Chapter 11: Seventh Door: Shinjiro's Dream

Persona 3 Portable FES: Episode Shinjiro

Chapter 11: Seven Door's: Shinjiro's Dream

~Dormitory~

"We're coming up to our last shot at this… That thing up ahead, whatever it is, is causing all of this." say Junpei.

"It's supposedly tied to us and our Personas… You don't think that the only way out of this… is for us to die…?" Fuuka stated.

"Thinking like that gets you nowhere. We wouldn't have come this far if we didn't believe there's another way." Say Akihiko.

"Y-You're right… Sorry, my bad habits are coming back again."

"We won't have to endure this for much longer. Everyone, brace yourselves. We're going in." say Mitsuru.

Empyrean 1st Floor

Shinjiro has choose his teammates, but this time it's Ginjiro, Akihiko, and Yukari. As they arrive, the Empyrean's dungeon resembles a fancy and elegant building, with a light palette of colors in some sort.

"Let me scan ahead." say Fuuka. As she silently began scanning the area, she pick up something. "It's the white figure! Please, be very careful!"

'I just hope we might answer to try Shinji's memories of her is slowly been erased." said Akihiko, in his thoughts.

Empyrean 5th Floor

"You're slowly getting closer to that presence. It's very near now… Be careful!" said Fuuka.

Empyrean 8th floor

As they arrive, a white figure run pass by them.

"This feeling…This has to be…" said Fuuka, doubts. Since she wasn't sure if that white figure could possible connected to someone they lost a dear friend they care so much.

Empyrean 9th floor

As they arrive, the white figure quickly ran off before Shinjiro takes one glimpse at it. They encounter a Rebellious Cyclops, who arcana appear to be the Hang Man and as while the two Archeron Seekers, who appear to be Hermit and there appearance of flowing black eyeballs with red eyes.

"I think I'm right... This feeling... It must be...! But, no... it can't..." say Fuuka, hesitated. As she began to realized the white figure's true identity, she came back to her senses and started focusing on the battle that their friends are facing. "...Oh, I didn't mean to distract you. Enemy Shadows, incoming!"

After that, they moved on to the next floor. Before they proceed, Akihiko and Yukari have a briefly conversation.

"It's strange... that every time we defeated those Shadows, the white figure heal our wounds. Why is that?" said Yukari, questioning Akihiko.

"I don't know but, somehow it feels like the figure know us."

"You think so, I think that it will be possible. But Akihiko-senpai, I have another theory about Senpai's memories been erased."

"Which is?" say Akihiko, confused.

"I think it could be -" as Yukari was about another possible theory about Shinjiro's memories, Shinjiro interrupted them.

"Hey, if you are done, we need to proceed to the next floor." say Shinjiro.

"Alright we'll be right there."

Emptrean 14th floor

"The figure is just up ahead. It's like it's waiting for us to get to it... I have a terrible feeling about this. It's still a little further ahead, but please keep your guard up." say, Fuuka, worried.

Emptrean 18th floor

Same time as before, the white figure ran past the group.

"I wonder if that thing is showing itself to lure us in... Then there is something we're supposed to see, further into the Abyss of Time... " said Fuuka, concerned.

Emptrean 19th floor

As they arrive, the white figure appear right in front of them before running away. The Shadow they face this time is three samurai-like Shadows.

"I think... even if we don't chase that figure... we'll meet it in the deepest part of this place. We're getting close. Let's keep moving forward. Enemy Shadows incoming...!" say Fuuka.

Emptrean 20th floor

"Ginjiro said the reason for all this has something to do with us... That, along with the figure that's appeared up ahead... ...A-Anyways, we'll reach the truth behind all this soon. Just keep going!" say Fuuka.

Emptrean 23rd floor

"I wonder what's in store... Everything will be revealed soon... But the closer we get to that, the more nervous I am... I feel like this won't end so easily... Sorry... I shouldn't be saying such things, when we're almost there. Even if something does happen, I think we'll be okay. Thanks for all your hard work, Shinjiro-senpai. You're become an amazing leader." say Fuuka.

"It was nothing." say Shinjiro, slightly blush.

