Now it's time for the Futaba arc. Which honestly, I realize, I'm getting more in depth with the story, so 3000 word chapters will become a thing of the past, and more will be like Chapter 12, which was 5079 words, and my computer told me it was a 23 minute read. But, don't give up hope on those 3000 word chapters. Also, we're going to sum up the big hour and a half of Futaba plot. 

Yusuke's P.O.V.

"Medjed? The hacker website thing?" Y/N stirs her drink inside the diner. It's busy, but it got us away from the dorms and allows us to partake in a date.

"Indeed." I lower my voice to tell her the next part. "There's also some sort of something with a custody battle between Mr. Sakura and relatives of Futaba Sakura. It seems her mother was killed in front of her; Futaba blames and resents herself for it."

"Right..." there's a flicker of pain behind Y/N's eyes momentarily, but she takes a breath and recovers.

"Are you all right?" 

"Yeah, fine. Continue." She sighs and looks back up at me. I don't wish to push it, so I'll move forward.

"Futaba is a shut in. She's also very skilled in what she does; she figured us out by getting into chat logs." I pause for a potential comment, but there's nothing offered. "We went to see her, and we found out there's... a Palace."

"Of... a fourteen year old girl?"

"Yes, as unfortunate as it is."

Y/N shakes her head and looks back down at her drink. "When are you guys going in?"

"Later today, I believe. I'm waiting on the text from Akira."

"Do you think it'll be another bank? Or a museum? Or... what was the first one?"

"A castle."

"Right, right. Do you think it'll be one of those?"

"I'm unsure. But when we find out, I'll let you know." 

"Sounds good." She looks at the booth behind me, but the lights have dimmed. There isn't much to see. 

"Yusuke."

"Yes?"

"Have you seen the motorcycles in this place?"

"The what?"

"Oh my God, really? Come here." She slides out of the booth, stops in front of me and holds her hand out. I take it and she pulls me up out of the seat. The floor creaks beneath me as I stand, and she smiles at me as it does. Wooden floors; telling you how much you weigh.

Down two booths is a golden chain guarding two old motorcycles. Y/N places her hands on the chain and looks around. "What are you looking for?"

"I'm a child, Yusuke. I want to touch them." She does as she says. There are lights in the center, and she reaches out touch one. Y/N pulls her hand back a split second later, like she's been electrocuted. Her finger tip is now gray from dust.

"Ew."

"Ew yourself." I mutter back.

"That's mean!" She giggles and swipes her hand on her shorts. There's now a small gray line on the cuff of the black shorts she's wearing. It's Tuesday, we had school today but we figured changing seemed like a good idea for a makeshift date. Paired with a (F/C) top, she looks really nice. She always does, but it's nice to see her out of our uniform.

Behind us, the door dings and familiar voices fill the diner. "-Ya know? I think it's totally stupid we have to... Ann, look! It's Yusuke and Y/N!" It's Ryuji, and Ann is here too.

Y/N looks up at me and smiles. I smile back at her and we turn around. It's not just Ryuji and Ann, Akira is here along with Morgana and Makoto. Y/N's smile falters at the sight of Makoto, but she impresses me yet again with how fast she covers it up. I put my arm around her and offer a comforting shoulder squeeze. She leans in and I know she appreciates it.

"Where are you guys sitting at? We'll join you!" Ann says, and Y/N leads them back to our table. I take the inside of one of the seats, Y/N grabs her cup from across the table and puts it by mine. 

"May I sit here?" Makoto asks, gesturing to the empty seat by Y/N. 

"Of course." 

Makoto sits beside Y/N while Ann, Akira and Ryuji cram into the seat across from us. Akira sets his bag on the table and Morgana appears, taking in the sight of all of us. 

"So, Yusuke." Ann starts. I didn't realize this would be an interrogation kind of day. "What brings you and Y/N out here today?"

"Oh, makeshift date! We hadn't been in anywhere in a few weeks, and this seemed like a nice place to go." Y/N chimes and smiles. She really likes Ann, and it doesn't take genius to figure out Ann feels the same.

"It is nice." Akira mumbles and reaches into his bag. 

