The weekend passed with an unsettling normalcy... at least, during the day.
At night, however, the Dark Hour had become routine for Daniel and Tamamo, who now found themselves forced to coexist with a frozen world, bathed in a sickly green hue, with dark coffins everywhere.
Daniel's girls, his neighbors, even some acquaintances from the neighborhood, were all sealed inside those coffins every midnight. Only the two of them remained conscious, the only witnesses to the phenomenon... and the only ones who could fight it.
The Shadows that emerged from Tartarus during that time weren't particularly strong, at least not for someone like Daniel, who could use his Haki, nor for Tamamo, with her refined Servant magic. However, they knew that if one of those creatures were to cross paths with a person with Persona potential who hadn't yet awakened their ability, it would be their end.
So night after night, without rest, Tamamo and Daniel took it upon themselves to patrol and eliminate any threat that arose.
When Monday arrived, classes at Kuoh Academy resumed as if nothing were happening.
Daniel entered his classroom with his usual relaxed stride, but something immediately caught his attention: Yukari Takeba arguing with Junpei Iori in her characteristic sarcastic and annoyed tone. Both classmates had been in his class since the start of the semester, but having spent so much time with Alya and the others, he had never paid them much real attention.
Though he did remember seeing Yukari in the school cafeteria with her friends.
Now, observing more closely, he noticed the absence of an armband on her arm, that navy blue band with the embroidered letters SEES, a symbol of belonging to the anti-Shadow group.
Daniel narrowed his eyes, thinking:
"She's not part of the group yet... so SEES hasn't been formed. Which means Mitsuru is probably in the process of recruiting."
And as if to confirm his theory, the classroom door slid open and Mitsuru Kirijo entered, with her unmistakable elegance and that ice-cold gaze that carried authority.
She walked directly toward Yukari.
—Takeba-san, could you accompany me for a moment? —she asked with polite yet firm courtesy.
Yukari, surprised but intrigued, nodded and left with Mitsuru.
Daniel, from his seat, couldn't help but follow them with his gaze, trying to imagine the content of that conversation.
In one of the hallways of the main building, Mitsuru stopped and turned to look directly at Yukari. It wasn't the kind of conversation she enjoyed having... nor the kind of lies she liked telling. But it was necessary.
—Takeba-san... due to an urgent restructuring for safety and maintenance reasons, the dormitory you are in will be temporarily closed.
—Huh? What? Why now? —asked Yukari, confused.
—I'm sorry, the orders came directly from the management committee.
You have been reassigned to an alternate dormitory near the campus. For now, only I live there. I was also affected by the same closure, so you'll be in good company.
—I see... —said Yukari, still with a raised eyebrow—. How convenient...
Mitsuru maintained her firm posture, though inside she felt a pang of guilt.
It was all a lie.
The dormitory was in perfect condition.
But Yukari was a potential Persona user.
And Mitsuru needed to keep her close to observe and confirm her potential.
She had already done this with Akihiko Sanada, who accepted without question. But with Yukari, the deception weighed on her more.
Even so, the mission was clear: the future of the world depended on gathering the few who could fight in the Dark Hour.
And this was only the first of many difficult decisions.
Mitsuru Kirijo was not someone who improvised.
Every decision she made was the result of precise calculations, cold evaluations, and meticulous planning.
And now, more than ever, she had to apply all that rigor: the threat of the Shadows had resurfaced, and Tartarus stood like an open wound in the heart of the world.
The mission her father, Takeharu Kirijo, had entrusted to her was clear: find Persona users.
Not simple bearers of potential, but true users. Those capable of invoking a Persona during the Dark Hour and facing the creatures that emerged within it.
To that end, Mitsuru had devised a three-phase plan:
Relocate the candidates with the greatest potential to the building where she resided.
This way, she could monitor them directly during the Dark Hour.
Observe their behavior during the phenomenon.
If they weren't sealed in coffins, it was a strong indicator. If they could move, even feel something... then they would be viable candidates.
