Young Blood
A Persona 3 Story
"You keep my secrets hope to die
Promises swear them to the sky."
The Naked and Famous
DISCLAIMER:I do notown Shin Megami Tensei, Persona or any of their characters.
Foreward...
Hey all! This is my first fic, a re-telling of Persona 3 Portable, my favorite game of the Persona series. In addition to adding a new storyline to the original plot, I've reworked it so that both the female and male protagonist are in the story, as well as providing sort of a guide to maxing out all of the romantic social links. The dialogue in the romantic subplots is veryclose to the dialogue in the game, so feel free to use this story as a guide.
That said, the first few chapters will be very close to the game, except that both Minatoand Hamukowill be present. So please stick with my story past the first couple chapters!After chapter four, things start to change a lot in terms of story and characterizations.
And for any of you who do not want the Persona 3 plot spoiled for you, for the love of Zeus, DO NOT READ THIS. It will spoil EVERYTHING.
...So without further ado, here's Young Blood!Hope you like.
*Creepy smile*
~ Cornelia
P.S. I title all of my chapters after a song that I think is relevant to the chapter; if you'd like to hear them, go to my blog. There's a link on my profile. I stronglysuggest this, not because it adds to the story (which I think it does), but because all of the songs are freaking amazing.
All right, now I'm done.
Enjoy Young Blood! And please, feel free to comment.
CHAPTER ONE
Get Better
"Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better."
Mates of State
Time never waits. It delivers all equally to the same end.
You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be…
You will be given one year; go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide…
SUNDAY – 04/06/09
It was evening at the terminal station, and the entrance was buzzing with activity. Mothers and fathers carried their sleeping children through the crowd. College students gathered in exuberant groups; for them, the night hadn't even begun. Security officers leaned languidly against partitions, their eyes glued to the college kids, allowing older, less suspicious patrons to leap over the turnstiles unnoticed.
Amidst the throng, two anxious figures stood side-by-side. They were fraternal twins, though you wouldn't know it by looking at them; the boy, named Minato, had bluish hair and bright blue eyes, while his sister, Hamuko, had reddish brown eyes and a mop of brown hair. Hamuko had always been told she looked like their mother, whereas Minato was led to believe he looked like their dad. The twins had no way of knowing if this was true, of course. They had been orphans for about as long as they could remember.
Presently, Hamuko and Minato were entering a new chapter of their lives, a chapter in which they would be thrust from familiarity into a strange new world. Tuesday would be the twins' first day at Gekkoukan High School, an institution owned by the prestigious Kirijo Group. They hadn't been given much time to prepare. They hadn't even had time to think. But when their foster parents had received a letter from the Kirijo Group inviting Hamuko and Minato to attend Gekkoukan, the twins had promptly been packed up and shipped off to the station.
Minato tugged absently at the sleeve of his brand-new Gekkoukan High jacket. It was his idea to wear them to the station; it was the first time they'd be meeting their housemates, and he wanted to show them how dedicated he and his sister were to their new school.
"Which train is it, Hamu?" Minato asked his sister. "I can't remember…"
"We're on 'Anehazuru,'" said Hamuko tonelessly. "It's written on the ticket."
"Yeah, but I spilled water on mine and it smudged."
Hamuko sighed. "Figures…"
Minato looked sideways at his sister, whose face was set in lines of gloom. She'd been like this for weeks. It had started with her taking all of her New City High memorabilia and setting it all ablaze; after that, she'd locked herself in the room for a few days. Since she'd come back out, Hamuko had been melancholy at best, total zombie at worst. Minato hated to see her so downtrodden.
"I wish you weren't so sad," Minato said quietly. "You'll see your friends again someday."
"That's not it," said Hamuko, shaking her head. Minato frowned.
"Then… what is it?"
Hamuko turned her baleful eyes to her brother's face. "Come on, Minato. They practically shoved us out the door."
She was talking about their foster parents. Minato sighed.
"Look, Hamuko," he said. "I know this might be stupid advice, but try to look at this experience positively. The Kirijo Group set us up with rooms at the Gekkoukan dorms. With all the money the Kirijo Group makes, think of how nice that place must be. Much better than our stupid New City apartment, anyway."
Hamuko was temporarily distracted from her resentment. "That's another thing," she told Minato in an undertone. "Why d'you suppose they did that? I mean, why do they want us at Gekko High?"
"Dunno," said Minato unconcernedly. "Grades, probably."
Both Hamuko and Minato were ace students; the two had tied for the top of their class every year as far back as elementary school.
