[This chapter has been edited 12/20/2015]

Even if my wings turn black from all the dust
Just to reach that place

I wouldn't mind at all

Despite all these hardships and failures for the sake of my dreams
I show in my face that everything's fine and call them "happiness"
If it takes the long route just to make you smile
I act like I'm all right, and call it "happiness"
I know I'm just pretending, but in some ways, I do mean it
So even when things are difficult, I was always smiling
Till that day...

Once I realize my dream
I will come for you

That promise is what keeps me going

- KIMI WO TSURETE IKU ("Taking You With Me"), sung by Abe Asami

March 31, 2010
Desert of Doors

Shinjiro led Ken, Yukari and Red Hawk down the stairs into the Desert of Doors.

"Before we go on, I just wanted to know one thing. Red Hawk?"

"What is it, sensei?"

"Just how far out does the desert go?" No matter how much he squinted, Shinjiro couldn't make out anything beyond the horizon. It truly was like an endless stretch of sand that went on and on.

"Farther than you can imagine," Red Hawk answered quietly. "It's very dangerous, even with a full investigation party. The first time the Abyss of Time began to expand, I tried to see how much distance I could cover. I almost didn't make it back alive. If Feather Condor hadn't been there..."

"Hn, whatever. We really should be focusing on the Doors in front of us anyways. But just in case... Fuuka? What do you see?"

"I'm sorry, Shinjiro-senpai. Juno's power isn't what it used to be, so I can only probe up to a certain point," Fuuka admitted. "Although I don't recommend going out there, either."

"Senpai, look over there!" Yukari cried out suddenly, pointing.

Just ahead of them, a clear crystal butterfly fluttered around a bit, and flew right into the first door.

"W-what was that?" Fuuka gasped. "It just went through the door, right? For a moment, I sensed something. A human presence…."

"A human presence?" Ken repeated quizzically. "All we saw was that butterfly."

"Well, I only sensed it briefly. But it's gone now."

Red Hawk glanced up significantly. "The door that the butterfly just entered… it's the door we need to enter. This isn't a coincidence."

Ken, Yukari and Shinjiro exchanged resolved glances. This was it. They were going to dive headfirst into a truly unknown area, with a guide that they couldn't fully trust. But they had no other choice; if they wanted to find a solution to their list of problems, they had to move forward.

"I'll give you everything I have to support you in there, so… Shinjiro-senpai, if you're ready, let's go!" Fuuka cried.

Shinjiro walked up to the door, placed a steady hand on it and gave it a hard shove. A bright light enveloped them-

.

.

March 31, 2010
Abyss of Time
Malebolge

When the light vanished, Shinjiro and the others found themselves standing in what looked like a normal room. The walls and ceiling were made of marble, and the floor beneath his booted feet was covered with a rough, red and brown carpet that stretched wall-to-wall. Shinjiro spotted a big wooden door at the other end of the room.

"Is this it, Fuuka?" Shinjiro asked. Next to him, Yukari held her bow at the ready, but she was shivering slightly. Nearby, Ken looked equally tense. Red Hawk's face was hidden by his helmet, but he stood rigidly, on the lookout for any hidden enemies.

"Yes," Fuuka's voice echoed back in reply. "It feels like an ordinary building inside… Everyone, I'm going to take a quick look at what the interior is like."

"Malebolge is the plane where I make my living," Red Hawk explained while Fuuka worked. "It's gotten much larger than before, but I'm confident I can lead you guys to the Skyforce Base just fine."

"Yes!" Ken was thrilled at the prospect, momentarily forgetting to act like an adult.

"But this is also where Black Condor hangs out, right?" Shinjiro pointed out. "We need to be ready for anything. He could be setting up an ambush."

…It's like Tartarus all over again, Yukari thought wistfully, sadly.

Earlier, she had mixed feelings when Shinjiro picked her to join the initial investigation. It was her duty as a member of SEES to provide any support she could, and she was always happy to do so – she had special pride in being the team's main "healer", and never hesitated to use her healing gifts to help her friends. To support their leader.

Inwardly, Yukari's view of Shinjiro didn't change. Shinjiro-senpai was still Shinjiro-senpai, even though he had been assigned the role of field leader. She didn't have anything against him, but to Yukari, no one on earth could replace her as the leader.

Yukari snuck a quick peek at her axe-wielding senpai, who quietly listened to Red Hawk and Ken's animated conversation as he waited for Fuuka's update. Frankly, she was in awe of his newly acquired power. She was amazed… and something else. If asked to describe it, she would say she was angry, gut-sick… almost murderous. What was this ugly feeling? Even she didn't know.

