A younger version of herself stood out amidst the white background. Her stoic red gaze wasn't directed at anyone, due to a lack of other people. Her peach pink dress was partially wrinkled because she was clutching to it with her small hands. She looked ready to cry, but no such thing occurred. The girl stood still, merely staring into the emptiness of the white space.
The 'real' Hamuko stood nearby in the background, staring at her eight-year old self.
Echoing footsteps rang throughout the dreamscape. The setting began to change into a fuzzy blend of a park as a figure walked onto the scene. Hamuko was seated on a swing, rocking gently as the figure drew close. It was a man with a lean build; his hair was a deep blue, almost bordering a distinctive purple shade. The man looked no more than nineteen years of age. He spotted her sitting over on the swing set and walked over. He bent over, and looked at her eight year-old self from her eye level.
"So this is where you've been, Hamu-chan?"
"Yes, uncle."
"You can call be by my first name if you want. I'm not that much older than you, you know." The man chuckled. "Hamu-chan, I heard my mom and dad talking about something the other day. They said that you liked to tell stories. Can you tell them to me?"
"…"
"…Did I say something wrong?"
She shook her head and gave an uneasy look to the man. "It's not a story. It happens when everyone goes to sleep. I told your mom and dad, but they didn't believe me. No one believes me." She said in a frustrated tone, balling up her small hands into fists. She obviously was expectant of some form of chiding from him.
"I wouldn't say that." He said as he gave her a sympathizing look, much to her surprise.
"You believe me?" She asked with a look of newfound admiration for the older boy.
"Yep. I've gone through my fair share of crazy that you wouldn't believe. Trust me on that one, Hamu-chan." He nodded with a disarming grin. "So, can you tell me about it?"
Hamuko awkwardly stared at her shoes, but answered after a minute. "…After everyone goes to sleep, the moon turns green and people turn into coffins. Like the ones mommy, daddy, and big bro were in. And there's this weird boy who asks me to play with him."
"You know, it's very bad for kids your age to be awake past the time adults go to sleep." He said half jokingly before putting on a darker expression. "So… while everyone's asleep in their… coffins… someone speaks to you?" He gave her a concerned look before pressing further. "Am I awake during all this? How long has this been going on?"
"Since they died." She answered in a dull voice before shaking her head, much to the man's dismay and growing concern. "That weird boy says that he's sorry for me. But I don't know why he would be."
"…Neither do I." He muttered breathlessly, shaking his head to himself. A few moments later, his eyes lit up with sudden elation. "Wait. I think I've got just the thing."
"What is it, uncle?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Let's play a game, Hamu-chan."
"A game?"
"Don't worry, it's simple." He said encouragingly. "Y'see, after sis died, I promised myself I'd keep you safe… This'll protect you when I can't be there, since I can't look out for you all the time… Especially since our relatives aren't exactly happy with…" His voice trailed off as he nervously brought his hand over his face.
She cocked her head once more, not quite understanding what her elder was getting to. He merely shook his head dismissively, before she asked, "What's the game called?"
"Hm? There's really no specific name for it." He said, taking a deep breath. "Now, Hamu-chan, repeat after me…"
Hamuko's eyes slowly fluttered open, much to her slight dismay. The shrill ring of her alarm clock buzzed repeatedly, until she lazily slapped her hand against it. The auburn-haired girl was admittedly a morning person, granted she wasn't fatigued before she fell asleep. Sometimes the status carried over, sometimes it didn't. Today, was one of the cases where it hadn't.
Hamuko hummed to herself the new songs that Junpei had recommended for her as she changed into her uniform. He was right; she absolutely loved it. The tune was upbeat and fantastically catchy. As she hummed, she stalked off into the dorm's kitchen on the first floor, and began making pancakes.
…That dream I had… She thought absentmindedly while she cooked. I don't remember anything like that happening before. Did it happen? Or was it just a dream?
Soon enough, a sweet, pungent scent hung over the lounge. Content with her mouth-watering handiwork, she carried a plate of fresh pancakes outside of the kitchen, still humming.
If it did happen, then it undoubtedly happened while I was younger… but… how does it end? What did Uncle say to me? She twisted her lip into a pout when no answer came to her.
"Yukari, is that you?"
Hamuko found herself face to face with the gray-haired boy from yesterday. On a closer inspection, the boy had a lean build. His hair was indeed gray, almost bordering white. He had a bandage just above his left eye, but it wasn't really in the way of his charms. Yes, Hamuko admittedly thought he was attractive.
He was drawn by the smell of pancakes. The boy, realizing that she was not Yukari and that he was in her way, backed off a bit. He scratched his the back of his head awkwardly, before coming to terms with his blunder.
"…Sorry if I scared you." He said coolly, looking at Hamuko directly with his steel gray eyes.
"It's fine." She replied, while walking towards the counter.
"I haven't seen you around here before." The boy asked her blankly. "Are you new?"
Great, I'm totally transparent…
"I moved here about two days ago." Hamuko murmured, ignoring her previous thought as she placed the pancakes on the counter. She threw the boy a side-glance. "I'm Hamuko Arisato, a junior."
"I see." He nodded slightly. "I'm Akihiko Sanada, a senior."
Things got somewhat uncomfortable after they exchanged introductions. Akihiko hadn't said a word afterward. Hamuko assumed it was probably because he didn't know what to say. Was it because he didn't know what to say, or was he just socially awkward? Hamuko tilted her head somewhat as she glanced at the still warm pancakes. Was he staring at them? She shifted her gaze back to Akihiko. "…Uh… Do you want some?"
