Hello again, everyone! It's been a while, I hope you're all doing well! Sorry for the wait, but I found myself being extremely motivated, so I did this whole chapter in two days and it capped off at 11,959 words...wow...Anyways!

Thanks to Cosmic Sky (Thank you for saying I captured the fun of that chapter! Hopefully, the emotions of this chapter hit well too!), RosyMiranto18 (Thanks as always! Hope you're ready for a big one now!) and HelenTheMoon (Thank you for reviewing!) for reviewing, all 16 followers, 16 favorites and 1,340 readers!

Now, this chapter is where we start kicking things into high gear, with the climax of the game slowly coming (for reference, this chapter ends at 11 hours, 28 minutes and 34 seconds almost exactly of BuffMaister's Persona 2 movie (which is the source I am using to write this). The entire movie? Exactly 17 hours, 58 minutes and 15 seconds long), which is why this chapter ended up so LONG. I hope you all enjoy, however! Explanations will be down below!

The entire walk to the detective agency, Ginko was silent and that, along with the fear of just what the rumors racing through Sumaru City at that very moment could do to any of them (the fear in Katsuya's eyes as he ordered Tatsuya home when they ran across him…it shook Tatsuya to his core), terrified Tatsuya more than anything else. Ginko didn't even grab his arm or look at him like she usually would, she just kept walking with her head down, her bangs falling into her eyes in order to hide her face from the world. And anytime Tatsuya questioned if she was okay, she just smiled this weak, pained smile and insisted they keep on going, since it was getting late.

Tatsuya didn't like it, not at all, but…he didn't know what to say. He's spent so much time with Ginko (this all began back on July 30th, and now it was August 5th…the time felt so long, and yet so short at the same time), but he still didn't know how to talk to her. He didn't know how to talk to anyone, not really.

But…it was…easier around Ginko and the others then it was around anyone else he'd ever met. So, Tatsuya took a deep breath and, right outside the detective agency, pulled Ginko aside to talk to her.

"Hey, Ginko…uh…I can tell that something's wrong, something's going on with you. You don't have to tell me, it's okay, but…" Tatsuya paused as he took a deep breath, he needed to say this. "if you ever feel like talking, about anything…you can come to me, if you want. I'll listen."

By the end of his impromptu reassurances, Tatsuya swore he was bright red and rubbing the back of his neck, looking like an utter idiot. He felt like one, in any case.

But…Ginko didn't laugh at him.

Instead, she smiled, just the slightest bit, and reached out a gentle hand to place on his awkwardly raised arm, slowly bringing it back down.

"Thank you, Tatsuya…I'll remember that." She smiled.

Tatsuya awkwardly nodded, coughed once into his fist before his hand returned to his pocket to clutch at his lighter like it was a lifeline, and made his way into the Kuzunoha Detective Agency.

When they entered, they found Eikichi and Yukino sitting on the couch, talking to Tamaki, Tadashi, Chief Todoroki and a much calmer (thankfully) Ms. Ideal.

"Yo, Tatsuya. No problems? The city was a mess, huh?" Eikichi greeted them with a tired sigh. It was so strange, remembering just how he had been when they had all met (had it really only been less than a week?). Eikichi had changed a lot in such a short time…Tatsuya could tell they all have, as his eyes darted to Ginko.

"Yeah, just about." Tatsuya answered, feeling his own exhaustion weigh on him. How did they get into such a mess? "What's going on here?"

"I can't make sense of this woman's ravings…seriously, what's going on?" Eikichi groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"We spread the rumor like Maya-san suggested, but…the rest is still up in the air. We should brace ourselves for the worst." Yukino warned, her eyes deadly serious and yet protective as well, as if she was willing to go to the ends of the earth to protect them all.

"Hey, everyone! Check out the TV!" Tamaki suddenly cried. Tatsuya moved to lean against the back of the couch Eikichi and Yukino sat on, his eyes on the TV, which showed the news playing.

"…and we've just heard from the children who claim to have been saved by the five individuals currently wanted for arson." The anchorwoman announced.

"One side of the story paints them as vicious terrorists, while the other portrays them as heroes…but which of the rumors is true?" The anchorman questioned.

"In other news, there's a bizarre rumor making the rounds regarding this same terrorist spree." The anchorwoman continued. "Some are claiming that it was the work of the remaining radicals of the Fuhrer seeking ancient ruins hidden in Sumaru City…"

"That's preposterous! There's no way this 'Last Battalion' could exist. It's a baseless rumor, pure and simple." Another man, the subtitle said he was an international military analyst, scoffed.

"So you say, but there are accounts from around the globe hinting at its existence! Reliable witnesses say the Fuhrer lives…" Another woman, the subtitle said she was an occult magazine editor-in-chief, proclaimed.

Suddenly, Ms. Ideal launched herself from the couch she sat on to the floor right in front of the TV, grasping it in both hands and with wide, wild eyes.

"They're right! The Last Battalion does exist! It was them who killed Kashihara!" Ms. Ideal cried, as if the people on the TV could hear her. She then repeatedly hit the top of the TV, startling Tatsuya enough that he instinctively jumped back towards the door, before she knelt back down and just…stared at the TV.

"Like I said…ravings." Eikichi sighed as Yukino shook her head in exasperation.

Ginko remained silent still and Tatsuya couldn't figure out how to fill this silence. He wished Maya was here…

As if in answer to his thoughts, the door behind him suddenly opened and Tatsuya turned to see Maya walk in.

But…for some reason, he instinctively stepped back, putting distance between himself and Maya, his hand grasping the lighter and the thoroughwort in his pocket tightly.

"Ciaaao…sorry I'm late…" Maya greeted them. She then let out a quiet little giggle before she made her way to the couch closest to the door to sit beside Yukino. Tatsuya's eyes refused to leave Maya's form, every nerve in his body screaming at him, but he couldn't decipher it for the life of him.

The silence that fell as Yukino looked from one of them to the next was heavier than the silence that clung to Tatsuya and Ginko as they walked there.

"Oh, uh…okay, I guess everyone's here now, so could you start by telling us what you know?" Yukino requested, breaking the awkward silence as she turned to the still wild eyed Ms. Ideal.

Slowly, as if returning to her senses, Ms. Ideal stood up and faced them, looking closer to her normal self than she had mere moments ago.

"Before that, I want to know some things from you. How…do you know about the Oracle of Maia?" The teacher questioned.

"That's…a long story…" Tatsuya cringed as he took out his lighter (making sure to keep the flower safe in his pocket) and began to flick it. But, with a sigh, he began to explain exactly what had happened to them, with Eikichi, Yukino and even Ginko occasionally jumping in to add some details here and there (Ginko was still quiet and somber, but she spoke and that's what mattered most to Tatsuya).

Maya, however, remained silent and her eyes never left Tatsuya. Every inch of him screamed at that, but he couldn't tell why, couldn't make sense of it at all.

Once they finished, however, Ms. Ideal drew their attention once more.

"S-so that's it!? Then there's no denying that the Masked Circle is the Last Battalion!" The teacher gasped, her eyes wide and taking on that maniac look once more.

"What is the Last Battalion, anyway?" Tatsuya questioned, his brow furrowed considering how many times he's heard it by now.

"The Last Battalion is an elite unit which helped the Fuhrer escape in secret!" Ms. Ideal explained…or not. "An insane army with cutting-edge weaponry and a powerful relic that absorbed Christ's blood, bent on enacting the Fuhrer's grudge!"

"Th-that's impossible…I mean, the Masked Circle is…" Ginko softly protested. Her voice was still somber and drawn, and Tatsuya couldn't stop himself from awkwardly reaching out to wrap an arm around her, to support her in this way. It seemed to work, though Ginko felt as stiff as a board in his grip even as she leaned further into his body.

Ms. Ideal, however, ignored the blonde girl and dug an old book out of the bag she had at her side, holding it out to them. The title appeared to be 'In Lak'ech'.

"It's all in this book…everything they're doing is in accordance with the Oracle of Maia in the 'In Lak'ech'!" The teacher insisted. "The Oracle of Maia was left by the Pleiades aliens who gifted humans with civilization…it's a message entrusted to us by the Maians!"