"Everyone!" Fuuka warned. "I'm sensing multiple hostile entities! It's the Shadows! Please take your battle positions! There's a group of them waiting right outside the room you're currently in!"

Yukari automatically moved directly behind Shinjiro, her bow at the ready. Ken and Red Hawk positioned themselves on Shinjiro's right and left, respectively. Shinjiro led the group to the door and paused in front of it.

"On three… Red Hawk and I will kick this door down to stun them. Yukari, be ready to shoot down any flying enemies. Ken, go for the smaller ones first."

Yukari carefully aimed an arrow at the door and stepped back a notch, so she could take out potential moving targets easier. Ken crouched into his battle stance, twirling his spear impatiently. Red Hawk stepped forward and stood next to Shinjiro, who began to count.

"One… two…"

In a sudden flash, the true meaning behind Yukari's ill feelings toward her senpai became clear.

She was jealous of him.

"Three!"

The door was kicked open, and Yukari 's thoughts scattered as the battle was met.

Her arrow swooped towards the closest enemy, straight and true.

.

.

"Five Shadows of the Magician Arcana! They're Maya-types, so they aren't very fast!" Fuuka's rapid-fire analysis of the hostiles was barely heard over the other-worldly growls of the Shadows as they attacked.

Ken already had his Evoker out before Shinjiro could say anything. "Let's end this in one go! Kala-Nemi!"

"Move out the way!" Shinjiro shouted. Him, Red Hawk and Yukari immediately broke formation to scatter before the circle of instant-death surrounded them, too. In seconds, two of the Mayas had been disintegrated.

"Watch out!" Fuuka cried.

"Wah!" Yukari was caught off guard by one of the remaining Shadows that had escaped Ken's light attack. "Isis!"

"No, wait!" Shinjiro protested vehemently, but he was too late.

The powerful wind spell managed to blow the Maya away, but Yukari had been standing too close and thus she had ended up catching herself in her own attack.

"Finishing Strike: Phoenix Punch!" With a mighty bellow, Red Hawk zoomed towards the Maya that had targeted Yukari, his fist bringing it into a world of hurt. It gurgled and flopped to the carpet like a runny egg, completely stunned. To everybody else's growing awe, Red Hawk made short work of the remaining two Shadow blobs as well with his whirlwind punches and kicks. "Raah! Hyah! Take this! And this!"

"Red Hawk is so COOL!" Ken cheered.

"So he wasn't kidding when he claimed to be a black belt. Good to know," Shinjiro muttered. He was impressed with the display of power, but he was also mortified by how loud and enthusiastic Red Hawk was mid-battle. It was like dealing with a second battle-crazy Akihiko, and frankly, he was starting to feel fatigued just thinking about it.

"H-he did it! All enemies are down!" Fuuka stammered.

"Sensei! It's time to bring them to justice!" Red Hawk cried, pointing dramatically. Yukari and Ken appeared equally fired up.

"Alright, let's do this!" Shinjiro relented. Everybody was ready, so what the hey? "It's time to kick some ass!"

And yet, despite their best efforts to destroy the enemy with their all out attack, one Maya remained. It was struggling to stay upright, but its Magician mask was grinning wildly. It shifted its unblinking yellow eyes from Ken, to Red Hawk, to Yukari, and finally landed on Shinjiro.

"The hell?!" Just as Shinjiro thought about using his Persona's skills, a line of cards appeared in his vision, distracting him. There were six of them, and each had an image of some person, animal or another. They swirled around lazily, making it difficult to focus on a specific card.

"Shinjiro-senpai, look out!"

At Fuuka's shrill warning, Shinjiro just mentally chose one card at random. All at once, the cards vanished save for the one he'd picked. The card's face showed the image of an angel holding a scepter. A name he'd never known before whispered at the back of his mind as he pointed his Evoker up to his temple.

The Maya lunged straight for his legs, intent on crushing them.

"Principality!"

The sound of breaking glass was heard, and Shinjiro could feel his body humming with power he'd never had before. Principality rose up from the ether, wings spread and scepter aloft. A single bright beam of light shot out like an arrow, and the Maya jumped right into it. Red Hawk was upon the stunned Shadow in an instant, his fist connecting with its mask, causing it to burst into nothingness.

And then there was only silence.

Yukari slumped to the ground a second later. Her clothes were rumpled and torn from her ill-advised Garu attack, but otherwise she was unharmed. "My rhythm is seriously off," she moaned. "Ugh, why did I use a wind attack at close range?! I'm so stupid...!"

"I'm sorry for using Hama while everybody was still grouped up together," Ken said sheepishly, looking down at his feet. "I-I was really focused on taking down the enemy as soon as I could..."

