|| 4/16 Saturday ||
|| Early Morning ||

On board the train heading to Aoyama-itchōme Station, Akira and Mikono managed to snag the last two seats. It was a one in a million chance and they were exuberant to spend their ride sitting instead of standing. Morgana peered through the zipper of Akira's bag as it looked around the crowded train.

Mikono was glancing down at her phone when she felt a throbbing pain in her left eye. She pressed her palm against her eye with a wince. She'd woken up with the pain, but it would come in waves and grow in intensity. She took pain medicine before she left the house, but it seemed to be fruitless.

Akira noticed her painful expression from the corner of his eye and gave her his full attention. "What's wrong, Mikono?" He asked, his tone dripping with concern.

"I'm not sure..." She confesses. "I've had this strange throbbing pain in my left eye ever since I woke up this morning. It only lasts for a few minutes, but the pain keeps increasing. I took pain pills, but that didn't help."

"Maybe you haven't recuperated from yesterday. You should head back home and get more rest," he advised.

"No, I'll go to school. If it gets worse, I'll head to the nurse's office. Worst-case scenario, I have to call my parents and have them take me home." She lowered her hand and breathed a sigh of relief when the pain vanished.

Akira didn't agree with the idea, but he knew how stubborn the girl truly was. "All right."

Mikono refuses to display her worry for her own health and plastered a fake smile. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing too serious. It could be a migraine. Who knows?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah..." Akira still couldn't help but worry for his friend that he came to care about in such a short amount of time. "Maybe..."

|| 4/16 Saturday ||
|| Afternoon ||

The pain had only worsened and the timeframe for each wave kept increasing. Now, the pain would linger for five minutes without relenting. Mikono tried to fight against the pain and listen to Mr. Ushimaru's lesson, but the throbbing distracted her. She continued to press the heel of her palm against her left eye in an attempt to stave off the pain, but it had no effect. She didn't have to look over at Akira to know his concern for her was only growing. She tried to reassure him with a smile, but it faltered.

Halfway through the lesson, Mikono thought the pain vanished, but she was sorely mistaken. When the pain subsided, it returned with a vengeance a few seconds later. Unlike previous waves, the area around her left eye began burning as if her skin was set ablaze. A whimper of pain slipped from her lips as she covered her left eye and lowered her head. Her body shook as the intense pain in her eye returned tenfolds. She couldn't handle the pain and felt she would pass out any second.

With shaky legs, Mikono stood from her desk with tears of agony cascading down her cheeks. Her hand never left her eye as she felt the pain engulf her.

All eyes fell on the girl when the legs of her chair scraped against the wooden floor. The students were silent as Mr. Ushimaru glared at her, not realizing the pain she was in. "Tsutsui, sit down this instant! It's rude to interrupt a lesson."

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Ushimaru. I'm not f-feeling well... May I h-head to the nurse's office?" She begged, unable to hide the pain she was experiencing from showing in her tone.

The teacher noticed and nodded. "Go ahead."

"Mikono?" Akira muttered her name as she stepped away from her desk. He could hear her painful whimpers as she walked past him while dragging her feet across the floor with shaky limbs. He couldn't hide his worry as he watched her every move. They were slow and labored, which caused alarm bells to trigger inside his head.

"Tsutsui-chan...?" Takamaki muttered, watching with the same worried expression as Akira. The two heard the class muttering to themselves about how Mikono was faking and only trying to get attention. They ignored the telltale signs of her pain and began insulting her under their breaths. The only other person who expressed concern for the girl was Mishima.

Morgana peeked its head out from underneath Akira's desk to see what the commotion was about and spotted Mikono struggling to reach the door. It winced when it saw her stumble but ceased her fall by leaning against the wall. "She looks like she's in so much pain..." It whimpered.

Akira turned in his seat, looking down at the cat. "Something's wrong. I'm going to-" He heard a 'thump' and a few shrieks from his fellow classmates. Turning back to see what caused such a reaction, he saw Mikono collapsed on the floor. His eyes widen in horror as he flew out of his desk and ran to her.

