April 6th, 2009
AN: Hi hi . For the past couple of weeks, my imagination has been captured by the amazing game, Persona 3. I thought it would be fun to write a novelization. I have my own thoughts of the series and I think this will be a cool way to show it off . If you don't like it, don't read it. Otherwise, enjoy!
I don't own anything.
I splash cold water on my face. The station is pretty humid due to all the people rushing home after work. I study my reflection in the mirror. I look tired and my forehead is shiny. Travelling generally make my skin oily. I take my handkerchief out and pat my face dry. Something in the corner of my eye catches my attention.
It's a butterfly. A glowing, blue one in fact. I've never seen anything like it. It flutters by and disappears out the open window. That's when I notice something scribbled on the wall next to the window.
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;
Go forth without falter,
With your heart as your guide…
This must have been left behind by one of those religious monks outside. They have nice penmanship.
I exit the restroom, feeling refreshed. The city station is full of people chatting and hurrying home to their family. I even see a woman text and carry four shopping bags at the same time. I really hope she doesn't run into anyone. I sit on a bench and wait for the train to arrive. I turn on my MP3 player and play my favorite song "Soul Phrase".
I get a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that something is about to happen. My heart pounds and palms start to sweat. My breathing becomes shallow and I start to shake. The noise around me worsens into dissonant cacophony. I rummage through my bag for my pills. I manage to find them and swallow one. The bitter taste is disgusting and I cleanse my palate with water from a bottle.
I sigh with relief as my body calms down. This has been happening for the past 10 years and I really don't know what causes it. My doctor back at home diagnosed me with panic disorder and gave me anti-anxiety pills to take whenever I start to have a meltdown.
I hear the train pull into the station. I rush down the stairs and board the train as quickly as I can. Not many people are heading into the city at this time so there are plenty of spaces to sit. I choose a seat right next to the door and open my admission's pamphlet for the new school I'm going to be attending.
Gekkoukan High is known for its first rate academics and sports club. Students can either live in the dorms or at home. There is a picture of a beautiful building with the words "Iwatodai Dorms" underneath it. It's small and intimate; easy to make friends there most likely.
The intercom crackles to life. "Due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered. We apologize to any customer who were in a hurry. The next stop is Iwatodai." The conductor announces. He doesn't seem too thrilled with this turn of events either.
I decide it would be pointless to complain at this point so I turn on my MP3 player and wait until it is time for my stop.
It takes about two hours until I arrive at my stop. I didn't mind but the other people on the train were antsy to get home. "Iwatodai. This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island. Please take care to board before our departure." The pre-recorded announcement sounds over the train.
I scramble to depart from the train. My leg fell asleep and I shake and stomp to get rid of the pins and needles sensation. I pass through the terminal and take notice of the time. It's almost midnight. I arrived way later than I was expecting.
Suddenly, all the lights in the station turn off and the world around turns green, like I'm looking through night vision goggles. The station is open 24 hours a day so I wonder why it seems so dead right now.
I don't really want to stay here much longer. I hurry outside the station and onto the street. I know it's late but there is literally no one around. I wander further into the city and notice coffin-like objects where people should be standing. I've never had this happen before in my life. Is this some kind of new trend that I'm not aware of? I mean, I haven't lived here in ten years so a lot has probably changed during that time.
With the nearly full moon being my light source, I manage to make it to the dorm safely. It looks like an old building, probably at least fifty years old and reminds me of a hotel rather than a dorm. I push the one of the double doors open and enter the building.
I look around the lounge. It has a desk with what I guess would be the sign in sheet. Yup, it definitely reminds me of a hotel.
"Welcome," a boy's voice out of nowhere greets me.
A boy around six years old seems to materialize out of the shadows. I didn't notice him when I came in. He has pale skin, jet black hair and the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen. He's wearing a pair of black and white striped pajamas that makes him look like a stereotypical prisoner. He gives me a small smile. "You're late. I've been waiting a long time."
I feel bad for making him wait. Kids his age shouldn't be staying up this late. Then I realize that a kid is in a dorm for high schoolers. He holds out a piece of paper. It might be the housing contract I have to sign. "If you want to proceed, then please sign here. It's a contract. There's no need to be scared. It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions."
I take the paper. I was expecting a list of rules for the dorm but all that was written was "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will." Below that is a place to sign my name. I sign it. "Mayako Hirakawa."
I hand the paper back to the boy. He smiles, satisfied. "Very well. Time is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away. And so it begins," he disappears into the shadows, as if he wasn't there in the first place.
His words remind me of the cryptic message I saw back at the station. Is this some kind of cult? I didn't have time to think this over before I hear a girl's voice from the staircase.
"Who's there?!" I turn and see that she has a gun pointed at me. "How can you be? But it's! Don't tell me." She looks like she is about to shoot me.
"Wait!" Another, more mature girl shouts after running down the stairs.
The younger girl gasps and lowers her gun. The lights flicker back on. I flinch as my eyes begin to adjust. "The lights."
The older girl motions to the lounge and I take a seat on the couch.
"I didn't think you'd arrive so late. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm," the older girl introduces herself.
"Who's she?" the younger girl asks suspiciously.
"She's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign her here. She'll eventually be moved to a room in the normal dorm." Mitsuru explains. I don't really like having people talk about me like I'm not there, but I have a feeling that the girl would listen to Mitsuru better.
While they're talking, I get a better look at them. The first girl looks like she's my age. She has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a pink cardigan. Mitsuru looks like she is at least one year older than me. She has long, dark red hair that curls a little at the bottom. She has an air of sophistication and is wearing an expensive looking white blouse. I notice that they're not wearing the standard school uniform and wonder if Gekkoukan High more lenient with their dress code.
"Is it okay for her to be here?" the younger girl whispers to Mitsuru. She probably didn't mean for me to hear.
"I guess we'll see," Mitsuru whispers back. She turns to me. "This is Yukari Takeba. She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."
"Hi, I'm Yukari." She says timidly.
It might not be the appropriate time to ask about the gun. I wonder why Mitsuru inferred that this was a special dorm. I decide that now is not the time for strange questions. "Nice to meet you." I smile warmly at both of them.
"Uh, y-yeah. Nice to meet you, too." Yukari still seems to be wary of me.
"It's getting late. You'll find your room on the 3rd floor. Your things should already be there. I suggest you tuck in for the night," Mitsuru helpfully proposes.
"Oh. I'll show you the way. Follow me." Yukari offers. I nod.
We climb up two flights of stairs and walk to the end of the hallway. "This is it. Pretty easy to remember, huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall. So, any questions?" Yukari gives me a nervous smile.
Maybe she knows about the boy I met earlier in the lobby. "Does that boy live here?"
Yukari looks like I just asked if this place was haunted. "What are you talking about? C'mon, it's not funny." I wasn't joking. "Um. Can I ask you something?" I wait for her to continue. "On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"
I wasn't sure what she meant by okay. It was possible that everything I saw in the city was just my imagination. "What do you mean?" I question.
Yukari sighs in exasperation. "You know what I-" she cuts herself off. "Never mind. It seems like you're alright. Well, I'd better get going. Um. I'm sure you still have questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Good night." She turns on her heels and walks down stairs.
I enter my room. It's pretty small with only a bed, sink, desk and a small TV. The calendar on the wall is already flipped to April. I check it and see that I have school tomorrow. I'm too tired to do anything right now. I change into my pajamas, brush my teeth and wash my face and pass out on my bed.
AN: Reviews are really helpful .