"Yeah…," said Hamuko vaguely. "Still, though… It seems fishy to me."
Suddenly, a voice rang clear above their heads:
"Attention, passengers. The Anehazuru train is now boarding."
"Ah," said Minato. "That's us, then."
He strode off, whistling, toward the train – and stopped abruptly, realizing Hamuko hadn't budged.
"What's the matter?" Minato asked. "Are you coming, or aren't you?"
Hamuko stood still for several seconds longer, staring pensively over her shoulder. Maybe Minato was right. Maybe life at Gekkoukan High would be an improvement after their lives in New City. Maybe there was nothing to be upset about, after all.
And yet…
Why this nagging? Why this voice in her head that told her this was wrong? When she thought of returning to Iwatodai, she was flooded with dread. Why couldn't she shake the feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong?
Stop, Hamuko told herself. You're being stupid.
Things in Iwatodai would be fine. They would be calm, ordinary. They might even be a little boring. But Hamuko didn't mind that. At this point, she could use some boring in her life.
There was no room left for dread. She needed to get rid of it, to drive it from her mind, to leave it behind with the burning remnants of her New City life.
Hamuko turned to face her brother, a slight smile on her lips.
"Yeah, yeah," she told Minato. "I'm coming."
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
The female student sat huddled on her bedroom floor, her face buried in one shaking hand. She gasped and shuddered, her breathing shallow, her pulse uneven. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, stinging her eyes.
She was terrified.
She knew what she had to do. She'd seen Mitsuru-senpai do it dozens of times. She knew she would come out of it alive. But still, the terror persisted.
It was just… that shape… Did they have to make the evokers look like that?
But the girl swallowed hard, shutting her eyes tightly. She had to get it over with. She'd put it off for far too long.
"I just… put it to my head…," she said, the way she'd rehearsed it so many times, "and… pull the trigger."
No matter how hard she tried, her would-be casual tone couldn't mask her fear.
The girl shook herself. "No chickening out," she said firmly. It was now or never. There was no time left for childish fright.
Slowly, the girl raised the evoker. She pressed the muzzle to her forehead. She rested her finger on the trigger. She shut her eyes, held her breath, prepared to fire –
– and let the evoker clatter uselessly to the floor.
"No…," groaned the girl, clutching at her light brown hair in despair. "I can't!"
Through the window, the full moon cast its pale glow over her face. A single tear of anguish slid silently down her cheek, bursting as it hit the mahogany floor.
She had failed.
Hamuko and Minato sat together toward the back of the bus, crammed somewhat uncomfortably into two seats. Both twins were wearing headphones, the slow drone of familiar music calming their nerves. At length, however, Hamuko switched off her MP3 player and looked expectantly to her brother.
It took a moment for Minato to realize Hamuko was staring at him. He took off his own headphones, frowning.
"What?" he asked, thoroughly creeped out. "What're you looking at me like for?"
"What are your expectations for this year?" Hamuko asked. "I mean, we'll have a fresh start at Gekkoukan. What are you hoping for?"
Minato considered it. "I dunno," he admitted. "As long as I make friends, I don't really care what else happens."
"You're not looking for a girlfriend?" sang Hamuko, grinning mischievously. Minato smiled.
"I'm a teenage boy," he reminded his sister. "I'm always looking for a girlfriend."
"Then why didn't you ever get one?" asked Hamuko. "I mean, a lot of girls at our old school really liked you."
Minato fiddled with his MP3 player. "Yeah, I know, but… For some reason, I always figured any relationship I made there wouldn't last. To me, New City never felt permanent."
"And you think Gekkou will?" said Hamuko skeptically.
"Yeah," said Minato, nodding. "I know it sounds crazy, Hamuko, but I feel like we were meant to come back. Even though I don't remember it, Iwatodai has always felt like home to me. I don't know if it's because that's where we were born, or because that's where Mom and Dad died, but…"
He trailed off, staring out the window. Hamuko turned her attention to the ceiling.
"I know what you mean," she said quietly. "But, for me, mixed in with the longing, I'm sort of… afraid to return."
"Why?" said Minato, looking up. "What's there to be afraid of?"
Hamuko shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to remember. There was something… a bridge… an awful crash… a blinding flash… and then…
Nothing. There was nothing more after that.
"Hamuko?" Minato pressed her. "Why are you afraid to go back?"
