Faux Pas
Two Lives
My hands cramped from the strain of keeping them still as I passed material through the sewing machine all afternoon. I wasn't used to sewing or keeping my hands particularly stiff, so my pain was to be expected. I stretched my fingers out, watching as they reluctantly parted away from each other and trembled in their aloneness.
I stared for awhile at the pads of my fingers, which were speckled with tiny little pricks. Flipping my right hand over, I examined the expanding droplet of blood on my index finger. Stupid. Who sews their finger in a sewing machine? It has guards that are supposed to prevent that! I was, admittedly, too embarrassed to mention it to Bebe. He hadn't really seemed to notice when I poked myself with the needle, and briefly noticed that the sewing machine had made a funny noise. This pain was… nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Daijoubu, Tetsuya-sama?" Bebe asked, peering over his sewing machine. I quickly shoved my hands into my pockets where they felt more comfortable, though also concealing any indication that I was hurt. I didn't want to make Bebe feel guilty for something that wasn't his fault.
"I'm just taking a little break," I assured him.
Bebe looked me over with concern, and then looked up at the clock.
"Look at ze time," he said quickly, "Eet eez getting late. We should probably go 'ome now…"
Part of me wanted to modestly offer to stay longer if he wanted, but I knew that wasn't an option. I had prior engagements for that night. I stood slowly, so as not to make him think I was anxious to leave.
"Tetsuya-sama…?"
I looked back at Bebe, who was now hiding bashfully behind his fan again. He peeked over at me, seeming to smile, but only a little.
"Arigatou…" he said quietly, "For coming today… You're… ze first person to show. I… eto… appreciate eet."
It was as I had suspected. I smiled at him in a friendly way.
"Anytime," I told him, "Sometimes people just need a person they can talk to. You seemed like you needed somebody like that."
Bebe's face became flushed and his eyes darted behind the fan again.
"I-I… Hai…" he stuttered, "I 'ave no one. My dear aunt and uncle… zey live back in France. Eet eez… difficult to live alone… But… if eet means I can live my dream in Nihon, zen I would not trade eet for ze world."
He looked back at me, lowering the fan a little so that I could fully see his face. He smiled at me.
"Arigatou… for making zat worth eet," he said, blushing a deep red. To my surprise, my cheeks began to burn. What an unfamiliar sensation. Was I sick? Was I embarrassed? What was wrong with me?
Before I had time to process anything, my cell phone alerted me to the text message that I was receiving. I withdrew my phone from my pocket and checked it, only to groan when I realized who it was from.
Saito, where are you? Make sure you get back to the dorm before midnight. The Shadows must be eliminated. We can't go to Tartarus without our leader.
~Mitsuru
God, she pisses me off so much.
I groaned and snapped my phone shut.
"Eez somezing wrong?" Bebe asked me. I sighed and smiled to him reassuringly.
"No, everything's fine. My senpai's just nagging me about coming back to the dorm at a reasonable time," I laughed. Bebe smiled only a little.
"Sounds like my uncle," he said sympathetically, "I guess you should get 'ome before your senpai reprimands you."
He seemed sad to see me go. I didn't want to leave him by himself, but it couldn't be helped. Once Mitsuru made up her mind there was no going back. And if Akihiko's speculations on Mitsuru's executions were true, I wanted no part in that.
He sighed and stood up, cleaning up his station quietly. I had to say something.
"Hey."
He paused and looked back at me. I smiled.
"If you want, I can stop by the club on Monday too," I offered. His face lit up as if I had just offered him candy.
"I would like zat very much, Tetsuya-sama…" he beamed.
"Then I'll see you on Monday," I promised, turning towards the door.
"Tetsuya-sama…?"
I looked back again. Bebe peeked over the fan timidly.
"'Ow do you say goodbye in Nihongo?" he asked me. I was slightly confused by his question. I knew I had heard him say it before.
"Sayonara," I told him. He smiled at me.
"I know eet eez. I just wanted to see if you would tell me… you're ze first to say sayonara."
I frickin' hate people.
"Don't worry, Bebe. I'm not going to treat you like that," I assured him, "I won't go back on my word, either. I'll see you Monday."
Bebe waved farewell as I finally made my way out of the Home Economics room. The hallways were mostly empty, with the exception of a few students from other clubs. I leaned against the wall and took out my phone, checking the message again. I sighed, trying to imagine the ordeal that would be thrust upon me later on when the moon was full.
I snapped the phone shut and let out a heavy sigh. It was going to be a difficult battle. Trying to balance school work and the fate of humanity wasn't exactly a cakewalk. I ran my hand through my hair to calm my nerves. I had to retain my composure or the whole team would go down with me. S.E.E.S. appointed me leader for a reason. Who would I be to let them down? Suddenly, the Student Council President, Hidetoshi, rounded the corner. I knew if he saw me, he would become upset with me for not attending the student council meeting for the fourth week in a row. I made a beeline for the nearest exit.
