**Yu's POV**

After the near-kiss, Yu walks away, dejected and lustful. He wanted her to kiss him, and he was just about to when the stupid fucking bell rang. God, did he hate that bell. He changes and heats up his lunch. He walks to homeroom, his lunch waiting for him there. Naoto is in the classroom, along with Kanji and Rise. Yosuke is piled in a heap on his desk. Chie sits with a smug look on her face next to him. Yu decides to ask him about it later.

Naoto: So...Guys. I was wondering if you all wanted to come with Sasha and-Wait. Where's...Sasha...?

Naoto goes pale. Then, the door bursts open, and low and behold, Sasha is standing on the other side. Yu blushes intensely, the moment still on his mind. He knows  how much Sasha wanted him to kiss him too; he didn't need mind-reading to know that.

He stares at her. She stares back. He walks up to the conversation, his still-steaming noodles in his right hand.

Naoto: Thank God. She's here.

**Sasha's POV**

My ankle is howling in pain, and I'm tempted to cry out. I brush the hair out of my face. Everyone's eyes are on me. I look down. I'm still wearing the gym uniform, and it's torn and bloody in a few places. I'm dripping with sweat, not very pretty. I blow the hair out of my face. 

Me: Naoto, I'm here.

Naoto: Good. So. To the matter at hand. I was going to ask you if you'd all like to come with us tomorrow to the ice rink. But in the condition Sasha's in, I might cancel.

Me: No!

She looks sad.

Me: Wait. I have a plan. I'll seeya guys later.

Yu: What about our next class?

Me: I'm leaving campus. If anyone asks, I went home with a broken ankle. 

Yukiko: But where will you actually go?

Me: I'm going to Junes.

Yosuke: Wait. Why...? No. You wouldn't.

Me: Yes, I would.

Yu: Are you meaning to say you're going into the TV world?

Me: Exactly. See you guys later. I'll be at your house around 10 tomorrow, Yu. That okay?

Yu: Sure. Later then. Good luck.

Kanji: Don't die. It'll be messy, and I might have to clean it up.

I giggle, then run out the door, the pain in my ankle no longer relevant. I'm outside, free. I sprint as fast as I can with a completely cracked knee. I give up the tough girl act, letting the tears pour out of my eyes. I'm howling in pain. I few passerby's shoot me an awkward glance, I'm a complete mess.

I make my way towards Junes, ignoring everyone. I spot Shirogane-sensei, and he scowls at me accusingly. I throw him an apologetic look, and his eyes soften. I clash through the doors of Junes, scaring a housewife half to death. I brush past her, trying as hard as I can to get to the elevator.

I slip through the closing doors, punching the button for the electronics department. Within moments, I'm on the right floor. The doors slide open, revealing a relieving sight. I look around for any customers, and yet again, nobody. I was positive that someone entered here with me. Maybe I'm just delusional?

I place my hand on a television screen. As I'm about to go in, my phone goes off. I check the caller ID. It's Yu.

Yu: Where are you?

Me: I'm at Junes. Call you later.

Yu: Wai-

I hang up, as I'm about to be consumed by the TV. I enter through. The strange entrance opens a path for the amazing land of what's really, purely in the TV. Teddie rushes over, struck by my appearance and injury.

Me: Hey, Teddie.

Teddie: Sasha-chan! What happened to your beary wonderful self? You look hurt!

I smile at his sincerity. I walk past him, and he tries to tug on my arm. I lash it away from his grasp.

Teddie: No! Don't go that way!

Me: Why not?

Teddie points toward a dark forest surrounding an enormous castle. This is a place I've seen only in dreams. Dreams that distorted into nightmares. Nightmares that contorted and twisted me until I nearly went insane. I scowl, terrified. 

As my emotions flicker from calm to raging, I look down at my outfit. It's changing by my own will. I snap my fingers, and the next moment I'm wearing a simple white silk dress, thigh length. My ankle still looks like absolute shit, but I ignore it. I break into a run, headed in the direction of the castle. Teddie yells for me to stop, but I ignore him.

As soon as I enter the forest, I'm instantly enveloped in trees. Trees all over, surrounding and collapsing into my emotions and body. I'm terrified. I close my eyes. My head and heart are pounding as one, in sound and beat. 

Me: Why am I here...?

I collapse to the ground, clutching my head. I look at my ankle. It's probably six times the size of normal. Behind me, I hear the snapping of branches. I swivel my head around. It's Yu. I look away. I focus on my ankle, swooping my hand over the inflamed area. I speak a foreign language that even I don't understand. I can't even tell what I'm doing. Sparks fall from my hand, radiating on my ankle. There's a searing pain for a moment, then a clear calm. I relax. 