Confirm their abilities and recruit them for the team that would be the first line of defense against Tartarus.
So far, the two candidates with the highest probability of being users —according to the reports provided by Takeharu— were Yukari Takeba and Akihiko Sanada.
Both showed exceptional mental and physical characteristics, along with family backgrounds suggesting an indirect link to the supernatural world.
Akihiko had accepted the relocation without questions. With a firm mind and disciplined body, his fighting instinct and search for purpose made him easy to persuade.
Yukari... was different.
More intuitive, more emotional... and also more skeptical.
She didn't like sudden changes or ambiguous orders. She accepted the relocation, but with noticeable resistance.
For that reason, Mitsuru had chosen to speak with her alone.
Calling Junpei Iori, another with lesser potential, would have complicated monitoring, as well as generated unnecessary noise in the evaluation.
He could be evaluated later, but for now, Yukari and Akihiko were the key pieces.
Sitting at her desk that night, Mitsuru reviewed the digital reports on both:
—"Yukari Takeba... exceptional physical reflexes. Daughter of a high-ranking scientist. Possible emotional link to the Persona project."
—"Akihiko Sanada... orphan. History of street fights. Martial discipline. Mental fortitude above average."
She took a cup of tea, leaned back in her chair, and sighed.
"All of this should have been handled by adults..."
But now, she was the only confirmed user.
And if the Fall was to be prevented, she had to create a team as soon as possible.
Mitsuru closed the report, turned off the screen, and looked out the window.
From there, she could see the calm city...
And yet, she knew the storm had already begun.
The sun began to set over Kuoh, tinting the skies with orange hues as students left the academy. Among them, Daniel walked calmly, accompanied by Alya and Sakura, who had come out of her own classroom to wait for them at the exit.
Alya, cheerful and smiling as always, clung to Daniel's arm while talking about class assignments and things she wanted to do at home. On the other hand, Sakura, though trying to maintain a smile, couldn't help but cast disapproving glances at the closeness between Alya and Daniel.
—So... together all day in class, huh? —asked Sakura, glancing sideways at Alya.
—Of course, but we didn't do anything weird —Alya replied with an innocent and mischievous tone, knowing exactly which buttons to push.
—I'm not suggesting that! —Sakura retorted, puffing out her cheeks.
Daniel simply smiled with an imaginary drop of sweat rolling down his temple. He was used to these little disputes among his girlfriends, and even though they were somewhat common, he found them endearing.
However, amid the exchange, something caught his attention.
Turning toward the side street that also led to his neighborhood, he saw three familiar figures walking together.
A redhead with an elegant gait.
A young man with white hair and a firm expression.
And a girl with brown hair in a school uniform, who seemed still confused and somewhat annoyed.
Mitsuru Kirijo. Akihiko Sanada. Yukari Takeba.
The three walked with purposeful steps toward the same area.
Daniel watched them for a few seconds with attention. He knew very well what that meant.
The sequence was happening...
The SEES formation process had begun.
Despite all he knew, Daniel decided not to intervene. Not out of disinterest, but because he understood the importance of these events following their course without direct alterations. Intervening now could change the development that would lead the organization to form with strength and purpose.
—Daniel? —asked Sakura, noticing he had stopped.
—Is something wrong? —added Alya.
Daniel shook his head with a calm smile, resuming his step.
—Nothing serious. Just saw something curious... but it's not our business for now.
Alya and Sakura looked at each other without understanding but continued walking beside him.
As they walked away, Daniel couldn't help but think about what was to come.
The Dark Hour had arrived. And the gears of fate were in motion.
The only thing he could do, for now, was prepare... and observe.
Evening had given way to night when Mitsuru Kirijo was in the lobby of the special dormitory designated by the Kirijo Group. This building, discreet but of modern construction, had been carefully modified with experimental technology capable of operating even during the Dark Hour.
Beside her, the first two residents observed the place with a mix of surprise and admiration.