"Huh?" It was as if he had snapped out of a stupor of some sort. Hamuko smiled, stifling a giggle.
"Do you want some?" She reiterated. This time, it wasn't forced. "I don't think I can finish all these by myself." She wasn't exactly telling the truth. She had made that much knowing full well she could finish it all. Yet, Hamuko decided to offer some if it would relieve the situation of its awkwardness.
"Thanks." He embellished his gratitude by grabbing a plate out of the cupboard.
The two of them began to eat together, despite just meeting a few moments ago. Akihiko was much more talkative over food, Hamuko noted. As he talked, the auburn-haired girl listened intently, learning that Akihiko was the captain of the Gekkoukan's Boxing team, and that he lived on the dorm's second floor. He had lived there for as long as Mitsuru had, apparently.
"So you just came here about two days ago, huh…?" He asked, finally done eating his pancakes. He gave Hamuko a curious look before standing up from his seat. Hamuko tilted her head. Noticing that, the grey-haired boy shook his head dismissively. "No, it's nothing." Akihiko shot the girl a side glance as he turned towards the front door. "Thanks for breakfast, by the way."
He walked off without another word. Hamuko wasn't sure if the pain in her chest was the fluttering of her heart, or rumbling of her stomach. Either way, it in her mind it she concluded it was the latter. Looking down, she realized that she had barely touched her own food.
"Morning!" Yukari called out as she padded down the stairs.
"Good morning." Hamuko nodded, glazing her still warm pancakes with syrup as Yukari walked into view.
"Breakfast?" The brunette murmured aloud. Hamuko gave a quick nod of her head.
"Want some?" She offered, seeing that she somehow knew she wasn't going to get out of the situation with sacrificing a bit more of her breakfast. Much to her surprise, Yukari shook her head.
"Maybe some other time. I've gotta get going for club practice." Yukari mumbled half-heartedly, hinting that she would've enjoyed the offer. Instead, the brunette walked towards a toaster that Hamuko hadn't noticed before. She daintily inserted two slices of bread, and waited.
"You're in a club?" Hamuko asked inquisitively. Yukari gave a quick nod of her head.
"Yeah. I'm in the Archery Club." She replied absentmindedly. "If you didn't know, Mitsuru-senpai's the leader of Gekkoukan's Fencing Team, and Student Council President. Amazing, isn't she?" There was an ever so slight hint of scorn hidden within her words. Hamuko stared wondering at the girl as she continued eating. Did Yukari have something against Mitsuru? "Oh, are you thinking about joining a club?"
Hamuko nodded. "Eventually."
"Really." Yukari mumbled, jumping slightly with anticipation as lightly browned toast sprung from the toaster. Picking up the hot toast with a napkin, Yukari took a step towards the door. "Well, I don't really know what you like, but Gekkoukan's got a fencing team, a boxing team, a baseball team, a tennis team and a volleyball team, I think. Other than those, there's archery Club, a fashion club, an art club… I can't even remember them all. Not including the school committees either…" Yukari bit into her toast and chewed thoughtfully, before throwing a glance to Hamuko. "Anyway, if you're thinking about joining a club, you should go check it out for yourself."
Does that include a gun club? She thought as she munched on her pancakes. "That's what I plan on doing."
"Okay, cool." Yukari said with a mouthful of toast. Walking towards the exit, the brunette weakly waved her hand. "Anyway, I'm going to go now. See you later." With that, the brunette also left through the door, not bothering to wait for Hamuko to exchange a goodbye.
"…Bye." Hamuko mumbled feebly as the door slammed behind the pink swathed brunette.
No one else came downstairs, leaving Hamuko to guess that Mitsuru was already at school. She ate in the presence of no one, again wondering what kind of dorm her relatives had sent her to. Normally, dorms housed a lot of students depending on its size, and so far, she had only run into three people.
What's the deal with this place? Hamuko thought as she swallowed the last bite of her pancakes. It had a bitter aftertaste, much to her dissatisfaction.
The beginning of her day was uneventful, that was for certain. She ran into gossiping girls at the front gate who were exchanging rumors, and stayed awake through Ms. Toriumi's tedious lesson. Junpei was unfortunate to be called on while he was slept behind his textbook.
"Junpei! Hey, were you listening?" She barked. "Who did I say was my favorite author?"
"Uhh… " Junpei mumbled incoherently while he glanced around wildly, looking for a hint of some kind. Hamuko obliged. Writing the answer on a slip of paper, she nonchalantly slipped it to the side of her desk towards Junpei, who saw it immediately. "…It's Utsubo Kubota, right?"
"So you were listening to me after all!"
Junpei scratched his head with a sheepish grin plastered on his face. "Haha… Well, you do know how much I like to pay attention!"
"You sure don't show it."
"Harsh…" Junpei winced.
After Ms. Toriumi diverted her attention back to the white board, Junpei gave her a thumbs up. The two shared a quick grin before Hamuko turned her attention back to the lecture. In no time at all, the hours flew by. School was out before she knew it. As the majority of the class filed out the door, she found herself a straggler, alone in the empty classroom. Realizing that she had no one to hang out with, she decided to go back to the dorm. Of course, after she left the school, Hamuko realized something.
It was a beautiful afternoon.