I take a deep breath and ease myself to my feet. I ignore the fact that Yu is directly behind me. I flee, and head toward the castle.

**Yu's POV**

Yu doesn't care if he misses school, he takes off after Sasha. She sprints off campus. On his way out, he gets stopped by his uncle. He remembers that this week he offered to volunteer as a school nurse.

Uncle Dojima: Hey, kid. Why are you in such a rush? Is there something wrong?

Yu: No, nothing Uncle. I'll tell you later.

Uncle Dojima: Alright.

Yu sprints out the door, many peoples' eyes on him. He makes it to Junes only a few minutes later. He blasts through the doors, nearly toppling an elderly woman. He apologizes, and makes his way into the elevator. He presses the button. When the door opens, he notices the electronics department is yet again empty.

Yu looks around. He pushes himself into a big TV, ignoring anything but going to save Sasha. There is a calm silence, except the ambience of warping. He closes his eyes, only for a moment. He hasn't had one moment of sleep since the other night, when he saw the Midnight Channel come on yet again.

He lands smoothly on his feet, and breaks into a run. He spots a confused and exasperated Teddie. He grinds to a halt.

Teddie: Oh, Sensei! Sasha just went into the Forbidden Forest!

Yu: What's the Forbidden Forest...?

Teddie: It's a beary bad place. It could seriously injure her further if she isn't careful!

Yu: She's not the kind of girl to be careful. I need to find her. Now.

Yu sprints off. After entering the Forbidden Forest, he spots a flash of white. Is it her...? Yes! She swivels around. Something shiny falls from her hand, and she gets up gracefully as if she never even fell today.

She takes off running. He needs to save her. He chases after her.

**Sasha's POV**

Yu: Sasha! Stop!

I ignore him. I pump my legs nearly harder than I did today; with the help of the wind which I have no idea how I'm controlling, I move faster than I ever have. Before me stands an enormous castle. I gawk up at it. I sprint through the open door. I close the massive doors behind me, bolting them. I hear Yu cuss from behind the door.

Yu: Sasha, let me in.

Me: Let me do this, Yu.

Yu: No! Let me IN!

Yu slams his weight against the door. It shudders, but does not collapse. I back away from the door, and run towards the center of the castle. 

**Yu's POV**

Yu Narukami continues to slam his weight against the enormous door. She's fled, he can tell. He summons Izanagi-no-Okami, his Persona.

Yu: Persona!

Izanagi holds up his sword, mirroring Yu's actions. Yu slams his fist down, and so does Izanagi. His fist collides with the door, snap! A cloud of dust billows into the air. Yu walks through it. The door lay in splinters. 

Yu: Damn.

Yu looks on farther ahead, seeing Sasha locked in combat. She swivels around to spot him. Her hair rises, and her form starts to glow. The Shadows she's battling cower in fear. She races at them with a weapon Yu has never seen before. It's enormous. It's some kind of hybrid. It's an axe mixed with a sword mixed with a shield mixed with a gun. She attacks the Shadows with monumental force, snapping their essences with one blow. 

She looks again at Yu, who has stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. She's pissed. She sprints away, faster than he's ever seen. He tries to run after her, but she's too fast. 

Yu: Sasha! Stop it! It's not safe!

A voice pounds in his head. 

Mysterious Voice: Get out of here, Yu. GO!

Yu grabs his head, It feels like it's going to split. He runs back towards the doors, terrified.

Yu: I should get the gang. Then, we can save her.

**Sasha's POV**

I only am locked in battle for moments at a time. These "Shadows" are nothing. I crush their life essences with one hit. I scoff at them.

Me: *huff* This isn't dangerous. It's weak. But...It's good training, I suppose. *huff*

I look around. I'm in a hallway that yawns into a large room. There are only two things in this room. A table; A table on which a note has been placed. I walk slowly towards the table, wary of any enemies that may pop out at me. I pick up the note slowly. It reads:

If you are reading this, you will encounter Death very soon. Take heed my words. Good luck.

I scoff and crumple the note up. It's pathetic. I decide to take a look around. The castle itself is monumental. Most of the roof is still intact, and only some rooms are ominous and dangerous-looking. I laugh mockingly.

Me: Is this some kind of joke? It's pretty funny, I have to say...But...

I scowl. I have absolutely no idea why I'm here. 

Me: Why the hell would you bring me here?! What is so important that you had to drag me here?! It's an empty castle! The enemies are pathetic and-

My voice is lowered as I'm overtaken by curiosity. There's a bright light in another room, and it's faintly illuminating this room. I peer around the corner, alert. I hear whispering wisps of voices, egging me on to go into the room. I tip-toe in. It's a bedroom, massive and clean. The bedroom is, at least. I creep slowly into a cracked-open door, unknowing of what's inside. 