"Huh!? Aliens!?" Yukino and Eikichi cried in unison. Even Tamaki looked shocked at this turn of events and Tatsuya felt his own eyes widen, as well as Ginko's head sharply turning towards Ms. Ideal.

"Is she…serious…?" Ginko whispered quietly.

"No way! That ain't possible!" Eikichi protested.

"I have to agree." Yukino sighed, pulling her beanie down.

Of course, their words caused Ms. Ideal to lean extremely close to their faces, startling Eikichi into stumbling back into Yukino, who barely remained straight on her own.

"Did you really think we evolved from apes on our own!? The answers aren't in the history books! How did man come so far, so fast!?" Ms. Ideal demanded, her eyes taking on a maniac glint, as if she were crazy…which Tatsuya was slowly wondering if she was. "There's evidence all over the world of their presence in ancient times! It proves that mankind was guided by an advanced race!" The teacher paused then and looked up at the ceiling, as if she were seeing heaven through it. "Kashihara, who tried to prove it, was a kind man with a strong resolve and concrete dreams…I worked with Sudou-kun, the medium, and Kashihara…this book is the fruit of we three's dreams…"

"When you say 'Sudou-kun', do you mean…Tatsuya Sudou?" Tatsuya hesitantly voiced.

"Yes, of course. He was the medium who heard the voices of the Maian aliens." Ms. Ideal confirmed, entirely serious.

Tatsuya…had no words. None.

Thankfully, Yukino was better at this than he was…somewhat.

"So…this cockama-I mean, this fruit of your dreams…what does that have to do with Sumaru City?" The photographer questioned.

"Underneath us is the netherworld where the Maians sleep…the Starship Xibalba is there! All sorts of civilizations originated here…" Ms. Ideal explained as she began to pace. "But the ancient Maians that thrived here died in an intergalactic civil war…this victors were the Bolontiku race that controls Xibalba…the Mayan myths of South America prove it. Though that civilization is an ancient memory now…their ruins were all modeled on Sumaru."

"T-talk about a fertile imagination…so why is the Masked Circle and the Last Battalion after this Xibalba?" Tamaki questioned when she noticed everyone else was stunned into silence.

"Because when the Oracle is fulfilled, Xibalba and the crystal skulls will grant mankind's ultimate dream…" Ms. Ideal explained, her pacing slowing to a halt. "It will end in us becoming Idealians…a transhuman state where we will understand the true meaning of life."

"Sounds good to me…then we wouldn't be so upset by trifles anymore." Maya smirked from where she sat. This whole time, she had been utterly silent and still, yet now she spoke and her voice was chilling, like Maia's Diamond Dust.

"It's far from good! In exchange for the evolution of a few, mankind will perish! Organisms evolve when they face extinction!" Ms. Ideal protested, her eyes now frantic. "When the Bolontiku thoughtforms take physical bodies, they will bring destruction to all! That's why we didn't go public with this!"

"…I want to show you here the latest release from our book division, the 'In Lak'ech'." The occult magazine editor-in-chief on TV suddenly announced, causing Ms. Ideal to gasp sharply as her body seized. She turned towards the TV, as did they all, as the editor-in-chief continued. "It's full of shocking truths, from the Last Battalion to a giant UFO that ties into these incidents. Read it, or you'll be missing out!"

"N-no…! D-did Sudou-kun do this…? We were under strict orders to never go public with it!" Ms. Ideal gasped, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

"No! No! This is all a lie! The Masked Circle is…!" Ginko suddenly shouted, throwing Tatsuya's arm off her shoulders, and clutching the back of the couch with a white knuckled grasp, her eyes filled with deep sorrow and tears as she stared at them all. Her eyes locked on Eikichi first. "Eikichi! You remember, don't you!? About playing 'the Masked Circle'!"

"Like I said, that was in my dream…" Eikichi shook his head, a look of confusion forming on his face before he suddenly looked up at Ginko with wide, disbelieving eyes. "…! W-wait…what did you just say? That reminds me…your actual name is Lisa, right…!? D-don't tell me, him too…!?" Eikichi's eyes went from Ginko to Tatsuya, who could only stare back.

His heart was pounding, his head ached something fierce and his back, where Sudou's scar rested, flared in pain. But Ginko's words caused a surge of hope to fill his heart as well, a feeling he had never felt before, not in the last ten years. And yet, it also brought an unbearable pain, making his heart pound all the harder and his tongue felt thick and swollen in his mouth.

He couldn't speak, no matter how much he desperately wanted to.

"I've been desperately trying to convince myself that it was just a dream…but…it was real!" Ginko cried, the tears in her eyes beginning to fall as she wrapped her arms tightly around her trembling body. Tatsuya knew his touch wouldn't be accepted now, nor would it be comforting as his own body began to tremble. Suddenly, Ginko turned towards Tatsuya and grasped his hands in both of hers. "Please…come with me to the Alaya Shrine! I'll tell you the truth…about the Masked Circle…about Joker…everything!"

"Ginko…" Tatsuya whispered, unable to say anything else.

"I…I understand everything! The Masked Circle isn't some weird army like she said!" Ginko gasped as she fell to her knees and cried. "Please, we need to go to the Alaya Shrine! If we go, I'm sure you'll remember too…!"

"This…this is crazy…you…you're that Ta-chan…!?" Eikichi gaped, tears forming in his own eyes as Tatsuya turned towards him. As the nickname slipped past the boy's lips, Tatsuya felt his heart leap into his throat and his head felt like it was going to split open.

"Eikichi…Ginko…" The names slipped through his lips, so full of pain and longing. He wanted to remember, he knew he could, but…but seeing how both of them reacted, how much pain they were in…(what memory the two of them were most likely connected to, the only memories he ever suppressed even as one part now stood in shocking clarity in his mind…) he didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort them. He wanted to run. Tears formed in his own eyes, making the stinging all the worse.

He could hear Ms. Ideal in the background, rambling about Kashihara, Sudou, the Maians, Xibalba, Ideal Energy, the Last Battalion, the Fuhrer, the Order of the Holy Lance, and the Spear of Destiny, how the one who held the crystal skulls and Xibalba controlled mankind's fate. But it was all too much for him to even consider listening to, not when Ginko and Eikichi's words made him feel like he was so close to finding a home and his worst nightmare at the same time.

It was, in the end, Yukino who broke the silence.

"I don't understand anything that's going on here, but let's get to the shrine, alright? Before it gets too late and we're too exhausted to do anything else." She reasoned.

"Yes, let's." Maya smirked as she smoothly stood up. "I can't wait to hear the yarn that Lisa's going to spin there…"

At Maya's words, the unease and fear creeping up Tatsuya's spine practically beat out the small hope that had surged through him just before. With a lump in his throat, he nodded.

"Let's…go." He stated, his voice soft and shaking at the same time.

Nobody spoke as they finally left the detective agency for the Alaya Shrine. But right as they reached the door…

"Wait, Suou-kun!" Ms. Ideal shouted. The teacher suddenly ran straight towards him and shoved the In Lak'ech into his hands. "T-take the In Lak'ech with you! You are fighting the Masked Circle…or rather, the Last Battalion, right!? You must not let the Oracle written here be fulfilled! If you can prevent it, they won't get what they want!"

And before Tatsuya could say another word, Ms. Ideal was racing back to the TV, staring at it with wild, bordering on unhinged eyes. Tatsuya, feeling unsure of himself, carefully stowed the book away, not saying a word as he led the way out of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency.

The silence surrounding them all felt even heavier than before, somehow.

They were silent the entire walk to the shrine, hearing nothing, but rumors about the In Lak'ech and the Last Battalion as they walked, but as soon as they entered the grounds, Ginko began to speak.

"There was a fire at this shrine once…it's rumored you can see the ghost of the girl who died here. You know about that, right?" She asked. She stood before the shrine steps, her head bowed deeply in regret and sadness, and her back to all of them, hiding her face.

Eikichi was the one who broke the silence, stepping forward.

"Haha…yeah, what about it? It's a famous rumor. Everyone knows that one-" He said in a shaky voice when Ginko suddenly whirled around and faced him, tears streaming from her red eyes, pain and remorse oh so evident on her face.

"We can't hide from it anymore, Eikichi! We know who that girl is…we know about Big Sis!" Ginko whispered, her voice soft and broken, yet stubborn. She would not hide from what happened…she refused to.

