Hours later, Maria returns from her games room and sees Selina and Connie asleep.
"Awww~"
Smirking, she kisses Selina on the forehead before heading off to sleep herself.....
Daytime. A cafe. Midsummer. Inner city, by the looks of it.
Maria and Kyle sit in front of a cafe, sipping coffee lazily over a view of the sparkling river that ran through the city.
"Wow. Days like these....I sometimes wonder why I missed my home town."
"M-me too...."
Kyle seemed shy. After all, it was not two days since Maria had found out he had a crush on her and, since today wasn't a day when Shadows were due to attack, it was a good day to talk. Hastu and Gregory were off doing stuff, and Nico was back at the dorm, doing homework. Maria, for her part, simply wanted to talk to Kyle, and not about his crush, but just generally. Like Hastu, he seemed like a decent guy.
So the pair talked. They talked about school, stories from their home towns, and the afternoon went by. For now, Maria considered Kyle a friend. A good friend, especially as he had saved her life many times against the Shadows they had battled.
A phone rang.
"Hello?"
"This is Ash. The boss wants you up here now, important announcement."
"Right now? Me and Kyle here are enjoying a nice coffee. I don't really want to go anywhere. You sure it's that important?"
Kyle, for his part, shrugged and blushed slightly. He didn't think Maria would take to him this quickly, and for now, he was happy to be her friend. Eventually though.....
"Dammit, Ash. Fine, we'll be up there in a couple of minutes. Come, Kyle, we gotta go. The big guy's calling us."
"N-now? It's not even past one in the afternoon!"
"Apparently he wants a presentation done or something. Don't worry Kyle, I'll foot the bill. I'm generous like that." Maria smirked.
After paying the bill, Maria and Kyle set off on a bus to return to the dorm. Suddenly, the bus stopped.
"....what the hell? We aren't near a stop yet."
"Maria, you sure it isn't an intersection?"
"Pretty sure. Wait..."
Screaming. A large, bestial Shadow smashes the bus backwards a bit.
Maria shouted.
"What the hell?! Shadows in daylight?!"
"Impossible! Mr. Kashima said they can't be out in daylight!"
The Shadow roared, and most of the civilians started pouring out of the area. Maria nodded to Kyle, and both equipped their summoning gloves.
"I'll take care of the civilians. You hold him off."
"Got it. Thoth, I summon thee!"
Kyle's Persona, Thoth, formed in front of him. He immediately slowed the Shadow, while Kyle equipped two pistols, firing them at the Shadow to keep it back.
Maria began herding civilians out of the area.
"Miss, move quickly please, there's been a bad accident!"
"Go! There's been a really bad accident and we need help now!"
"Seriously, you got to get out, bad accident's happened!"
Meanwhile....
"Yeah! Back! Get back you sonofabitch!"
Kyle got into the fight, and Thoth continued debuffing the Shadow, all while Kyle kept a barrage of bullets up at it.
Soon, the Shadow roared, and the roar echoed around the area. Kyle ignored it and kept firing.
Soon, the civilians left, and Maria sighed in relief.
Before being smashed into Kyle by another bestial Shadow, as three more appeared around them.
Kyle's concentration was broken, and Thoth faded, as both were knocked down.
"Ugh!"
"Dammit!"
"Maria! Are you o-"
"I'll live, but not for much longer against these Shadows!"
The pair got back up, and went back to back, facing the Shadows. Maria took out her staff and Kyle reloaded his guns.
"Damn it, he must've called for his friends."
"We're gonna have to fight."
"I'll cover you, you cover me."
"Agreed."
The pair extended their gloved hands and prepared to fight.
"PERSONA!"
A flash of light, then silence.