The trip from Gekkoukan High School to the dorm seemed endless. By the time I had squirmed my way through throngs of people on the monorail and reached my destination, the sun had been long set. I made my way into the dorm wearily. Fuuka Yamagishi looked up from her laptop to acknowledge me.
"Hi, how was your day?" she asked.
"Fine," I responded simply. Fuuka shut the laptop and stood. All the while, my thoughts were angry: Great, she's standing up and she's going to want to talk. Fuuka was the girl who never talked in public, but if you got her in a group of friends she would forget how to shut up. At first, I thought she was a great replacement for Mitsuru, but then realized that her voice was far more annoying.
She stood before me, looking up at my eyes from her tiny stature. Sure she was cute, but I just couldn't get past her inability to verbally cease.
"Everyone's been waiting for you," she said, "They're all upstairs in the Meeting Room."
"Great," I said quietly, hoping that would be all. But no. That would be too easy.
"The Chairman is here too," she went on, "I think he's anxious to see how the meeting's going to go."
"I would imagine."
"He's still making all of his lame jokes as usual. I suspect he'll never grasp the concept of humor. So, is Mitsuru-senpai going to conduct the meeting as usual? It's very strange that you never say anything at these meetings. Sometimes I think she forgets that you're the leader. I mean, one would think that the leader would conduct the meetings. You must have some good ideas. You're at the top of the class after all. I suppose Mitsuru-senpai is at the top of her class too, but that's no reason to leave you without a say in things. Or are you just usually quiet? You haven't said but five words since you walked in the door. Or was it four? Three? Maybe six. Seven sounds about right. Seven's a lucky number, you know. Did you know I can count in three different languages? Japanese, English, and Spanish. I'm working on French, but it's a difficult language for me. Let's see… Uno… Dos… Oh! Wait! That's Spanish! Now I can't even remember what one was! Hold on…"
This went on… for FOUR. MOTHER. FREAKING. FLOORS. I kid you not.
My ears had already begun bleeding by the time I got to the Meeting Room. Everyone looked in my direction as I opened the door. Yukari, Junpei, and the elementary student Ken Amada sat on one couch; Mitsuru, Akihiko Sanada, Shinjiro Aragaki, and the Anti-Shadow weapon Aigas sat on the opposite couch; Koromaru the Persona-using dog sat obediently by Aigas' feet; and the Chairman, Shuji Ikutsuki, sat on the chair at the front. Fuuka finally redirected her attention from me to the others in the room.
"He's here!" she announced.
"'Sup, dude?" Junpei greeted, "We've been waiting for forever."
"Where have you been?" Akihiko asked me.
"With a friend," I responded simply, deciding to keep the details to myself, "I'm sorry to keep you all waiting."
I sat beside Yukari, who gave me more than enough room to sit beside her. Her face expressed annoyance. She was pissed with me for leaving her alone and I knew it. That would be one more issue to deal with.
"Let's get started," Ikutsuki said, "The moon will be full next week, which means the tenth shadow will appear. I trust you're all ready for this."
Mitsuru nodded, crossing her arms.
"We've been training at Tartarus every night," she said, "Saito's had plenty of time to train everyone. I'm sure this battle will be nothing to worry about."
"We've only got three more of these bastards to deal with," Shinjiro said through his teeth, "Let's make 'em eat dirt."
"You sound quite confident," Ikutsuki said, "I hope you aren't getting in over your heads."
"We're ready for anything," Akihiko told him, "We're not going to lose this one."
"We've never lost before, so we won't lose this time either," Junpei stated with full confidence.
I didn't suspect that we would lose. Considering that the Shadows only came alone or in pairs, we would always have the advantage, even if we were a little short on members. As I thought this, I noticed Ken glare up quietly at Shinjiro. He always acted this way around him. I didn't understand it.
My fingers began to cramp a bit, and I removed them from my pockets to look at them again. From the outside they appeared fine. It seemed strange to me that they hurt this way. I spent night after night swinging about a one-handed sword and slaying Shadows, yet a single afternoon of sewing had already destroyed my hands completely. Was I really so weak? It was truly embarrassing.
"Well! I guess we should all head on to Tartarus," Junpei announced loudly. I snapped out of my thoughts, shoving my hands back into my pockets. I had completely missed the rest of the meeting, so I had no idea what the plan was. I knew as the leader that I could not admit to spacing out.