"Big Sis…" Tatsuya whispered, feeling his eyes sting with tears. He felt that same sense of guilt the memory from the Aerospace Museum brought out in him again. Eikichi seemed to fill the same sense of guilt and Ginko…Ginko looked as if her very heart was tearing in two.

Maya stepped forward then, stopping at Ginko's shoulder and facing the shrine. She spoke lightly.

"Hmm…looks like there's some sensitive business here. If you have a sin you've been covering up, why not confess and be at ease?" She proposed.

Ginko turned and met Maya's eyes head on before she backed away, pain and remorse covering her expression, her body trembling from the force of it all.

"A sin…? I…" She trailed off, as if speaking were a monumental task.

Suddenly, brief white light flashed around them all three times before a yellow butterfly appeared in the center of their group's circle and the light engulfed them. Tatsuya allowed it to wash over him and the next thing he knew, he was standing in Philemon's gazebo, with the butterfly floating over the identical emblem before it vanished and Philemon took its place.

In the corner of his eye, Tatsuya swore he could see Maya gasp in shock at the sight before she raised her arms, as if to attack, her body tense. But Philemon spoke then, pulling Tatsuya's attention to him.

"I applaud you for making it this far. You are truly ready to face your past now." Philemon smiled behind his mask. "You have begun to recover your forgotten past…if you wish to learn the truth, go to the Alaya Cavern behind this shrine. The reflecting pools that show one's past and inner self shall show you the way to go from here."

"Mt. Iwato…where our memories and sins have been buried…" Ginko whispered, wrapping her arms around herself once more.

"Ginko…" Tatsuya whispered. He made his way over to her and cautiously laid a hand on her shoulder. When she relaxed the slightest bit under his touch, he gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Man's understanding of time causes him to be trapped in the past and fear the future…" Philemon said. "Now is when you must break free from your distorted memories and take flight towards the future. The real battle is close at hand."

And with that, Philemon's gazebo faded away and Tatsuya found himself standing in front of Alaya Shrine once more, his heart aching.

"Do you remember the secret base, Tatsuya? The one behind this shrine…Mt. Iwato…our secret headquarters…" Ginko asked almost hesitantly.

"That's right! We did have a secret base! I can clearly remember it now." Eikichi added, jumping towards them, light and pain mixing in his eyes.

"We played there together…every day…" Tatsuya whispered, the memories coming back in broken pieces, disconnected and weak. "All the other kids were too scared of Kuchisake-onna, but we weren't. It was ours, a place to escape from the rest of the world."

"That's right…" Ginko whispered, hope shining through the pain in her own eyes as she took both Tatsuya and Eikichi's hands in her own. "That's right…"

Tatsuya wanted to cry and he could feel the tears beginning to slip from his eyes as soon as the thought crossed his mind. This whole time…this entire week, he'd been with the only friend he could even vaguely remember, their images smothered by childhood and trauma. And yet, now they were here…but the joy of remembering them came at the price of realizing just why these memories, these beautiful, joyful memories, were shrouded in such darkness.

"No matter how much you try to seal off your memories, they shine clearly in the mirror. You can't escape your sins." Maya stated, a smirk crossing her lips as she whispered the words.

A chill ran down Tatsuya's spine, even as Yukino broke it.

"So you guys have known each other for ten years? W-well, that's a surprise. None of you ever mentioned that before now." The photographer said, looking thrown off.

"You'll see why…once we go to Mt. Iwato…" Ginko whispered before she released both boys' hands, then turned to lead the way.

Tatsuya and Eikichi remained silent, lost in their own thoughts, in their own guilt and sadness.

This…it wasn't going to be easy.

The silence was broken as they finally entered Mt. Iwato, the sight of it so familiar that Tatsuya felt like he could cry.

"It's really here…our secret hideout…" Tatsuya whispered.

"It can't be…I saw this place all the time in my dreams…it's really here…" Eikichi whispered, the pain infused in every word he spoke.

Suddenly, a figure appeared and Tatsuya found himself stumbling back in shock, Ginko and Eikichi following him. The figure was the ghost of a girl wearing a sailor uniform, one Tatsuya recognized all too well. She stared at them silently, her expression overwhelmingly sad, before she vanished once more.

"N-n-no way…that was…!" Eikichi stuttered, his eyes wide.

"It was…" Ginko whispered, tears in her eyes as her hands covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. "We have to go deeper…we have to remember it all."

Yukino remained silent at their back, a strong support that Tatsuya knew the three of them could rely on.

But Maya…she stepped forward and smirked slyly at them all, making a chill rush down Tatsuya's spine faster than any ice magic could.

"Then let's get going." She stated before she turned and began to lead them further in.

The uneasy feeling in Tatsuya's heart did not leave the whole while.

There were demons to fight in Mt. Iwato, of course there were, but that didn't stop them. They kept fighting, until they reached the first reflection pool.

As soon as they entered the cavern, light washed over them and Tatsuya found himself lost in a memory.

Tatsuya hummed happily as he played with his yoyo in front of the shrine, wearing his Red Hawk mask over his face and knowing his big brother was standing at his back.

He'd probably be happy spending the rest of the festival like this, but…

"I can't enjoy the festival at my own pace with you around. My allowance is draining fast, too…" Katsuya sighed, looking annoyed when Tatsuya stopped humming and turned to him.

"Brother?" Tatsuya spoke up, but he already knew what was coming next. What always came next.

"I'm going to go take a quick look around. Stay right here, Tatsuya." Katsuya instructed, his face serious, like his papa's.

"Yes, Brother." Tatsuya nodded, his disappointment hidden behind his mask. Not even a minute later, Katsuya was running off. Brother always did that, choosing his friends over Tatsuya these days…he missed when his brother and him spent all day playing together. Why did Katsuya have to grow up? Why couldn't he stay with Tatsuya forever?

Feeling sad, Tatsuya turned and continued playing with his yoyo, though he was no longer humming happily as he did so.

He probably would've stayed like that the whole time…until a voice startled him.

"Um…whatcha doing?"

Surprised, Tatsuya's head shot up, only to find a boy his age, wearing a Black Condor mask, standing in front of him. He looked unsure, playing with his fingers as he looked at Tatsuya, as if he thought the boy would get mad at him or something.

"I'm playing with my yoyo while I wait for my brother to come back." Tatsuya admitted, winding the toy up as he turned towards the boy.

"Oh…you're by yourself too…that makes two of us." The black masked boy said, looking down at the ground as he spoke.

"My brother left me to go play with his big friends…he doesn't like me much anymore." Tatsuya admitted, wanting to share with this boy who seemed so much like him. "What about you?"

"Papa and Mama were fighting today too…and they promised they'd go to the festival with me. Why are grown-ups always so mad?" The black masked boy asked.

"I don't know. Grown-ups make no sense to me." Tatsuya shook his head.

"Nooooo! I want it! I waaaaaaaaant it!" A boy's voice suddenly yelled, drawing the two masked boys' attention.

"Aaargh! Will you shut up, Eikichi!? I bought you a mask already!" A man's voice shouted in response to the boy's. Tatsuya could see a man and a boy from a distance and he watched as the man hit the boy on top of his head. Tatsuya winced, clutching his own head in response. In the corner of his eye, he could just barely see the black masked boy doing the same.

"Waaaaaaaaaaah! You're a doodoo face!" The boy cried before he ran from the man. As he got closer, Tatsuya realized that the boy, while heavier than Tatsuya himself was, was wearing a Yellow Owl mask. But just as he got close enough for Tatsuya to make that out…the boy tripped and fell.

Quickly, Tatsuya ran towards the boy, kneeling in front of him. The black masked boy followed him.

"Are you okay…?" The black masked boy asked.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Tatsuya added. The yellow masked boy sat up then, slowly pushing himself to his feet as he sniffled and sobbed before stuttering out,

"Y-yeah…wh-who're you…?"

"Umm…I'm Black Condor." The black masked boy answered first, causing Tatsuya to turn to him with wide eyes. "And this is…Red Hawk, I guess?"

"Yeah, that's right! Like from Featherman!" Tatsuya grinned excitedly behind him masks, his fists clenched in front of him in an attempt to contain his excitement.