Why waste the day just going home?
After an hour or two of walking around, Hamuko had finally found it, much to her bittersweet delight. Despite the fact she hadn't been to Tatsumi Port Island in years, she still managed to remember the way to the memorial park near the Moonlight Bridge. The park itself was nothing too fancy; it just had a couple of park benches facing towards the sea, with some well-tended flowers patches that were blooming gaily. It brought back memories; back then, the Bridge was newly completed and this park was erected nearby in honor of it. Now, the structure was weather-worn as she expected, yet it still retained its charms.
The park had a wonderful view; the ocean spread itself out to her as the sun shone over the horizon and the bridge's arched silhouette, showering world with golden daylight. The sea breeze tickled Hamuko's nostrils, slightly chilling her as she took a seat on an empty stone bench. She had forgotten how breathtaking the view was. The Moonlight Bridge… It was the place where her family perished ten years ago in some car accident. Or at least, that's what it seemed like.
Where had all the time gone? Hamuko remembered the day she lost her family, but how she lost them, she was not certain of. Her mother, Shizuka, and her father, Hayate were driving home that day. It was really late so she had been half-asleep; she was sitting in the back of the car with her older brother. Her older brother, or her fraternal twin, was only than her by a couple of minutes but that was all the difference it made. She was leaning on his shoulder, before everything went to hell.
Everything afterwards was a blur, but the undeniable truth was that he was gone, along with her mother and father. She missed them- she missed him the most. If he was still alive, he would've been in the same grade as her. Maybe if he was alive, she wouldn't be so lonely. Perhaps everything would've been different, but what did she know? Hamuko bounced her heels tentatively against the stone benches, with a deep an contemplative look etched onto her features.
"'Scuse me kiddo, but are you all right?"
Her train of thought shattered into pieces as she blinked her glazed eyes. Glancing up, Hamuko noticed a woman in her mid twenties, maybe her late twenties. She had jet black hair that draped over her shoulders and swathe blue suit, and a bright inquisitive expression.
"Good to see signs of life! For a moment I thought you were coming down with Apathy syndrome or something. You've been staring out towards the coast for a while." The woman remarked with a lighthearted smile. "Something on your mind?"
"I-It's nothing…!" Hamuko said quickly, obviously flustered at the stranger's sudden appearance. Just who was this lady? Why was she talking to her in the first place?
"It doesn't seem like 'nothing' to me." The woman grinned playfully. "Come on, girl. Spill it. Tell me what's got you looking so down!"
Hamuko blinked. "Eh?"
"Being coy because I'm a stranger, hmm?" She pouted, closing her eyes before moving her gaze towards the sea. "Well, it's a good thing for kids to be wary these days, but this is a good city, you know? It kind of reminds me of my hometown, although back in Sumaru they didn't have views as nice as this." The woman scratched her head with an apologetic smile, before looking back at the auburn-haired girl. "Sorry if I'm bugging you. It just rubs me the wrong way to see a kid your age looking so down."
So that explained it. Hamuko sighed. "Sorry. It's my first time coming here in years, and well, I guess I'm feeling a bit nostalgic." Hamuko explained obligingly. "Is that weird?"
"Not at all!" The woman exclaimed. "Though, it's surprising to see someone your age reminiscing. If you don't mind telling me, was it a good or bad memory?"
Hamuko's gaze fell to her shoes. "Bad."
"Ouch." The woman winced before giving a sorry look. "Sorry for prying… but hey, you know what?" Before Hamuko could even reply, the woman continued. "Good or bad, a memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, or the things you never want to lose. With that in mind, does it seem so bad? Everyone's had their bad experiences, kiddo. Whether they seem 'bad' or not, it all depends on your view on things! Y'know what I'm saying?"
"Yeah." Hamuko looked back up towards the woman and smiled slightly. In response, the woman's grin only grew wider. She was obviously pleased with herself.
"Great! Look on the bright side of life, kiddo. If you spend all your time brooding about things you can't change, you'll never be able to move forward. Let's think positive!" With a satisfied look, the woman then nodded to herself.
"I'll keep that in mind." Hamuko replied with a smile.
"Good to hear." She grinned again before looking out towards the coast before uttering a small gasp. "Whoops! It's already getting dark. Sorry for taking up your time, kiddo. Let's talk elsewhere some other time."
"All righ-"
"Ciao~!" The woman ran off without another word, just as the sun began sinking below the horizon. Hamuko waved until she was out of sight, before realizing that she had never gotten the woman's name.
She shrugged to herself as the wind began picking up, and left towards the direction of the dorm.
"Oh, she's finally back." Yukari said as soon as she came walking through the door.
Was it just Hamuko's imagination, or was Yukari emphasizing the 'finally'? As she took off her shoes, Hamuko noticed a glasses-wearing man in a beige pea-breasted coat was sitting in the lounge.
"So, this is our new guest…" He said, sizing Hamuko up as Yukari beckoned her to come closer. As she did, the man took over and motioned for Hamuko to take a seat on one of the couches that decorated the lounge. As she took a seat, the man never took his stare off of her. Creepy, was the first word that came to her mind. "Good evening."
"Good evening." Hamuko replied. The man's mouth twisted into an lenient smile.
"You must be wondering who I am, aren't you? I'm Shuji Ikutsuki, the chairman of the board for your school." He professed, before chuckling slightly while he folded his arms. "…'Ikutsuki'. He repeated. "Hard to say, isn't it?"