"Everyone, calm down!" Mr. Ushimaru shouted over the class.

Takamaki leapt from her seat and rushed to Mikono's side. She saw how the girl was sweating and her breathing was shallow and uneven. "We have to get her to the nurse's office."

"I'll carry her," Akira said. He turned Mikono over and carefully scooped her body up into his arms. He, alongside Takamaki, headed to the nurse's office and ignored their teacher when he said only one student was necessary. They rushed across the school until they reached their destination.

The blonde opened the door to the nurse's office and allowed Akira to enter. He walked over to one of the beds and placed Mikono down gently. Once her head hit the soft pillow, he removed his hands from under her knees and back. When he saw hair obscuring her left eye, he brushed the inky strands aside. He gasped, eyes widening when he saw black markings around her eye.

"Wh-What is that?" Takamaki asked.

Akira traces his fingers across the design, wondering where he'd seen it before. He couldn't put his finger on it until he remembered one of the times Mikono gave him a small lesson about the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Egypt. He remembered her showing him a few pictures from a book she was reading as she explained the various symbols associated with each deity. "The Eye of Horus..."

"The what?" Takamaki puzzled.

"It's-"

The door flew open and the nurse rushed inside. She addressed the two students before asking them to leave. They didn't want to leave their friend, but they couldn't argue with the nurse and left.

<------<<<<<

An hour later, Mikono woke up. She groaned as she sat up and looked around the nurse's office. What startled her the most was seeing her Persona standing at the end of the bed. She was puzzled as to why she was seeing Sekhmet at a time like this. "Am I hallucinating, or...?"

No. I am here, my child.

Mikono noticed the lioness' mouth didn't move as she spoke. She shook her head, getting back to the matter at hand. "Does your appearance have to do with the pain in my left eye?"

You have been gifted the Eye of Horus by none other than Amun himself. The power that dwells within your heart is bleeding from the Metaverse into this reality. In order to contain such power and create an even flow to prevent corruption or death, Amun has bestowed the Eye of Horus unto thee as a catalyst. Use it well, young one, for it shall reveal the paths leading toward the other parts of your heart.

She placed a hand against her head, glancing down at the white sheets. "Other parts of my heart? I don't-" She looked back up, only to see Sekhmet was gone. "What that means..." She sighed.

Mikono climbed off the bed and searched for the nearest mirror. When she found one in the nurse's desk, she pulled it out and quickly examined her left eye. Though it was only a pocket mirror, it was just enough for her to see the current state of her eye. "What the...?"

The black marks were still prominent, but what shocked her the most wasn't the markings of the Eye of Horus. It was her iris. Instead of being blue, it was a brilliant golden.

Frightened, Mikono called out to Sekhmet, but the lioness didn't hear her desperate cry. She began hyperventilating and tugging on her inky locks in panic. "Wh-What do I do?"

She inhaled deeply, calming her nerves and racing heart. Closing her eyes, she focused on her left eye. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and sighed in relief when the marks were gone and her iris was no longer golden. "Thank goodness..."

"Mikono?"

Said girl jumped, accidentally dropping the pocket mirror on the floor. She promptly turned around and spotted her sable-haired friend. "A-Akira..."

He approached her, wondering why she was out of bed. "What're you doing?"

"Um..." She swiftly bent down and picked up the pocket mirror, placing it back into the nurse's desk. "I was checking my eye. I saw my Persona and she told me how Amun gifted me the Eye of Horus. She mentioned something about my powers and how the Eye is acting as a catalyst to control them. I'm more confused than ever..."

"Did she say anything else?" Akira questioned.

"She also said how Eye would reveal the pathways to the other parts of my heart. That's what confused me the most."

"Don't worry about any of it until you're feeling better," he stated. "We can ask Morgana about it later." He escorted her back to the bed and sat beside her.

Mikono groaned as she leant backward and fell on the bed, her inky strands fanned across the white sheets. She covered her eyes with her arm and sighed. "So many questions, so few answers..."