"Th-then I'm Y-Yellow Owl." The yellow masked boy sniffed, but he sounded like he was smiling behind his mask too.

They spent a long time talking, about their lives and their families, all without mentioning any names, keeping up the game of Featherman they were sort of playing. It was strange, but Tatsuya enjoyed it…enjoyed talking with Black Condor and Yellow Owl.

"M-my dad's r-really scary…h-he's like, eighteenth rank in k-k-karate and judo…" Yellow Owl admitted.

"Eh?!" Tatsuya and Black Condor cried in unison. It took a moment for them to process that as Yellow Owl nodded, but Black Condor kept up the conversation.

"My papa's nice to me. He reads books to me and shows me the stars. But he doesn't get along with Mama…" The black masked boy admitted.

"My brother and I used to be best friends, he'd play with me all the time. But now all he does is hang out with his school friends…I miss him…" Tatsuya admitted, feeling he owed the two boys that much at least. And it was true.

Before they could continued talking, however, a new voice cut in.

"Ah! Look, Lisa. There are children here with the same masks as yours." An older man said, smiling at the three children as he stopped. At his side was a girl about their age, wearing a pink mask.

"Hey, you think we should invite her to play with us?" Black Condor whispered quietly to them.

"Yeah! She looks like she needs some fun too!" Tatsuya nodded, his skin starting to tingle excitedly at the thought. Friends…he was actually playing with friends…

"I-I think s-so too!" Yellow Owl nodded in agreement. With a nod, Black Condor turned towards the girl.

"Hey! C'mon over. Wanna play with us?" He asked, waving at her energetically.

"Ah!" The girl cried before she hid behind the man, her dad.

"Go on, it's alright. Those kids won't tease you just because you have blonde hair." The man reassured as he turned towards the girl, petting her head from the looks of it. He looked like a nice dad…

Slowly, as if she were scared, the girl stepped out from behind her dad.

"…you really aren't going to pick on me?" She hesitantly asked.

"A justice hero would never pick on anyone! Come on!" Black Condor encouraged the girl.

"Yeah! We're playing Featherman, come join us!" Tatsuya grinned, waving at the girl eagerly. She looked like she could use a smile, even if she couldn't see his behind his mask.

"Y-yeah! It's r-r-really fun!" Yellow Owl added. Tatsuya was sure he was smiling too.

And slowly, so slowly, the girl stepped towards them.

The next thing Tatsuya knew, they were running around the shrine, playing Featherman. It got to the point where, when Yellow Owl accidentally tripped, the yellow masked boy started laughing instead of crying.

"Ahah! Ahaha…ahahaha…I-I fell again!" He giggled.

"Hahahaha! Oh man, what're we gonna do with you, Yellow?" Black Condor giggled.

"Don't worry, if you get hurt, we'll bandage you right up!" Tatsuya grinned, holding a hand out to Yellow Owl to help him up. The boy nodded, no doubt smiling behind his mask.

"Whew…I'm tired…I haven't laughed this much in a while…" Black Condor sighed, staring up at the sky. Tatsuya hoped he was smiling. He liked this boy, he was the one who helped Tatsuya find all these friends, after all. He knew he'd never be able to speak to Yellow Owl or the girl, who they called Pink Argus, if he had been alone.

"Hey, um…will you guys keep being my friends?" Pink Argus quietly asked, her train of thought probably following Tatsuya's.

"Of c-course! W-we'll always be p-p-pals! R-right!?" Yellow Owl cried.

"I hope so. I like being with you guys." Tatsuya smiled. This was so much better than just waiting for Katsuya to come back one day. And if his brother did come back, he could play with them too! It'd be so much fun!

"Oh, I know!" Black Condor gasped, looking at them all excitedly. "We're missing one, but we do have four Feathermen here. Let's come up with a name for our group! It'll be just between us! We'll be secret friends who never take off their masks when they meet! Hmm…the Masked Circle! From now on, we're the members of the Masked Circle!"

"Yay!" The four kids cheered raising their arms high to the sky.

As the memory faded, Tatsuya found himself crying.

"Now this is a surprise…it was you who created the Masked Circle? What a terrible thing you've done…" Maya's voice brought him back to reality, sliding down his spine like a cold finger.

"Yeah…that's right…that was us back when we were kids…it wasn't just a dream…we met for the first time that night at the festival at the Alaya Shrine!" Eikichi said between his own tears.

"We're the ones who formed the Masked Circle! And…and…!" Ginko gasped between her sobs, her tears like rivers down her cheeks.

"No…how could this be…?" Yukino gasped, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at the three of them.

"We all forgot…we were at the heart of this and we forgot!" Tatsuya spat, anger at himself mixing with his tears. How could he? How could he have forgotten them all? Ginko…Eikichi…and that boy who's name Tatsuya could not remember, yet knew was the most important of them all…alongside the Big Sis that was more phantom than memory, only brought to life by Ginko's words and a faint feeling of warmth and protection.

The single memory brought back so much joy, and yet everything inside Tatsuya screamed that this didn't have a happy ending. How could it when he forgot it all?

But they had to continue on…they had to.

As they continued on through the mountain, they came across a hidden room, which only contained a single toy box.

"That's right…we came here afterwards and hid our masks…and forgot all about it ever since…" Eikichi trailed off as they entered the room.

"This…is where I hid my mask…" Ginko admitted as she slowly, carefully, approached the toy box, as if she was terrified of what it contained. But open it she did, and she gingerly held the dusty Pink Argus mask in her hands. "Back then…hiding my face made me feel like a different person. I didn't have to worry about the color of my hair or eyes…"

"Another sad story about masks, huh? Humans seem doomed to suffer the same things over and over…" Yukino trailed off.

Maya remained silent, though Tatsuya could practically see a derisive comment on her face (he was believing less and less that this was Maya…but who else could she be?).

They waited a little longer for Ginko to pull herself together, just enough to keep going. Once she was ready, they continued on.

They found the next pool relatively later, bruises and cuts all healed from another fight. And just like before, once they entered, the memory returned to Tatsuya with crystal clarity.

"Rooooock!" Black Condor shouted.

"Paaaaper!" Pink Argus continued.

"S-s-scissors!" Yellow Owl stuttered.

"Shoot!" Tatsuya finished with a grin and they all held out their hands.

"Yaaaaay! I won, I won!" Pink Argus cheered happily. "Okay, then today…we're gonna play house!"

"Wh-whaaaaat!? C-c'mon, let's d-draw today. I-I brought my c-c-crayons…" Yellow Owl trailed off, disappointed.

"Sorry, Yellow. She's the boss, so we have to listen to what she says no matter what. That's the rule." Black Condor apologized. They came up with the rule when they first started playing and decided to play something besides Featherman. That way, everyone got to do something fun when they were the boss.

After a moment, Yellow Owl finally nodded.

"Don't worry, if I win next time, we'll draw." Tatsuya whispered to Yellow Owl, just to cheer the younger boy up. The yellow masked boy definitely perked up at that, nodding much more happily now.

"Ummm, Red will be the daddy, and I'll be the mommy, of course. And you'll be the big brother, Black!" Pink Argus declared.

"A-am I the b-baby again?" Yellow Owl asked, sounding slightly disappointed again. When the pink masked girl nodded, he sighed. "F-fine."

Shortly after, they were all playing house, just as Pink Argus decided.

"W-waaaaaaah! Waaaaaaah!" Yellow Owl cried as he laid on the ground like the baby he was playing.

"Daaaaaaarling! The kids are all tucked in now, so let's take a bath together!" Pink Argus trilled, stepping towards Tatsuya with each word, despite the fact that Tatsuya himself was stumbling back, trying to avoid the girl grabbing onto him. He liked her, he did, but he didn't like when she clung onto him, it made him…uncomfortable. He'd told Pink Argus about this before, but she never understood, so he was often left relying on the others for help.

"A-are you sure about that?" Tatsuya stuttered, trying to signal either Black Condor or Yellow Owl to help him. He didn't want to hurt Pink Argus…

"Mama…? I didn't have supper yet…" Black Condor spoke up, trying to rescue Tatsuya.

This time, thankfully, it actually worked…

As the memory faded away, Tatsuya found he couldn't speak a single word. Even Yukino looked lost, remaining silent for them all.

