathing again. Now she found herself open with another hour before the event started, just enough time to find her missing sister and offer what would likely be a very much needed hand. Really, the trouble that girl managed to get herself into…

Except, her sister was already working with someone else.

…Huh?

Even with her thoughts frozen in shock, her digi-mind continued to make observations. Based on the red armband he was wearing, he was one of the potentials chosen by Griffin command. His outfit consisted of a basic black suit and white button up, with the only notable detail being the headphones he'd left sitting around his neck, and the pistol holster at his waist. The blue hair was admittedly a bit unique for a human, but otherwise, she would've normally passed him by without giving him a second glance.

The reason for her surprise was in seeing G36C sitting within arm's reach of the boy.

As a maid, one of the many skills she took pride in was foreseeing the needs of those she serviced, human and T-Doll alike. By comparison, her sister could tell what they were thinking whether it had something to do with their needs or otherwise. Yet, most likely another product of Persica's sadistic amusement, G36C was emotionally fragile, possessing very little of her own will, and as such was easily intimidated by anyone with sinister intentions.

Humans terrified her.

So what changed, or perhaps more accurately, what was she overlooking? The two of them had only been separated for half a day. For her sister to be this close to a human, in such a short span of time, meant G36C felt something different from this boy than she did from his peers. Different to the point she'd already started to trust him. What kind of human could evoke such a response from her?

G36 had to resist the urge to shake her head of her distraction, choosing instead to scold herself for her inaction. The number of questions she had would only grow the longer she pondered all of this in silence. It had already been a full second-and-a-half that she stood in place looking like a wide-eyed fool.

She approached the two sitting on opposite sides of the coffee table in the dorm she and her sister shared. "What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, I wonder?"

A reserved smile lit up her sister's expression. "Ah, Nee-san. Guten tag! You came at just the right time. This nice gentleman just helped me finish the last of the packages you wanted me to put together. Please give my regards to everyone when you hand them out later this evening."

In other words, her sister had forgotten completely as she'd originally suspected, except this time she'd gotten someone else wrapped up in her trouble. She intended to apologize as well as give him her thanks. Instead, green eyes met blue, and in that moment, G36 understood.

There was a calm indifference dwelling behind those eyes. Not of the apathetic sort, nor in the sense his mind was elsewhere, but in a manner she was so unused to that it took her digi-mind several cycles to put words to it.

Quite simply, he didn't look at her 'differently'.

He didn't look down on her as inferior because she wasn't human. He didn't look at her coldly with the belief her only purpose was a tool. He didn't look at her with that false kindness meant to hide darker desires. He didn't look at her like one of those humans who liked the younger T-Dolls her sister deemed 'weirdos'.

He looked at her in the same way she'd seen other humans so often look at each other.

As an equal.

So this is what her sister had felt.

Then and there, G36 made her choice.

"I see. Then allow me to introduce myself to our guest. I am G36, pleased to make your acquaintance."

His response was gentle, to the point she would've missed it had she not expected it. Yet, at the same time, she got the distinct impression she could've heard him even if they'd been caught in a hurricane.

"Minato Arisato."

She bowed in an elegant curtsy, as much as the short skirt of her normal outfit allowed her.

"My best regards, Master."

Mysteriously, something about what she said gave him pause, before he nodded, saying nothing more.

Not a very talkative one, was he?

End: Meanwhile, back at the IOP maintenance center, G41 stood on a soapbox, spreading the word to all T-Dolls of a master greater than any other. Of course, this naturally meant that the directions of any lesser commander was preached to be heresy. Did I mention that Persica was standing in the audience?

Please send help. The fact I haven't been able to get that image out of my head is part of the reason this new story exists.

Anyway.

A Girl's Frontline crossover. It's not hard to guess what's had a lot of my attention lately.

A lot more telling rather than showing for this first bit, and while I'm not entirely okay with that, I don't have much interest in writing about the mundane events of Minato's new life before becoming a commander. For those of you who like that kind of stuff, or even prefer it, just be aware this story won't be short on his interactions with the AR Team, 404, and other T-Dolls as they become relevant.

As both a note and a request for those of you coming from servers outside of EN, if there's any errors in the lore you notice, by all means bring it to my attention. Since this is an AU some story elements may be intentionally altered, but as EN is two years behind in events it's guaranteed there are elements we're missing.

Yes, I did throw in Persona 5's crafting system as something of a flying fancy. It also has more guns. Sue me.

Feel free to make any requests for T-Dolls you'd like to see outside of MICA's protagonists. It should go without saying, but just like my other fanfics, the roster of characters in the base setting is far too large for me to even humor the idea of trying to shine the limelight on them all.

And as always, all comments, criticisms, and other requests are welcomed. Feedback is the only way I know if this story is any good or not, and is usually the only thing motivating me most days too.