Suddenly, the door to the nurse's office slid open and someone stepped into the room. The person hunched over, placing their hands on their knees as they caught their breath. Akira and Mikono looked at who it was and spotted their blonde-haired, brown-eyed friend.

"Why're you out of breath, Ryuji?" Mikono pondered, pushing her upper body off the sheets.

"He...texted me," Ryuji panted as he pointed at Akira. "Told me what happened to you durin' class. I ran all the way here. You feelin' okay, Mikky?"

"Yeah. The pain's gone and I think..." She closed her eyes, focusing on how to activate the Eye of Horus. When she felt power surge through her, she opened her eyes. The black markings returned along with her golden iris. "I'm able to control it."

Ryuji's eyes widen when he saw the markings and her golden eye. "Holy shit..."

Before she could explain what Sekhmet told her, the nurse returned. All three froze when the woman stared at her. Worried, Mikono tried to think of a lie, but what shocked her was when the nurse smiled at her. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Tsutsui. While you were resting, I called your parents. They'll be here soon."

Mikono glanced at Akira and Ryuji, confused as to why the woman wasn't reacting to her left eye. She cleared her throat and pretended to act normal. "I'm fine now. Is it all right if I call my parents?"

"Of course. I'll give you some privacy. I'll be in the hallway." The nurse smiled at her and the boys before leaving the infirmary.

Once the woman was gone, Mikono stared at the door. "She...didn't notice my eye."

"What the hell's goin' on?" Ryuji then looked around the infirmary. "Where's the cat? I bet it knows what's goin' on!"

"I'm gonna call my parents and tell them not to worry. You two better find Morgana. Like Ryuji said, it might know what's going on with me."

"We'll be back shortly," Akira stated before leaving the infirmary with the blonde.

Mikono used the nurse's phone to contact her parents. It took her a few minutes to convince them she was fine, but she was able to keep them from picking her up from school. She hung up just as her friends returned with Morgana. When the cat saw the Eye of Horus, it flipped out. "Lady Mikono, what happened to you?!"

"Shh!" Mikono hissed. "Quiet down, Morgana. The nurse is waiting in the hallway. If she hears a bunch of meowing, she'll come back."

"S-Sorry..." Its ears flattened against the top of its head.

The young girl sat down on the bed and explained the situation to Morgana. The cat listened intently as it curled up in her lap. Once she finished her explanation, it closed its eyes with a hum.

Akira crosses his arms while glancing at the animal. "By your earlier reaction, I'm going to assume you've no clue what's wrong with Mikono."

Morgana sighed dejectedly. "I'm afraid not. But by the sound of it, your power is overflowing into this reality and could possibly corrupt your body or worse-kill you."

"What...?" Ryuji gaped in horror. Akira's own eyes widen as he listened closely to what the feline had to say.

Morgana turned to face the two boys. "Before you both go rush off without thinking, Lady Mikono will be perfectly fine. That's what the Eye is for."

The two boys sighed in relief, making Mikono smile in amusement. "You two really are worrywarts."

"Of course we'd be worried!" The blonde bellowed.

Akira nodded in agreement. "Especially if your life was at risk."

"Well, you both don't have to worry about that." She scooped Morgana up into her arms and stood up. "I wonder what I could use the Eye for..."

"I want to know, too," Morgana said. It then looked at the two boys. "But for now, you two should head back to class. I'll stay here with Lady Mikono."

"Actually, I was going to head back to class myself. I feel perfectly fine."

The door slid open, causing the girl to promptly scurry around in search of a spot to hide Morgana. She shoved the cat under the bed and smiled innocently as the nurse entered the infirmary. "I don't think so, young lady," she chided. "I overheard what you said and you still need to rest a little longer. What did your parents say?"

"I told them not to worry," Mikono answered honestly. "I'm fine, really. Please let me go back to class."

The woman placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. "No, Tsutsui. Rest for a little while longer, then I'll let you return to class."

"But school ends in..." She looked at the clock and grimaced. "Forty-five minutes..."