"Not really." Hamuko answered truthfully. Whether he decided to ignore the remark or not, he continued.
"Nonetheless, it's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes…" He murmured with an earnest gaze.
That sounds like an excuse. Hamuko shrugged to herself. "I'm Hamuko Arisato. Nice to meet you, Ikutsuki-san."
"I know all about you." He chuckled. Hamuko shifted uneasily in her seat. Was she supposed to laugh? "School files, you know. I am the chairman of the board… even if it isn't personally, I'm still supposed to read up on our student and their backgrounds. Nonetheless, it's nice to meet you too." Hamuko raised an eyebrow. Before continuing, Ikutsuki pushed up his glasses. "I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. However, it may be a while before you receive a proper room assignment."
"But I didn't complain." Hamuko uttered with a slight hint of protest. More or less, she slightly enjoyed living here. No, rather, she didn't have a problem living here, even if it meant there was a gun club or something.
Maybe I'll get to watch something big happen if I stick around.
Straightening up, Ikutsuki smiled curiously. "That's good to hear. Nonetheless, is there something you'd like to ask?"
'Something' implied that she wanted to know something. Which also implied that he was hiding something. Hamuko gave him a blank look. Whether he was being curious or not, she was too busy noticing the hints of expectancy glimmering in the elder man's eyes. With a slightly annoyed look, the auburn-haired teenager shook her head. "No, it's fine."
"Really now?" Ikutsuki peered through his glasses. "Wouldn't you like to learn about the others who live here?"
"I'll meet them eventually."
"All in due time, I suppose. After all, time doesn't stand still." Ikutsuki chuckled. "How are you liking Tatsumi Port Island? Did anything happen?"
Was he expecting something to happen? Or was he referring to the time Yukari pulled a gun on her? "Nothing out of the ordinary." She answered hesitantly. Why in the world was he asking her all these questions? Did he want something from her?
Ikutsuki looked at Hamuko closely from where he sat, sporting a look of peculiar interest. His glasses shone in the bright lamplight, making them mask over his eyes completely. "Really? Nothing?"
"…" Annoyed, Hamuko crossed her legs and grumbled irately, "What kind of question is that?"
"Ah. Forgive me for my rudeness. That kind of just slipped out." Ikutsuki retreated, lifting his head back with an awkward look. "Anyhow, I'm sorry for keeping you. I hope you have a successful school year… but that aside, you must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early."
"I think I'll do just that." The sooner I get away from this guy, the better.
"As the say," Ikutsuki paused dramatically. "'Early bird catches the book worm'!"
Somewhere, Hamuko imagined a drum set falling off a cliff somewhere. Grimacing, she glanced at Yukari who was also making a face.
"Please forgive the bad pun, heh."
Rubbing her forehead, Hamuko gingerly stood up and began walking towards the stairs. Yukari, who was cringing, managed to follow the same suit. The teen gave her a thoughtful look speaking up. "…You'll get used to his lame jokes. Eventually." She said conclusively.
Waving her hand dismissively, Hamuko shot the brunette a sneaky glance. "…I don't think so. Instead, I swear the next time he makes a pun like that, I'll throw something at him."
"But he is the chairman… wouldn't you get in trouble for something like that?" Yukari chastised. Hamuko made an elegant shrug of her shoulders. "I don't really blame you though. Are you really going to bed?"
"Yeah." Hamuko yawned. "What about you?"
"Oh… I've gotta take care of some stuff first." She replied tentatively, turning her gaze over to a nearby chair. Hamuko frowned in response. From the way she said it, it seemed she was definitely hiding something.
"Well, don't stay up too late, Takeba-san." She said finally before heading up the stairs towards her room. Yukari nodded before heading back to the lounge.
After going to bed with the unshakable paranoia that she was being watched, Hamuko didn't know what to think when her eyes opened effortlessly afterwards. She was greeted by the soft singing of a woman, and ephemeral flashing lights that stung her eyes.
Adjusting her eyes to the flashing lights, Hamuko gaped in amazement. She seemed to be in a giant, elevator-like room. The back wall was sealed off with a complex chain fence, with an ever-turning dial. Doors along the side of the room were covered in white sheets that fluttered at their edges. A simple, circular table laid innocently in the middle of the room in front of the person who seemed to be its master. Seated on an ornate, velvet blue loveseat was an old man with an inhumane appearance. His eyes bulged out of his sockets, and a Cheshire-like grin was stretched tautly on the old man's face. His balding, wispy white hair was brushed behind his point ears. With a breath, he began to speak.
"Welcome…" The old man's voice had an airy quality. His grin grew only wider as he stared unwaveringly at her. "Welcome… to the Velvet Room."
"My name is Igor… I am delighted to make your acquaintance." He continued to speak, as the gentle rumbling of the elevator continued upwards. Hamuko ceased glancing around before finally fixing her gaze on the old man. "If you indeed wondering… this place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter…" He paused briefly, as if to add a dramatic effect. Hamuko really saw no point to it, due to the fact this was probably the weirdest dream she had ever had. Nonetheless, Igor continued his drawl. "Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place."
With a wave of his hand, the red booklet she had found and signed the other night was innocently lying on the table. Her eyes widened in surprise. How did he know about it?
"Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room." Igor's enigmatic smile matched up to his expectant stare. Hamuko suddenly wished she hadn't signed that contract. "You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help in order to do so."