"Just a little more... You can do it! Give it all you have!"

Emptrean 27th floor

As they reach the end of the Emptrean's floor, the rest of the SEES members catch up to them.

"Is this... The deepest part of the Abyss of time...?" say Shinjiro, confused.

"You think? It's no different than the rest of the ones we've seen..." say Akihiko.

"But that fits, logically. which means the Abyss' origin- the reason for the time skips- is here..." say Mitsuru, stated.

Fuuka suddenly realize something important that she need to tell the others, "...Oh! There's something I had to tell you all. It was in the papers about the Abyss of Time I mentioned before..."

"Did you find something?" say Yukari questioned Fuuka.

Fuuka continues, "Of the report is correct, this place came into existence as a reaction to the creation of Tartarus..."

Junpei seems confused, and yet surprised, "A reaction...?"

"The gigantic tower rising so high left a gigantic hole in its place. That's the Abyss." Fuuka stated.

"Does that mean they've known about this place for 10 years?" Mitsuru questioned Fuuka.

"They decided it would be harmless if left alone, since it would probably disappear with Tartarus. But it also said that since the Abyss is just a byproduct, there should be no Shadows in it..." she explained.

"Wait a sec! There's a friggin' ton of Shadows here!" Junpei seems shocked and confused. And if it was supposed to go poof along with Tartarus, why are we standing in it now? Did they forget a decimal place or somethin'?" he then becomes serious.

Fuuka seems to be a little a loss in thought, but Ginjiro supported her theory.

"No, their logic makes senses. What was supposed to vanish is still here because of some force. one side's removal caused an imbalance..."

"...What could that force be?" she seems to be confused.

"Who knows? Maybe it's somewhere down here. One thing's certain, though: it's deeply connected to all of you."

"What's up with that!? What the hell did we do to deserve this...?" Junepi complains.

"Well, there another door... If that's here, then , maybe" Ken seems to be serious.

"What's goin' on? Is that the big "reason" behind all this?" Yukari confused.

"If we leave out Shinjiro-senpai, Ginjiro-senpai since their Personas were awaken by force, and me... Whose past is left?' Fuuka seems questioned.

"Hey, yeah... Who else was there that had powers like ours?" say Junpei.

"It doesn't matter, There's no use speculating with it staring us in the face. we'll know once we open it."say, Akihiko, impatient.

"Whatever that "reason" is, it's strong enough to keep the Abyss of Time from disappearing. And we've come to erase that reason. We could in for a battle. we should be very prepared before entering." Ginjiro seems to be serious.

"He's right. ... This appears to be our goal. Don't worry. We can do this." Mitsuru agreed Ginjiro's statement.

Everyone agreed.

Shinjiro walks towards the golden door and opens it, everyone was engulf in a bright golden light.

?/?/?

~Shinjiro's Dream~

In the blank empty unknown white place, Shinjiro suddenly woke up in his original attire.

"Where am I?" he said with confused expression. "I guess it doesn't matter... this is how it should be. Another way to a tone of my sins for killing someone."

Suddenly a young girl with crimson eyes appear right in front of him with teary-eye, and a smile. "Shinjiro..."

"It you, Minako." Shinjiro sincere smiled at her.

Shinjiro gets up and embraced her warm's body. The same person, who save humanity from The Fall, cares deeply for her friends, and person for whom he loves deeply in his heart.

Minako embraced her back as well.

However despite being a short reunion, Minako pushed Shinjiro away before being impaled by Shinjiro's persona, Castor. Shinjiro's dream had become a living nightmare. As his persona disappear, he quickly grab her tightly as he sees her bleeding from her chest.

"M-Minako...I-I'm.." Shinjiro was speechless, as he was in horror,

"S-Shinjiro... It's...alright.. it was my... own decision.. to see .yo..u arrive." she continue to smile, gently. her eyes were half opened as she was dying. "P-Please S-Shinjiro... live on.. and k-keep moving f-forward.. in your life."

"Minako... I love you." He saddened, as tears are running down his cheeks.

"I..I love you.. too." As those were last words, both of eyes closed and she dies.

Shinjiro leads and kiss her smooth lips. Suddenly her body vanished into cheery blossom petals.