The nurse pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. She was aware of how close it was to the end of the school day and changed her mind. "All right, you win. I know you won't listen to me, anyway. But if you find yourself feeling feint or in any pain, come to me straight away."

"I will. Thank you," Mikono bowed politely before rushing out of the infirmary and to class, leaving Akira, Morgana, and Ryuji behind.

|| 4/16 Saturday ||
|| After School ||

"How're you feeling, Tsutsui-chan?" Takamaki asked as they headed up to the rooftop to rendezvous with Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana.

"Like nothing ever happened," Mikono replied with a brilliant smile. Her left hand gravitated toward her left eye and traced where the outline of the Eye of Horus would be located if she chose to call upon it. "I wonder how the Eye will be helpful."

"Sakamoto told me about that. I'm curious, too. I think we all are."

All of a sudden, Takamaki stopped on the middle of the stairwell. Her eyes traveled downward to the floor. The girl's sudden change in behavior puzzled and worried Mikono. She stopped a few steps above her classmate and tilted her head. "What is it, Takamaki-chan?"

The blonde lifted her head and locked gazes with the shorter girl. "I just realized... I never thanked you for saving Shiho."

Mikono's cheerful demeanor dampened. She looked away, staring at the wall with a melancholic gaze. "I didn't save her..."

"But you did!" Takamaki stomped her foot on the step. "I told the doctors how you tried to save her and they said if you hadn't, she would've died. It's thanks to you Shiho survived the fall."

"She's still in a coma," Mikono frowned.

"You gave her a chance to live, and she's now fighting for that chance you gave her."

"When she wakes up is the moment I'll believe I actually saved a life." Mikono turned and started heading up the stairs.

"You said "when"..." Takamaki muttered under her breath, smiling as she watched her classmate walk up the stairs. She turned her focus back to the task at hand and swiftly followed after the inky-haired girl up to the rooftop.

When the two girls arrived, they sat on top of two empty desks across from Ryuji and Akira. Morgana began licking its paw as soon as the meeting began.

Ryuji grinned as he looked around at the group. "Looks like we're all here. Mkay, let's get goin'!"

"Hold on," Morgana promptly intervened before the boy could fly out of his seat. "It's still too early for us to head to the Palace. And have you already forgotten what happened to Lady Mikono?"

Ryuji glances at said girl before looking back at the cat. "N-No..."

Mikono intervened, refusing to become a hindrance. "I feel fine. Amazing, actually. I want to head to the Palace and see if I can learn how to use the Eye."

"It's not just your health, Lady Mikono. I know you want to know what the Eye does, but the dangers of the Palace are also what concern me. We need to prepare," Morgana stated.

"Ain't that Persona shit we got enough to deal with it?" Ryuji grumbled. "I mean, did you see how Mikky pummeled all those guards by herself? With her, we're unstoppable!"

The feline glared at him. "Regardless of the power she possesses, you still can't underestimate the danger. You'll die if you mess up in there. So again, we need to prepare before we head in."

Takamaki's brows knitted together, puzzled as to how they would begin preparations. "But...how exactly are we supposed to do that?"

"I'm glad you asked, Lady Ann. First, we'll need to find better equipment for all of you."

"I don't think I'll be needing better equipment. My khopeshes are in pristine condition," Mikono remarks.

"We should still look into getting you a firearm, Mikono," Akira stated.

"Then I'll leave that to Ryuji. He knows a place in Shibuya where to buy model guns. Maybe you two could check it out tomorrow?"

"You're not gonna tag along?" Ryuji pondered.

"Can't. I've got work tomorrow. I'll be spending the entire day at the museum. Speaking of..." She pulled out her phone and checked the time. "I need to head to the train station before I'm late for my shift."

"You're still going to work after what happened?" Akira questioned with furrowed brows.

"I swear, you four worry way too much..." She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll be fine. There's no need to worry anymore. If it'll make you feel better, I'll text you when I arrive at the museum, Akira."

"Yeah, it would," he said.

"Then I'll text you later," she smiled. "See ya!"