The Dark Hour finally crept along, tainting the beautiful sky and moon with an unpleasant green. Blood pooled into randomly placed splatters around the floor. I never found where the blood originated, though it had become an easily brushed-off detail. S.E.E.S. watched again as the school we attended morphed into the foreboding tower known as Tartarus. Like the blood, it had once been alarming to me, however seeing it time after time lost my interest.
Mitsuru opened the gates of the school and allowed us to step inside. I immediately ignored the large staircase in the center and headed straight for the access point. Climbing dozens of stairs was extremely unnecessary and a waste of energy. If we wanted to get anywhere in Tartarus, the access point was the most efficient way.
"Who's going in today?" Mitsuru asked me. Both Aigas and Ken seemed like they wanted to accompany me, but I refused to take either. Aigas was little to no help to me at all and Ken was still a little kid; I didn't want to put him in a difficult situation. I scanned my teammates, having a good idea of who would accompany me.
"Junpei, Akihiko, and Shinjiro," I said.
"Yes! You can count on me!" Junpei whooped, always my first choice.
"Sounds good," Akihiko said. Shinjiro seemed pleased. Yukari, on the other hand, was upset. I'd already forgotten her anger and had set myself up yet again.
"I'm coming with you!" she snarled.
"Takeba-," Mitsuru started.
"I don't care, Senpai! I have business I need to settle with Tetsuya-kun," Yukari hissed. Mitsuru sighed at her.
"Very well. Just don't interfere with the mission. We can't afford to fall behind."
Yukari ran to my team, and I could feel that none of them looked forward to this hour we would spend with her. I could almost hear Junpei's thoughts:
Dude, why didn't you just meet her after school? Now all of us have to suffer. Thanks a lot.
I stepped into the platform of the access point, typing in our destination. It was hard to believe we'd already explored so many floors. Yet, it felt like we were nowhere near the top floor. How large was Tartarus?
The blinding light flickered, transporting the four of us to the desired floor. I stepped into the golden hallway and drew my sword. I looked back and forth, in search of Shadows. None were to be seen. At this point, I would be required to scale the other floors by foot.
"Tetsuya, look out!"
Before I had a chance to turn completely around to question Junpei's outburst, an arrow whizzed past my nose, nearly grazing the skin. I whirled around to face them, where Yukari in a fury stood with her crossbow. Junpei held her back, and then pointed at her as if I were to accuse one of the others. However, Yukari was the only one who ever had a crossbow.
"Holy shit, Yukari!" I roared, trembling slightly, "You could have killed me!"
"Blame that on Stupei – I was aiming for your ass," Yukari said through her teeth.
"And it begins…" Shinjiro sighed.
"You could have given me some warning or something that you were going to leave me by myself!" Yukari yelled, "You just brush me off all the time! I thought maybe you cared about me or something!"
"Look, I'm sorry I left you after school! That doesn't mean you shoot me with an arrow! God, I wonder about you, sometimes!" I yelled back, unable to control my fluster. Yukari looked a little flustered by my response. I admit, that was probably the most I'd ever said to her at once, and it was likely a bit harsh. She was harsh too, so I figured she could handle it. And she did. She took aim again, though I was ready to dodge or deflect her shot this time.
"Guys, guys, come on. This is neither the time nor place for your insufferable bickering," Akihiko said, trying to cut in, "We've got eight days before the full moon. We need to make sure we're ready for this battle."
"I don't have an issue with that," I said irritably, "Yukari's the one trying to stick me like takoyaki."
"Oh, shut up, Tetsuya! Just shut up! You know, I used to think you were different from all the other guys, but you know what?"
"No, what?"
"You're just as horrible! I'm sure Stupei would be a refreshing step up from you!"
"I honestly have no idea if that was supposed to be an insult or a compliment…" Junpei muttered.
"You know what, we're done here," I sighed, "Let's go."
"Don't you just walk away from me, Tetsuya Saito! I expect a proper apology from you!" Yukari called after me. I ignored her and made my way up the stairs to the next floor. I didn't want to continue arguing pointlessly, though she seemed like she would stop at nothing until she got a "proper apology" out of me.
The next floor was also quiet, excluding Yukari's nonstop ranting. Tartarus was unusually peaceful today, and that didn't set well with me. The hallways were dark and the floor was empty. Where were the Shadows? Why weren't they rampant as they usually were? I placed my hand to my mouth and looked around. The stillness indicated a surprise attack. If we weren't cautious, we could be ambushed.
A fist drilled into my back, briefly knocking air from my lungs.
"Stop tuning me out, you stuck-up brat!" Yukari shouted.
"Yukari, please. I understand that you're upset with him, but you're becoming a nuisance," Akihiko grumbled.