Shinjiro sighed. "It's our first battle together in a while. I wasn't expecting us to do a bang-up job on the first try. All we can do is remember our mistakes and keep going. If anything, I'm to blame for how disorganized we are."

"But you guys made it through the first battle without sustaining any serious damage, so I think you guys did really great!" Fuuka insisted. "And Shinjiro-senpai, you are doing really great too! You can already use multiple Personas with ease!"

Red Hawk had remained oddly quiet after the battle had ended, but now he spoke up. "From what I understood, you only recently gained the Wild Card ability. How are you holding up, sensei?"

"...'Sensei'?" Yukari echoed, confused by the nickname.

"Ask me again after a couple more battles." In actuality, Shinjiro still wasn't feeling so hot about this new ability. He could barely control Castor these past few years; never mind using his Persona in battle, simply living day by day while enduring the pain his Persona wrecked on his body had been a challenge. How exactly was he supposed to handle more than one?

"Shinjiro-senpai?"

Ken and Red Hawk were slowly walking ahead, chatting amiably. Shinjiro took a moment to smirk at the sight of the hero and his fanboy before turning his attention to Yukari. "Yeah?"

"What's it like, having multiple Personas?" She asked, biting her lip.

Shinjiro had to think about it. "Confusing as hell. Definitely not a walk in the park." Especially if he had to deal with spinning cards again; that, he was not expecting. Was that how it was for her? She didn't seem to be fumbling in his memories of investigating Tartarus with her. Maybe she was used to it? Or maybe she was just as confused as he was, but she kept it to herself.

"Oh." Yukari looked like she wanted to say something else, but Shinjiro was not the kind of person who pried into other people's business. He was willing to hear her out though, which was why he did not pick up the pace of his walk. Giving her time to form the words.

In the end, she gave up and hurried to catch up to Ken and Red Hawk, throwing a mumbled "nevermind, sorry" over her shoulder at him.

.

.

The battles that followed were markedly better than their first one. Still, they needed to pace themselves, so Shinjiro suggested that they take a break when they reached about halfway. The rest of the team wearily agreed with him.

"This Abyss of Time is way bigger than I thought," Yukari admitted while attempting to massage her strained shoulder. Ken was sitting to her left, his spear laid out on the floor in front of him. He perked up at the mention of his hero. "Geez, Red Hawk isn't even using a Persona, and his punches can hit the Shadows even from a distance. How does he do it?"

"Red Hawk has always been that strong," Ken was quick to explain to her. "He was the first to get exposed to the Birdonic Waves which resulted in his powers. In the original series, he had to recruit the other members because they weren't members of the Skyforce."

"O-okay?"

"But now that you mention it, I also think it's amazing that Red Hawk doesn't need a Persona to defeat the Shadows. That must mean he's adept at fighting them, right?"

"Did you call for me?" Shinjiro and Red Hawk finally returned from their quick scouting of the hallways up ahead. Surprisingly, even though they had been fighting and exploring for at least two hours straight, Shinjiro himself didn't look fatigued in the slightest despite having been attacked directly a couple of times himself. Either that, or he was very good at hiding his pain. "If you have any questions, I can try to answer them," Red Hawk offered.

"Oh, um. Red Hawk, why don't you use your Persona when we fight the Shadows?" Ken asked bluntly.

"Persona? You're talking about that power you all wield, right? I don't have one."

"W-what? But the only thing that can harm the Shadows are our Personas, right?" Yukari protested.

"I can confirm that Red Hawk is telling the truth. He told me as much, before you began your investigation," Fuuka interjected. "It looks like there are a lot of things about Shadows and Personas that we really don't know yet. Although I don't believe Mitsuru-senpai was lying when she claimed that only Personas could harm the Shadows."

"...This isn't really the time or place to talk about this," Shinjiro spoke, interrupting the thoughtful silence that had descended upon the group. "Are you two rested up enough? I spotted a couple more Shadows crawling around, but the path to the stairs is free. This is our best chance to move."

Ken and Yukari apologized immediately, and Shinjiro frowned.

"You guys just keep saying sorry, over and over. Fuuka, too. Am I that overbearin'?"

Ken quickly shook his head. "It's not like that, Shinjiro-san! When she was our field leader, she always had specific orders for us and she insisted that we follow them. What I mean is, you're not a bad field leader at all. We're still getting used to being allowed to act freely in combat beyond the basic orders you give us."

In that one month of fighting in Tartarus that Shinjiro could remember from last year, she was indeed very controlling of their actions in combat. He'd often get into small arguments with her about his decisions in the heat of battle, but as long as he showed results, she'd never pressed him too hard. The other members of SEES however had relied on her orders a bit too much in his opinion.