"I…I was bullied at school because my hair and eyes were different from everyone else…" Ginko confessed. "The only time…the only time I got to play like a normal kid was when we played the Masked Circle! It was only with Tatsuya and Eikichi that I could be myself…and…Tatsuya…you were my first crush…"

"Ginko…" Tatsuya trailed off, unsure of what to say. He wasn't surprised, he had known of this since he was a kid (back when he remembered…when he was innocent and whole, not like now…), but to hear Ginko say it aloud? That was different.

"Oh yeah…we had that rule that you had to listen to what the boss said…" Eikichi chuckled mirthlessly. "I loved drawing, so I wanted to draw with you all…but I always lost…I…"

"We wanted to be together forever…for summer to never end…" Tatsuya finished, staring at his two childhood friends. "And yet…" He couldn't finish the sentence.

They found the room where Eikichi hid his mask next, the room identical to the one where Ginko's had been hidden.

"Secret friends who would never reveal their true selves…and yet…we understood each other better than anyone else…" Ginko whispered as they stepped into the room, her arms hugging herself once more.

"Here…this is where I hid my mask…" Eikichi confessed as he gingerly reached a shaking hand out to rest on the toybox before he opened it and took the dusty Yellow Owl mask out. "With the mask on, I could be someone else. Instead of some wussy kid who wasn't good at anything except drawing…"

"You must've been sad kids if you couldn't do anything without hiding your faces." Maya stated, amused.

"Everyone has memories they'd rather forget, or sad things they don't want to remember…" Yukino, however, countered those words easily. "I'd be condescending if I said I understood your pain. I hate feeling so powerless at times like these…"

"But these memories…they're part of us." Tatsuya admitted, even as his chest felt hollow and his mouth full of cotton. "No matter how painful, we have to…we have to face them. Accept them."

He wondered if he even believed his own words.

It seemed as if his words were karma when the next room they found was his own. He remembered stumbling in here, still recovering from a trauma unlike any other, but knowing he had to hide his mask. Otherwise, it felt as if the phantoms of that day, of that time, would never leave him be.

"I hid my mask here…" He said aloud as he approached the toybox and took the dusty Red Hawk mask out. "Behind it…I didn't feel alone anymore. I felt like I could talk to people, reach out…and they wouldn't leave. I trusted all of you so much…and yet I threw it all away, forgot it all."

"We must've sealed everything so that our sins wouldn't catch up to us…including our memories…I'm sorry, Tatsuya…" Ginko admitted, tears forming in her eyes again. They'd all been crying so much…

"The Ta-chan I knew then was a lot more energetic…it's probably our fault that you became so distant." Eikichi admitted. Tatsuya's heart ached at the nickname he hadn't heard in years. "I know that words can never be enough…but there's nothing else I can do now besides apologize."

"There's no reason for either of you to apologize. We all bear this sin, this responsibility. And you can't blame yourselves for how I've changed, anymore than you can blame me for how you changed. It's just…life." Tatsuya shook his head. His throat burned, he hated this feeling.

Nobody else could speak, not even Maya or Yukino, as they all left the secret room.

They found the next reflection pool after that and Tatsuya found himself swept away without a second thought.

As they reached the shrine, Tatsuya and his friends paused when they saw a girl standing in front of the shrine, praying.

"H-huh? I've never seen that girl here before…" Yellow Owl said before he ran towards her, waving the others on to follow him. Pink Argus followed instantly, Tatsuya right behind her, before he turned back to see Black Condor not moving.

"C'mon, Black!" Tatsuya encouraged and the black masked boy finally joined them, approaching the sailor suited girl.

"Hm?" The girl hummed as she turned towards them, a bright smile already forming on her face as she observed the four children. "Oh wow, what cute little justice heroes! Ciaaao!"

"Whatcha doing, Big Sis?" Pink Argus asked, tilting her head to the side cutely.

"I'm visiting the shrine. I'm praying to become what I want in the future…like that!" The girl explained as she finished praying and delivered the coin in her hand to the shrine.

"Ohh, neat! But if you join the Masked Circle, you can be what you want right now!" Pink Argus declared, a smile in her voice.

"Wh-whatever the b-boss of the Masked C-Circle says goes. Th-the boss gets decide what everyone d-does and b-becomes." Yellow Owl explained excitedly.

"Wow! Then will you make me what I want to be too?" Big Sis asked, tilting her head like Pink Argus did. She looked really pretty, smiling like that. It suited her…in Tatsuya's opinion.

"Wh-what should we d-do? I-I wouldn't m-mind letting her j-join our group…" Yellow Owl admitted.

"Yeah…are you okay with it, Red?" Black Condor asked.

"Yeah! I don't mind at all!" Tatsuya nodded eagerly. "It's more fun to play with others, right Black?"

"Right…yeah right!" Black Condor nodded and Tatsuya heard the smile in his voice. That was better. Tatsuya liked it when he could hear the black masked boy's smile the most.

"Thanks! Hey, want to see something? It's a chant that's rumored to let you be able to see your future self…" Big Sis told them.

"Wow! Show us, show us! I wonder if I'll be married to Red!" Pink Argus squealed.

"Huh?!" Tatsuya cried, thrown off by the sudden comment, his face heating up beneath his mask. Unhelpfully, Black Condor, Yellow Owl and Big Sis all laughed at him. Tatsuya only elbowed Black Condor, however, who just elbowed him right back.

"Well, it's called the Persona Game, and…" Big Sis began to explain how to play to them.

"That…" Tatsuya whispered as the memory faded. "That was…" He couldn't speak.

"Yeah…yeah! That's right! We loved Big Sis!" Eikichi cried. "She was beautiful…energetic…kind…she taught us to follow our dreams…and then…I…"

"We played the Persona Game together. Big Sis watched us with a huge smile on her face the whole time…" Ginko whispered. "She told us that whether our dream comes true depends on us! But then…I…I…!"

Tatsuya knew there was something he was missing…something his memory had locked away from him. It was hidden within the darkness that proceeded that last memory he recalled in the Aerospace Museum.

That memory…of the burning shrine…Sudou…and Big Sis, stuck inside and burning…

The next secret room they found made Ginko sob on sight as she carefully opened the toybox.

"This is…where we hid Bis Sis' mask…" She confessed as she held the Blue Swan mask delicately in both her hands.

"Yeah, you're right…I felt like this ten years ago, too…" Eikichi nodded. "A sense of regret and awareness of the sin we committed…utter terror…and sorrow as if my heart was being torn apart…"

"It's so big…almost as if it's too much for us…" Tatsuya whispered. It certainly felt that way…the mask he carried a constant reminder of the past he couldn't remember, yet also felt he had never truly forgotten in the first place.

The final secret room…made them all pause.

The toybox was open…and it was empty, no Black Condor mask in sight.

Tatsuya couldn't stop the sound that left his lips, as if his heart were being strangled at the sight.

"No…" He whispered, helplessly.

"This should be the place where he hid his mask…" Eikichi said.

"His mask…it isn't here…don't tell me he's been here? But why…?" Ginko whispered, sounding as lost as Tatsuya. Even Yukino looked confused.

But Maya…Maya Tatsuya could not read at all.

They reached the last reflection pool not too long after and…Tatsuya wasn't sure he could handle it, but handle it he did as the memory returned, just as if he'd lived it yesterday. With all the clarity of his then eight year old self.

"Wh-why!? Why're you saying g-goodbye…!?" Eikichi demanded as he stared up at Big Sis behind his mask.

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you…we were planning on moving before summer vacation ends…" Big Sis confessed, her eyes sad. She shouldn't be sad, Big Sis wasn't ever sad! This was wrong…but Tatsuya didn't think there was anything he could do about it. "I had so much fun playing with you kids that…I just couldn't bring it up…"

Lisa and Eikichi were crying then and Tatsuya had to bite his lip hard to stop his own tears.

"But…members of the Masked Circle will always be together…that's our rule…you promised us!" Lisa accused through her tears. She ran up to Big Sis then and began to hit her stomach repeatedly, her hits not strong enough to hurt. "…Liar! You lied to us, Big Sis!"

"I know I wasn't fair to you…I know this is cruel…" Big Sis reassured, wrapping her arms around Lisa tightly, like she always did when they cried from getting hurt.

