Persona 3: After the Answer

Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 3 or any of its characters (If I did I would pat myself on the back for a job well done.) As for the OCs, any similarities to people living or dead are purely coincidental.

Author's note

This is my first fanfic so please be patient with this noob. If you are going to review (and please do) just offer me useful criticism and praise. (I hope I'm not getting to full of myself here. Hahaha) TNX .

This fanfic's story is told by all the SEES members. Not just Minato or Minako/Hamuko. So, it might not be what you're used to. The date, place, time, and the person who is talking will be typed in BOLD letters before their story. Minato is still the main character here so his point of view will come more often than the others.

Chap.1- Memories

June 05, 2010=Gekkoukan High=Dismissal

JUNPEI IORI

"Fuuka, Ai-chan!" I called. They looked like they were done with their school activities so I was glad I caught them.

"What is it Junpei-kun?" Fuuka asked me.

"I just wanted to know, is Akihiko and Mitsuru-senpai coming today? I have to do something so…" I said. Who knew that I could be busy? I guess its contagious being with busy people all the time.

"Oh no… Akihiko said that he'll be here tomorrow and I doubt that Mitsuru-senpai can make it tonight, she did say that she has a report to do." Said Fuuka while she looked at a message on her cell phone.

"Hmph… what's this, stupei is actually busy for a change? I thought you couldn't do anything but be lazy?" We all looked to see who spoke when the ever-popular Yuka-tan came to view with a smirk on her face.

"Hey! Stop callin me that!" I said for the umptenth time "And what's that about me being lazy all the time? Aigis! Help me out." I looked helplessly at Aigis, hoping to make her talk a bit. I noticed that she hadn't said a thing since a while ago.

"What shall I say?" she said uncertainly, sounding like her old robot self.

"Well, I'm done with archery club so I was thinking that we should all come home togeth-"Yukari stopped talking when she noticed that I was staring at her. "W-what?" She exclaimed. I was actually surprised to hear her for say that, she has been quite aloof ever since Minato died, even after we stopped Erebus. Actually, so have I…who knew that the dorm would be so quiet without him around? Even when Mitsuru and Akihiko-senpai visit…A persona-user can't escape from their true selves, since a persona is like a mirror of your soul. But what happens afterwards? After you can't use your persona anymore? Will I ever be able to answer these questions?

"Well, I think we should head back now…" Aigis said, knocking me out of my thoughts."Yeah, see ya Junpei" Yukari said in reply. I watched them as they walked away , when I suddenly remembered baseball practice. I ran to the field thinking 'bout the old days…Persona-using days.

June 05, 2010=Tokyo University=7:00pm

MITSURU KIRIJO

I looked around the library hurriedly ,searching for a book to help me research for a report I needed to do. "Where are you" I whispered to no one in particular when the bell signaling that the library will close in 5 minutes rang. I walked out of the school library, disappointed.

A student whose name I forgot walked to me and said "Don't worry, Mitsuru you'll find that book next time." Have I been that obvious? She was a friendly one anyway.

Her friendliness made me suddenly regret not leaving for the dorm, (since I remembered my friends )if I had left, I would be near Tatsumi Port Island already… I wonder if Akihiko made it? I took out my cell phone to call him when it was suddenly snatched out of my hand. I ran after the snatcher, it wasn't the phone I was after, but the contact numbers on it. It was the only copy I had of my friend's phone numbers.

I wasn't as fast as I used to be, but I was fast enough to catch the snatcher. He stopped only a few yards from the school entrance. Most of the students already went home so there were only a few people left. "All right already lady! Here's your stupid phone. Aren't ya rich enough to buy a new one?" The snatcher yelled.

I was getting enough, I had a bad day, and I was only holding my temper back because I didn't want to make a scene. But I had enough."You imprudent idiot! You dare steal my cell phone and have the nerve to tell me to buy another? Are you daft? I yelled back at him.

"What? Only rich kids go to this school. Aren't you that Kirijo kid?" The man asked but got pale when he heard the sound of running feet towards us. They must have seen me trying to catch him. The snatcher tried to run away but I stopped him.

The guards took him away when they reached us, the snatcher was shouting "Where's my lawyer! I have the right to remain silent!" He reminded me of a man I used to know… Someone I was supposed to get married to… Tch… Horrible memories… Speaking of which, this would get to be a big rumor by Monday… and I thought I would be safe from them when I left Gekkoukan…Tokyo University has more rumor-spreaders than Gekkoukan…Oh why didn't I leave for the dorm?

June 05, 2010=Iwatodai Dorm=9:00pm

AIGIS

I never can get over the fascinating way people eat. Since I can't eat, I satisfy myself with watching my friends when they do. I get scolded sometimes though, they say it's odd when I give them the "laser eyes " as Junpei-san refers to my examination of them. A few months ago, I would have been very confused as to what he meant by "laser eyes" I might have thought that my eyes were shooting lasers, but since I met Minato and the others, I became more human.

Before, when I asked a question, people could answer it easily, but now, no one can answer the questions I have… my outlook on life has changed. I even gave myself a new purpose…

"Ready to be examined like lab rats again guys?" Junpei-san asked Fuuka, Yukari, Koro-chan, and Ken-kun as he prepared the food he bought. Yukari-san made him buy food since he was going home late anyway. I began my examination on the way humans eat…and received many protests and barks because of it.

