In the next morning Terry had to wear a tuxedo suit requested by ikutsuki because apparently he was gonna introduce him to the staff.
Since he was under cover playing the role of the apprentice of the chairman which he didn't like but he unfortunately didn't have much of a choice.
He looked himself in the mirror and he would had to admit that he actually looked good but it wasn't really his style but knowing that he needs to keep up the act he let out a sigh and he put on a disposable black mask.
Pretty sure no one wants to see a scar on someone in a suit.
A knock on the door got his attention and when he opened it yukari was at the door.
Yukari: hey Terry. Are you ready?
Terry: yeah for the most part.
Yukari: I'm guessing the mask is for-
Terry: it's not what you think. I just wear it to save the trouble of people looking at a nasty scar. You wouldn't want to see mine 24\7.
Yukari: I get it but. The staff will raise questions.
Terry: they will understand that ignorance is bliss.
Yukari: well Fuuka and me are gonna show you around the school after Mr. Ikkutski finishes the introduction.
Terry: cool.
After that yukari and Fuuka lead Terry to the monorail and while they were waiting to reach their destination Terry decided to start a conversation.
Terry: so your weapon is a bow and arrow right?
Yukari was caught by surprise by that since she never told him that.
Yukari: how do you know that?
Terry: I may have stalked you Junpei and Makoto after I was done visiting Fuuka at the hospital.
Yukari: are some kind of pervert?
Terry: don't give me that. I was bored and also curious about what you guys do outside the dark hour. And plus the dorm was empty and besides if I was a creep I would have stalk you and only you. But I did mention that I also watch Makoto and Junpei.
Yukari and Fuuka were caught off guard on how Terry defended himself.
Yukari: I guess that makes sense.
Terry: I had a sister so naturally I learned to have boundaries with woman and plus I treat everyone equally whether they are male of female.
Fuuka: you have a sister?
Terry: I don't wanna talk about it.
Yukari realized that Terry never told Fuuka about his background and his dead sibling and now that she realized it Terry probably wouldn't be the type to creep on girls considering on what he went through.
She looked at him with a apologetic expression since now she kinda felt like a jerk.
Terry: anyway what can I expect from your school? I need to know what I'm getting myself into.
Fuuka: well most of the teachers are okay but then there's ekoda.
Yukari: yeah he always complains about our current era of us young people. And my view on him just went lower when he kept the bullying of Fuuka a secret.
Terry: excuse me?
Yukari: oh right you wouldn't know. A few weeks ago there was a rumor about a ghost story thanks to a high school girl being found unconscious in the entrance.
Fuuka: and apparently they said that it was me since I was being bullied by them.
Yukari: yeah and then two other girls were found unconscious and things just got more complicated me Junpei and Makoto were told to investigate. There were some complications but we managed to find out where Fuuka actually was.
Terry: and that's where I came in.
Fuuka: yeah. Was pretty freaked out when I saw him.
Terry: yeah and I had to cover your mouth you would have screamed and gotten the attention of the shadows.
Yukari: so how did Akihiko Junpei and Makoto reacted when they saw you?
Terry: i was hesitant but thanks to fuuka they didn't do anything to me.
Fuuka: I don't think I thanked you for helping me.
Terry: don't thank me. I just did what a decent human being would do.
Yukari looked at the near by window and saw that they were getting close to gekkokahn high.
After getting into the school ran into Ikutsuki who led him to the faculty office and after introduction he mostly ended quickly with the made up story of him being Ikutsuki's apprentice.
However there was a minor problem with his mask on which he revealed his scarred mouth and after some suprises he just said that he got this scar from a incident.
After that he was walking around the campus since he revealed that he was stalking on the group he told them that he can walk on his own.
Mostly the school was ok for the most part though he did see a teacher that kinda looked like yukari but he wasn't gonna pry since it wasn't his business.
It was now after school and the group wanted to go to Tartarus since Fuuka was back in good condition.
Which was currently now where everyone was getting ready for Tartarus but Terry decided wait for the dark hour and head into an unoccupied rooftop and he basically trained with his shadow puppets since he was getting a bit rusty.
After it was 11 he decided to wait for the dark hour to begin and after a while it was 12 and it happen again.
Power went off people turned into coffins and the school turned into Tartarus.
He already knew that school was Tartarus's hotspot but the question comes into why the school is Tartarus?
Well mitsuru isn't gonna answer that so all he can do is wait.
He opens the doors and saw the same area he first encountered the full moon shadows and he decided to sit and wait.
While he was waiting he decided let his imagination run wild and he used his shadow to create replicas of a imaginary park in his head transferring to shadow.
After a few minutes he felt the presence of the sees group and he put away his shadow constructs and he saw as they were more geared up than last time.
Mitsuru: Terry? Why didn't you came to dorm?
Terry: I wanted to train on my own I felt as if I was getting rusty so I decided to skip the meeting and just wait and for you to catch me up.