"Hey, senpai? I noticed that you didn't get to heal yourself up after that last battle... do you want me to take care of that for you?" Yukari asked as they prepared to move on.

Shinjiro paused, considering. He had been knocked down a couple times, and had been on the receiving end of a wind attack but he wasn't feeling particularly tired or hurt. "I'm fine, thanks."

And so, their push through Malebolge resumed.

.

.

March 31, 2010
Dorm Lounge, Kitchen Area

Lament death.

There is no shame in mourning.

If death is inevitable, and strife fosters it,

then hate fighting.

Accept death, and quell the fighting.

After reading those first cryptic lines at the top of the page, Akihiko skipped ahead several paragraphs. If he forced himself to read the passage in its entirety, he knew he'd go crazy from trying to make heads or tails of it all.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the monstrous amount of documents to sift through on the table, which was precariously tilting over to one side. Reading through Ikutsuki's babble about the teachings of the Fall and the 'folly of mankind' was plumb wearing him out. They were all complete riddles, and he had a difficult time skimming over everything for the most important parts.

"You're angry." Mitsuru's dry statement was just that – a statement. It was not a question. And it was directed at her silent companion.

"…What was you're first clue?"

"You haven't made a single insult about the way I work since Shinjiro and the others have left."

How many hours had passed since Shinjiro led his team into the Abyss? Akihiko had no way of telling the time anymore… the only thing that could tell them that a day had passed was the time skips. He gave Mitsuru a retired look. "Since when have I ever insulted the way you work?"

"Just about every time you agree to help me gather information. Don't you remember? Just a few weeks ago, you commented my worktable reminded you of the cave from the story Alibaba & the 40 Thieves."

"You have a point," Akihiko conceded, but failed miserably at looking contrite. "To answer your first question, no, I'm not angry. I'm just not in the mood for clever conversation right now."

"Well, Akihiko, I am aware of the fact that I can never be up to par with her when it comes to listening and understanding people, but I will endeavor to learn." She looked him squarely in the eye. "Tell me, Akihiko… are you familiar with the Kirijo Group's main guiding principle?"

"No idea," he replied uncertainly, not sure where she was going with this.

"The principle states that 'two in harmony surpasses one in perfection'," Mitsuru told him, setting down the journal she was reading through. "My father often told me not to try so hard by myself, to learn how to rely on others. When we went to my summer home in Yakushima last July, he reminded me of this, as usual, and as ignorant as I was back then, I never fully comprehended what he was trying to tell me. I could only think of my own selfish wishes. All this time I thought it was my duty to free him from the web of guilt he'd willingly walked into."

"Mitsuru…"

"When that cretin Ikutsuki first approached me ten years ago and told me the only way I could help my father and the Group was to become a Persona-user, I foolishly believed in him and gave him my full support… I underwent painful, arduous tests and took countless amounts of drugs that were supposed to 'help' me summon my Persona…."

Mitsuru took a shaky breath and looked down at her lap. She continued, "Out of all the members of the Group who were proud of me, my own father, the one person I sacrificed my innocent childhood days for, was upset by the path I had taken. His displeasure hurt me, but I couldn't turn back. Not when my 'gifts' had the potential to save lives.

"I kept telling my self over and over that every sacrifice I made was worth the day I saw my father become a free man. And I suppose I was somewhat angry at him for not acknowledging my power. I was angry at him for not understanding my feelings."

She smiled sadly. "The real irony was that I constantly demanded him to understand me, but not once did I try to understand him. Not once did I try to put myself in his shoes - not as the CEO of the Group, but as a man torn between his business obligations and his parental love for me, his only daughter. I had only begun to understand him when I opened up to Yukari and our leader."

"Why are you suddenly telling me all this?" Akihiko asked at last.

"Because you're making the exact same mistakes I made last year," Mitsuru replied solemnly. "…'Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection'… now I truly understand the meaning behind those words. My father was right: 'there are some things in this world that cannot be accomplished alone, no matter how many sacrifices you make'. I've learned my lesson, so now it's your turn.

"Akihiko, there's no doubt you've matured dramatically this past year, but there is no need for you to face everything alone. Shinjiro and I, and everyone else is here for each other. If you have a problem, open up to us, and we can find a solution. All of us, together."

From now on, we'll always have each other.

Akihiko bolted out of his seat so fast the stool fell over backward with a crash. His mind had abruptly remembered his exact words to her the day he gave her that stuffed rabbit doll as a present.

Why? Why was he reacting this way? Why was his own mind betraying him like this? He swore that he'd face everything head on, without looking back… with no regrets….