I wonder how Minato-san would have reacted to it? Would he have stared back at me with his usual bored expression, with a serious and cold demeanor or would he have protested along with the others? Too bad I didn't think of examining how he eats when I had the chance before… have I? Did I somehow deem it unnecessary and threw it out of my memory bank? I was still pondering when Fuuka-san said "Hey! Look at the news."

We all gathered around the TV. "We now report to you from Yokohama. There have been reports that a building on site has been attacked by mysterious monsters appearing out of nowhere." The reporter on TV tried to get a hold of a man.

" Excuse me mister, can you please tell us what you think happened here?" The reporter asked a random passerby "Some black thing just appeared out of nowhere! And it started to wreck that building!" The woman replied while pointing at a nearly destroyed building. I started to get suspicious when I heard "Attack by a black thing"… It seems to be too much of a coincidence to me. What is happening? Have the shadows come back again? How many times will we have to stop them? And if the shadows are back, what do they want with that building?

June 06, 2010=Gekkoukan School=3:30pm

KEN AMADA

"Hey! Ken-kun, why don't you join us for a while?" A classmate of mine asked me. I sat down by their table. They aren't actually the type of people I hang out with so, I was wondering what they wanted with me . " Ya know, club auditions are coming up… what do you think would be the best club?" Another classmate of mine asked.

"Well… how bout home ec?" Someone suggested, he got stares from everyone including me."What? Food! I like food…"He said dejectedly, well I could see why he liked food… he was quite…big. "Tch… well you guys know what club I'm joining" The current baseball captain said proudly.

I couldn't see the point of all this. "Why? Are you guys tired of baseball?"I said. Why were they even bringing this up when they already had clubs to go to?

"Well…"one of them said hesitantly"I'm tired of always hanging out with guys ya know? Girls won't even look at me for a second! I thought that athletes were supposed to be like chick magnets?" We all stared at him.

"Well, the thing is Ken-kun, we need more members… why don't you drop by auditions tomorrow and see if you want to join?" The friendly one asked me, ignoring his teammate.

I said "OK" even though I noticed the captain burning holes through me w/ his eyes. I wonder if I'll still have time for clubs if that thing on the news really was a shadow? Well, if Yukari, Akihiko, Mitsuru, and Minato could have managed persona business, school, club time and social life? Why couldn't I? Right?

?=?=?

MINATO ARISATO

It's black, all black… where am I? How long has it been, since senior graduation day? 2 days? A year? 5 months? Why can't I feel a thing? Hear anything? Am I really dead? Is this really how death is like? Pitch-black? What is happening? I lost all my senses… I couldn't feel, see, hear, taste, smell, anything!

"Minato…" A soothing voice said. What? I…I… D-did I just hear something? "How does it feel then, to be the Great Seal? Going out of your mind? Another mocking voice said. I tried to talk… but I couldn't move, much less speak…Who is talking? Yukari? Junpei? What have I gotten myself into?

June 07, 2010=Iwatodai Dorm=12:30pm

AKIHIKO SANADA

I arrived at the dorm at 12pm. They were tense, so I thought that they'd been worried about me. Turns out that I was pushing my luck… when I asked Fuuka what was going on, she said that it seems that the shadows are back…I couldn't believe my ears at first so I said, "What makes you think that?" The others looked at me skeptically.

"There was a report on the news that said a building at Yokohama was attacked by a black thing… what else do you make of that senpai?" Yukari asked me.

A report on the news? How come I didn't hear anything? "It might not be a shadow…" I said hopefully.

"Hah! Since when has our luck been that good? Tch! We're seriously outnumbered!" Junpei said, obviously annoyed at the recent turn of events. "Just how are we supposed to fight them without our personas?" He yelled.

"Calm down Junpei, Has Mitsuru returned yet?" I asked, trying to change the subject. Silence… The only sound was Koromaru's whining and Junpei's frustrated actions… Obviously, Mitsuru's not here yet…

"How sure are you that our personas really disappeared? We haven't really tried to summon them have we?" Ken asked the entire group.

Hah… I haven't thought of that… I didn't bring my evoker with me… How was I supposed to know this was going to happen? I guess none of us really tried to summon our personas. Not even Junpei.

"Let me try…" Aigis said getting in her battle stance. Blam! The sound of broken glass echoed throughout the lounge. Odin, one of the personae she inherited from Minato, stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Aigis' orders.

"Brace yourself, Akihiko." She said. I was still wondering what she meant by that when a Ziodyne attack hit me square in the chest. Agh! I was dizzy for a moment but recovered quickly.

"What was that for?" I shouted.

"I'm sorry Akihiko-san. I was only testing… Besides I thought you were ready." Aigis said as Odin dissolved. The other ex-SEES members were staring at where Odin stood just a moment ago. "They were always with us?" Yukari asked no one in particular, when Mitsuru burst in the room, yelling " What is happening in here?" she stopped as we all looked at her.

" I…I…I felt a persona being summoned. Don't ask me how.. But I…" So even Mitsuru's scanning abilities are back.

"Hahaha…So Junpei, what did you say about 'our luck not being good'?" So its final then, SEES is back in operation.