Yukari Takeba, though somewhat wary, couldn't help but comment:
—Was this a dormitory? It looks like a luxury hotel...
Akihiko Sanada, more practical, simply smiled and nodded.
—They treated us well. Though I suppose it's not just for comfort.
Mitsuru looked at them calmly, her posture straight and tone formal.
—Starting today, this will be your place of residence. The second floor will be for male dormitories and the third floor for females. Common areas will be on the ground floor.
Both nodded. Mitsuru continued:
—Until further notice, there will be rules of coexistence. Access to opposite floors is not permitted outside of emergencies. Meals will be self-provided. Nighttime activities must be reported. Any questions?
Yukari frowned slightly.
—Why so much formality? Isn't this just a temporary relocation for "maintenance"?
Mitsuru held Yukari's gaze for a moment before responding with calculated courtesy:
—It's important to maintain order during changes. I appreciate your cooperation.
With nothing more to say, Mitsuru let them go to their rooms. Both began to unpack, their belongings were few, just the essentials for their studies and daily life.
Meanwhile, Mitsuru ascended to the fourth floor, where her personal study was located. There, surrounded by books, screens, and documents, she turned on the special computers provided by the Kirijo Group.
Technology developed for the purpose of operating during the Dark Hour, its correct functioning was vital for her mission.
She verified the monitoring system that covered both the building and areas near Tartarus, and adjusted the activation protocols in case of emergency. Once everything was calibrated, Mitsuru took a deep breath.
—All in order... For now.
She saved the records and retired to her room with a special notebook. In it, she began writing her observations about Yukari and Akihiko.
"Yukari Takeba shows signs of distrust. Understandable. However, her reactions during moments of stress in classes point to latent potential. Akihiko Sanada, on the other hand, seems to have a higher degree of acceptance. Perhaps he has already experienced the Dark Hour without realizing it."
One more line. Underlined:
"Phase one completed: Isolation in controlled environment. Next step: Confirmation of Persona affinity."
Mitsuru closed the notebook, turned off her desk light, and lay back in her bed.
The night was quiet... for now.
But she knew that soon, very soon, the shadows would move again.
As the sun began to set, Daniel walked the streets back home, flanked by Alya and Sakura, one on each side.
Sakura, still with a slight blush on her cheeks, held his arm with a somewhat possessive air, while Alya, cheerful as always, laughed about something Daniel had said minutes earlier.
—Thank you for walking with us —said Alya with a charming smile as they stopped in front of the door—. You made me feel very special today.
—Yes... thank you —added Sakura, with a bit more shyness, but letting out a sincere look.
Both approached at the same time and kissed him, one on the cheek and the other on the lips, synchronized as if they had planned it.
Daniel laughed softly and opened the door.
—Let's go, the others are surely already home.
Upon entering, the warmth of home enveloped them... and so did the other girls.
Hikari and Hibiki were the first to greet him, their smiles radiant upon seeing him.
—Welcome back, Dani! —they said in unison.
Both hugged him, kissing him on each cheek, and in a reflexive act of emotion, their white wings briefly unfurled in a flash of light.
Tamamo, as if knowing it was her turn, approached with an elegant step.
Her eyes shone sweetly as she wrapped Daniel's waist with her soft golden tails, pulling him close slowly.
—Welcome home, my dear husband... —she whispered before kissing him tenderly, letting her tails squeeze him in a warm and possessive gesture.
Lastly, in a corner of the living room, Raynare watched everything with her arms crossed. Her gaze tried to remain neutral, but the small tic in her eyebrow and the slight blush on her cheeks betrayed her jealousy.
She said nothing... just looked away with a small "hmph" before pretending to be interested in a magazine she wasn't even reading.
Daniel, knowing her well, simply smiled.
He knew she was holding back, and that... also seemed cute to him.
The atmosphere at home was warm, full of love and affection. And though the world around them was becoming more complex, in that moment, Daniel was clear that he wouldn't face it alone.