...05/09/2009 Saturday; Dark Hour...
...FULL MOON OPERATION...
Junpei woke up, confused and disoriented.
His wrists were tied, restricting his movements, and he quickly noticed someone standing before him.
As his vision adjusted, he recognized the figure of Chidori, staring at the full moon, which gleamed with an eerie green hue during the Dark Hour.
"Chidori... why are you with the Strega?" Junpei asked, his voice filled with confusion and pain.
Chidori slowly turned, her expression as cold as the wind blowing around them.
"Thank you for telling me that you're part of S.E.E.S.," she replied, devoid of emotion.
Junpei could hardly believe what he was hearing. "But why are you trying to stop us? Everyone could die because of Tartarus and the Dark Hour!"
Chidori looked at him with indifference, as if his concern was meaningless.
"But can death be avoided?" Her voice was icy, reflecting the detachment she felt toward life.
"Huh?" Junpei was caught off guard by her response, unsure of how to react.
Chidori took a few steps forward, the intensity of her presence growing stronger.
"Everyone dies eventually. The Dark Hour just speeds up the process. But Takaya told me that death is nothing. It's just a sleep from which you never wake up."
She turned her gaze back to the full moon, her eyes glowing with an unnatural red light.
Behind her, the silhouette of Medea, her Persona, began to materialize, adding to the suffocating tension in the air.
Then, Chidori noticed something.
S.E.E.S. had successfully defeated the Shadow Arcana, and now they were rushing back to the dormitory.
"It seems they completed their mission," she said, her tone emotionless.
Junpei became even more confused. "What? How do you...?"
Chidori glanced at him, her crimson eyes glinting. "I saw through Medea's eyes," she stated matter-of-factly.
Junpei muttered under his breath, still trying to process everything. "Medea..."
Chidori placed a hand on her chest, lost in thought for a brief moment. "My... friend."
But she quickly shook her head. "That doesn't matter!"
Without warning, Chidori reached inside her dress and pulled out a small axe with an attached chain.
The blade gleamed under the moonlight as she swiftly grabbed Junpei's collar, pressing the sharp edge against his face.
"Why didn't you call them back? Is this mission really worth your lives?" Her voice carried a mix of anger and frustration. "Dying is what most people fear the most..."
Junpei, feeling the weight of guilt, murmured, "I don't give the orders..."
Chidori blinked in surprise and lowered the axe slightly, her brows furrowing in confusion. "What?"
"I'm not the leader of S.E.E.S.," Junpei admitted, looking away, unable to meet her gaze. "Kirijo-senpai... and Minato are."
The revelation caught her off guard, and for a moment, Chidori seemed lost in thought.
Her previously cold eyes now held a trace of sadness, disappointment. "So you... lied? But why...? I don't understand..."
Junpei finally looked at her, his eyes filled with deep sorrow. "Tell me... was everything you did just a lie? The cut on your hand, your drawings... Was it all just a setup?"
He glanced down, unable to hide the weight in his voice. "Now that I think about it... there's no way a wound like that could heal so fast."
Chidori watched Junpei's expression, and for the first time, she felt something unfamiliar stir within her chest.
She didn't understand why, but seeing his sadness... made her feel guilty?
It was a new, unsettling sensation. She hadn't lied.
The laughter she shared, the wound on her hand—it had all been real.
So why did she feel this way now?
"That was..." Chidori began, her voice faltering as she gazed at Junpei, just as confused as he was.
The rooftop door suddenly burst open, the loud crash echoing through the space.
Hiro had kicked it down, his voice ringing out. "Junpei!"
The S.E.E.S. team rushed onto the rooftop, forming up as Chidori turned with visible frustration, annoyed that she hadn't had more time.
Shinjiro was the first to recognize her, his gaze hardening instantly.
"You?!" he said in disbelief.
Akihiko, standing beside him, noticed Shinjiro's reaction. "You know her?"
Shinjiro narrowed his eyes. "Not just her. She's one of the Strega."
Chidori, visibly irritated, scoffed. "How did you get back so fast?"