"Yeah, Yuka-tan," Junpei agreed, "Besides, Tetsuya does everything for a reason. He probably didn't want to piss you off. I don't think anyone does."
"Really? What could be on your agenda that's more important than your friends?" Yukari asked me, "You said that you would see me after school."
"If memory serves me correctly, I responded 'Possibly'. 'Possibly' does not mean 'yes.' 'Possibly' indicates that there is a small probability that I may be able to see you," I reminded her.
"That's true. And I can actually back him up on that," Junpei said.
"Still, it would have been nice if you had enough courtesy to let me know," Yukari sighed.
I finally looked away from her, unable to find a way to win the argument. I had given up on trying to understand women. Even with my astounding academics, females were far too complex for my understanding. Trying to understand them would never really do me any good anyway.
"Yo," Yukari barked, "Do you have something to say?"
"If you're asking for an apology, I already gave you one. Listen up, Takeba," I growled.
"I meant one that you were serious about!"
"What, do you need me to say it to you through a frickin' megaphone? I'm sorry!"
"Tetsuya-!"
"Will you quit your bitching, already?" Shinjiro finally snapped, "Everyone wants you to stop. You can beat the crap out of him later. Right now, we're dealing with Shadows."
"She's probably just PMSing," Junpei muttered.
"What was that?"
Suddenly, a cold presence coiled around my ankle and pulled me down. I briefly lost my grip on the handle of my sword, which clattered lifelessly to the ground before me. My teammates' attention snapped over towards my direction. I looked down at my ankle, where a goopy Shadow clutched my ankle. Its blue mask wore a blank expression as it began dragging me into the darkness of the hallway.
"Tetsuya!" Yukari shrieked. In a quick act of thinking, I grabbed my sword and stabbed the Shadow in the center of its mask. It let out a scream and dissolved into the air. I stood up again, guarding myself and the others. More Shadows began creeping out of the darkness, dragging themselves along with bloodthirsty stares.
"Great," I snarled through my teeth. I knew they had heard Yukari's yelling and took the opportunity to sneak up on us. We stood before an ambush of at least five large Shadows.
"Alright, let's kick some ass," Shinjiro said, wearing a solemn smile of confidence. He took the large axe in his hand and gave it a mighty swing, dealing a massive blow to the Shadow closest to me. Despite Shinji's strength, the Shadow survived his attack.
Yukari drew back her bow and shot an arrow into its forehead, finishing it off.
"I had that under control…" Shinjiro muttered bitterly. Yukari gave him a piercing glare.
"Now's not the time," she snarled, "Let's just kill these things and move on."
"She's right," Akihiko said, pounding his gloved fists together, "Let's do this."
"I can say cool stuff too!" Junpei blurted, "It's time to protect the world in which we live in harmony and pea-"
"Shut up, Junpei."
A Shadow lunged at Akihiko, though it was instantly deflected by his fist.
"Can you guys hear me?"
Fuuka's voice suddenly came through the transmitter.
"I've been trying to get a hold of you for some time. There are a lot more Shadows on that floor than normal."
"Really? That's some exceptionally helpful advice, Fuuka," I snarled, bitterly sarcastic.
"Don't get mad at her, Tetsuya," Yukari snapped, "She tried to warn us. Unfortunately, it only got through once it was just a smidgen too late."
"I sense four enemies," Fuuka told us.
Do you understand now? Do you understand why I have a problem with this girl? I seriously considered placing the transmitter on mute, though I knew it would be best if I didn't let my anger get the better of me.
For the moment, I would have to focus on what was before me. The Shadows snarled, trying to intimidate us. The goal would be to get the four in front of us out of the way so we could advance to the next floor.
"Okay… everyone pick a Shadow and take it out," I told the team.
"There are five of us," Yukari pointed out sourly. I knew she was going to start pouting again if I left her out.
"Okay… you guys take these four, and I'm going to go find the stairs. Are there any objections?"
My team was silent.
"If you get into a jam, we're not going to be able to help you," Akihiko said.
"I'm not alone," I reminded him, "If we want to get through this, the best thing we can do is get to split up. Are you okay with that?"
Akihiko finally seemed to understand what I was getting at.
"Just come back alive, you hear?" he asked.
"Be careful…" Yukari added. I looked back at her, surprised by the suddenly kind words. She looked up at me with caring and worried eyes. I regretted everything I said to her before, but my heart wasn't moved. I didn't feel the same for her. As her best friend, I would still do my best to make her happy.
"I will, Yukari," I promised, then addressing the team as a whole, "You guys take care of each other. I won't be able to get you out of trouble either."
"You can count on us," Junpei promised, holding up his thumb. Despite his goofy grin, I had complete faith in him, as well as Yukari, Akihiko, and Shinjiro.