"To do what?" She asked inquisitively with a curious look.
"…You will know when the time is right." Igor answered obligingly as his fingertips fluttered against each other. "I only ask one thing in return…" He paused briefly, taking a deep inhale. "…That you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make."
"Understandable." Hamuko murmured thoughtfully, even though she didn't quite understand the first part of his drawl. With a stare, the old man nodded at her once before waving his hand.
"Hold onto this…" A key of dark blue fell into her hand as she stared wonderingly at Igor. The old man's fingers fluttered against each other again. "There is still one more resident of this room, who unfortunately could not be present for your arrival. But I will make sure you two are properly introduced. Another time, perhaps."
"I'll look forward to it, I guess." Hamuko shrugged slightly, but smiled nonetheless. In return, the old man laughed at her, but not unkindly.
"'Til we meet again…"
Hamuko opened her eyes blankly, as she shifted the seats and sat up in her bed. She glanced around absentmindedly before lifting her clenched hand from the blankets. Lying in her palm, was the ornate blue key she had received in the Velvet Room.
"…So it wasn't just a dream?" She murmured distractedly as she played with the key in her hand. Sighing, Hamuko glanced to her left and picked up her alarm clock to read that it was still rather early. With a smirk, she clenched her hand and jumped out of bed ecstatically.
"I get the feeling something good's going to happen today." She whistled cheerfully.
As it turned out, nothing eventful happened today, other than hanging out with Yukari at the Paulownia Mall.
Now, Hamuko was back in her room at the dorm, lying on her bed. Surprisingly, she felt rather tired from her shopping with Yukari. While they were walking earlier, they had a heated discussion about what kinds of sweets were the best. In the end, they had agreed on that all sweets were equally delicious. Especially cake.
Her room was dark, though having the lights off usually had that effect. She felt her eyes steadily closing from drowsiness, deeper and deeper she was lulled into sleep…
How she wished for things to last this way.
A sudden tremble accompanied by a loud noise shook Hamuko awake. It was still dark outside, with the sky still a suffocating green color.
It was 'that time'.
Wonderingly, the auburn-haired girl shifted out of the covers and began dressing in her uniform, seeing as it was the only thing out and presentable in the night. She didn't bother to tie the ribbon as she walked to the door to investigate. At the same time, something smashed against it.
"WAKE UP!" Yukari's voice broke through the quiet of the night as the door swung open. "Sorry, but I'm coming in!"
It was Yukari, clearly terrified as she had been the other night. The gun and holster was clipped to her thigh, a red armband adorned her left arm, and she brandished a naginata wildly. Hamuko took a step back to give her room.
"What's going o-"
"Look, I don't have time to explain!" She snapped. "We have to get out of here, now!"
This time, Hamuko didn't argue. With a quick nod of her head, she began to follow Yukari when she stumbled as the dorm shook again. There was no way that was a natural earthquake.
What on earth was going on?
"Hurry, downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!" Yukari yelled. She turned to leave, before quickly swerving around. She held out the long shafted weapon to Hamuko. A naginata, if she recalled correctly. "…Take this, just in case."
With another nod, Hamuko quickly took the weapon. Both began running downstairs as the dorm continued to spasm violently between intervals.
"Over here!" She called, running over to the door in the back of the room. She stopped to catch her breath, but just then, her eyes widened.
"Y-Yes? I hear you!" Evidently, she was talking to someone. She listened quietly for a few moments before uttering a loud "WHAT?"
At that very moment, something slammed against the back door repeatedly, to the point where it threatened to bust down the thing completely. Fearfully, Yukari glanced at Hamuko and gulped.
"L-Let's go back!"
Hamuko and Yukari both fled to the upper levels of the dorm. As the reached the second floor, the sound of glass shattering broke out, and another slam and crash hinted at the door's apparent demise. Slithers from the floor below grew closer, as did the smashing and destruction.
"Oh god, they're downstairs!" She yelped. Grabbing Hamuko's arm, she pulled her closer to the stairs. "I-It's getting closer!" Yukari panicked. "We have to keep going!"
The two eventually reached a steel door. Shakily, Yukari input the password and pulled Hamuko through the door as it swung open. They went through the iron door to the open roof, and Yukari locked it behind defiantly. She leaned back against it and sighed in relief. "Alright, we should be safe now-"
As if to spite her, the building shook again. Hamuko, for the first in a long time, experienced terror.
A blue mask poked over the edge of the building, held by a pitch black hand. A massive hand, with a palm the size of a large brick, a cinderblock almost. The hand turned it left, then right, as if it was trying to distinguish its surroundings.
Then, the mask finally stopped at Hamuko.
It moved forward a few inches as if to get a better look at the auburn-haired girl, when another hand reached up to pull itself onto the roof. Many hands followed the same suit as it hefted itself over the side of the dorm. Hamuko's eyes widened in fright.
There wasn't even a body. It was a writhing mass of limbs, with a mask held aloft.
She was frozen.
Panicking, her thoughts began racing. It was just hands and arms. She could use the naginata slice them off, right? Unfortunately, as the damned monstrosity of arms cleared over the railing, she was proven wrong. It carried brightly shining swords, each bigger than her.
"O-Oh my god…" Hamuko gaped as she took a few involuntary steps back. The monster darted at them, brandishing all its swords that glimmered in the murky moonlight. "W-What is that thing?"