Junpei: dude we're a team we are supposed to stick together.
Terry: okay one. I'm pretty sure that I wasn't needed considering the gear and second I'm not gonna risk getting rusty and unlike most of you I don't laze about playing video games.
Junpei: how would you know that?
Terry: ask mitsuru that.
Mitsuru: why?
Terry pulled out a small device and mitsuru knew what he was gonna say next but too late.
Terry: you know the fact that you have cameras in my room is an invasion of my privacy and not just me but everyone here.
Makoto looked to the side since he knew that everyone was being watched.
As for mitsuru most of the group sent her dirty looks and she admittedly was looking out of shame.
Terry: yeah so if your worried that I'll go on a rampage don't worry because unless you give me a reason I'll play nice but. This is a warning.
Everyone felt a pressure coming from Terry's glare especially mitsuru.
Terry: I'm not your damn lab rat and I would rather that we respect each other's privacy and not stalk someone in their own room.
Yukari: but you stalked us in the school.
Terry: that's different you guys were in a open area and you already had eyes on to begin with and plus you and I are strangers and you know her for over a week and I manage to respect your own boundaries from the beginning her on the other hand was doing it week probably mounts way before I got here.
No one could argue with that logic but now mitsuru felt ashamed.
Akihiko: look let's leave this aside we came here to test out our new gear.
Fuuka: yes let's not get to an argument this early in the mission.
Terry: fine. So is this the suprise Ikutsuki mentioned?
Fuuka then read out on how the gear works and they were mostly going on a small test run while Terry mostly sat in the stairs by himself
Makoto looked at Terry and he decided to approach him.
Makoto: hey.
Terry: hey.
It was an awkward moment between the two but eventually Makoto decided a different approach.
Makoto: what do you think of our group? Cause I get mixed feelings a like a bit of dislike and just irritated.
Terry: honestly. I'm mostly mad that I'm here at all to help a group that clearly isn't well prepared for whatever this dark hour brings.
Makoto: because of how your world works?
Terry: yeah. Your persona abilities are powerfull but are limited only in the dark hour which is a massive weakness since you can't practice 24/7 and from what I saw you summon them and after a while they disappear. And if I'm being honest guides are more useful.
Makoto: because they don't tire you out?
Terry: because we both benefit from it holiday can amplify me with her spiritual energy our senses are connected and we have good synchronization. But you team is disfunctional.
Makoto: they are good people.
Terry: no they are selfish. Well all but Fuuka but that's natural.
Makoto: what do you mean?
Terry: here's the thing about us humans. We are all selfish in our own ways. I want to go home to my crew because here I fell like I'm just getting in the way but there's no way for me to go home. And I can tell that they have their own selfish reasons like mitsuru not telling us the full story.
Makoto: so you noticed too huh?
Terry: I'm not an idiot. Your school becoming into this tower. And the origins of the dark hour. It's clear that her or her family have a connection to it.
Makoto: those that make her a bad person?
Terry: I'm not exactly saying she's bad. She just isn't trusting of you yukari Junpei Fuuka or me.
Makoto: I'm sure she has her reasons.
Terry: that better be a damn good reason because honestly hiding information from us is just gonna cause problems.
Makoto: you don't seem to like mitsuru.
Terry let out a sigh and looked up into the air to gather his thoughts.
Terry: it's not that I hate her it's just that. Over time I realized something. I'm somewhat the leader of my own group but I don't consider myself leader material just trying to keep my group safe. And I told them the scale of what we are getting into. But mitsuru dispite being the leader doesn't tell us the new guys on what we are getting ourselves into.
Sure the dark hour Tartarus that's one thing but why Tartarus is hidden in the school? Answers are recommended and you can't avoid them forever.
Makoto couldn't argue since he knew that mitsuru was hiding the details but he decided wait for mitsuru to open up and Terry would rather get the full details before getting into trouble.
He feels a sudden bond from understanding Terry a little more.
Terry: that's just my opinion but there's no point in arguing about how to handle teams like I said I don't see myself as a leader but I won't let my crew die or abandon them.
Makoto: you really are loyal to your group.
Terry: they are like family so yeah.
Makoto: I see.
The group then approached the two.
Mitsuru: we are about to enter Tartarus. Terry. Thought you might not be an official member I expect you to follow our orders if necessary.
Terry: yeah sure.
Akihiko: well let's go to the teleporter we might as well explore the second floor.
After a small argument between yukari and Junpei of who's gonna accompany the group yukari was gonna go and Junpei was gonna be here with Fuuka who's gonna provide support.
After they set the settings for the second floor they went first and Terry went after them since five in a teleporter is a crowd.
When Terry teleporter to the second floor to catch up with the group he remembered this is where he encountered Fuuka and the two full moon shadows.