I took deep breath and leapt over the Shadows' heads. They began to turn around to face me, but my team attacked before they had a chance to try anything. Without taking the time to decide which of the three hallways I would want to try, I took off down one at random. I wanted to get to the end of this as quickly as possible.
I had lucked out, and chosen the right hallway. I climbed halfway up the stairs where the Shadows would not be able to reach me.
"Guys, I found the stairs," I huffed into the transmitter, "Can you get away?"
The silence between my question and a response from my team seemed endless. In a matter of minutes, I began to feel my anxiousness grab hold of my patience. Before I could ask again, Akihiko's voice reassured me.
"Tetsu… Sorr… We can't… There's mor… Too man… go on…"
The response was incomplete, as if the connection was breaking. However, I'd picked up enough to know what I was told. I had no other choice but to move on alone.
I continued up the stairs, remaining wary of my surroundings. I reached the next floor where the next set of stairs awaited me. Assuring that no Shadows were around, I ran to the next flight and climbed. It went on like this for several floors. The Shadows were nowhere to be found. I began to wonder if they had all attacked my team. I hoped they were okay.
I had reached the 135th floor when Fuuka's voice came through the transmitter and caught me off guard.
"Tetsuya-kun!"
I yelped and jumped in my surprise.
"God, Fuuka, don't do that!" I yelled.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know that I'm sensing a powerful enemy on this floor. It might not be a good idea to take it on alone. Be careful."
Great. This was my support and this is was the kind of warning I was getting? Just brilliant.
"Fine," I sighed, trying to settle my nerves, "I'll locate the access point and be down in a minute. Can you get the rest of the team back to the first floor?"
"I'll try, Tetsuya-kun."
"Thank you."
Finally. Something she could do right.
"Tetsuya-kun?"
Crap.
"What is it, Fuuka?"
"About the Shadow…"
"Yeah?"
"It's right behind you."
My muscles became tense as the transmission ended. I breathed out slowly and I turned my head over my shoulder, just to take a peek at what stood against me. The Shadow was a formidable foe, at least twice my own size. It took the form of a cloth-covered table that juggled a cup, a coin, an epee, and a wand – the icons of Minor Arcana. Its mask was like that of the Shadows downstairs, though the blank face filled me with a bit more fear than before. Its very presence radiated a powerful aura.
"F-Fuuka?" I asked, my voice cracking a little, "What is that?"
"It's called the Sleeping Table," Fuuka's voice responded, "It's very powerful."
"Y-Yeah. I got that," I muttered, "Um… can you run a quick analysis?"
"Tetsuya-kun… you're not actually thinking about fighting it by yourself are you?"
"I'm kinda backed into a corner right now, so my options are pretty limited. Unless you can find an opening?"
"No."
"…why would you even-? Never mind. Can you analyze the enemy?"
"Give me sec. I'll scan the target."
I sighed and turned to face my enemy. The Sleeping Table waited for me to make a move. Any move. It even seemed to want me to sneeze. I had no other option but to test out some things to find a weakness. In a swift motion, I swung my sword. As it fell to the Sleeping Table's head, a clear shield deflected the blade, causing an odd vibration to channel through it and through my arm. My already-aching hand was aggravated further. I held my arm in hopes to shake off the sensation.
It had nullified the effect of my strike attack. That had already taken away physical attacks. I only had one other choice. Slowly, I drew the gun that weighed heavily my pocket and rested it gently against my temple. The Sleeping Table became tense, and I knew it understood that things are not always what they seem.
The plan was clear in my head, and I was not alone. I was never alone. I exhaled, and the room was silent. I wrapped my finger around the trigger, and I was ready.
"Orpheus!" I screamed. And I pulled the trigger.
…
But I wasn't dead. Surprised? My intent was never suicide. In fact, the Evoker does the opposite.
The white-haired creature that dwelled within my soul emerged and revealed itself to the Sleeping Table, which seemed to realize that it wasn't dealing with a normal human being. Orpheus took the large harp in his hands and gave the strings one large strum. A small fire exploded into The Sleeping Table's face. I smirked, but it wasn't to last.
As the fire died, I realized that it had dealt miniscule damage to the enemy.
"What?" I asked in disbelief. The Sleeping Table acted as if it had never been hit. The cloth began to flutter and it made its move. Fire exploded in my face and I screamed as it dealt agonizing pain. I was lucky that the fire hadn't caused any serious burns to my skin, but I could feel Orpheus' pain in addition to my own. In fact, Orpheus seemed to be in more pain than I was. The Sleeping Table watched me, almost mockingly. I growled in frustration.
"Tetsuya-kun," Fuuka said suddenly, "It's strong against fire and nulls strike attacks. I don't think it has a weakness!"
