Chapter Twenty Two

Return To Tartarus Part Two

He could smell their fear and the look of utter disbelief on their faces was truly delicious to admire and Orpheus felt grim satisfaction at their reactions. He could feel Akihiko's despair seeping into his mind, he could hear his host begging him to leave the others alone. Aigis and Yukari both looked devastated while the others simply looked stunned. Orpheus' eyes fell on the boy who possessed the same ability as Minato.

He had transformed into a creature of immense potential power but the signature was still exactly the same. This boy was just like Minato...his original host, the one who gave birth to him. Orpheus felt his own grief overwhelm him and he pressed his hand against his chest. They would finally feel the pain that he had been afflicted with since Minato died, they would taste his despair and when they wept Orpheus would simply stand there and watch.

When he took possession of this frail body he also accessed Thanatos and the Shadow was more than willing to help him. This world within the TV was indeed just like the Dark Hour and for once he felt something akin to peace when he was here. Akihiko's repressed pain and all that grief had leaked into Orpheus causing the Persona to feel things other than that of his host.

When he had been joined with Minato soon after his birth he had slumbered within the human boy's mind and shared it in time with other Personas. He had felt so warm in that place with the others around him but more than that he had his host. He had been the first Minato had called up on the roof of the dorm building. It seemed like a lifetime ago now but now he would finally have what he had been craving for months.

"Why are you doing this Orpheus?" Aigis demanded.

"Now isn't that a stupid question." The Persona laughed sardonically. "Can you not figure it out Aigis?"

"Explain it to me!" the machine yelled. She must truly be agitated.

"Didn't you see it with your own eyes when Akihiko refused to cry or even talk about the boy he claimed to love?" the red eyed entity sneered. "The truth is he couldn't acknowledge it."

"He was grieving." Yosuke spoke up. "I mean he lost someone he loved. Maybe that was his way of grieving."

"No...he wasn't grieving." Orpheus snarled. He narrowed his eyes at the group. "He didn't want to feel all that pain and loss, he couldn't bear it."

"And you'll condemn him for that?" Chie spat out.

"All that rage and pain was felt but not by him." The Persona clenched his fists tightly.

"You felt it..." Yukiko whispered when she realized what he was saying. "And Minato was your original host."

"Smart girl." The Persona nodded.

"But why the hell are you doin' this?" Kanji yelled at him. "Hasn't Senpai suffered enough?"

"No, he hasn't suffered!" Orpheus screamed causing the group to back away from his raw power and rage. "He refused to feel his grief and instead I felt it for him. I became aware of my loss, the realization that I had been torn away from the who birthed me."

"But that's not Akihiko's fault!" Aigis shook her head. "Minato was his first love, he did not know how to handle the loss."

"And what about the years after?" the Persona countered. "All that time and he never once handled it. Now I feel what he should have felt."

"But punishing him like this isn't right!" Yosuke cried.

"Have you ever loved someone that when they died all you wanted was to go with them? When you looked at the world around you it seemed dull and lifeless?" Orpheus narrowed his eyes at the honey haired boy.

"...." Yosuke looked to the floor, his cheeks burning up.

"What do you really want Orpheus?" Yukari spoke up again. "Why are you doing this"

"If you want the answer then come find me. I'll be on the top floor." The Persona stared at Souji. "Come to me there."

"Wait!" Souji called but the entity was already climbing the steps to the next block.

"Oh man, now what are we gonna do?" Kanji groaned when Orpheus vanished.

"We have no other choice." Aigis cocked her gun. "We must follow him."

"But if we fight him we could hurt Akihiko." Chie pointed out.

"We may not have a choice." The machine murmured. "Please, help us find him."

"Akihiko has to still be in there." Souji, still in Varna's form, turned to the others. "There might be a way to help him regain control."

"Guys, I feel kinda bad for the Persona..." Chie murmured sadly.

"Yeah...even a Persona can feel that kind of pain." Yukiko frowned.

"How many more floors until we reach the top?" Varna asked the machine.

"There are six blocks in the tower not including the top floor where we fought Nyx's Avatar." Yukari explained.

"So we don't have that far to climb." Yosuke sighed heavily.

"I'll fight Orpheus." Varna glanced at the others. "Thanatos is too powerful for you to handle."

"How can you be sure of that?" Yukiko asked with a frown.

"Thanatos is the Shadow of Death, a double of the entity that resided within Minato for ten years. At your level of power you will be dead before you can get in a single hit." Aigis answered for them.

"But we can't just let you fight him by yourself." Chie yelled at them.

"Take care of the Shadows." Yukari stated. "We can handle Orpheus."

"We have to go after him now. The longer Akihiko is like that it might be harder to help him." Varna broke in.