After making sure that everything was set and if Fuuka can track them and the shadows they went to fight a near by shadow.
Terry decided to sit back since he heard that mitsuru wasn't in the field in a while so he didn't really see how the others fought so he decided to see how they fought.
If he would explain how this group fought it was mostly with striking weakness and they mostly don't fight like actual fighters apart from Akihiko.
After finishing that battle they fought the next shadow and this during the fight a shadow was about to attack yukari but Terry acted fast and shot a blast of a fire bullet at the shadow.
But Terry didn't give it a moment to rest as he stabbed it with his knife and red cracks appeared on the shadow and he ripped off its head or the equivalent of its head.
After killing the shadow he looked at yukari who looked at him in surprise.
Terry: would of advice you should learn some unarmed combat techniques.
He walked over her and extended his hand for her to take and she took it she didn't say anything and looked down ashamed.
Terry snapped his fingers in front of her and that snapped her back to reality.
Terry: you okay?
Yukari: y-yeah I'm fine. Thanks.
Terry: don't mention it.
After that they went towards another shadow and this one was quickly delt with.
That was all the shadows on the floor and they tried to move on to the next floor but they ended up separated.
After making plans to find each other Terry sensed Makoto and yukari's presence nearby and went there because he also sensed a shadow.
But after he got there he saw yukari loading up something into the evoker and after she shot herself she was surrounded by a red aura and her persona felt stronger.
After using this boost in power to defeat the shadow Terry was about to approach when hoards of shadow appeared and surrounded the two.
Terry wasn't having it.
From each dark spots black tendril threads wrapped themselves around the shadows restraining but also crushing them.
Terry: now you idiots shouldn't gang up on someone who just used a lot of power.
Makoto and yukari saw Terry walking towards them and with a gesture of his hands the black threats injected themselves into the bodies of the shadows and after snapping his fingers spikes bursted from the bodies of the shadows killing them from the inside out.
The two were surprised by the gruesome display of power that Terry had but after they vanished the shadow tendrils went back to normal shadow and dissolved like liquid.
Terry: sorry about that but I can tell that wasn't gonna be a fair fight with you two alone along with it being a suprise attack.
Yukari: yeah I'm. Thanks again.
Makoto. Same. But what was that you did yukari?
Yukari: I don't know I suddenly felt something and my body just did its own thing.
Terry: that's probably some sort of high.
The two of them looked at him in confusion.
Yukari: what is that supposed to mean?
Terry: you felt a boost in power right? And your body basically just did its own thing based on muscle memory you probably entered a high state after shooting yourself which basically triggered your power boost along with your body doing its own thing.
Yukari: I guess. But I just focused on protecting Makoto.
Terry: that's another factor. Desperation you were focusing on protecting Makoto their for your body obeyed to what you wanted and you defeated the shadow.
Makoto: did you experience something similar?
Terry: yeah kinda. When I was about to lose some matches adrenaline kicked in and sometimes my body moves on its own.
Yukari: but can't you regenerate?
Terry: yeah about that the wristbands also limited my healing factor since it's more spiritual than biological.
Makoto: so that thing yukari was a mix of a adrenaline and sensory overload?
Terry: probably. I wouldn't know I'm just giving my own opinion.
All of the sudden Fuuka linked a conversation between the three.
Fuuka: sorry to interrupt but mitsuru and Akihiko are near you please meet up with them.
Terry: right I forgot about that.
After meeting up with mitsuru and Akihiko they decided to call it a day and go back to the dorms.
While they were walking back Terry was thinking about how different personas were unique powerful but limited.
Unlike personas guides is a mutual beneficial bond between a human and a spirit both share senses and mind but unlike personas guides don't need a special method to be summon and they can appear whenever they want and the spirit can give the partner an extra pool of spiritual energy if they need it.
Personas seemed more powerful in their own right but unlike guides need conditions to be used.
Honestly Terry was glad that guides don't work like personas other wise he would have died ten times over.
But that said he didn't know what to make of the group clearly unlike his these guys didn't exactly consider themselves friends more like allies with a mutual goal.
He didn't like it one bit he knows that a group doesn't work if there's a type of synergy between the group and trust.
He doesn't recall that being stalked by cameras hidden in thier rooms.
Terry let out a sigh as he starting to realize that this group is a walking mess.
A guy obsessed with getting stronger.
A rich girl who doesn't give details.
A guy who's lives in his own little world.
The only ones who seemed to see the group as friends were Fuuka makoto and yukari since the three of them don't look like the type to keep secrets.
Which honestly secrets in a group is a bad thing since it shows a lack of trust and Terry didn't like that and why he doesn't like the way mitsuru isn't handling being a leader.
But he can't change that and the effort would lead to an argument that wasn't gonna paint him in a good light.
Anyway in short the group is a mess and they need to work up something so that they actually trust each other as partners and allies.
And he guessed it was his job to keep them from falling apart.