Damn you, Damn you, Damn you, Fuuka. Screw it. Screw her.
"…thanks anyway," I snarled through my teeth.
I knew that I would have to do whatever I could to survive. Getting stressed out wouldn't help me. I began sorting through my thoughts, trying to work out a strategy. The first thing I needed to do was assure that I could survive the next attack. I called Orpheus back silently and brought forth Saki Mitama.
"Diarama," I murmured. The yellow droplet danced about, and I felt the burning and pain fade away. (God, did that just sound like a UTI or something?) I faced the Sleeping Table again, ready to attack again.
I brought forth Pyro Jack, knowing that this tiny little one would never measure up to the enemy's power – especially not with his Fire abilities. However, I did know of one skill that could help. There was only a moderate chance of it succeeding, but it was a chance I had to take. It was try or die, and I wasn't going to give in without a fight.
In addition to Pyro Jack, I also called forth Jack Frost. The power to summon both at once was already draining my magical capabilities. I could only hope that this fusion would work.
Jack Frost and Pyro Jack leapt from my soul before the Sleeping Table.
"Hee ho," Jack Frost laughed, "Hello lady or germ! Have we got a joke for you! So two morons were walking through the woods and came across some tracks!"
"The first moron said they were deer tracks," Pyro Jack added in.
"But the second moron said they were moose tracks!"
"They argued and argued, and argued some more."
Then the brothers stifled laughter, and said together,
"And they were still arguing when the train hit them!"
The two struck a ridiculous pose, and to my relief or surprise, the skill worked. The Sleeping Table flattened itself to the ground, waving it legs in a meager attempt to get up. I took the opportunity to get around it and leave myself more room to move around. I located the access point and began frantically typing away at it. Despite my efforts, the access point wouldn't activate. There was no way to get to the first floor. I would have to find the next flight of stairs.
I turned around to head around the corner, but I was too late. The Sleeping Table was on all fours again, and it was ready for this mistake of mine. It had stored a large mass of purple energy above its head which I immediately recognized as the Almighty spell, Megidola. As the energy released, I braced myself, probably saving my life in the long run. The attack hit hard, taking me off my feet, to the other side of the room, and into the wall.
I flopped limply to the ground. The walls had not even cracked, which was instant proof that Tartarus was more resilient than me. My vision was slow to catch up with the movement of my eyes, and it seemed as if the Sleeping Table had tripled. The trio of Tables began to store large amounts of fire. I couldn't lie around. Disoriented or not, I would have to avoid this hit at all costs.
As the fire flew toward me, I managed to roll over and evade the attack. I shook away my dizziness and switched back to Saki Mitama, requesting Diarama once more. Most of my health returned, though I still didn't feel like I could beat this thing. I switched to Jack Frost, aware of the risks I took using an Ice-element Persona against a Fire-wielding Shadow. I had Jack Frost perform the light ice spell Bufu, which dealt little damage. However, it was enough damage to make the Sleeping Table wince.
And just like that, a pattern formed. Sleeping Table – Megidola and Maragidyne. Saki Mitama – Diarama. Jack Frost – Bufu. I had very little time to try and think of a better alternative than Jack Frost. I knew I had better Personae, but most used fire spells or strike attacks. Loa knew Life Drain, which I began to use to my advantage. Before long, the Sleeping Table had begun to slow down. Its legs seemed more curved than before, and it breathed heavily.
My condition was no better. Though the Sleeping Table had given up on everything but Maragidyne, it still dealt a fair amount of damage each time. I wasn't sure how much longer I would last. As I began to cast Life Drain, the Sleeping Table suddenly lunged, catching me by surprise. Instinctually, I swung my sword. And then it happened.
The sword, the Evoker, the sewing injuries… all of it had finally taken its toll and I had reached my limits. My hand was completely overrun with pain. It was practically numb, though it still hurt. The sword slipped from my hands, which the Sleeping Table dodged effortlessly. As it fell back on its original course, it rammed into me full-force. My breath was cut off and I was sent into the wall again.
I was scared, though I did my best not to show it. I didn't want to die this way. I couldn't die this way. The Sleeping Table approached slowly, as if waiting for a reaction from me. Every bone in my body rattled with pain as I tried to move. There was only a gap of three feet between us. The Sleeping Table seemed to recognize my temporary paralysis, and moved in closer to take advantage of it. What was it like to die at the hands of a Shadow? Was it true that they ate humans? I didn't want to give up. What could I do?
As the space between my foe and me shrank to but a mere twelve inches, an arrow shot through the air, impaling the Sleeping Table. It let out an agonizing cry and recoiled a bit, revealing that Yukari, Junpei, Akihiko, and Shinjiro had finally come to my aid.