"Those monsters…" Yukari finally spoke as she put herself between the monster and Hamuko. "We call them Shadows…" Yukari explained, standing up and drawing the gun.
If not for her fear, Hamuko would have questioned why Yukari had put it against her forehead.
She pulled the trigger, and there was a surge of light accompanied with the sound of shattering glass. Several pillars of wind shot up. It whipped around the pair furiously as Hamuko cringed, lifting her arms up to shield herself from the vicious winds.
Yukari on the other hand gasped. She was just as scared as she was, but nonetheless she pulled the trigger again. The monster- the Shadow completely disregarded it- it lashed out and knocked her aside with a bare hand. She skidded away, leaving Hamuko in clear view.
"TAKEBA-SAN!" Hamuko screamed, but didn't move. The brunette was several feet away, struggling to get back to her feet. She was alive.
On the other hand, Hamuko was merely inches away from death, and she knew it. She was terrified. She took a step back, but the Shadow darted closer, and closer until it was only a few feet away… and stopped to raise its multitude of blades- all pointed at her.
Why did the monster attack Yukari with a bare hand when it has all those swords?
It didn't care about Yukari.
Why?
Because you're the threat.
Hamuko finally noticed Yukari's gun lying by her feet. Hesitantly, she picked it up, and stared. There was no magazine slot, so it couldn't be loaded. Her throat tightened nonetheless.
Why did Yukari put it to her head?
Suddenly, Hamuko's heart bashed against her rib cage. The sound of her heartbeat rung in her ears. Time seemed to slow itself as her senses tingled, picking up everything.
The strange boy from the other night appeared to her, and pointed his finger against his head He smiled gently with anticipation.
Go on...
The 'gun' was ice cold.
It was heavy in her hand.
Why had Yukari put the gun to her head, instead of firing it at the Shadow?
Hamuko winced at the thought. Her heart raced faster as the scene of her pulling the trigger flashed itself in her mind.
In an act of defiance, she stared into the expressionless mask of the Shadow as everything went dead quiet.
Blood was coursing through her veins; she hyperventilated constantly despite her attempts to calm down.
Beads of cold sweat were running down her face.
She shakily lifted the gun to her temple, and clutched at her chest.
It was getting hard to breath.
…
Life was flashing before her eyes. She could see scenes from her childhood, as she shut her eyes tightly and gasped.
Everything stopped.
The scene from the dream she had other night flashed in her mind clearly, despite her panic.
"What's the game called?"
"Hm? There's really no specific name for it." Her uncle said calmly said as he took a deep breath. "Now, Hamu-chan, repeat after me…"
His lips moved, but no sound came from them. All the same, the words formed themselves in her mind.
She was over taken by an eerie calm as she opened her eyes. As if in a trance, Hamuko's lips curled up into a sinister smile. Her eyes glowed a bloody crimson in the shadowed moonlight as she took a sharp breath.
"Per… so… na…"
She pulled the trigger without flinching.
An ice cold bullet penetrated Hamuko's skull, and through the other side of her head shards of ethereal glass and haze spiraled around her. She didn't realize she was smiling, nor did she realize what the torrent of blue glass was forming in the air.
Thou art I… and I am Thou…
From the sea of thy Soul, I cometh…
I am Eurydice, Maiden of the Abyss…
Hamuko's grin grew wider as Eurydice shrieked in rage at the Shadow. She found herself laughing quietly, only to grow louder and louder and louder-
She choked.
Her skull rang intensely as she clutched her head and fell to her knees. It was like someone, something was ripping her mind in two. Eurydice contorted and jerked violently as gloved hands tore through her head and ripped it off brutally as pieces and fragments flew through the air. Hamuko coughed blood as she clutched her head, screaming all the while.
Something was in front of her. Straining to fight the pain, she saw a gargantuan figure dressed in black and navy, with a cape of coffins floating behind it. Chains clattered as it clenched the sword in its hand.
Whatever it was, it roared inhumanely with rage and bloodlust as it lunged for the shadow.
It beat on the shadow like it was nothing. It tore its limbs one by one, practically ripping it asunder in a fit of unhindered brutality. The brute roared hungrily as it continued smashing and tearing of the shadow's limbs, until only a hand and mask was left in a mound of black ichor. It finally slashed its turquoise mask cleanly in two with its sword, sweeping the hand towards Yukari. Hamuko could hear the brunette blanch and gasp at the sight as the dismembered arm sailed in her direction and wriggled, still alive.
Hamuko didn't care though. She was too transfixed on the T-rex helmed Persona floating before her.
"…Thanatos." She muttered inaudibly as its roar echoed through the gloomy sky. With a blink of an eye, it reverted back to Eurydice, before disappearing altogether. She stared breathlessly at the full moon looming in the horizon, as she slowly came to her senses.
Despite the fact that her heart was still racing, Hamuko glanced at Yukari.
"Is it over…?" The brunette asked timidly, still sitting on the ground.
Tiredly, Hamuko glanced back at the direction where the large shadow had been. Before she could answer, she noticed two 'pieces' of the shadow were creeping closer to both girls, but it was quite clear that both were darting towards Yukari because she was easier prey. Apparently, she had noticed too.
Trembling, the brunette skittered back while shouting, "N-No! Stay away from me!"
Hamuko took a quick breath as she snatched up the naginata she had dropped earlier. She put herself in front of Yukari defiantly, and glowered at the incoming shadows.