"Ta-chan! You're the boss today, right!? Order her not to go!" Eikichi pleaded, desperation clear even through his mask.

"But…I can't…I can't do that to Big Sis…or her family…" Tatsuya denied, hanging his head to avoid his friends' eyes. He felt horrible, a mixture of sad that Big Sis was leaving and angry at himself that he couldn't make her stay, not at all.

Hearing Tatsuya's words, Eikichi backed away before he ran…to Jun, who had been stone cold silent since Big Sis spoke up.

"Jun! You gotta say something! Are you just gonna let Big Sis go away!?" Eikichi cried, shaking Jun's shoulder slightly. When Jun remained silent, Eikichi fell to the ground, crying.

It was Lisa who broke the silence that fell over them all.

"I won't let you…I won't let you go!" She shouted, pulling out of Bis Sis' arms roughly. "If we lock Big Sis in the shrine until tomorrow, she won't be able to go!"

"Huh?!" Bis Sis cried, backing away from them all, fear and uncertainty clouding her features.

"Don't…please stop…!" Ginko begged, her voice cutting through the memory and ending it, though now the awareness of what they had done, of how Tatsuya had ended up in that shrine, was clear (his heart ached as it all became clear, as Jun became crystal clear and their sin even clearer). Ginko began to cry, the memories too much. "I get it…I didn't forget…so please, no more…" Ginko said between her sobs. "Do you remember now…Tatsuya…?"

"I never forgot, not really…" Tatsuya whispered, reaching up to wipe his eyes with one hand as his free hand grasped his lighter as if it was his lifeline. "I just couldn't face them…or you guys…I'm sorry…"

"Don't be!" Ginko cried. "I…I…I killed our Big Sis!" Ginko fell to her knees, tears falling down her cheeks.

"It wasn't you…this is all my fault…" Eikichi shook his head, his tears falling as much as Ginko's. "I…I'm such an idiot! I was so scared of what I did that I tried to convince myself it was all a dream…"

"We were all scared after what happened…it's not our fault…you didn't know…" Tatsuya argued, feeling his throat close up. He didn't speak a lot and yet, he knew he could trust these two and he knew they needed to hear these words. It felt awkward to speak, after all that happened, but he needed to say these.

"I knew. Ever since I heard the name 'Masked Circle'…I started to remember that what happened was real…" Ginko admitted. "The last ten years…I had hoped it was all just a bad dream…eventually, I couldn't tell what was real anymore. I began to think it had all been in my head…"

"What happened after that?" Yukino asked, her voice soft and compassionate.

"We locked Big Sis in the shrine…Tatsuya was against it to the very end…that's why…we put him in too…" Ginko explained.

"We thought if she spent one night there, she wouldn't be able to move away…we were such dumb kids. It didn't make much sense…" Eikichi added.

"Big Sis and I weren't mad or anything…we figured you'd come back the next morning to let us out…" Tatsuya said.

"We were…but when we came back the next day, the shrine had been burned to the ground…" Ginko continued. "I was scared…I thought I had killed Big Sis and Tatsuya…"

"Jun, Ginko and me…we hid our masks in the secret hideout, crying our eyes out, and made one last rule never to meet again…" Eikichi explained. "Way later, I heard a rumor that Tatsuya had been stabbed by the arsonist, but lived…still, I didn't dare show my face…you tried to protect our Big Sis to the very end…but I…killed her!"

"Eikichi…" Tatsuya trailed off as his childhood friend, one of his best friends, fell to his knees. He didn't know what to say…he never knew what to say…

"No…you didn't. Big Sis is alive…" Ginko said, turning away from them and towards the pool again.

"What…!?" Eikichi cried. "B-but you just said we killed Big Sis…"

"When the shrine burned down and it became a huge deal…I had my dad call the police. But they said there were no bodies found…" Ginko admitted, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth.

"So that's why you were so confused…you were just a kid." Yukino reassured. "Then this 'Big Sis' is still alive? That's good to hear."

"No, it isn't! Don't you see…? Big Sis is Joker!" Ginko cried, whipping around to face them again, tears in her eyes still.

"What!?" Eikichi, Tatsuya and Yukino yelled in unison.

"King Leo said Joker was 'as beautiful as a goddess'! Big Sis was like that!" Ginko insisted.

Suddenly, Tatsuya was pushed to the ground. Turning, his eyes widened as he stared at Maya.

Her eyes were red and narrow, her usual smiling face twisted into an evil smirk.

"So you finally remembered your sin…" She said. "That's right, I'm alive. I posed as one of your team to get my revenge…I was only waiting for you to remember everything!"

Suddenly, Maya summoned Maia and attacked the four with a Diamond Dust, sending them to the ground.

"Maya-san!?" Tatsuya cried as he pushed himself up.

"No way…! D-don't tell me Maya-san is…?" Ginko stuttered, holding her arm. "F…forgive us…Big…Sis…"

"Please…" Eikichi begged.

"Big Sis…" Tatsuya whispered.

"No. You'll suffer through the same terror that I had to!" Maya swore. "Take this!" Maia appeared once again and Tatsuya braced himself.

He fell back to the ground, but…the brunt of the attack was blocked. Looking up, his eyes widened as another Maya protected the four.

"Y-you…!? That's impossible! My cohorts should have dealt with you by now!" The attacking Maya snarled, her face becoming something even uglier than before.

"A heroine can't go down that easy, right?" The protecting Maya said.

And that was so Maya, so Big Sis…it was her, Tatsuya knew it.

"Two Mayas…!? Wh-what in the world-!?" Eikichi cried as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Ciao, everyone. Sorry I'm late." Maya apologized. "That Maya's an imposter, probably caused by those terrorist rumors…she's a spy from the Masked Circle!"

"She's just a shadow of Big Sis…of Big Maya!" Tatsuya added, taking out his katana as the rest of the group took out their own weapons.

"You…and just when everything was starting to go so smoothly…!" Shadow Maya snarled.

"Indeed…you won't get in my way any longer…" A voice said.

A resonance ran through all five Persona users and Tatsuya knew that voice, knew it like the back of his hand, knew it like he knew his own. Because it was his other half, his doppelganger, the first boy he ever liked…

"Jun!" He cried at the same moment Maya gasped,

"Jun-kun!"

And sure enough, Joker-Jun-appeared in a black sphere. Shadow Maya passed a red crystal skull to Joker-Jun-and Joker-Jun-faced them.

"My plan to make them believe you were the one who died and drown them in despair has been ruined…" Jun said. "Leave now. That is, if you value your life."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that…Jun-kun." Maya stated.

"Jun!?" Yukino, Eikichi and Ginko cried.

"I'm alive…you don't have to suffer anymore…" Maya said, almost begging.

"Stop…that's impossible…Tatsuya killed you…!" Jun insisted.

"Jun…" Tatsuya whispered, feeling tears in his eyes as he tried to reach out to Jun.

"Don't touch me!" Jun ordered, his voice broken and full of pain. Tatsuya wanted nothing more than to take that pain away, to beat up the cause of it and hold Jun when he was done, in a way he only ever wanted to hold him, nobody else.

"There's no reason why you and Tatsuya-kun should fight…" Maya insisted. "Remember that night at the park? It was as if you two were-"

"KILL HER! KILL HER NOW!" Jun ordered as he fell to his knees and clutched at his head.

"Things aren't going to plan, but all I have to do is kill everyone along with you, Maya Amano. Shame to waste the boy's life, though…" Shadow Maya smirked.

"Don't think it'll be that easy! I'm going to protect these kids…and Jun-kun too!" Maya vowed. "Yuuki, with me!"

They didn't even give Shadow Maya the chance to attack, the reporter and photographer duo instantly summoning their Personas and taking an offensive stance.

"Agrippa! Maragion!"

"Hoenir! Straight Slash!"

"Flame Cut EX!" The two women finished together as fire burst out from under Shadow Maya.

"Why you…" The Shadow hissed, her hands gripping her arm where a burn that matched Maya's was no doubt hidden. Then her right arm raised so that it was parallel to the ground. "Reverse Maia! Dark Dimension!" The reversed coloring of Maia phased out of Shadow Maya and raised her hands together above her head, as if praising the gods.