"She was... my only reason for living, Who given my life meaning instead of... " say Shinjiro, depressed. "But now she's gone forever... I have no meaning to live. I wonder what will be like if my feeling and interacted with her never exist." he slumped to ground with emotionless, cold eyes as he rejects the outside world where he lives on. Then he simple decision he had in his mind and those were.."I wish...I never met her."

Suddenly as the flashing bright engulf Shinjiro, his shadow takes a different form, and reappear before him.

~Shinjiro's Dream Ended~

After that, everyone comes back to their senses.

"Huh?... That's that cause?" Ken questioned. He then turn his attention to Junpei, who though it might be him.

"D-Don't look at me..." say Junpei.

"But... Well... I didn't expect that we'd get to see her again..." say Fuuka, confused.

"...Indeed" Mitsuru agreed.

Akihiko felt depressed, but stay silent.

"But what's it mean? That looked like it was Shinjiro-senpai's memory. What kind of a clue is that...? His awaken to his Persona wasn't like Akihiko-Senpai and Mitsuru-senpai." say Yukari.

"Actually, he did... He awakened to the special power she had" Akihiko replied.

Everyone beside Akihiko were shocked.

"Shinjiro, what was that? When did it this happen?" he questioned Shinjiro.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know her."

Everyone fears becomes a reality that Shinjiro's memories of her has completely erased.

"But for some reason... I felt like I know her somehow. It was before I woke up from my coma. I keep thinking her every day as if I met her before. However after she was killed by my Persona... My heart felt pain deep inside and it hurts. I don't know why...

"Brother..."

It just there's was something missing in my memories. Maybe that I awaken this ability because I want to forget that pain and sorrow.

"Shinjiro-san." say Ken, saddened.

"..." Akihiko felt silence.

Ginjiro confronted Shinjiro, "Shinji... are you still in pain? The person we saw... She's the one who had the same kind of power as you, isn't she...?"

"..." Shinjiro silent, as he in a state of confusion. He wasn't sure if the girl he can't remember was somehow connected the power he awakened.

"So... that's the cause of all this? This doesn't make any sense to anything... " Akihiko complain.

"...Don't you get it? What we saw was only my twin brother's memory, but... all of you want to see her again, right? Then the answer is obvious." Ginjiro stand up toward Akihiko.

Akihiko seems surprised.

"...What's that supposed to mean?" he questioned Ginjiro.

"What I said the start was right all along... The fastest way to solve this would be to eliminate all of you." he explained.

"So... that means that figure we keep seeing is-" said Fuuka.

Before Fuuka figures out that Shadow really was, Mitsuru realizing something was off," Wait something's wrong...!"

A black mist merge right in front of everyone.

"What that...?!"say Akihiko.

"Just as I thought... It's coming... The monster that's taken the shape of your regrets.

Everyone was shocked that coming out of the black mist was the same white figure that bare a strong resemble to precious friend they encounter within the dungeons they went to.

"Is that...?" Shinjiro questioned.

"You gotta be kidding... That can't be-!" said Junpei.

"This is the reason for everything... From the Abyss of Time's failure to disappear, to the presence of Shadows... This... was born from all of you." Ginjiro explains.

And with the battle begins...

"So this is... our regrets..." say Fuuka.

"Don't let your guard down... it's not her."

"Fuuka, analyze the enemy."

"Alright..."

"Persona!" Shinjiro summoned Thor and uses Thunder Reign on the shadow figure. however it slightly damaged.

Ginjiro fire his guns at the shadow figure, in which successfully knock the enemy down.

"Alright, brother you're ready for this?" say Ginjiro. He nodded. "Everyone assault on the enemy". With that, everyone combined their strength and power to attack the white figure, only damaged it by half.

"Take this! Caesar, Ziodyne!" say Akihiko, he summoned his Persona, and use thunder spell on the enemy.

"Isis, Garudyne!" say Yukari, she summoned Isis and attack the enemy. Although it damaged slightly.

"It seems the enemy has no weakness, but nul against light and darkness. However for some reason... there something not right..., please be careful!" said Fuuka, a while communicating with others.