"'Sup, dude?" Junpei grinned, "Looks like you need some help."
I was happy to see them, though a little bitter that it took as long as it did. Had they taken an extra five minutes, they would have had to elect a new leader.
"Tetsuya-kun!" Yukari called out to me, "Are you okay?"
"Get… the Sleeping Table…" I managed to croak. I wanted to heal myself to help out, but I had fallen too weak to use magic anymore. I had no Medicine, Medical Powder, Balm of Life, Soma… nothing. That was one of the many reasons going to Paulownia Mall that day would have been beneficial…
My team executed my demand and went on Full Assault to destroy the Sleeping Table. I looked up in time to see Shinjiro deliver the final blow. He swung his axe over his shoulder in an oddly casual way as he turned to face me.
"You okay?" he asked with a small grunt. Yukari ran to me quickly. She took her Evoker and pulled the trigger into her forehead. Her Persona, Io, revitalized me.
"Tetsuya-kun…!" she whimpered. I sat up slowly, holding my head.
"I'm okay, guys. Thank you…" I said quietly. I was fortunate that they had arrived in time, and I was truly grateful for their help. Especially since I had told Fuuka to send them back to the first floor.
Akihiko kneeled beside me, my sword in his hands.
"Here," he said, "I'm impressed that you took so much out of it by yourself. You're really something, you know?"
"It was kinda funny when your sword flew across the room, though," Junpei grinned. The four of us gave him a dirty look, which immediately put him on edge.
"I-I'm just sayin'! I mean, if he hadn't been in trouble, you guys would have laughed. Am I right or am I right?"
"It's not funny, Stupei," Yukari growled, "I'm sure that wasn't just a stupid mistake…"
As she spoke, I lifted my hand. It trembled violently and was red on the underside. All of the punctures had reopened, oozing small amounts of blood. I had never felt so weak before. Was this all because of the sewing? How could such a seemingly ridiculous hobby start this? How did Bebe do it?
"Oh my God," Yukari exclaimed as she took notice to my hand.
"Dude," Junpei said, expressing seldom genuine concern, "No wonder. What did you do to your hand?"
"N-Nothing. I-I just overexerted myself, that's all…" I muttered.
"I've never seen you like this," Akihiko said, now also concerned, "It's not like you to overexert yourself in battle. You used your Personae, didn't you?"
"Well… yeah, but…" I muttered.
"Did you add something different to your schedule today?" Akihiko asked.
"Er… yeah, but it's… not all that important."
"Well… whatever it is, you shouldn't do it again. You'll just get hurt," Shinjiro told me, surprising me with his concern.
"R-Really, guys, it's no big deal. Stop getting all worried," I muttered.
"Stop getting worried? You took on a freaking huge Shadow by yourself and almost died," Yukari pointed out sourly, "You're not like the big hero or anything. Don't do anything stupid like that again, you hear me?"
"Yeah, and drop whatever that thing was after school," Akihiko said, "Shinji's right. You're putting too much stress on yourself. I mean… what was it? Kendo Club?"
"N-No, it's not important," I murmured.
"Well, look who's being Mr. Secretive," Yukari said mockingly, "What, are you doing some shady business?"
"It's not like that! Get off of it, will ya?" I snapped.
Crap. They were prying. I didn't want to have to explain this to them. Especially not to the guys. What would they take me for? I stood up and started down the hall, looking for the stairs again. I stumbled a little and bumped into the wall. The team quickly followed me.
"Aw, don't be like that, man," Junpei whined, "We're just looking out for you."
"I don't need you guys looking out for me," I snapped hastily.
"Oh! Of course! You totally could have taken that thing by yourself," Yukari said sarcastically. Somehow, she was giving me the impression that she liked seeing me in such a fragile state. I really didn't like that.
"That's not what I meant!" I barked.
"You're awfully defensive all of a sudden," Yukari observed with a grin, "Is there something you're hiding from us?"
Crap.
"No, I'm just shaken up. It's not relevant to you anyway…" I muttered, trying to avoid the subject even more. I found the stairs and began climbing the flights, supporting myself using the handrails.
"Then why won't you tell us?" Yukari asked, "You're not being like… treacherous or something, are you?"
"Don't be stupid."
"Okay, then what have you got to hide?"
It suddenly came to my attention that Yukari was the only one talking. I looked back at the other guys to see what was up. They waited for me quietly. I was then aware that they were no longer siding with me like they had before. I became nervous.
"Look, it's seriously okay," I said, "I promise I'm not doing any shady business or betraying S.E.E.S."
"I dunno…" Akihiko muttered, "You're the only one of us that's a Wild Card."