"Ah yeah, that's great and all. Look out Ann, I'm gonna go get somethin' to drink. Do you all want anything?" Ryuji stands up and earns a couple drink orders. He also earns himself a 'hey!' from Ann. 

"And some water!" Morgana commands. Ryuji scoffs at him and leaves for the fountain.

"Always water, Morgana." Ann gives him a hard time and his jaw drops.

"H-hey! If I was human, I could drink soda like the rest of you!" Most of us laugh; Y/N follows eventually.

"Oh. I forgot Y/N can't hear me. Tell her I said something hilarious."

Akira nods and turns to Y/N. "Morgana is impressing us with his meowing skills."

"I can hear it. He's doing amazingly." She smiles and leans in to pet his nose. There's a purr and the bag rumbles a bit.

"God, Yusuke. You picked a really good girlfriend." 

"I know." I'm proud to say it. I probably shouldn't have forced my agenda on her that day, but I'm glad I did. I don't think I'd have gotten to this moment, in this way.

"You know, Y/N. I don't know too much about you. Why don't we get to know you better?"

"Oh, it's fine. I'm not super interesting."

"Bull! Makoto, she's super cool."

"Is she?" Makoto leans in and puts her elbow on the table, resting her head in her palm. "We'll play too, right?" She looks to all of us and we all nod slowly. 

"Yeah, sure. Okay." Y/N agrees. "Should I go first?"

"Sure!" Ann smiles, and Y/N comes off her stress high. I put my hand on hers beneath the table and she loses more of her tension.

"Yikes, let's see...." She taps her free hand on the table, thinking to the beat. "I go to Kosei, but that isn't news. I'm (height), I'm a (star sign, bear with me) and I like to draw. I'm rather disorganized, but I make some pretty good art."

"And pretty good sushi. I would know." 

"Agreed, that was really good sushi." I jump in, Morgana still realizing she can't hear him.

"Y/N makes sushi? Awesome." It's Ryuji, struggling with carrying four almost full cups. 

"Here, let me help out!" Ann stands and attempts to grab the one from his left hand. 

"Woah, hold on Ann!" There's a splash, no. Multiple splashes.

"You numbskull!"

"My water! Ryuji you imbecile!"

I've been lightly splashed. Ann is soaked, as is Ryuji. They cover two cups. There are two more cups. 

"Oh my God..." Makoto looks in horror at her skirt, and there's laughter to my left. Y/N is soaked. Not as badly as Ann or Ryuji, but the cup that spilled onto Makoto took down Y/N's cup. She has ice on her lap and her water from earlier now highlights her abdominal curves. I look down and away to avoid staring.

"Here, Makoto." Y/N leans over me and reaches for napkins beside Akira. He hands them to her, and she leans back to hand them off. 

"Oh my God, thank you." She sighs and begins attempting to dry herself off.

"Hey, Ann, Makoto. Why don't we head to the bathroom and try to dry there? We'll be out of the way, and in a more secure place, if you know what I mean."

Ann laughs and Makoto joins in. "Yeah, let's go!" Makoto slide out of the booth, Y/N follows, but not before she kisses my cheek.

"We should totally get changed before we go... oh my God."

"What's up, Ann?"

"We could go shopping! Not for books this time, but at the boutique down the street!"

"That'd be great!" The bathroom door closes just as Y/N finishes. 

"Aww man, that sucked." Ryuji sits down, defeated. Akira sighs and shakes his head while Morgana puts on his thinking cap and looks for a new insult to hurl at Ryuji.

"So, Yusuke. We have a minute before the girls get back. Were you really on a date?"

"Of course. I like to think Y/N and I are more than just a couple condemned to our dorms."

"My bad, my bad. What about you Akira? Do you have anything you find interesting?" Ryuji nudges his arm and Akira glares back at him.

"No. She seems to have a good sense of humor. I like her."

I cross my arms and lean back into the seat. "I didn't realize we were taking turns investigating my girlfriend."

"Relax dude, we weren't checking her out or anything."

"Damn right you weren't." I get the same feeling I felt last night as he says what he did. It's protective. Not that she's in any danger, of course. I don't want her taken from me. Not that I think she'll leave me, but....