Hamuko sighed. "I don't know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Minato stared at Hamuko for a long moment. Before he could coax more information out of her, the conductor's voice sounded from the speakers in their headrests.
"Due to a malfunction in the switching system," said the conductor, sounding bored, "today's rail schedule has been greatly altered."
Hamuko's eyes snapped open. "Altered?" she repeated. "What d'you mean, altered?"
"We apologize to any customers who were in a hurry," said the conductor. A collective groan rose from the passengers in the twins' car. Hamuko shook her head.
"This is just what we need," she muttered.
"Relax," said Minato, patting her knee. "It's not like we've got anything else to do."
"I know," said Hamuko, "but I don't want to keep the others waiting."
"Well, I'm sure it won't be for much longer," said Minato. Then, as though in affirmation of this statement, the conductor announced,
"The next stop is Iwatodai."
"See?" Minato said, nudging his sister. "Told you so."
But by the time the twins reached their destination, it was nearly midnight – more than two hours after their promised time of arrival. They were the only passengers departing at Iwatodai Station. Hopping onto the platform, Hamuko and Minato stretched their stiff, aching limbs and cracked their necks.
"This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island," said a pleasant, feminine voice overhead. "Please take care to board before our departure."
"Port Island," said Hamuko nostalgically. "Man, I've wanted to go to Port Island for years! The shopping there is amazing."
"I hear they've got a wicked arcade," said Minato. "I wonder if we can go sometime this week."
"Sure!" said Hamuko excitedly. "Maybe our new housemates will want to come, too."
"I wonder what they're like," said Minato.
"Cool, hopefully," said Hamuko. "You never know, though. Gekkoukan is a top-ranked school; they could be pretentious snobs."
Minato shrugged, and was about to say he didn't think so - when all at once, the clock struck midnight.
The lights went out.
The electronics shut off.
Everything was cast into an eerie, greenish state of absolute shadow.
MIDNIGHT – 04/06/09
"What happened?" said Hamuko, whirling around. "Why'd the lights go out?"
"I – I don't know," said Minato. "And why's everything suddenly gone green?"
Hamuko shivered, pulling her blazer closer to her body. "Beats me," she said softly, "but something about the atmosphere seems…"
"Odd?" supplied Minato. Hamuko nodded fervently.
"Definitely odd."
Hamuko and Minato couldn't know it at the time, but "definitely odd" would soon become the best way of describing their lives.
"Come on," said Minato, grabbing Hamuko's hand. "It'd probably be best to hurry to the dorm."
"Right," said Hamuko.
And the twins left the station. They kept very close together, shivering slightly in the unnatural cold, glancing through alleys and abandoned side-streets. As they walked, they noticed coffin-like objects lining the deserted city, rows of ominous, identical monoliths standing tall along the sidewalks.
"What do you think those are?" asked Hamuko uneasily.
"Er – Probably some kind of modern art," said Minato. "Or an anti-smoking campaign."
But he knew this probably wasn't the case.
Ignoring what appeared to be blood running in the gutter, Hamuko turned her attention skyward. The moon was full, and eerily gigantic; she'd never seen anything like it. Normally, such a sight would fill her with awe.
Tonight, it sent a shiver along her spine.
Finally, Hamuko and Minato reached the dorm. They stood before the impressive doors, staring into the darkened windows. It was a spectacular building, all brick and ivy and robust Grecian columns, and it was exactly identical to the one in their admissions pamphlets. Minato breathed a sigh of relief. They were in the right place.
"What are we waiting for?" he said. "Let's go in."
As quietly as possible, Hamuko and Minato slipped through the front door, stepping out of their shoes as they entered the foyer. There was a living room set out before them with handsome armchairs, a comfortable-looking couch, an oak coffee table and a huge television set. Just beyond the living room was a spacious dining room. There were a lot of seats at the long table. Minato wondered how many people they would be living with.
Finally, Minato sighted what he'd been looking for: the men's bathroom.
"Be right back," he muttered to his sister, hurrying away.
Hamuko grinned. She set down her purse, and was just about to sink into one of those inviting armchairs, when –
"Welcome."
It was all Hamuko could do to keep from screaming. The boy's voice had come from directly behind her; spinning on the spot, Hamuko prepared herself for a fight to the death, expecting to find a crazed murderer looming over her shoulder.
So when she saw the little boy in the striped pajamas, Hamuko was both bewildered and relieved.
"You're late," the little boy announced, his bright blue eyes reproachful.
"Er – am I?" said Hamuko feebly. The boy nodded.
"I've been waiting a long time."