The others nodded although Yosuke looked worried about Souji fighting something that powerful by himself. Yukari and Aigis were more than capable enough to fight the creature but Souji was still learning his own abilities. Yosuke stared at the ice entity Souji had transformed into and he couldn't help but feel concern for his best friend. Butterflies danced in his belly when those familiar periwinkle eyes locked with his own. No matter what form he took Souji would always have those eyes. Yosuke felt his face grow hot and he looked away quickly. He followed the others up the next flight of steps into the third block of Tartarus.

It seemed that Orpheus wanted them to find him without any distractions as there were no Shadows lingering on this floor. The Persona was connected with Thanatos and from what Aigis told them that particular Shadow was the source of all the rest. It was scary to think that something like that existed and then there was that weird Ryoji character. If he was as powerful as Aigis and Yukari claimed him to be then why wouldn't he help them fight Akihiko and his wayward Personas? Yosuke couldn't stop these thoughts as he followed the group onto the fourth floor of the tower.

Varna walked alongside Yosuke now, his blue and black scaly flesh radiating pure ice and Yosuke could feel the warmth leave the area around him. He chattered his teeth a little but he didn't move away from Varna. After that scare when Souji coughed up blood he wanted to be as close to the other teenager as possible. He smiled a little at the ice creature just as Aigis took them to the next staircase. The sound of Orpheus' voice drifted through the floor and the group could hear mocking laughter in his voice. He wanted them to hurry and fight him, to grant him the need to release his own pain onto them.

Chie and Yukiko grasped one another's hands when the Persona's voice left them alone again. So far they had fought some powerful Shadows but they always overcame them. Yet seeing a Persona take control of its own host was both intriguing and terrifying. Kanji was worried about Akihiko but he had confidence that Souji-senpai would save him. The punk thought it was cool when he saw how Souji turned into that totally kick ass demon. The white haired teenager was still adjusting to his own powers and to learn that a Persona could take control was leaving him feeling tired and drained.

"Are you alright?" a deep voice murmured to his right.

"S-Senpai!" Kanji stuttered as his face went red. "I'm fine man, just a little tired."

"It's good having you on the team." Varna smiled at him. "I'm glad you're with us."

"R-Really?" Kanji looked embarrassed but he felt happy about this. "Thanks Senpai. Don't worry, we'll kick that guy's ass and save Akihiko-senpai!"

"We are on the last floor now." Aigis told the others when they got to the sixth floor.

"So you guys really had to go through all that two years ago?" Chie asked after they reached the last flight of steps.

"But we had each other to get through the tower." Yukari smiled ruefully. "Aigis...what if we can't help Akihiko?"

"We will help him." The machine said firmly. "Our bond is strong enough to help him."

"Not mine...not anymore..." Yukari looked regretful and sad. "I always blamed him, hated him for what happened. But all this time he's been in so much pain."

"We never forced him to talk to us." Aigis murmured. "We should have done more."

"But!" the brunette tried to protest but Varna stopped her.

"Let's find Orpheus and make him see reason." The creature stated firmly. "I'll need your help to reach Akihiko."

"Understood." Aigis nodded.

Varna glanced at the others who were already tensed up for battle and he climbed up the last staircase to reach the top of the tower itself. Once they got to the top floors Varna noticed that there was a single pathway leading directly ahead towards a dark entryway.

The group walked along this passageway until they passed through the door and stepped out into the night. The full moon shone above them and it looked so very close almost like they could reach out and touch it. The emerald glow was chilling but standing in the centre of the top floor was Akihiko and his body was surrounded by smoke just like Yosuke, Yukiko, Kanji and Chie when their Shadows emerged for the first time. The group walked towards the possessed man and stopped a few feet away from him.

"You've come to save him from me." Orpheus murmured as his blood red eyes locked with Varna's. "But all your efforts will be useless."

"Let him go Orpheus." Aigis implored. "He has suffered enough."

"Not yet he hasn't." The Persona scowled. "I won't let him go as easily as he let Minato die."

"Don't blame him for that." Varna snarled angrily. "Minato never blamed him."

"How could you possibly understand?" red eyes narrowed and glittered with an inner fire.

"Because I met Minato." Varna answered but he ignored the looks of shock on Yukari and Aigis' faces as he continued on. "I saw a blue butterfly so many times but when I followed it I found Minato. He wanted me to look after Akihiko."

"You...you saw him?" Yukari whispered.

"Orpheus, don't blame him. Minato didn't want this, I know that." Varna implored with the entity.

"It doesn't matter anymore!" The Persona screamed at them. "I can't stand feeling like this for another second! If I can't have my true host back then I'll take what's left of Sanada and make him mine!"

"What are you talking about?" Yosuke yelled back.

"He wants total possession." Aigis gasped out. "He plans on destroying Akihiko's psyche forever. Once the psyche is gone the body will only be a shell to inhabit."

"That's horrible!" Yukiko cried.

"We'll fight you!" Yukari swore harshly. "Don't think we won't fight back!"

"You will not win." The Persona snarled in rage. "Not when Thanatos feels the same."

"Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji..." Varna turned to them. "Keep any Shadows at bay. We'll take care of him."