"Yusuke. Would you like to bring Y/N to Futaba's Palace today?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Y/N has potential. I think she was brought into your life, hell, all of ours for a reason."

"I don't think that's wise. I appreciate it, but no."

"No what?" Y/N, Ann and Makoto reappear.

I sigh. This isn't up to me. "Y/N, would you like to come...."

"Come..?"

"To the Metaverse with us. I told you we were headed to Futaba's Palace. Would you like to come?"

"Absolutely! When can we go?"

Akira checks his watch. "We can head out to Yongen right now. Are we all ready?" 

There's a chorus of yeses. With that, we leave the diner and make our way out to Chief's house.

...

"So, this is where Mr Sakura and his daughter live?" Y/N's behind me as we squeeze into the hallway. It's much darker in here with everything closed and turned off.

"Yeah. And there's a door in here... well, you'll know when you see." Ryuji answers as we approach the end of the hallway. 

"Yusuke, was it this dark the first time you were all here?"

"Much darker."

"Oh." Following my answer, her hand settles itself into mine. She squeezes, looking for comfort. I squeeze back, and she's fine.

"Okay. Futaba Sakura, Sojiro Sakura's house, a tomb."

The world disappears for a second, and we find ourselves in a desert. It takes a moment, then the heat sets in to burn all of our feet. 

We appear in our normal circle, surprise crossing all of our faces at the same time. Morgana skips out a bit to take a look.

"It's a desert..." I mutter. 

"Yeah," Ryuji groans. "We see that." He turns around to Morgana and surprise covers his face again. "Wait, what the- Our clothes are still the same?"

"Futaba herself is asking us to steal her heart. It'd be odd if she saw us a threat. If she doesn't see us an enemy, then you're clothes don't change. That's how it works."

"Yeah, that's cool. Sorry to interrupt the plot here, but um. Morgana? I knew you could talk!" Y/N cries. She'd let go of my hand in the transition, I was afraid she stayed over in the real world. It seems Akira and Morgana's deductions were correct. Y/N's capable of holding a Persona. Meaning there's a darkness in her heart she hasn't spoken to me about.

"I do talk, but wait a second. More importantly, I told you  to be cautious! Why'd you activate it like that!?"

"Is that why we ended up in a desert? Where's the tomb? It's so damn hot here." Ryuji slumps as he finishes, defeated.

"Even though we entered right in front of her room, we didn't end up inside it" 

Makoto sighs at us again. "She must really want to keep people away from her."

"I see..." Ann looks out into the desert and replies.

"What a bleak feeling this place has... it's the complete opposite of Kaneshiro's bank."

"Let's hurry up and get goin'. Where's the Palace?"

Morgana takes a look around; a little spin. "Is it that way?" He's as lost as we are. In the distance however, is a gleam from relatively high up in the air.

"Oh yeah, that's somethin' shiny."

"A tomb in the desert... I see..." Makoto puts a finger up to her chin. She stops and encourages us. "Anyway, let's make our way there."

"Isn't that kinda far?" Ann asks, and Y/N follows with a "Yeah."

"Are we gonna walk!?" Ryuji is taken aback now, funny how the ex runner is afraid of the desert heat. 

"Of course not! My paws will get burned!" Morgana furiously shakes his head this time, dumbfounded as I am about how ridiculous some of Ryuji's questions are. Morgana skips forward, leaps, and comes down in his bus form.

"WHAT? THE ACTUAL FUCK?" I turn around and Y/N has her arms in the air, completely exasperated. "Jesus, Yusuke. I didn't realize how fucking weird this is. Holy shit." She pinches the bridge of her nose. 

"I've been waiting for this." I mutter, both at Morgana and the total freak out behind me.

"I'll make sure to put the AC on full blast!" 

"You're so considerate!" Ann cheers.

"Heh, r-right..." Morgana car can't blush, but he would've.

"Simp." It's Y/N this time, just not the full freak out tempo.

"Ha, good pick Yusuke. Read my mind. Anyway, all right! Let's roll!" Ryuji throws his fist in the air and we pile into the bus.

...

Y/N's P.O.V.