Suddenly the white figure slowly regenerating itself. With everyone eyes widen, as it summoned a shadow copy of Castor. Who commanded it to used Deathbound. Everyone lost almost half their energy.

"Castor..." say Shinjiro, depressed.

"I guess we have to prepare ourselves of increased our defense and strength then." Ginjiro suggested.

"Yeah, he's right." Yukari agreed.

Shinjiro switched his Persona to Kartikeya. "Kartikeya, Masukukaja!' he summoned it, and all party members Evasion increased.

"Now go, Hercules!, Power Charge!" say Ginjiro, as his strength increased.

"Don't over do it. Caesar, Diarahan!", say Akihiko, as he healed Shinjiro.

"Thanks.." he thanked him. Although he didn't respond back, as he is too focus on the white figure as it greatly resemble to the person he once loved.

"Isis!" Yukari summoned her Persona, and commanded it to used Mediarama to restore the party's health.

With the white figure required with Castor, it health slightly been restored by Castor's ability, Regeneration. The white figure attacks Akihiko, but Ginjiro protects him from it.

"Aki, are you alright. You're not hurt are you?" said Ginjiro, worried.

"I'm alright, but I keep telling you don't called me that... Although I should be thanking you for protect me."

"Your welcome." he smiled.

Meanwhile in the sidelines, as the everyone was bewildered about the enemy.

"What's going on with that white figure, it was using Shinjiro-senpai original Persona..." say Junpei, puzzled.

"Yeah... I can't believe this.. it really is born from us." say Yukari, depressed.

"If only Aigis were here... she would be best to assist them.." say Mitsuru feeling depressed.

"Mitsuru-senpai..."

"*whimper*" Koromaru, saddened.

"Umm... you guys you should be looking at this." say Ken.

With everyone now focusing on the battle, they were shocked as it switched it Persona, and this time it summons a shadow copy of Akihiko's Persona, Caesar. It uses Ziodyne on Yukari, she was knocked down to the ground.

"What the hell... that Caesar.." say Akihiko in a sadden tone.

"It's seems... it copying our Personas. We have to defeat it before it can copy more of our Persona." Fuuka stated.

"Guess we have try to be careful."

"We have to defeat it before it change into a copy of our Persona then.."

"Ginji, now the time to use your Fusion Mode!" said, Shinjiro.

"Alright, Fusion Mode activate!" as Ginjiro engulf in a bright blue light as he fusing with Personas. He reappear in armor-like form ready for battle. He attack the white figure with his main weapon and lands a direct hit. Although the white figure is still standing.

"That Shadow is tough... I guess we should decreased it defense! Caesar, Marakunda!" he decreased the Shadow's defense only by half.

"I'll help, Isis, Wind Break!" Yukari summoned her Persona and use it by reduce the enemy's wind resistance.

Suddenly the white figure summons a shadow version of Yukari's Persona, Isis, and it command it to use Divine Grace to increased it's magic greatly.

"Why is she using Isis?!" say Yukari, surprised.

"Shinji it's up to you!" Ginjiro encouraged him

With Shinjiro nod, and summons his one of his strongly Persona, Susano-o and finished the white figure with Brave Blade.

With the white figure defeated, the figure that resemble of their precious friend, and loved one, starting to fading away into cherry blossoms. As it body shatter, for some reason, everyone received a single scatter petals as it comes to them almost like a gift from the Shadow. However one of the petal that used to be Shadow's body vanished. The figure smiled gently before it disappearing completely. For some reason, Shinjiro, unknowingly shed single tear upon his face as it somehow bares resemble to his dreams.

"We did it..." say Akihiko, relieved.

"That was... the monster born from us? But it was..." say Yukari worried. Unsure what she was saying it, Mitsuru finished her sentence her and explain to other calmly, "Yes... its powers and form were familiar, but it was a Shadow."

"You are correct, " say Ginjiro.

Everyone was confused with he met.

"Wait, but that makes no sense. Persona-users are supposed to beat Shadows, right?" Junpei questioned Ginjiro.

'What are you talking about? Don't tell me you've been fighting them this whole time without knowing... Personas and Shadows are the same thing. That's why you're to fight them in the first place." he explains.