It's mirrors, reflections of me, of every single part of me. My Shadow is there too, smiling evilly and eerily, her face contorted in a way that made her look like she'd been burned. I feel a wisp of wind whistle past my ear, and I turn around. Someone's there. They mirror my expression, contorting it until it curls into a grin. My mouth gapes open at them. They turn away slowly. I stand there, dizzy.

Me: Wait! Dammit, wait!

Mysterious Figure: What...?

Me: Who are you?

Mysterious Figure: Don't you know...? My name is Ryoji...Or, more formally known as Death.

My eyes widen. The expression, "Staring Death in the face" is very ironic at this moment. My mind clears, and I think back to the note. It said, "You will encounter Death." It didn't say I would die. Everything seems so clear now. 

Ryoji: What is it that you want from me? Is that what you want to ask?

Me: How did you-?

Ryoji: I know everything about you. I AM Death. I have to know everything about you. That way I can judge you fairly. 

Me: What do you mean?

Ryoji: Why, I mean when you die, of course.

Me: But I'm not dead.

Ryoji: That isn't why you're here, my dear.

Me: Then...Why am I here?

Ryoji: Because...He wishes it this way.

Me: What? Who wishes-

Ryoji grasps me by the throat. He pins me up on the wall, pulling me up higher and higher. Black spots dance in front of my eyes. I'm dying, I think.

Ryoji: Do you want to know the truth?

I grab at my throat, trying to pry his fingers from around it. I'm clawing desperately at his hands, only for his grip to grow tighter and tighter. My chest throbs, and stabbing pains go through my lungs. Ryoji flashes me an angry look, and lets his grip go slack. He pulls away his hand, and I drop to the ground. I gasp for air, coughing and wheezing. I clutch at my chest. I look over at my sword, a fingertips' length away. I try to reach for it, but Ryoji gets to it before I do. He sticks a finger under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His face is so emotionless it's almost like he's nonchalant. But he's not. He has orders not to kill me, that's why he didn't. 

Ryoji: The truth is that you will never discover true happiness. You will be forever be locked in a game of cat-and-mouse until the day you die. That day, I might add, may indeed come shortly. Be grateful I let you live.

He disappears in a cloud of dark grey mist, and I drop my head. I feel hot tears of anger rush down my cheeks. I curl up into a ball, my chest still hurting. My lungs can't seem to get enough air. I wipe my tears quickly. I'm scared to death. There's a noise coming from the hall, and I jump. I bounce up onto my toes, prepared for anything to come through the door. 

When nothing does, I venture out into the hallway. My weapon, Excallibur, I like to call it, it sitting on the cold marble floor. I pick it up by the long, heavy handle. It weighs several dozen pounds. It almost seems to weigh more now than it did before. I decide to examine it more thoroughly at a later date. Right now, I need to get out of here. I race down the stairs and out the door. I run through the Dark Forest, tears threatening to flow out of my eyes. They're begging to be let out, and so I stop by an oak tree. I curl up underneath it, and cry. I cry until my eyes hurt, and I can't cry anymore. I hear slow, heavy footsteps. I look up. Yu stands there, backed up against a tree.

Yu: Sasha. Are you alright?

Me: Y-Yes.

Yu: You sure?

Me: *sniff* Yes.

Yu: Wait. Your...ankle!

Me: Yeah. I healed it, somehow. 

Yu: You healed it...?

Me: Yeah. I suppose that's what happened.

He strides to where I'm sitting, and plops down next to me. My eyes are so heavy, I'm tempted to ask if I can put my head in his lap. The only sound for a couple tranquil moments is the sound of birds in the trees, and the occasional scuffle of forest animals around us. Yu breaks the silence nonchalantly.

Yu: So, this means that you can go ice skating now, huh?

Me: Yup.

Yu: And you're gonna come play with Nanako too?

Me: Of course. I have nothing better to do, and I love Nanako.

Yu: Haven't you only met her, like twice?

Me: Yes.

Yu: She's adorable, isn't she?

Me: Yeah. She is.

I close my eyes. I feel Yu shift closer to me. 

Me: May...I?

Yu: Yeah, sure.

I blush only slightly. I set my head softly against Yu's shoulder. I'm content to spent eternity like this. I start to doze off, and as I drift off, I feel Yu patting my hair. His body is very warm. My dress is torn, and the wind is starting to pick up.. Even though I'm partly unconscious, I still shiver. Yu shifts his head towards my direction. 

Yu: You cold?

I nod slowly. He wraps his arms around my body awkwardly. I fall asleep just like that. I hope silently that I don't snore.