I'm sitting on a fucking cat bus. A cat bus, in the middle of the desert, on the way to some sort of Palace. We're maybe halfway through the desert from where we started and I've found myself in the front with Ann and Makoto. Ann's on my right and Makoto is where the steering wheel would be.

"It's stuffy..." Ann's got her head on the dashboard, the heat wearing her down.

"Yes, I know..." Makoto sighs. "But it stills beats opening the windows to the hot desert air."

"Agreed," I sigh wearily. I lean back in my seat and my head hits the seat with an 'oomph'. Ann leans back when I do and shakes the collar of her shirt in an attempt to fan herself out. 

"Ann, can I have a drink? Didn't you bring mineral water?"

"I drank it already...." Makoto sighs at Ann's reply.

"How are the guys?" Makoto follows. She's more emotionally invested in this team that I thought. 

Ann looks up to starstruck Ryuji, slack jawed and all. Akira's also looking down at her, just trying to not appear as obvious. I find Yusuke trying his best to look out the window. I didn't realize how attractive sweat soaked girls were. Nor did I realize how attractive bright pink bras are. You live and you learn, I guess.

Ann reaches down to her right and leans her seat back. "Take this!" 

The bus shakes Ann beats the shit out of Ryuji and Akira, Yusuke taking some of the blow. There are attempted masculine screams as Makoto and I listen in. Morgana the talking car on the hand hisses and tells us to knock it off.

"Morons." Ann huffs as she straightens and brings her seat up. I turn around and find Ryuji upside down, Akira straightening himself up, and damn smooth painter just brushing hair out his face. We can't forget the band-aid on the back of Morgana bus.

"Oh!" Akira says and up in front of us is a giant pyramid.

"Is that it?"

"There we go." 

Morgana bus picks up speed and we head further straight into the depths of the desert.

... 

(I know a lot of time skips, but we're getting to the end)

"It's so hot..." Ann whimpers. We've made it to the outside of the pyramid, and we're all recovering from being in general body heat to freestanding desert heat. Morgana the humanoid looks sad; just like everyone else. Akira and Yusuke are upright while Ryuji and Makoto are bent over trying to even themselves out in this heat. 

Beside us a set of columns that act as the grand entrance to the pyramid, and a hardened sand wall leads out to a town and a wooden bridge. I don't know where that wood bridge leads. I place my hands on my hips and force myself to stand fully up in this heat. There's a hand on my lower back and it startles me. I don't know where it came from. 

"Y/N."

"Yeah?" I turn my head and Yusuke's standing to my left.

"Are you all right? I know this can be tiring."

My breath catches in my throat. I'm suddenly self aware of all of my actions in the past twenty minutes. Spinning around, I reply quickly. "Perfectly fine! I'm sorry. Am I holding you down?"

He smiles and shakes his head. "Not in the slightest. I wanted to see how you were faring before we gathered and went inside. To hopefully air conditioning." He shakes his head as he finishes. 

"-I could do, so quit your yapping!" It's Morgana. He's mid air with his ears pressed back on his head.

"For real, you are so half-assed!" Ryuji calls back. 

"So, Yusuke. Do they..?" I wave my hand and lean in to whisper.

"Yes, all the time. It's rather enjoyable." 

"-was that? You wanna fight, punk!?" It's at this moment I realize I can't take humanoid Morgana seriously.

"Geez, shut up! It's so hot, so don't make me more irritated!" Ann's this close to snapping, and I'm wondering what it looks like.

"To think her Palace would be a pyramid..." Makoto fans herself with her hand as she grumbles. I don't blame her. I look down at myself to see what kind of condition I'm in, and I learn I've sweated through my shirt. 

"I should've worn my button down," I drop my hands in defeat and sigh; letting the heat soak into me again.

"You should've. You would've looked very nice with a couple buttons undone." He covers his mouth immediately as he finishes. "Oh my, I'm sorry."

"Oh Yusuke, you're precious." I laugh and place my hand on his shoulder. I balance myself on my toes and whisper into his ear: "Give it a bit. You'll experience in time."

"Oh my God... Ann was right."

"Ann was what now?" Ann calls from a few feet away. 

"Nothing!" Yusuke replies and shakes his head.