Everyone seems shocked at Ginjiro's statement as they never thought that Personas and Shadow are one in the same thing.

Ginjiro continues, "Did you all think that Shadows were mysterious invaders or something? Shadows are the lower parts of the psyche everyone has... Suppressed human thoughts given physical form. When people are unable to face their darker selves, they break loose, free from all control. But sometimes, humans with special awareness can tame their Shadows... Those are Persona-users."

"So Personas and Shadows... They're the same thing, just different names?" say, Junpei,.

"If somehow my brother, and myself were able to summon our naturally instead being corrupted, won't she have had to understand this?"

"... All those people lost their lives." say Mitsuru, guilt.

Yukari fell silent and feels sorry for her.

"Then... the reason for all this is our Personas" Fuuka questioned Ginjiro, worried.

"The Shadow's power affects time and even space... Through your Personas, your unspoken desires were manifested... You can't stand to see time move on... You don't want to accept your loss of someone precious... It was by each of your wishes that time stopped moving forward... And as a result, you became trapped here" Ginjiro explains.

"So, we trapped ourselves...? Hah... It's almost funny..." Ken, saddened.

"Whatever the reason was, we beat it We won, That should solve all this, right?" said Yukari.

"Yes, that is correct. If we return to the dorm, we may be able to go outside."

Suddenly everyone except Ginjiro who caught piece that used to be white figure's shards that turns into cherry blossom petals changed into golden key.

"Whoa, what's this? Did the petal I caught used...?" Junpei seems confused and shocked.

"Is this... a key?" say, Shinjiro.

"You should be able to leave using those keys. Once you make it outside, the Abyss of Time should disappear on its own."

"Finally it's over... I'm glad this didn't take this long." say Akihiko, relieved.

"But these keys... There's eight of them." said Mitsuru.

"Actually nine counting Aigis... That's because each of you played a part in bring this about. The door probably won't open unless all nine are used at once." he explains to them.

"What of minute, Aigis has one too? But she wasn't-" as Junpei about finished his sentence, Ginjiro interrupt him and said, " Don't worry about it, Junpei, She's important it presumably the "petal" delivered to her by now."

" I wonder if she doing to wake up." say Fuuka, worried

""Strength of heart, when united, is barred by no door..." Those words..." say, Shinjiro. As he recalling hearing those words before and now he realized what it means.

"So it'll open if we're all around, is that right? Then let's get the hell outta here!" Junpei smiled. "Uh... So are we just gonna waltz out through the front door?"

"That door, or another one... There's still one closed door that doesn't connect to the outside world. The main entrance, or that door... It's one or the other" say Ginjiro.

"A door that doesn't connect to the outside world...?" say Yukari, confused.

"Are you talking about... the door to her room? I just assumed someone had locked it" say Akihiko, worried.

"That door has the same feel as the doors to the past we've been going through up to now."

"What do you mean by "One or the other"? If we open it, won't it just connect to another past?" Ken questioned him.

"That's right. If you go through the entrance, you'll return to the present. But that door leads to the past." Ginjiro answered him.

Everyone seems puzzled and shocked.

"The past...?" say Fuuka, surprised.

"The world of the past. You've all been there many times now. But this time, the Abyss will disappear once you go through the door. You'll be in the true past" he stated.

"Is that true!?" Yukari seem shocked.

"Why would I lie about something like this? If you don't believe me, then why don't you try leaving through the entrance?" Ginjiro angry.

"To accept the past, or to revisted it... You're saying that in the end, we have to choose." say Mitsuru.

He nod to her.

"...What do you want to do?" Shinjiro questioned Ginjiro.

"I'll go along with whatever you decide, Shinji. That way... I'll finally be able to save you from this cursed fate... To be honest, that's all I care about." he gave gently smiled toward him.

"What do you mean by "Cursed fate"...?" say Shinjiro, confused.

"Which one are you going to choose, Brother"

"I... don't know..." he signed.

"Uh, hey... W-Why don't we go back to the dorm first? This is way too heavy to decide right here..."

"... I agree" Ken agree with Junpei.