Things get crazier...

(chapter originally by doragom333 at writing.com)

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru gasped, horrified. "How could you? He is only a child!"

"By fighting shadows, he is a full-fledged adult just like the rest of us," Akihiko shrugged. "Besides, he fought admirably, there is no shame in a defeat like that."

"I *hack* I'm not done... yet," Ken coughed, picking himself up and leaning on his spear for support.

"Still not finished?" Akihiko flashed a wicked smile. "Looks like this is getting interesting after all."

"Dammit!" Mitsuru swore. "Aigis, standby!" she commanded, as she ran to block Akihiko's advance.

"Mitsuru!" Akihiko flinched. "This doesn't concern you."

"You have gone completely out of your mind, Akihiko. Since you refuse to listen to reason, it seems that **** is the only answer. Now, let's settle this, 'like men,' I believe you said?" Mitsuru said cooly as she untied her ribbon, unbuttoned her blouse and cast it aside, leaving only an elegant dark bra covering her chest, mirroring the state of the other three fighters.

"M-Mitsuru!?" Akihiko blinked, turning slightly red.

"So even Mitsuru's getting into this?" Shinjiro shrugged. "Heh, reminds me of the good old days. Guess our fight has to wait, Akihiko."

"Ma... Mitsuru-san," Ken said, gritting his teeth as he got into position alongside Mitsuru, as both pairs squared off against each other for the next round.

"Phew!" said Minako, stretching her arms. "Aigis sure has a tight grip. So, you ready for this, Junpei-kun?"

"I was born ready, Minako-chan," said Junpei.

"Okay then, here we go!" Minako cheered as she reached around and unclasped her bra.

"Wh-Whoa!" Junpei gasped as Minako pulled it off her body, exposing her breasts. "Already? I didn't think you'd actually do this till we got there."

"What's the matter, Junpei-kun?" Minako said, spinning her bra around one of her fingers. "Getting cold feet?"

"Hardly! You just took me by surprise, that's all," he said as he went to work taking off his clothes.

"Hm, now that I think of it..." Minako pondered, tossing her bra casually aside. "Just the two of us might be a little dull."

"What, backing down already?" Junpei balked, having removed his shirt and jacket by this point.

"Come on, you know the saying: 'The more the merrier?' So how about it, Yukari-chan?" Minako asked. "Want to take part in the Ultimate Tartarus Challenge?"

"Uh... look, Minako-chan," Yukari said. "I know we're friends and all here, but I don't think I'm ready to bare it all right now, you understand? And also, Stupei over there will probably ruin whatever fun I can get out of this little game by watching, so I should probably just stay here."

As she mentioned Junpei, he turned towards Yukari and raised an eyebrow suggestively, dressed only in his shoes, socks, boxers and hat at this point.

"See what I mean?" said Yukari.

"True, true," Minako nodded. "But consider this. Staying here means that you will be with Mitsuru, and I don't think she approves of your 'appreciation' for buff studs and beautiful bodies. Do you really want to be stuck with her after she's done with Akihiko-kun and Shinji-kun?"

Though Yukari only had a side view of Mitsuru from where she was standing, the red-haired President was as imperious as ever; having her bra on display did nothing to lessen her furious presence.

"And even if you don't want to look at Junpei-kun, perhaps you'll enjoy seeing more of _this _in action?" Minako asked, raising her skirt teasingly and rubbing her hand along up her thigh.

Yukari's lips pursed together at the sight. "Fine," she grumbled, turning red and glancing to the side. "After all, it's no fun staring when the meat's beaten up. But seriously, I am not getting naked unless I want to. No forcing me into it, got it?"

"Of course!" said Minako, undoing her skirt and letting it flutter to the ground. "You can help referee us then. And how about you, Fuuka-chan?"

"Me?" Fuuka responded incredulously. "I-I'm flattered, Minako-chan, but I don't think that, well-"

"Minako-chan, Fuuka-chan can't fight, remember?" Junpei reminded her as he stepped out of his boxers and straightened his cap.

"Oh yeah," Minako smacked her forehead. "You'd just be stuck at the lobby like always, sorry Fuuka-chan."

"Well, there's still the fight here I can watch," Fuuka shrugged. "And also..."

"Also?" Minako asked, bending over to remove her panties.