"Sorry to interrupt this fanfic, but, a pyramid is a tomb, right?" The group steps closer together as Ryuji speaks.

"Yes. It's a pharaoh's tomb." Yusuke replies, stepping forward. 

"That's how it's mostly known. There are a variety of theories on it. For instance, it's even said to be a device for reviving the dead." Makoto finishes her fact check and Yusuke opens his mouth.

"Reviving the dead, hm..? It's beautiful nonetheless.... It's perfectly conformed to the golden ratio.." Akira scoffs something about a class question as Yusuke finishes. Seems things are wack for the Shujin kids.

"Hey, guys, can we go in already? I'm gonna melt..." Ryuji stuffs his hands in his pockets and wanders toward the stairs. Everyone follows him and Yusuke does that picturesque thing I've come to love so much.

"Inspiration?"

He looks down at me and smiles. "Of course. Always searching."

I smile back at him and gently grab his wrist. "Come on, you come back later."

"Wait, hold on." He shifts his hands to me.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking at my muse."

"Oh my God, Yusuke, come on." I blush and pull him up the numerous steps and into the shaded area at the top. 

Everyone's waiting for us, and I learned 'while you were being all couple-y down there', Morgana counted the vases and there are thirteen vases on the sides for decoration.

"Thank you, Morgana." I lean down and offer my palm for a high five.

He doesn't quite know what I'm going for. Anyway, Makoto begins with her observations.

"Futaba's Palace... so this is how she thinks of that house."

"Who knows what may await us within.." Yusuke turns to Akira. "What is your call, Joker? Should we head inside?"

"Joker?" I mumble, but a light bulb goes off above my head. Code names! Right! But... why code names? I think this is a piece I might be missing. 

Akira/Joker nods and replies. "Let's go."

"Okay! We'll find out more about Futaba's secrets in here, right?" Ann chimes in. I wonder what she's called.

"Indeed. Well, let's head inside." Makoto gestures toward the door.

Akira/Joker(?) pushes the heavy, hieroglyph covered doors open, and inside is dark with bright green binary code and multiple Anubis statues. Below us another steep set of stairs and we follow identity crisis down. 

"You have code names? I was unaware."

"My apologies. I didn't realize when I had told you I'd forgotten." 

"It's fine." I shake my head and turn my focus back to not tripping over myself.

We all gather at the bottom of the stairwell. In front of us are five sarcophagi and two sets of stairs leading up to a platform.

"Woah, it's so nice inside! Is this place air conditioned or something!?" Ryuji sighs a trademarked breath of relief.

"It may be because Futaba's room in reality has AC pumping through it. Either way, this is a relief." Ann stops to look down at herself and shifts her arms slightly. "Huh, our clothes still haven't changed even now. This has never happened to us before." That part I was unaware of as well. Code names, clothes changing....

"It is refreshing that she doesn't see us as a threat... but we are completely surrounded by walls." Hearing him reminds me I have a couple plot questions to ask, such as: 'Why didn't you mention this?'

"I guess this is a tomb," Morgana pauses. "It's probably not made to be easy to get into. Anyway, let's explore."

We all follow Akira up the left set of worn out stone steps and toward the center of the new platform. There's one way to get across. Jumping on three different structures to get across lava. I step back from the edge, momentarily afraid. Yusuke's eyes widen, deciding if he should approach to comfort me. I decide no, he should not. Ann goes after Akira, then Morgana, and when the first stone opens up, I hop onto it. It rumbles a bit beneath me, but it's done that for everyone else too.

Ryuji behind me, I hop onto the second platform and wait for Ann to jump. She levels herself on the stone and then leaps to the end. "You got it, Y/N?" It's a boy's voice, but I don't know which one, so I reply anyway. "Yeah!" I'm drowning in my adrenaline. I'm afraid of slipping, but I don't want to make a fool of myself. Heart thumping in my ears, feeling the blood rush around my body as I take the final leap. Time slows, and I've jumped higher than before. I take in everything around me. The stone wearing away, sand slipping through every crevice it can. Ann, Morgana and Akira look up at me as I come back down. I land feet first, and balance myself out before stepping. Everyone over here begins clapping, and Ann leans in to Akira to whisper something. He nods and stops clapping momentarily to push his glasses up and he shoots me a small smile in my direction. I return it as Ryuji finishes crossing, Makoto and Yusuke not too far behind.