"W-well, I'm sorry," said Hamuko. "We didn't mean to keep you. It's just – the train was rerouted, and –"
She stopped short, frowning, as the boy shoved a piece of paper under her nose.
"If you want to proceed, then please sign here," the boy told Hamuko brightly.
Hesitantly, Hamuko took the paper, inspecting it. "What is it?" she asked.
"It's a contract," said the boy simply, adding, "There's no need to be scared."
"I'm not scared," lied Hamuko. "I just don't want to sign it if I don't know what it's for."
"It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions," said the boy, as though this should have been blaringly obvious.
"Oh, I get it," said Hamuko, relieved. "So it's a boarding agreement. It's telling me that if I trash the place, I'll get expelled, right?"
The boy only smiled sweetly.
"All right, then," said Hamuko. "I guess that's not a problem."
But when Hamuko scanned the first lines of the boarder agreement, she only grew more bemused.
The agreement read, "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will."
She was losing more faith in Gekkoukan High with each passing second.
Below this bizarre heading was a blank line, on which Hamuko assumed she had to sign her name. Extracting a pen from her pocket coat, Hamuko signed, in loopy cursive, Hamuko Arisato, Junior.
Satisfied with her penmanship, Hamuko handed the contract to the boy, who was still smiling in his unnerving way. The boy pocketed the contract.
"Very well," he said. He paused for a moment, apparently lost in thought. Then, he said, as if to the shadows themselves,
"Time is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away."
He turned his orb-like eyes to Hamuko. She swallowed hard.
"Um – Right," she said stupidly. The boy chuckled.
"And so it begins," he said, in a voice full of foreboding.
Hamuko stared at the boy for a moment, hardly daring to believe he was real. She started suddenly as the bathroom door shut and Minato came toward her.
"You scared me," muttered Hamuko. "Why were you in there so long?"
"I was playing with the hand dryers," admitted Minato. "This place is seriously high tech. I'm looking forward to exploring."
"Me too," said Hamuko, "but there'll be time for that in the morning. Right now you have to sign the boarder agreement."
"Okay," said Minato. "Where is it?"
Hamuko turned to get a fresh copy from the boy in the pajamas. But the boy in the pajamas had disappeared. There was no sign of him anywhere.
It was as if he'd melted into the darkness itself.
"Hamu?" asked Minato. "Are you okay?"
Hamuko shook her head forcefully. "I think I need to lie down."
Suddenly, there came footsteps from the darkness.
"Who's there!" called a feminine voice. Before Minato or Hamuko could answer, a figure came forth from the shadows.
The girl was young, probably the twins' age. Her light brown hair fell carelessly to her shoulders, swept back over her ears. Her eyes were wide, brown, and wary. Minato couldn't help noticing that she was extremely pretty.
The girl's eyes grew even wider as they fell on the twins.
"How could you…?" the girl began. She stopped short, a look of realization sweeping over her face. The girl shook her head. "Don't tell me…"
She seemed to be seriously freaked out, though Hamuko couldn't see why. Suddenly, Hamuko's stomach twisted into a knot.
The girl was holding a gun.
"Wait!"
A second girl hurried into the room, placing her hand on the first girl's shoulder. This new girl was just as beautiful as the girl with the gun, though her beauty was manifested in a very different way. The new girl was statuesque, with long, graceful limbs and cascades of thick auburn hair. She, like the others, wore a Gekkoukan high school uniform, though she was definitely older.
The first girl jumped slightly as the second girl came in; almost simultaneously, the lights flickered on in the foyer.
"The lights…!" said the first girl, looking relieved. The second girl smiled warmly, turning her attention to Hamuko and Minato.
"I didn't think you'd arrive so late," she told them.
"Sorry," said Minato. "Our train was rerouted."
The redhead nodded. "My name is Mitsuru Kirijo," she told the twins. "I'm one of the students who live in this dorm."
Kirijo? Did that mean…?
"Who're they?" asked the other girl, rousing Minato from his thoughts.
"They're transfer students," said Mitsuru carelessly. "It was a last minute decision to assign them here."
Hamuko smiled at the brown-haired girl, holding a hand out for the girl to shake. She did not accept it.
"Is it okayfor them to be here?" she asked Mitsuru, her voice heavy with some hidden implication. Mitsuru met her with an even stare.
"I guess we'll see," she said, smiling enigmatically.
The brunette did not look pleased.
"This is Yukari Takeba," said Mitsuru, when the brunette did not introduce herself. "She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."