Mitsuru's words were beautiful – he wanted her to help him. But he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. The pain was too unbearable.

"Akihiko?" Mitsuru stood up from her chair as well, obviously worried about his well being. She clasped his shoulder, called his name, but he didn't even notice her efforts to calm him.

All he could see was her.

The day after she fell asleep, they had called in a doctor. His final report had shocked Akihiko – everyone - to the core: she was dying.

No one said a word. It was all so hard to swallow. Their field leader, their teammate, their friend, their pillar of strength.

She was dying.

The doctor predicted she had two months left in a comatose state at most. The SEES members knew it was even less. And Akihiko had felt those old, unwelcoming feelings return: the guilt, the helplessness, the powerlessness, all of it.

Then, all of a sudden, he was forced to back to the way things were when Dark Hour still existed, forced to remember the past he was trying so hard to break free from. And as if that wasn't enough, Shinjiro….

Shinjiro gained her power.

Maybe the boxer subconsciously believed that everything would be alright. That one day, she would awaken and things would go back to the way it was before. But seeing Shinjiro with her power was like reality weaving through his defenses and giving him a right hook to the face, telling him that her death was inevitable and he'd have to lose something precious to him again despite all of his efforts to the contrary.

Before he knew what he was doing, he had hissed out to a worried Mitsuru the one question that had tortured his every breathing moment since coming to the dorm.

"Why did Shinji awaken to her power?"

Mitsuru was at a loss for words. Of course, she had some insight as to what the silver-haired boxer was going through, but she never imagined it was to this extent. She had believed that she could be there for him as his comrade, and maybe his friend, but she was wrong. His obsession with power ran deeper into his soul than she could comprehend.

Akihiko slammed his fist on the wooden counter. Hard. The stack of documents finally gave in to gravity and toppled to the floor. To Mitsuru's shock, Caesar flickered ominously for a split second overhead.

It was at that very moment Junpei chose to burst unto the scene with Koromaru. "Hey, Mitsuru-senpai, what's goin' on?" He stopped short when he saw Akihiko apparently hunched over the counter, resting his head on the smooth wood. "W-whoa! Is Akihiko-senpai alright?"

Koromaru whimpered and trotted up to the boxer. He nudged his legs and whined, trying to comfort him.

Before Mitsuru could answer him (and really, what could she possibly answer him? She wondered briefly) Fuuka's voice intruded into the conversation.

"Guys, they've made it! They've reached the bottom!" Was her happy announcement. "Shinjiro-senpai was able to open a shortcut… we need to head on down!" More timidly, she asked, "Um… Mitsuru-senpai, did something happen?"

"Let's leave that for later, Fuuka – right now we've got something more important to do," Akihiko said suddenly, straightening. His abrupt comeback momentarily stunned Mitsuru, who was sincerely anxious about his emotional stability.

But then she relaxed and said, "Roger. We'll be heading there now."

Junpei punched the air with his fist. "Alright!" He cheered. He turned to the dog. "Did you hear that, boy? They've found something! I knew they could do it!" Koromaru joined in and barked happily.

A thought occurred to Mitsuru. She turned to him. "By the way, Iori; where have you been all this time?"

Junpei gulped and scratched his head nervously. "Uh, oh crap! Shinjiro-senpai and the others are waiting for us, right? They must be getting tired of waiting, eheheheh… Umm, I'llbegoingnowokaybye!" Junpei said that last part so fast Mitsuru barely understood him. But before she could press him, he was gone, with Koromaru trailing closely and faithfully behind.

She sighed and turned back to the boxer. "Akihiko-"

He waved her off and began walking quickly towards the trapdoor. "I'm fine, don't worry," he assured. He disappeared down the stairs. "Hurry up or you'll be left behind!" He hollered at her from somewhere down below.

"Don't worry"? Mitsuru thought. …Akihiko, I'm already worried.

Mitsuru always trusted her gut instincts when all the available data didn't help. And right now, her gut feelings were telling her that Akihiko was planning to confront Shinjiro sometime in the near future.

About the past, the present, the future. The fighting. The friendship. The unspoken feelings.

Misturu had failed to connect with Akihiko, and she was afraid that he would continue to hide himself away, smother his feelings, until it was too late. How on earth did she manage to convince Akihiko to open up?

.

.

Abyss of Time
Malebolge, Lowest level

The very bottom of Malebolge was a kind of cross-shaped platform floating over what looked like an endless abyss. A waterfall of sand poured down from somewhere so high up, Shinjiro couldn't see, roaring loudly as it descended into the shadows. There was a familiar neon-colored teleporter to the west, just like the ones found in Tartarus, and a huge door looming in the north. There wasn't much to see except the door, so that must've been what they were meant to find in this area.