We gather at a new set of stairs that extends further up into the depths of the pyramid. Ann starts off the dialogue. "Those stairs go pretty far."

"There're way too goddamn many..." Ryuji sets in for defeat.

"Don't ask for too much. You should be happy we're not being attacked as we ascend." Morgana stops and takes a deep breath, and his eyes become stars. "More importantly, I can totally sense the Treasure ahead. We're getting pretty close now!"

"These stairs seem to be headed into the heart of the pyramid. I wonder if that's where the Treasure waits..." Makoto retreats back into her head to draw conclusions and make observations. 

"Welp, time to keep climbin' then. Let's go." Ryuji motions up the stairs, and we begin ascending. Akira takes off running up the stairs, and I push myself up as many sets as I can before slowing down. There are several doors as we pass by, but I can't read the kanji above them as we go. Just like I miss what Ryuji and Ann tell Akira, but I think that's thief stuff I don't get to worry about. It seems I am wrong, as Makoto and Morgana have joined in as we climb, and I can pull their voices, I just don't want to eavesdrop. 

However, maybe halfway up, Akira skids to a halt. I thank the lucky stars and talk the last few steps slowly to see what's going on and cool myself down. What I see is definitely not expected, but I would've been surprised to see anything. A girl with bright orange hair, a snake halo and giant wiry glasses. She's paler than Yusuke and wears a formal Egyptian outfit. The top is made of beads and a skirt that falls down to the floor. She's shorter than me, it seems.

Ryuji steps forward and crosses his arms. "Hey, is this..."

"That's Futaba's Shadow. It isn't the real her." Morgana replies, turning around to shake his head at Ryuji.

"Oh yeah, you've seen her face. True. This one's kinda dressed like a queen." 

"So you're Futaba Sakura..." Makoto starts.

Shadow Futaba lets out a heavy sigh, one I didn't think it was possible to come from her. 

"Hey," Ryuji's now half a meter from her (1.5 feet if you don't know). "Where's the Treasure?"

"It doubtful that you wouldn't know where it is." Makoto adds, I'm unsure if it's to her thought ot Ryuji's. I think the latter.

"Hey, say something."

"Don't be like that." Ann warns Ryuji. It's a soft warning, not a 'you're in deep shit' warning. She steps forward and attempts to offer peace. "I'm sorry, Futaba-chan. It's okay, there's no need to be scared. So, can you tell us where your most treasured possession is?"

There's an annoyed huff to my right and crossed arms I know too well. "This is going nowhere."

Ryuji seconds the sigh. "Let's just leave her."

"Would you guys shut up for a bit!?" Ann's irritation has resurfaced, she stomps lightly.

"Those who plunder my tomb. Why have you come?" Futaba looks up and over at us.

We're all taken aback, stunned into a momentary silence until Ann breaks it. "She talked... but..."

"What're you sayin'? You want us to steal it, right?" Ryuji finishes with a scoff.

"If you believe you can steal it, then try as you might." 

"That's rather defiant sounding" Morgana steps in, his two bit.

"Perhaps this is that 'tsundere' thing where someone is harsh or sweet depending on the mood."
I mutter a 'Jesus, Yusuke' when he finishes.

"Considering the state that my Palace is in... There is no way that you can steal it."

"Creeping child!"

"You killed her!"

"You're a PLAGUE!" There are voices from inside, echoing from nowhere. I've heard these all before. I let out a low moan. My head is beginning to hurt.

"What are these voices?' Yusuke asks, so quietly no one hears him.

"Hurtful..." I whisper. My knees threaten to fall buckle, but I don't want to make a scene. 

"Murderer!"

"Why won't you say something?!" It's those voices, echoing in and out. There's a sharp pain in my head as the other six carry on their conversation. Makoto say something, and the voices start again.

"You're the one who killed her!"

"It's your fault!" Shadow Futaba has fallen to the ground, and I think I'll join her.