"You got it, partner." Yosuke smirked at him. "Just be careful."

Varna nodded then he turned back along with Aigis and Yukari to face off against the enraged Persona who had already called up Thanatos. The Death Persona was truly a sight to behold as it screamed into the night and raised his long silver blade high into the air. Varna glared up at the entity and immediately cast his own spells.

He used a Bufudyne spell on the Persona while Aigis increased their ability to invade incoming attacks. Yukari used Garudyne and she managed to damage the entity but it wasn't enough for Orpheus to dismiss him. Thanatos screamed then cast a Mamudoon spell on the trio. Yukari cried out when the dark spell tore through her and she collapsed.

Aigis managed to get hold of a Revival Bead and while she revived the brunette Varna attacked Orpheus with his extended blades. The two of then clashed violently when the possessed Persona-user brought up his fists that were protected by blades that resembled teeth. Yukari was back on her feet and she cast a healing spell on Varna when his opponent managed to land a critical hit.

Varna scowled at the possessed man just as Aigis used God's Hand to slow him down. Orpheus charged at Varna and summoned up Thanatos so that the creature could attack Varna with his sword. He cried out when the blade connected with his flesh sharply but he managed to dodge a second attack and he slammed his fist into Orpheus' stomach. The possessed man cried out and Varna kicked him sharply in the face.

"No..." Orpheus shook his head. "I will not lose to you!"

"Stop this now Orpheus!" Aigis pleaded with him. "I don't want to fight you anymore!"

"Akihiko will never let it stop!" the Persona screamed out. "All this pain I have has to get out. I can do in this world."

"By making Akihiko suffer more?" Aigis implored.

"He deserves this..." the Persona snarled. "He made me grieve and suffer. It's all his fault!"

"And what you're doing now will not make it any better." Varna shook his head. "Akihiko has to feel this pain too but not if you destroy him."

"He will never grieve..." Orpheus fell to his knees. "I will always carry this!"

"Then make him grieve!" Varna grabbed the possessed man by the arms. "You were Minato's first Persona, the one he called when his power awoke. You're special and you can help him."

"How can you be so sure?" Orpheus whispered. His blood red eyes looked angry but there was a deep sadness within them also.

"Minato wanted me to help Akihiko...but I think you need help too." Varna admitted then in a flash of blue light he was back as Souji. "You and Minato are one and the same right?"

"We are one..." Orpheus murmured. "But why do you care?"

"I made a promise." Souji whispered as he squeezed the possessed man's arms. "You don't have to feel like this by yourself."

"I-I don't know what to do." The Persona admitted gently. "I want to hate him for doing this to me. We should have been one! I'm his Persona!"

"But your not really a Persona anymore right?" Souji pointed out. "You're something else now, something special."

"Something special?" Teddie's voice sounded within Souji's mind.

"Let him go Orpheus..." Souji murmured quietly. "I think he needs this too."

"So I can fade away? I'll be left alone again." The Persona asked painfully. Souji was surprised to see tears in those red eyes.

"You won't be alone." Souji vowed with conviction. "Please just let him go."

Orpheus stared openly at the boy with naked pain in his crimson eyes then he finally nodded and stepped back. The smoke gathered around Akihiko's body. He let out a pained screamed when the smoke gathered into his body then was forced out through his mouth and nose. The smoke gathered next to him into a single human form.

"What's going on?" Yosuke stood next to Souji.

"Orpheus let him go." Souji murmured quietly. "But it's more than that now."

Akihiko cried out in agony when the smoke left him and he collapsed with a sob of relief. Aigis and Yukari went to his side while Souji and his friends stared at the person that had formed from the smoke. A lithe young man was lying on his back, his pale flesh was luminescent in the emerald moonlight and his prominent snow white hair stood out. His features reminded Souji of Minato the few times he saw him. Souji bent over the prone figure and he gasped in surprise when two crimson eyes opened to stare at him.

"Orpheus?"

Hi guys!

Sorry that this is late but I had two teeth removed and I was healing up before I could write again.

Well here's the next chapter and coming up Akihiko wakes up while Orpheus realizes he has his own body.

Catch you guys soon!

Also look out for my Persona 3 story On The Wings Of A Butterfly and below is a quick summary.

Minato Arisato has a great life. He gets top grades in exams, has Yukari Takeba as a girlfriend, is the top Kendo student and at night he leads his friends through Tartarus to fight the threat of the Shadows. Minato had it made in life until Ryoji Mochizuki transferred to the school. Unlike Minato and his friends Ryoji has the ability to carry multiple Personas. Ryoji has come to Port Island to hide from a creature that has murdered other Persona-users across Tokyo by forcibly removing their Personas. But with his arrival powerful Shadows have also come out during the full moon and Minato's once perfect life is violently shattered.

Yes there will be slash such as Ryoji/Minato, Shinji/Akihiko and maybe others.

There will also be Junpei/Chidori, Minato/Yukari (at the beginning), and others later on.