"Careful!" Red Hawk grabbed Ken's shoulder and hauled him backwards just as a spray of falling sand crashed onto the exact spot he had been standing before. "If you allow yourself to be swept away by the sand streams, who knows where you'll end up!"

Ken gulped, staring at the sand stream in question. "As long as we keep an eye out, we'll be okay, right? ...Right."

Once they were certain that Ken was safe, the group focused their attention back to the matter at hand.

"So this is it? Your secret base?" Shinjiro walked up to the teleporter and activated it before facing the door. He didn't move to open it, though.

Red Hawk gave his confirmation, and Fuuka spoke up at once. "Shinjiro-san, I'll contact the others immediately. Do you want to wait for them to arrive before entering?"

Shinjiro knew that if he went on ahead without waiting for the other members, it was a clear sign that he trusted Red Hawk. By entering the Skyforce Base with only the four of them, he was saying that he trusted their mysterious guide to not have any traps laid out for them beforehand.

He turned around. "What do you guys think?"

Surprisingly, Ken was the hesitant one.

Yukari just shrugged. "I think we should just go in."

Shinjiro arched an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"There's no point in wondering when it's staring us in the face."

Red Hawk was silent.

Shinjiro made his decision. "Fuuka, we're going on ahead."

.

.

Abyss of Time
Skyforce Base, Rope Bridge

Shinjiro was not expecting to see the clear blue sky as he emerged on the other side. Wherever the Door led, the air was crisp compared to the heaviness of the Abyss, and the sun was shining down cheerfully on them from high above. He didn't even realize that he'd come to a halt until Yukari tapped his shoulder. He swiftly stepped out of the door so the others could pass through.

"What in the world?" Yukari blurted out. "Did we escape the Abyss of Time somehow?"

"This is actually the entrance to the Feathermen's Skyforce Base. Or the Treehouse, whichever name you prefer."

Red Hawk was completely in his element. He alone was still walking, taking point on the wide rope bridge that stretched out from the floating platform where the rest of them were standing, towards the sprawling modern structure at the other end. The others hurried after him. Shinjiro marveled at how steady the bridge was before realizing that whatever power held it still was most likely related to the Abyss.

"Is that a cherry blossom tree? It's beautiful." True to Ken's words, the 'Treehouse' seemed to have been built upon the branches of a colossal sakura tree. The petals were in full bloom, and the tree itself was so tall it was impossible to see the ground below. The occasional cloud puff passed them by. The closer they got, the bigger the Skyforce Base appeared to be.

"There's somebody standing at the other end of the bridge," Red Hawk observed, slowing his pace. The rest of the party was immediately alert.

The man in blue was vaguely familiar to Shinjiro. He executed a perfect bow as they approached.

Red Hawk was the first to speak. "Identify yourself, intruder!"

"I'm terribly sorry for the disturbance. My name is Theodore, and I have been waiting here for quite some time for Master Shinjiro to arrive."

"'Master Shinjiro'...? Senpai, who is this guy?" Yukari looked to Shinjiro for an answer.

Shinjiro narrowed his eyes. Bits and pieces of that first meeting, which had been buried underneath the memory of Black Condor's attack, were slowly returning to the forefront of his mind. "I met you in the Velvet Room. And you said that I had the Wild Card ability."

Theodore smiled. "That is correct. And because you are now an important guest of the Velvet Room, it is my duty to aid you in your journey."

Red Hawk was fidgeting slightly. "...Sensei. Can we trust him?"

The Featherman did not know who Theodore was. Yukari and Ken were equally in the dark. Only Shinjiro himself could make the call. He settled on a compromise. "So you wanna help us?"

"You plan to conduct an extended investigation into secrets of the Abyss of Time, but this task would be very difficult without the proper equipment, yes?"

"He has a good point," Ken reluctantly agreed.

"Never fear, Master Shinjiro. With my techniques, and the proper materials, I could craft whatever you may need. More importantly, I am here to aid you in honing your Wild Card ability to the fullest. ...I will go into further detail on the matter later. But my Persona-related services are the same ones our previous guest used as well. Of course, I am referring to your precious friend. The one who now lies between then and now."

The same services she had used? Shinjiro still wasn't sure what to make of Theodore at this point, and it was obvious that the others felt the same way. Red Hawk was still fidgeting under Theodore's uncanny yellow gaze, and the trio exchanged glances. Yukari lowered her weapon.

"Senpai, if he's offering to help us out then I think we have nothing to lose by accepting."

Ken was nearly convinced. "Uhh. Maybe we should wait for the others to arrive before making a decision?" He suggested.