Suddenly, a matching orb of darkness formed above Tatsuya's head and he could feel himself being dragged into it…away from his friends, the friends he'd finally remembered after just getting them back…away from the Big Sis he just found again…away from Jun after finally, finally remembering him after so long…

But there was nothing he could do as he was sucked in and then fell to the ground.

He could hear the others screaming his name, but it sounded far away…as if he wasn't really hearing them…

But then, he felt a hand on his forehead, a voice whispering to him,

"I'm here, Tatsuya…I've got you!"

Another hand grasped his wrist, and another voice spoke.

"C'mon, Ta-chan…you can do it…"

"Tatsuya-kun…please…" A third voice pleaded with him.

And then…everything cleared as Tatsuya found himself opening his eyes, only to see Ginko, Eikichi and Maya all staring down at him, Ginko's hand on his forehead and Eikichi's hand on his wrist.

They must've used a Balm of Life as well as Seioubo and her Heartfelt Prayer spell to bring him back…he almost felt bad that it took all that energy for Ginko to do it, considering he had Baal who could've revived him easily.

Speaking of…

"Baal! Mediarama!" Tatsuya shouted, calling on the Persona and feeling the magic close his remaining wounds, as well as the ones Shadow Maya had already inflicted on them in her original surprise attack.

"Still think I'm not serious?" Shadow Maya giggled from where she stood, watching them with that twisted smile on her face.

"You shut your damn mouth!" Eikichi roared, throwing himself to his feet and quickly summoning Nezha. "Tackle!"

And as the Persona flew to tackle the Shadow, Eikichi aimed his machine gun and fired, his anger at the attack on Tatsuya's life (he almost died…Tatsuya found he still couldn't process that, not even after Jun threatened to kill him by strangulation only a week ago…) outweighing any reservations he had about the Shadow's likeness to Maya.

"You'll regret this, kehhei!" Ginko spat, just as angry as Eikichi as she summoned Seioubo once more. "Dream Needle!"

The green needles suddenly surrounded Shadow Maya and flew towards her at unimaginable speeds, causing the Shadow to cry out at the sudden pinpricks pain mixed with the sleeping magic.

But Ginko, unlike Eikichi, did not charge forward to attack at the same time. Instead, she helped Tatsuya stand, her worry and concern for him plain as day on her face.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Tatsuya smiled at her, squeezing the hand she helped him up with in reassurance. It felt…easier now, to do something like that.

"Don't let her get to you…you'll play right into her hands!" Yukino warned as she quickly changed her Persona to Vesta. Seeing where she was going, Tatsuya switched to Vulcanus just as quickly.

Together, the two combined to perform a Blazing Burst, much stronger than their original Blazing Burst had been only a week ago.

Shadow Maya's scowl twisted to something horribly distorted at the sight of the flames, the growl escaping her lips the only sign of her pain.

"She's right…just keep pushing!" Maya encouraged them, raising her pistols to fire bullet after bullet at her Shadow self.

"Do you honestly want that, Maya?" Shadow Maya mocked, her lips twisting into a smirk now. "After all, that's not what you always wished for, late at night."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" The reporter denied, summoning her own version of Maia to send a Diamond Dust at her lookalike.

"Oh really? Just like you don't know what I mean when I say you can't forgive these children?" Shadow Maya spat, summoning Reverse Maia for a sudden Aquadyne that poured onto Eikichi like a torrent of rain. She followed the magical attack up by taking out her own pistols to shoot a round of bullets at Ginko, who only managed to dodge one and had to turn her focus to healing herself.

"These kids are mine to protect, I would never think like you do!" Maya shouted, switching back to Agrippa, and joining Yukino in another Flame Cut EX.

"Just don't talk to her, she's trying to manipulate you." Tatsuya shook his head as he switched back to Baal. "Photon Cannon!"

Shadow Maya cried out as she was assaulted by the havoc based attack, forcing her back and allowing the others to regroup.

Thankfully, in the few moments they had, Eikichi, Ginko and Maya all seemed to calm down.

"Are we ready then?" Yukino asked them all, meeting their gazes one by one. This was their fight, after all. She was just backup, though still just as much a part of the team.

"Yeah." The four childhood friends nodded in unison. The photographer nodded back in turn.

"Don't go keeping secrets now!" Shadow Maya snarled at them before sending a Diamond Dust at them, blowing medium sized ice chips into Tatsuya's skin. He glared at her, even as he wiped a small trace of blood off his cheek.

"Now!" Ginko shouted as she summoned Seioubo once more and shot a series of dream needles at the Shadow.

"Let's go, everybody!" Eikichi crowed as he didn't wait a single second, summoning Nezha for a stronger than normal tackle, the Persona holding the now thrashing Shadow Maya back.

"Come, Persona!" Tatsuya called, summoning Baal right as Nezha vanished, using the Photon Cannon to keep the Shadow from attacking and giving Maya and Yukino time to prepare.

As soon as the light vanished, Maya and Yukino were revealed, Agrippa and Hoenir already at the ready.

"Don't underestimate us." Yukino warned as she glared at the Shadow.

"Ciao." Maya winked, though the whole motion looked like a façade.

But it didn't matter. The next moment, another Flame Cut EX left Shadow Maya on the ground, on her last legs and glaring up at her other self.

"This can't be…you were so eager to die…" She gasped.

Maya simply turned her back to the Shadow.

"You couldn't be more wrong…bye Ms. Imposter." She said as Shadow Maya vanished.

Jun was gone when Tatsuya looked up and his heart hurt, even as he turned to face Maya.

"Are…are you really…Big Sis?" Eikichi hesitantly asked, tears forming in his eyes.

"I saw the spring on my way here…I remembered everything." Maya nodded. "I'm sorry…that I forgot about you all…I'm so sorry…"

"Big Maya…" Tatsuya whispered, his voice shaking.

"How…how did I not notice…?" Ginko whispered. "All this time, my Persona's been telling me you were Big Sis! I'm sorry…! I…!" Ginko gasped as she sobbed before she launched herself into Maya's arms. Maya simply held her as she cried.

Tatsuya wiped his own tears away and he could see Eikichi and Yukino doing the same. The pieces he had been missing had slid into place at last. Now, all that was missing was…

Jun…Tatsuya thought, his heart clenching at the thought of his childhood best friend.

"I…I did something so terrible…I'll understand if you hold a grudge over it…" Eikichi said, wiping his own tears away.

"No…this is all because of an unfortunate misunderstanding that started that day…" Maya shook her head as her own tears fell down her cheeks. Tatsuya's eyes widened as his own tears continued to fall.

Maya never cried.

"If anything, I'm glad to be able to see you all again. I'd never resent you! On the contrary, it's you who should resent…" Maya trailed off as she began to cry again, the three teens joining her, their tears unrelenting for a few torturous minutes.

By the time the four all calmed down, the ghost from earlier appeared.

Now, Tatsuya recognized her for who she was.

"You're…also a false me born from a rumor." Maya said as she approached her young, ghostly self.

"I…I just wanted to tell you about Jun-kun in your place, since you forgot everyone because of how awful that fire was…" Illusory Maya explained. She then looked to where Jun has previously been kneeling.

All that remained was a flower now.

As Maya picked it up and identified it, Tatsuya could hear the same voice in his head, Jun's voice he now realized, explaining the name and meaning.

"A salvia…'thinking of you'…" Tatsuya's memory of Jun explained.

Tatsuya took out his lighter as all five Persona users bowed their heads. The message behind the flower was clear to them all: Jun was calling for them, even if he didn't realize it.

"Jun-kun is also suffering from false memories…I…could only watch as he changed." Illusory Maya explained, her eyes so sad and heavy. "Please…save him…"

"Of course we will. He's our friend, we won't leave him behind. Not anymore." Tatsuya vowed, flicking his lighter again.

He had so much to make up to Jun, so much to apologize for. He wouldn't allow him to suffer any longer. They'd bring him home…together.

"Grazie…my…hero…" Illusory Maya smiled, a familiar, warm smile that filled Tatsuya with the warmth he remembered from that summer on her face.

And with that, Philemon appeared in his yellow butterfly form and everything vanished in a flash of white light.

When the white light faded, Tatsuya once again found himself in Philemon's gazebo and watched as the butterfly turned into the man himself as it floated over the butterfly emblem.