Without hesitation, she pulled an Evoker from inside her dress, pressing it against her chin.
The team immediately tensed, Mitsuru gripping her rapier, her eyes locked onto their opponent.
"An Evoker? She's a Persona user too?!" Mitsuru exclaimed, keeping her guard up.
Chidori, her voice quiet and almost calm, closed her eyes. "Come, Medea..."
Before she could pull the trigger, Junpei, still tied up, made a sudden move—he lunged forward, tackling her to the ground.
The impact sent them both crashing down, and Chidori's Evoker slipped from her hand, sliding across the floor towards Yukari.
"Grab her Evoker!" Junpei shouted desperately.
Yukari, quick on her feet, slung her bow over her back and snatched the Evoker from the ground.
Chidori's eyes widened in panic as she struggled against Junpei's grip.
"No! Give her back!" she screamed, fighting desperately.
Her cries were frantic, almost as if she was losing a part of herself.
Akihiko took the Evoker from Yukari's hands and said almost indifferently, "Sorry. This stays with us."
Mitsuru let out a sigh of relief. "Aigis, restrain her. Hiro, help Iori."
Aigis nodded. "Affirmative."
Chidori, her eyes filled with despair, called out to her Persona. "MEDEA!"
But it was too late.
Chidori desperately tried to move forward to grab the Evoker, but Aigis held her firmly, pinning her to the ground.
As Hiro approached Junpei, he pulled out his kukri and cut the ropes binding his wrists.
"You good?" he asked, offering his hand.
Junpei rubbed his now-free wrists and grasped Hiro's hand. "Yeah. Thanks."
Meanwhile, Fuuka felt a shiver run down her spine.
A figure seemed to form over Chidori—but then vanished.
She finally sensed Chidori's presence through Lucia.
"I couldn't locate her before... Was she blocking me from finding Junpei-san?" Fuuka asked, still confused, rubbing her injured arm.
At that moment, Shuji Ikutsuki entered the rooftop, arms crossed, an intrigued expression on his face. "Most likely, her Persona is similar to yours, Yamagishi-kun."
Everyone turned toward the entrance, watching as Shuji walked forward calmly.
Hiro, incredulous, asked, "Wait, you didn't see her here?!"
Shuji shook his head. "No, and that's what intrigues me. The security cameras didn't capture this young lady or Junpei-kun."
Mitsuru, still processing the information, looked at Shinjiro. "Aragaki, you said she's a member of the Strega. How do you know that?"
Shinjiro crossed his arms and responded firmly, "I've seen her with them many times. She's similar to Yamagishi, but her Persona can attack."
Chidori, lying on the ground, whispered sadly, "I... am not afraid to die..."
Hiro, impatient, cut her off. "Did anyone ask you that, damn it?"
Chidori, confused and lost, looked at him, her gaze wavering. "Medea... I..."
Mitsuru ran a hand over her face, exhausted. "She's too emotionally unstable to interrogate now. We'll talk to her once she calms down."
Junpei looked at Chidori with concern. "Chidori..."
Shuji stepped forward, speaking decisively. "You should all rest. I'll arrange for her to be placed in the hospital. Aigis, come with me."
Everyone watched as Shuji and Aigis led Chidori away.
The air felt heavy, and the silence between them spoke louder than words.
Hiro scratched his head, breaking the silence. "Okay... now we have a lead on who the Strega are. But... what do we do now?"
Mitsuru looked at the group firmly. "We rest. Tomorrow, I'll talk to her. Iori, her name is Chidori, isn't it?"
Junpei nodded, rubbing his head. "Yeah, that's her name."
Akihiko crossed his arms, deep in thought. "Now we have something solid. But... what about Minato?"
Yukari, determined, looked at Akihiko. "I'll take care of him, along with Hiro and Aigis."
With that, one by one, the group began leaving the rooftop. The full moon continued to shine upon them, green and ominous.
Mitsuru, the last to leave, glanced back, fixing her gaze on the moon for a brief moment.
"Another Shadow Arcana has been defeated. Only three remain before the Dark Hour ends, Father."
...THE END OF VOLUME 2...