The first shadow leapt at her, but she quickly swung the blade down against it, batting it in the air. The turquoise mask cracked underneath the force of the swing. At the same time, the second leapt at her. Quickly shifting her stance, she sliced through the black gunk and severed away one of its many arms.
But she had forgotten about the first. It quickly hammered its hands against her in a claw-like fashion, knocking the Naginata away and slamming her against the wall, causing her to cough out more blood. It tasted of dull iron, but moreover, it hurt. Furiously, Hamuko grit her teeth as she fired off the gun against her temple. "I summon you!"
Eurydice erupted from the shards and glass and dove towards the first shadow, promptly bashing its heart shaped instrument against the turquoise mask. It messily broke it two, causing black slime to splatter in all directions as the shadow itself dissipated into nothingness while Eurydice followed the same suit. Getting back to her feet, Hamuko hastily sprinted to her fallen weapon.
An abrupt noise caused Hamuko's neck to swerve to the side. The second shadow was jumping at her. Quickly, she opted to kicking the shadow away with a simple, but effective front kick. While the shadow was forced back from the impact, she picked up and stabbed the naginata into the mess of arms, grinding the dull blade against the splintering mask.
"LOOK OUT!"
A third she hadn't seen before smacked her away from the second, causing her to drop her naginata yet again. But she was stunned at the sight before her. The third was eating the already dying shadow. Howls of inhumane agony sounded through the air, making Hamuko sick to her stomach. Fear seized her, yet she pressed onward. With a scowl, Hamuko raised the gun to her temple once more, summoning Eurydice to strike the shadow away.
The second was gone now. Instead, the third had somehow transformed. Its mask was now a slant-eyed opera mask. Hungrily, it lurched and lunged towards the auburn-haired girl only to be struck down by Eurydice. Again, armed with the naginata, Hamuko followed up on the suit and stabbed through the shadow's mask, but it still wasn't enough.
"I've had enough of you!" She snarled. The shadow hissed in response as Hamuko slammed the butt of the gun against the end of the naginata, giving it the final push it needed to shatter the shadow's mask.
It gurgled one last time before exploding into a black, disgusting pile of ichor. Hamuko grimaced, before dropping the naginata repulsively. She trembled violently. Turning towards Yukari, she noticed that the brunette was giving her the same look as the first time she had seen her. She was terrified, but Hamuko couldn't really blame her.
With a frail smile, the auburn-haired girl collapsed against the cold, bloodstained concrete of the roof as the world grew a dim black, melting into the nothingness of unconsciousness.
"It's so nice to see you again."
Hamuko woke with a start, only to be greeted by a surreal amount of velvet blue, accompanied with occasional flashing lights. Confused and tired, she glanced wearily around the Velvet Room. Lifting her head up, she saw Igor was sitting across from her, with his Cheshire-like grin etched upon his face. If Hamuko wasn't mistaken, she could hear a slight hint of eagerness in the old man's voice.
"You became unconscious after awakening to your 'power'." He explained serenely. "Usually, this happens to those who have just awakened for the first time. It is nothing to be concerned about, so relax…"
Hamuko, who was slightly more awake than before, groggily shifted into a more comfortable position as Igor continued to speak. "I see it was Eurydice that heeded your calling. How fascinating…" He added as an afterthought, but continued seamlessly. "That power is called a 'Persona'. In the simplest terms, it is a manifestation of your Psyche given physical form."
"…That sounds familiar. Per-so-na." She syllabicated absentmindedly before blinking with a look of realization. "Persona. That… that's the game my uncle played with me when I was a little girl…" Confused, Hamuko shook her head unsteadily before turning her gaze to Igor. "What exactly do you mean? Persona? My Psyche?"
Igor chuckled with an unsurprised look at Hamuko's revelation. "A touched memory, perhaps? No matter." Waving his hand dismissively, the old man closed his as he began to explain. "A Persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli… You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."
"Makes sense." Hamuko murmured, tilting her head slightly. "A Persona... that's what 'Eurydice' is?"
"It was she who heeded your calling during your time of need." Igor replied informatively. "When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. The ability evolves as you forge Social Links- your emotional bonds with others." The old man's grin grew ever wider as Hamuko gave him a pressing look. "The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your ability to summon Personae becomes. As of the moment, your power is still weak."
After taking all of that into account, Hamuko nodded finally with a slight smile. She could deal with being weak.
"For the moment, perhaps you are… Only time will tell." Igor nodded ever so slightly before opening his eyes again. "Please remember that, my dear."
From across the room, Hamuko gave the old man a thumbs up.
"Now then…" Igor's fingertips fluttered as the Velvet room sped up considerably. He nodded quietly as he continued to speak. "Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time… you will come here of your own accord."
The flashes of light sped up, blinding Hamuko's vision with a brilliant white. Somberly, as her mind began to cloud, she closed her eyes as Igor's last words rang out.
"Until next time… farewell."
When the white faded away, Hamuko found her eyes opening unsteadily. Blinking several times to adjust her sight, she groggily turned to the left to see an astounding view of Tatsumi Port Island. To her numb surprise, Yukari Takeba was sitting there, gazing out the window. It took her a few moments, but the brunette finally realized that she was awake.
"You're awake…!" She said in a hushed voice, sighing with relief a moment after. Yukari's body tensed before continuing, though it was apparent she was trying her best not to show it. Was she worried? "Um… how are you feeling?"