"Yeah, you're always doin' that weird space-out stuff after battles and on the first floor. We don't even know what you do during the day," Junpei said.
"You're not exactly the most open person," Shinjiro said.
If they knew that, then what made them think I was going to share this detail with them? It was annoying how stupid they could be.
"I would rather keep it to myself. It's not important," I repeated as we reached the 139th floor.
"If it's not important-," Yukari started.
"Hey," Fuuka's voice suddenly interjected, "You guys reached the blockade. Good work. You can head back now."
"Thanks, Fuuka," Yukari sighed.
"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Fuuka asked.
"Nothing. It's just that Tetsuya here doesn't want to tell us what he was doing after school that nearly sabotaged the operation."
"Thank you, Drama Queen," I snarled angrily. Sabotage? What an ugly word to use against Bebe.
"Hm? Oh," Fuuka said, "I saw him on my way out this afternoon. I noticed that the Home Economics Room sounded a little different, so I peeked through the door. He was sewing with the exchange student from France. Andre Laurent… something or the other. He wasn't doing anything sketchy. Anyway, I'll see you all on the first floor."
...
Crap. Thanks a heap, Fuuka.
As the final word ended, I could feel four pairs of eyes slowly shift in my direction. It was the exact reason I didn't say anything before. What bothered me most was the fact that they didn't say anything or laugh. They just stared. I couldn't take it.
"Go on. Say it," I sighed.
"…you were… sewing?" Yukari asked slowly, "With the exchange student…? You don't seem like the kind of guy to give a crap about people like him…"
"I'm a transfer student too," I said defensively, "Besides, you guys could have also made friends with him."
"He's not like you, though," Junpei said, "He's so… weird. And… girly."
"Hey! Shut up!" I snapped, "Don't talk about Bebe like that!"
Junpei spewed a suppressed laugh.
"Bebe?" he giggled.
"Screw you."
I turned around and snatched up the document I had been searching for to give Elizabeth.
"Oh, come on, man," Junpei grinned, "Nobody's judging you. …well except maybe for the sewing thing. How do you do THAT for three-odd hours?"
"Three…? Tetsuya… did you seriously do that to your hand just sewing?" Akihiko asked.
"What?" Junpei laughed, "You've gotta be kidding me! You slay Shadows every night and you're telling me that your hands are so dainty that you can't handle sewing?"
And he struck a nerve.
"Shut up, man," Shinjiro snapped, "It's not like he did anything wrong. That's all that matters."
"Yeah, I guess not," Junpei giggled. He patted my shoulder, "C'mon, I'm just playin' with you. We're cool, right?"
"Get your hand off of me before I break it in half," I snarled. Junpei held his hands up.
"Hey, man, take it easy. I said I was sorry," he insisted a bit more seriously.
"Tetsuya, you need to calm down," Yukari told me, "It's been a long day for all of us. Let's just go back to the dorm and rest. It's Sunday tomorrow, so we can sleep in if we need to."
I sighed and turned around to the access point. I guess I expected that kind of reaction, but certainly not from Junpei. He was my best friend and always seemed to understand everything about me. He could tell that I was uncomfortable when Yukari flirted with me, which no one else ever seemed to notice. I was disappointed in him for being the only one to react immaturely. I supposed he wasn't the Magician Arcana for nothing…
By the time we'd returned to the dorm, I was completely exhausted. Every muscle in my body ached and I could barely drag myself into bed. I plopped onto the bed sideways, burying my face into the comforter. I let out a long moan and felt some of the tension in my shoulders relax. It was nice to be able to rest at last. Physically, at least.
My mind began to wander back to what had happened earlier. I was still upset with Junpei for what he had said. Yukari wasn't so innocent either. They'd labeled him. Weird. Girlish. People like him. It wasn't fair. They didn't even know him. If they had seen those lonely eyes I had seen, they wouldn't act this way…
…you were… sewing? With the exchange student…? You don't seem like the kind of guy to give a crap about people like him…
I sighed and tried to block Yukari's words. I hated to admit it, but she was right. In fact, I hardly ever gave a crap about anyone, let alone exchange students. What was it? What was it about Bebe that made him different from those I "didn't give a crap about"?
I even began to question my actions. I never raised my voice around my friends, nor did I express any particularly strong emotions. Why did the fact that Junpei had made fun of Bebe rile me up the way it did? Why did it bother me? Why was I still bothered by it?
As I thought it over, I began to wander back to the Home Economics room. Bebe's sweet smile came to mind. His soft voice echoed:
Arigatou, Tetsuya-sama…
Just thinking about him made me smile, despite the aching that came from doing so. I didn't have to have any particular reason for trying to make him happy. For once, I felt a little less selfish.