Yukari Takeba relaxed somewhat, apparently embarrassed at having been introduced like a child being introduced by her mother.
"Hi…," she said to the twins. "I'm Yukari."
"Nice to meet you," said Hamuko.
"Uh, y-yeah," said Yukari uncertainly. "Nice to meet you too..."
"Why do you have a gun?" blurted Minato, pointing.
Yukari looked taken aback. "H-huh?" she stammered. "Um – Well – It's sorta like a hobby. Well – not a hobby – but –"
"You know how it is these days," Mitsuru cut in. "It's for self-defense. It's not a real gun, of course."
Rather than looking grateful to Mitsuru for having saved her, Yukari only looked reproachful.
"It's getting late," said Mitsuru. "You'll find your room on the third floor."
"Er – room?" said Hamuko. "As in, singular?"
"Yes," said Mitsuru. "We didn't have time to prepare a room on the boy's floor, so you'll have to share a girls' room for the time being. It's only temporary, of course," she added, sighting Minato's defeated expression. "And we've put an extra bed in for you."
"Well, if it's only temporary, I guess it's okay," relented Minato.
"Your things should already be there," said Mitsuru. "I suggest you tuck in for the night."
Mitsuru looked pointedly to Yukari, who was staring hard at Minato. Yukari started, blushing slightly.
"Oh…," she said, smiling sheepishly, "I'll show you the way. Follow me."
Hamuko glanced at her brother, who was absently admiring the wallpaper. Hamuko smiled. It didn't seem like Minato would have any trouble at all finding a girlfriend. The real trouble would be getting him to pay attention.
After climbing what seemed like a hundred stairs, they reached the furthest door of the third floor. Yukari paused there.
"This is it," she said, somewhat awkwardly. "Pretty easy to remember, huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall."
"Thanks," said Hamuko, grinning. Now that Yukari had relaxed, she was a lot friendlier. In fact, Hamuko thought, Yukari Takeba would probably be a good person to make friends with.
"So," said Yukari, clapping her hands together, "any questions?"
"Yeah, actually," said Hamuko, the question only occurring to her as she said it. "I signed the boarder contract, but my brother didn't get a copy."
Yukari looked confused.
"Huh?" she said, frowning. "What contract?"
Hamuko's spirits sank slightly. Yukari clearly had no idea what she was talking about. Furthermore, the second Minato had entered the foyer, the little boy in the striped pajamas had disappeared.
Was it possible that Hamuko had imagined the whole thing?
"Um… Can I ask you something?"
Yukari looked uncomfortable again.
"Sure," said Minato. "Ask away."
"On your way here from the station," said Yukari, avoiding the twins' gazes, "was everything… okay?"
Hamuko and Minato exchanged nervous glances.
"What do you mean?" said Minato, trying to sound innocent.
"You know what I –" Yukari began. She bit her lip, apparently deciding better of it. "Never mind."
Hamuko relaxed. She didn't want her new housemates to know about the eerie green moon or the coffins. Scaring people would not help them make friends.
Yukari considered them for half a second more. "It seems like you're alright," she finally decided.
"You seem pretty alright yourself," said Hamuko, grinning. Yukari laughed.
"Well, I'd better get going…," she said. And, bidding them goodnight, she walked down the hall. Upon reaching her stairs, Yukari paused, her hand lingering on the railing.
"Um… I'm sure you still have other questions, but… let's save them for later, okay?"
The twins nodded. Yukari smiled.
"Good night!" she said again. She hurried back down the stairs. Once he was sure she was gone, Hamuko elbowed her brother.
"You must be pretty happy about the living arrangements, huh?"
Minato tilted his head to the side slightly. "Why do you say that? I don't even get my own room."
Hamuko rolled her eyes. She was talking, of course, about Minato living under the same roof as Mitsuru and Yukari – possibly the prettiest girls either of them had ever met. Leave it to Minato to be oblivious of it all, Hamuko thought.
The two of them pushed through the door and examined their new room. It was spacious, plenty of room for two people, let alone one. There was a computer, a TV, a closet. Hamuko had more than she needed here.
So things were weird. They'd only been in Iwatodai an hour, and already she'd seen coffin-filled streets, a giant moon and a little boy who didn't really seem to exist. But Hamuko was comfortable here. She liked Yukari, and Mitsuru seemed nice, too. Maybe it was okay if things were a little weird.
And, as Hamuko shut her eyes that night, she was content. It was nice to feel that warm, familiar glow again.