Sitting up, Hamuko realized that she was in a hospital. As she pushed away the blankets, she rubbed her shoulder stiffly while flashing an apologetic smile to the brunette. "…I've had better days. Have you been here long?"
"Oh no, not really…" Yukari's voice trailed off as she sighed again. This time, she had small smile on her face. "But really… Thank goodness you finally came to. I was so worried about you." She said sincerely.
With a puzzled expression, Hamuko frowned slightly. "Eh? Why?"
"You've been asleep for a week, sleepyhead." Yukari chided, as her posture relaxed. "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said that you were just exhausted…"
"Well, I say the doctor got the diagnosis right." Hamuko mused languidly. Yukari laughed slightly before looking downward. Worried, the auburn-haired girl gave her a questioning look. "Is something wrong?"
"Um…" She began to say, trying to find the words. Yukari's head hung down in shame. "…I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize." Hamuko murmured with a reproachful tone.
"No, I do." Yukari shook her head with an insistent tone. "You protected me… Even though I was supposed to protect you. But even so… I couldn't do anything." Sighing, Yukari gazed into Hamuko's eyes and began speaking with clear admiration. "Though… your power. It was amazing… and you didn't even think twice before putting yourself in front of those Shadows! The way you fought… was that really the first time you've ever done that?"
"Speaking of which," Hamuko interrupted. "What are they? You call them 'Shadows'?"
"They're what we're fighting against." Yukari nodded. "And that power you used to defeat them, it's called-"
"Persona." Hamuko finished for her. Yukari nodded again.
"You would know, wouldn't you? You said that right before you summoned… that thing." She shuddered slightly before continuing. "How'd you know how to summon anyway?"
"Hmm." Hamuko cocked her head thoughtfully. "I don't know? It was kind of like one of those moments where your body moves on its own." Hamuko shrugged. "Instinct, maybe?"
"Who knows." Yukari murmured softly, taking a moment to stand up from her seat. "We'll explain everything later. And… I'm sorry for not telling you before. I… I wanted to tell you…" She began to say, looking slightly discouraged. "…I'm sorta like you."
"What do you mean?"
"Well… My dad died in an accident when I was little… and my mom and I aren't exactly on speaking terms. You're all alone too, right?" She asked quietly, as she gazed out towards the cityscape in the distance.
"…Yeah." Hamuko nodded solemnly.
"To be honest, I already know about your past… but it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine…" She took a deep breath; her eyes glazed over as she began to speak again. A pained look was slowly making its way to Yukari's face as she spoke. "It was back in '99… There was a big explosion in the area. My dad supposedly died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened… He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."
Heaving a sigh, Yukari turned towards Hamuko. "I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find something out. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you." She turned away again, looking more dejected than before. "Of course, I panicked and I wasn't much help… It was my first time fighting them too. I'm sorry…" This time, the brunette looked much more frustrated. She was clenching her fists tightly to her sides as she continued on. "If I hadn't been such a coward, you wouldn't have had to go through any of this…"
"It's not your fault." Hamuko said kindly, with a slight smile. "I mean, I was scared too. You shouldn't blame yourself, Yukari-san."
Yukari again relaxed herself, and smiled apologetically at the auburn-haired girl. "Thanks… but still…" With a sigh, she looked downward and absentmindedly began playing with a loose thread from her skirt. Abruptly, she stopped and met Hamuko's gaze with an exasperated look.
"Listen to me; I'm making myself sound like a victim when you're the one who risked your life…! Not only that, but I've been telling you all of this since the minute you woke up." She paused, trying to find the correct words. "While I was waiting, I thought to myself, 'I've been hiding so many things from her… as soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her the truth.'"
"And thank you for doing so." Hamuko grinned, causing Yukari to perk up a little. With a small laugh, the brunette smiled contently. "And don't worry about it either, Yukari-san. I can understand what you're going through."
"R-Really?" Apparently, she was surprised with Hamuko's display of compassion. Hamuko decided to drive the nail home. It wouldn't be bad to have a friend, would it?
"Really." Hamuko's hair bounced as she nodded thoughtfully. Now that Hamuko had gotten to know her, she figured that the pretty brunette wasn't as bad as she first thought. With a smile, she murmured brightly, "What are friends for?"
"Friends?" Again, that caught Yukari off guard. After a moment, she smiled brightly in response. "Thanks for listening… to be honest, I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time." She admitted.
"Hehe. No problem." Hamuko replied lightheartedly.
"Thanks again. Oh, and before I get going, I guess I should explain that we called your uncle about you getting admitted into the hospital."
"Which one?" Hamuko asked with a questioning look.
"Umm… he had a funny name. Narumi-something? I didn't personally call him, Mitsuru-sempai did." Yukari scratched her head with a slight frown. "Anyway, he sounded really worried about you, so you should call him when you up to it. Until then, you should get some rest, okay?"
"All right."
"I'll let the others know that you've woken up." She informed as she began walking towards the door. Unexpectedly, Yukari turned around just as she reached the door, and smiled. "I know this is kind of late, but you don't need to be formal around me or anything. Us second-year girls gotta stick up for each other after all." Yukari's face took a delicate shade of pink as she waved her hand hastily while uttering a goodbye.
Hamuko on the other hand felt content, albeit a bit tired. Yawning, she noticed her MP3 player and headphones were lying innocently by her bedside. Eagerly, she clipped the earphones over her ears and began listening avidly.
She would have to thank Yukari later.