"Ah, it's nothing. Good luck, Minako-chan," Fuuka smiled.

"Ah, come on, no luck for Junpei?" Junpei asked, arms open wide.

"Please, Minako-chan is going to kick your sorry little butt, Stupei," Yukari taunted.

"Big words from the girl who's coming along just to watch and not join in the fun," Junpei taunted back.

As Yukari and Junpei continued to argue, Fuuka surreptitiously brought her phone out and snapped a picture of the mostly-naked trio. Examining the result, she cracked a crooked smile as she saw everything they had to offer was there. Unlike everyone else, whose desires either wanted to be seen or to exert control over others, Fuuka's urged her to lay low, putting her efforts to a more subtle use.

It didn't start that way, of course. Knowing what would happen and fearing that Mitsuru could concievably try to hold her at fault for this, Fuuka had decided to take some precautions, just in case. By using her phone at opportune moments, Fuuka planned to capture Mitsuru's stew-induced faux pax as insurance, in case Mitsuru tried to pin it all on her as the chef who made the stew. However, when the stew's effects had set in, Fuuka realized, why just capture Mitsuru's moment, when she had a whole team's worth of opportunities? And what a bounty it was: the fight, Yukari becoming a perverted loon, the stripping, all of it was captured in photos on her phone. She felt on top of the world right now. All these embarrassing moments captured for posterity. And it was more than just that, she felt. All of this was priceless data that had to be preserved, solely for her use, of course, but preserved nontheless. However, the data collection wasn't enough to satisfy the energy pulsing through her. Still, she had some ideas brewing that could satisfy the urge...

Meanwhile, Aigis and Koromaru could only behold insanity their team had been reduced to. In one corner, Akihiko, Shinjiro, Ken, and Mitsuru were all in a half-naked sparring match and had all started using their weapons by this point, and in the other, Minako, Junpei and Yukari were about to go to Tartarus, with only Yukari wearing anything more than shoes, socks, and a weapon. Fuuka, for her part, hadn't moved much from the table, but who knows how long it would be until she started doing something crazy as well. Things weren't looking good.

Koromaru peered up at Aigis and let out a whine.

"Indeed," Aigis nodded. "I have never seen them acting like this either. I have no clue how I can be of assistance."

Koromaru barked.

"The time? Let me check," said Aigis. "Why, it's just about midnight!"

Just as Aigis finished her sentence, a deathly chill was felt throughout the room. Instantaneously, all the lights and electronics in the room dimmed and shut off, as the sky outside the windows turned a pale green. The Dark Hour had begun.

"It's that late already? We've gotta get going, pronto!" Minako shouted as she ran to the door.

"All right!" Junpei shouted, in hot pursuit.

"Okay, then," Yukari said, taking up the rear.

"Would you look at that?" Shinjiro mused. "We're already behind schedule."

"Then allow me to finish this quickly!" said Mitsuru, drawing her evoker from her hip holster.

"They're going to use their Personas against each other? This isn't good!" Aigis yelled.

Koromaru whimpered, looking back between the two groups.

"Aigis-chan, Koro-chan!" Fuuka addressed the struggling pair, putting her now-disabled phone back in her pocket.

"Fuuka-san?" Aigis asked.

"There's no time left, the only way you can watch over everyone now is if you split up."

"I-yes... that is sound advice. But which one of us should-" before Aigis could finish her sentence, Koromaru charged across the room, just barely following Yukari outside before the front door closed.

"Problem solved, it appears," said Aigis. "I will remain and help mediate the struggle between Akihiko-san and the others."

"It sure looks that way," said Fuuka.

"By the way, Fuuka-san," said Aigis. "You still seem to be in complete control of your mental faculties."

"I'm sorry," Fuuka asked, caught off guard.

"What I mean is that you have not yet expressed interest in starting a fight, removing your clothing, or made known a desire to see others naked."

"Oh, that, ha ha," Fuuka laughed nervously, glad that no one could use her phone right now.

"Which leads me to ask you a question. What will you do now?" Aigis asked with her unyielding gaze. "I do not think you are so irresponsible as to just sit there while everyone loses themselves. Are you going to help me sort out the fight right here? Or will you follow Koro-chan and the others to Tartarus to watch over them?"

"What am I going to do?" Fuuka asked. "Well, that is..."