"You're…Philemon? That's right…now I remember. I met you ten years ago…" Maya gasped as she stared at him.

"We all did…no wonder you greeted us with 'have you forgotten?' when we first met. It wasn't the first time we met." Tatsuya shook his head as the memory cleared entirely. Finally, after ten years, his memory was complete, painful and yet kind in every way.

Eikichi and Ginko nodded in agreement to their words. Philemon bowed as if he were a magician on a stage, though not nearly as flamboyant. He was more…subdued.

"I am honored that you remember. You have all grown splendidly, yet you have not lost the shine in your eyes from those days." Philemon smiled. "In homage to your strong will, I grant you power…the strength of your hearts and kindness has awakened your true Personas."

First, Philemon turned towards Eikichi and raised his hand over the blue haired boy's head. Then, Rhadamanthus Prime, for this was clearly not the original Rhadamanthus, morphed out of Eikichi and spoke in his voice, still so heavily similar to Eikichi's own.

"Thou hast realized thine sin and frailty…understanding the meaning of power hath given I, Rhadamanthus, true strength…"

With that, the Persona returned to Eikichi, who stood up straighter as his true Persona settled into his mind.

Philemon then turned towards Ginko and raised his hand above the blonde girl's head. Then it was Eros Prime who morphed out of Ginko's body and spoke in that familiar, similar to Ginko voice.

"I am the awakened Eros…you who are in love, take to heart the knowledge that your affections fuel your strength…"

With those words, the Persona returned to Ginko, who smiled through her teary eyes as her true Persona settled into her mind.

Next, Philemon turned towards Maya and raised his hand above the reporter's head. Then, what could only be Maia Prime morphed out of Maya's body and began to speak in her voice, oh so similar to Maya's own.

"I am Maia…awakened messenger of the Pleaides: flowers to the past; fertility to your heart. The sixteenth night's moon now shines…"

Finished speaking, the Persona returned to Maya, who laid a hand against her heart and looked as if she were praying to somebody as her true Persona settled into her mind.

Finally, Philemon turned towards Tatsuya and raised his hand over his head. And then, Vulcanus Prime morphed out of Tatsuya's body, floating over him protectively as he spoke in that voice that sounded so much like Tatsuya's own.

"Thy heart that beats for thy friends lights mine holy flame…I am thou…thou art I…I am Vulcanus, awakened to the ancient fire…"

And finally, the Persona returned to Tatsuya, who could only bow his head as his hand reached into his pocket, clutching his lighter tightly as he ran his thumb along the inscription, the thoroughwort still safely beside it.

"Now…as you have seen, your old friend is tormented by false memories." Philemon continued, lowering his arm as he spoke again. Tatsuya's heart ached as he did. "He sought to use rumors for his own ends, but has been swallowed by them, and is acting to fulfill mankind's ultimate dream…such was not Jun Kurosu's original desire…his mind is snared in rumors and is slowly becoming something inhuman. The 'holy cross' is the Grand Cross, and Nahui-Ollin is the world of the fifth sun…there is no time to lose before it perishes. If you wish to save your friend from the clutches of the Crawling Chaos who toys with man's fate, go to the Caracol…"

With that, the white light engulfed them all once more.

When the light faded, Tatsuya's heart pounded as he looked around the small room they all stood in. He knew this room.

"This is where I spent that night with Tatsuya-kun…where I played with you all…so many great memories here…" Maya said, speaking exactly what Tatsuya would have said.

"Yeah…I'm glad to have these memories back, even with the pain they bring." Tatsuya nodded in agreement. "But…"

"But we're still short one man…" Eikichi finished his sentence.

"Yeah…let's go get Jun! We of the Masked Circle can do this!" Ginko grinned, hope shining in her eyes where there had only been pain just hours ago. Now, there was a light to her that Tatsuya recognized and felt reflected in himself as well.

"Yeah…once you're a member, you're a member for life, right?" Tatsuya smiled. "So we can't leave Jun behind…we have to save him from himself and the rumors."

"Yeah!" Ginko and Eikichi grinned brightly. Maya simply smiled at them all, looking just like she had all those years ago, a proud big sister.

"I'll call Tamaki then, make sure she keeps Ms. Okamura at the detective agency for the night. What do you say we meet up here first thing tomorrow?" Yukino smiled as she made the suggestion.

"Sounds like a plain to me! I'm starving!" Maya grinned brightly.

"You're always starving, Bis Sis." Ginko rolled her eyes, the childhood nickname easily slipping off her tongue. Briefly, the blonde girl looked embarrassed, but Maya's soft smile reassured her.

"Maybe, but it's important to keep your strength up! C'mon, let's call it for the day, we did a lot." Maya reminded them.

And it was true, Tatsuya suddenly realized. Honestly, meeting up this morning at Honmaru Park felt like a lifetime ago and he only realized then just how tired he was.

Slowly, all of them nodded in agreement and their plans for the next day were set. And so, with a grin, Maya began to lead them on the familiar path home, dropping them all off one after the other, just as she always did.

And it was…nice, being here like this with all of them, even if it was really late now.

As soon as he got home, Tatsuya grabbed a late dinner, brushed off Katsuya's questions about where he had been (though…he looked just the slightest bit happier now, pride in his eyes when he brought up the children who had run around town all day. Tatsuya wasn't used to being looked at with pride, not from his brother…not anymore…) and made a beeline for his room.

After he closed the door, he made his way to his bookshelf and took out a book. Opening the cover, he gently placed the thoroughwort inside and closed the book in order to preserve the flower. Maybe he'd show Jun one day…Eikichi would tease him about it, though. Maya too, probably. Ginko wouldn't, she'd say it was cute, all while Yukino took pictures (probably for blackmail…).

It was only then that it truly hit Tatsuya. He had friends and not just in his memories. They were here, real, and…it almost felt like a dream. Maybe it was, considering all the other crazy ass shit these rumors caused…

But still…that didn't change the fact that he had friends…and one they were going to save.

With that resolve in mind, Tatsuya prepared for bed, laying his lighter and Red Hawk mask carefully on his nightstand, and laid down to sleep.

That night, he dreamed of childhood memories full of joy and a summer that would never end.

Across the city, Ginko, Eikichi and Maya all smiled in their sleep, their dreams filled with the same nostalgia.

And even further in the city, the boy once known as Jun, but now only thought of himself as Joker, stood beside Queen Aquarius and three others as the five began to prepare. They made their way for Mt. Katatsumuri tomorrow morning.

And there we are!

Now, explanations! First off, in the detective agency scene, there was actually a lot, and I mean A LOT of NPC dialogue from Ms. Ideal that I wanted to include, but could not. The rambling about Kashiahra, Sudou, the In Lak'ech, etc. that I mention she's doing? Yeah, that's hinting at all that dialogue, which is insane and crazy, but also helps explain a bunch of stuff in the rest of the game. I highly recommend you guys look it up! Watching through BuffMaister's P2 movie is probably the easiest way to do so.

Next, why does nobody realize Shadow Maya is not Maya? Well, actually, they do, they just don't understand everything. Throughout the dialogues you can find with her by visiting different areas, or talking to her during the Mt. Iwato dungeon, she makes all sorts of comments that mostly Yukino points out doesn't sound like Maya or contradicts. But because none of them have ever faced a Shadow (not even Yukino, cause she is blocked from the P1 plot that shows Shadow Naoya, so she has no idea what a Shadow is until Shadow Maya), they think something is wrong with Maya, not that this is her Shadow.

Speaking of Shadow Maya, for those of you who don't realize, Maya actually rejects her Shadow. It's a canon trait of hers to never accept her Shadow, no matter what. She can't accept that she does, in fact, resent her childhood friends and wanted to die at one point. This will be shown later as well (cause it's obvious we're getting more Shadows), so you'll see how the others react in turn to contrast with Maya. Fun fact: Maya and Rei of PQ are the only people to ever face their Shadow and REJECT them!

And finally, I really hope Tatsuya is still holding up as a strong character with the others, cause I'm doing the best I can with what I have, while ALSO keeping his canon self in line.

Let me know what you all think! And I'll see you next time where...I think we'll save Jun in another MONSTER sized chapter with at least three (if my memory serves me correctly) boss fights! See ya and be safe!