Suddenly, the tall double doors behind Theodore slammed open, shattering the tension like a hammer.

"Hey! Theo! I told you to get me something sweet!" Complained the unknown girl. To the confusion of all those watching, she marched right up to Theodore's elegant presence and jabbed him in the chest with a pen, making him splutter. "I've been waiting for you for ages! What are y- huh?"

She stared at the team, apparently shocked that they were there. Shinjiro could feel her stare trained specifically on himself for some reason. Theodore hastily introduced them to each other. "My deepest apologies, Master Shinjiro. Miss Marie is also a resident of the Velvet Room, and she is also here to aid you and your friends in your journey."

Marie threw her hands up in the air. "Why are you talking to them out here? Couldn't you have let them inside first?"

"W-well, when I sensed their arrival, I wanted to greet them immediately and hurried over."

"You guys always nag me to be polite, but at least I have the decency to not make them stand outside in the sun! Hey, what are you guys waiting for? A royal welcome? Hurry up!" That parting shot had been directed to Shinjiro and the others.

Marie marched back inside the Treehouse without waiting for a response, and Theo shook his head. "P-please forgive Miss Marie for her rash behavior. She means well, and is a lady of refined tastes!"

Shinjiro reached up and cracked his neck. "She's got a point. Let's move this inside the Treehouse, guys."

.

.

Abyss of Time
Skyforce Base, Mess Hall

Red Hawk took Shinjiro and the others on a tour through the Skyforce Base, pointing out various amenities and places of interest. Theodore immediately got down to making himself at home at the Laboratory, saying that he needed to "prepare the room". Ken had seemed very interested in the Garage, but dutifully followed Red Hawk away from the area when prompted. Mid-tour, they found Marie loitering in the Trophy Room with an open notebook and a look of extreme concentration on her face and left her to her own devices for now.

When they got to the Mess Hall, they were overjoyed to see the kitchen fully stocked.

"And that concludes the tour of the Treehouse." Red Hawk seemed to be doing much better now that Theodore wasn't present, Shinjiro noted. "Do you have any questions?"

"Can we really use this place?" Yukari wondered. "It's almost too good to be true."

"Of course you may. I want you all to stay safe during your investigation."

"Are you okay, Shinjiro-san?" Ken was the first to notice how dazed the senior seemed to be. "Maybe we should take a break while we wait for the others to arrive."

Shinjiro blinked. "I'm fine."

More than fine, actually. Just walking around the Skyforce Base was threatening to put a nostalgic smile on his face. When Shinjiro was a kid, he had a "secret base" of his own, and it was also a tree house. It wasn't like this, obviously, but at the time it was his whole world until-

"Heeey! Guys!"

Junpei came barreling into the Mess Hall with Koromaru at his heels. "This place is sweet! Man, it's even better than I imagined!"

Fuuka, Mitsuru and Akihiko followed shortly after.

"I was not expecting to be welcomed at the entrance," Mitsuru said, gesturing to Theodore who arrived last. "Nor was I expecting a modern structure inside the Abyss of Time. You are full of surprises, Red Hawk."

"Oh, Theodore was already here when we arrived. Red Hawk doesn't know him," Yukari said.

After explaining the situation with Theodore and Marie to the others, Mitsuru was even more intrigued. "You have the ability to craft weapons and armor? That will certainly be helpful."

"There should be food enough for all of us," Shinjiro added. "There's also medicine, and other supplies. Coming here was a good idea."

"If only there was an easier way to travel between the Treehouse and the dorm," Ken pointed out. "That would solve our most immediate problems."

"That can be arranged. Please follow me to the back of the Mess Hall, everyone."

Red Hawk led them to a large, familiar door. It towered above them imposingly, and they could feel a strange power emanating from it.

"This is a Door, just like the one we found at Malebolge's lowest level!" Fuuka exclaimed.

Red Hawk nodded. "The Door we used to come here is connected to Malebolge, but this one can be used as a shortcut to your dorm if you wish. Unfortunately, it could only opened from this side so I wouldn't be able to bring you here directly even if I wanted to."

"Can we really use this Door to get to the dorm?" Yukari asked.

Once again, Red Hawk showed an uncanny amount of understanding behind the workings of the Abyss. "That is correct. Within the Abyss of Time, the Doors reflect the minds of those who enter them."

FREE TIME

(You are playing as Shinjiro. Since you can now travel between the dorm and the Skyforce Base, you decide to explore Red Hawk's home a bit. First you travel south from the Mess Hall to where the Garage and the Basement are located. Both Mitsuru and Red Hawk are here.)

Red Hawk: Divine! Adventurous! Courageous! Rushing at mach-speed, Feather Hawk! Reporting for duty!