"I know..." I whisper. I'm not starting to not be able to breathe. I can't.

"This is horrible," Ann sighs.

Ryuji's eyes widen as he says something. Something about figuring out what one thing is.

"Don't come near me!"

"You'd better say something!"

"It's all your fault!"

"Murderer!"

"That's right. I did it." Futaba sighs and earns herself several confused looks.

"What?" Ryuji's a dipshit, even when my head won't stop hurting. My brain is trying to escape; break free.

"I am the one who killed my mother" Futaba says. After that, there's a wail from above us and the ground begins to shake. Just as it did all those years ago.

I hit the ground, my knees scraping the stone and I let out a cry. Shadow Futaba disappears and everyone turns to the stairwell. Where I am.

"My, my Y/N. It seems you can no longer avoid the inevitable. You're not the only one sinking in a boat of guilt. You know deep down it wasn't you who killed them, why take the blame?"

"Oh my God, Joker... It's happening!" I think it's Morgana, I don't know, I don't know.

The pain from before is sharper, more terrible. 

"It was put on me! I could take it!" I cry back. I don't know if anyone else hears the voice or if it's me.

The pain is fiercer as the woman in my head speaks again, her tone hard but understanding. "Are you going to change the way you're perceived?"

I let out a louder groan, and everyone takes a step back. Someone with the dark blue hair looks terrified. They all look terrified. People I know, people watching me through this pain.

"Yes." My pain becomes more violent, but I understand. I know what this is.

"Very well. I'll lend you my power in exchange for your soul. Do you accept?"

"Of course." I stand up straight, and the woman who speaks to me repeats six words the others know by heart.

"I am thou. Thou art I. Allow us to ensure we stand up for what's right."

"Right." I tear this red and white mask off. "Come, Mina!"

There's a red light that glows from behind me. I let out the most powerful scream my lungs will allow and my skin burns. Everything burns for a moment, and it stops. 

"Holy shit." Everyone choruses.

 I'll have to ask someone what the lady - Mina - looks like, but I can look down at myself and know this is not what I came in with. I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Now, I'm wearing a red and white blouse with black dress pants and matching heels. Motherfucker. I don't want to run in heels. My gloves are a creme color and I find an assortment of throwing knives on my right hip. 

The rumbling of the walls begin again and there's time for a conversation of an escape plan. There's no time; a giant ass boulder is rolling right toward us. 

"Shut up and go!" I cry. I touch my mask and tear it from my face to use some sort of magic. There's clear screen that appears for a second, and I find the closest thing to send Yusuke and his gang to the bottom of the stairwell.

"Mina!" I cry. Not even two seconds later, I'm the one up here facing the boulder. Everyone is down at the entry level. 

I don't have anything. Not a grappling hook or anything. I have throwing knives. But this won't get me anywhere. It's time for Y/N to think on her feet. Feet....

I jump back and turn, racing down as many flights of stairs I can. My heel might collapse beneath me, but there's a price to pay later. I have better stamina than I did; I can keep going. The stone threatens to slide beneath me, but I know I'm close to the bottom. There are cheers from not so far away. I'm only looking for one person though. The person who will take me back to Kosei, sit me down, and ask me where this came from. Ladies and gentlemen, Yusuke fucking Kitagawa everyone.

And there he is, at the bottom of the stairs, holding his arms out. They're calling for me. 

"I'm coming!" I call. 

I leap from the final set of stairs and land in the arms I wanted to. The arms I'll always want to land in.

Okay, so. Good morning, everyone. It's like 2 a.m. for me. I wrote the awakening. My computer is almost dead, but I wanted to congratulate everyone for reading 5500 words. I also wanted to do a quick explanation. Your Persona is Mina Harker from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Long story short, she was bitten by Dracula and led her team (in her trance) to find Dracula. 

I also want to address the inclusion of back story. It's coming. I promise. And no, you're not related to Futaba. You'll be related to one of these characters soon, just not now.

As for the outfit. I know some of you may have OC's with Personas and something like that. If you want to put that in, go for it. But otherwise the code name is coming. More plot later. 

I know I sound passive aggressive and all, I'm tired. Anyway, enjoy! Thanks for reading!