He strikes a heroic pose. You secretly feel embarrassed just watching him.

Red Hawk: Is the kitchen to your liking, sensei? Do you have any questions about the Treehouse, perhaps?

.o.

Theodore?
Mess Hall?
Marie?
Garage?
No, I'm good

.o.

Red Hawk: That strange man in blue said he would be setting up shop in the Laboratory. Once he's finished prepping, we need to commission some new gear ASAP so we can continue our investigation of the Abyss of Time in full force!

.o.

Theodore?
Mess Hall?
Marie?
Garage?
No, I'm good

.o.

Red Hawk: You can use the kitchen anytime you like, sensei! I'm not much of a chef, but Feather Condor was very skilled. He's so good, I felt completely energized after eating his cooking! He's the reason why the kitchen is fully stocked.

.o.

Theodore?
Mess Hall?
Marie?
Garage?
No, I'm good

.o.

Red Hawk: She likes staying at the Trophy Room, even though I told her it was off limits to non-Feathermen. Oh well. As long as she doesn't break anything, it should be okay! Which reminds me, she told me to tell you that she needed to talk to you...

.o.

Theodore?
Mess Hall?
Marie?
Garage?
No, I'm good

.o.

Red Hawk: That's where the Feathermen Main Arsenal is located. Our weapons, our gadgets, and our vehicles are stored there when not in use. The problem is, the security password for the lock has been changed! Feather Condor was undoubtedly the one who did this. Until I get the password, I can't access my better gear... so I'll have to bear with it until then.

.o.

Theodore?
Mess Hall?
Marie?
Garage?
No, I'm good

.o.

Red Hawk: Alright. If you need anything else, I'll be right here sensei!

(Mitsuru on the other hand looks out of sorts.)

Mitsuru: You've done a splendid job leading the first foray into the Abyss of Time, Shinjiro. Keep up the good work. ...Hm? I am fine, why do you ask? Haha, you are very perceptive. But this isn't something you need to worry about for now. Although I promise to enlist your aid when such a time comes.

She seems troubled by something.

...You decide to leave her alone.

(You check the Garage door to better understand what Red Hawk is talking about.)

The door to the Garage area is locked. You can't go in.

The terminal next to the door is asking for a password, but you don't know what is.

(Next you check the Basement door.)

This is the door that leads to the Basement area.

...Strangely, the terminal next to the door is unresponsive.

?!

When you try to press the buttons, you quickly realize that the terminal has been frozen solid.

You don't think you can enter any time soon.

Red Hawk: I'm afraid that the Basement area is sealed off. Sorry, sensei.

(Since there's nothing else to do here, you return to the Mess Hall. This time, you head north to where the Laboratory and the Trophy room is located. Marie is standing impatiently in the hallway.)

Marie: Hey! Theodore told me that you were a pretty good cook. Is that true?

.o.

No, just average
Why do you wanna know?

.o.

Marie: Yeah, well. If you make anything, be sure to include a portion for me, too! That's all I wanted to tell you. See ya.

Marie went back inside the Trophy Room.

If you cook any dishes, maybe you should share it with her later...

(You enter the Laboratory to see how Theodore is faring. The Laboratory itself doesn't really look like what you had imagined.)

Theodore: Welcome, Master Shinjiro. As you can see, I'm nearly finished redecorating the place. Doesn't it remind you of the Velvet Room? Haha, that is because this Laboratory is now an extension of the Velvet Room.

(You leave him to it and make your way back to the Mess Hall, where everyone else is gathered. Akihiko and Yukari are sitting together at one of the tables. Fuuka, Junpei and Ken are seated at a different table, with Koromaru sitting underneath. You approach the pair first.)

Yukari: I feel tired, and we've only reached the first Door. How many more times are we going to do this?

Akihiko: As many more times as we need to. We can't stay stuck here forever.

Yukari: You're right... sorry, senpai. I guess I still haven't accepted the situation yet. I didn't give my all during the battle against Nyx just to start fighting Shadows all over again. But there's no point in dwelling on that when I need to concentrate on the here and now.

Akihiko: That's the spirit.

(Since Akihiko is doing an alright job of cheering up Yukari, you leave them alone and head over to the other table.)

Junpei: I always enjoyed the old school stuff like Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. Seriously, this secret base rocks!

Koromaru: Arf!

Ken: Aigis-san isn't here to translate, but I get the feeling that Koromaru really likes this place, too.

(Fuuka is the only one who isn't talking to anyone, so you talk to her.)

Fuuka: Shinjiro-senpai, I've finished compiling all the data of your battles in Malebolge. Are you ready to head back to the dorm?

.o.

Yes
No

.o.