Chapter 7 = Violent Homecoming
"Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment."
Upon returning to Iwatodai, everyone had returned to their normal lives for the time being. However, Theodore and Minato, who had nothing to return to , found themselves in the old dorm under the assumption that Minato would keep it clean and Theodore would locate the next fragment.
However, two days had passed and Theodore did nothing to look for the fragment. Instead, he sat huddled in a blanket in the corner of the sectioned off study while everyone gathered around him that night.
Minato stood the closest to Theodore, his hands in his pockets. "Thanks for coming," he nodded to everyone.
"No problem," Junpei shrugged. "Yukari said it was important."
"Is he really sick?" Fuuka asked, kneeling down in front of him.
"I'm fine," Theodore muttered definitely. "You may all return to your homes now..."
"Yeah, he's sick," Minato nodded.
"Maybe we should give him some medicine...?" Fuuka suggested, frowning slightly. Theodore shot a glare at Minato before quickly pulling the blanket of his head as well, knocking off his hat in the process.
"This is what you said was important?" Junpei asked incredulously, glancing towards Yukari.
"Huh? Well, yeah, I guess... Minato-kun said he needed help. And besides, if Theo is sick, he can't look for the fragment, right?" Yukari grinned sheepishly. Fuuka grinned wearily when Theodore cautiously poked his hand out from the protection of his blanket and groped the floor in search of his hat.
"I sense Yukari had ulterior motives in coming here," Aigis teased, watching as Fuuka handed Theodore his hat.
"A-Aigis!" she complained.
"Awwwh, does Yuka-tan have a crush on someone?" Junpei snickered.
"S-shut up, Stupei," she muttered.
"Hey... Since Minato-san and Minako-chan are supposed to be the same person, wouldn't having a crush on Minato-san be the same as having a crush on Minako-chan, too?" Ken asked.
"Wow, Ken... That's a little awkward..." Yukari frowned.
"Eh, I don't think it would be the same," Junpei shrugged. "I mean, the two act nothing alike, you know?"
"Exactly," she nodded quickly.
"So then do you admit to liking our new leader?" he teased.
"Hey, not so loud...!" she complained.
Ken watched as the two go back and forth while Aigis joined Fuuka and Minato in front of the hiding Theodore. Not sensing the situation of any immediate urgency, Mitsuru turned her attention to Akihiko and Shinjiro and frowned.
"Why isn't your arm still in a sling, Akihiko?"
"Huh? I don't need one," he mumbled.
"Quit being so damn stubborn," Shinjiro scolded.
"Shut the hell up, Shinji."
"Akihiko...!" Mitsuru snapped. All attention was on them, even Theodore who poked his head out of hiding.
"You lied to me, didn't you?" Akihiko accused.
"Lied about what?"
"Minako! She never left your room that night, did she?"
"... No."
"Dammit, Shinji..."
In an instant, Theodore stood up and dropped the blanket, glided through everyone and forced Akihiko back against the wall. Akihiko cringed when his shoulder blade hit the wall.
"There's no need to be angry, Sanada."
Akihiko glared back at him.
"Aragaki came first, didn't he?" Theodore asked, pushing his shoulders harder against the wall.
"And Ryoji came after," he growled.
"You are still her favorite. You're the lucky one. Why can't you see that?" he asked, pushing harder still.
"That's enough," Shinjiro warned, holding his axe under Theodore's arms and pressed under his chin while Mitsuru held her sword to his neck.
"Wait, Ryoji...?" Junpei frowned. "Senpai, didn't you already know that?"
"Yeah... I remember how it was known around the school that Minako was Ryoji-kun's favorite at the school after we had all lost our memories," Yukari added.
"Then you must have already forgiven her once before, correct?" Theodore asked, easing up on the pressure some.
"W-what?" Akihiko grimaced.
"Unless..." he frowned then, releasing him completely and stepping back. "She never had a chance to make amends... My apologies," he grinned wearily as Akihiko stumbled off the wall. "I'll leave that for her to take care of then," he nodded, falling over backwards shortly after.
"Ah, Theo-kun!" Fuuka gasped, rushing to his side.
"He passed out..." Ken murmured, staring down at him.
"It must be from over-exertion in his state," Mitsuru sighed as Shinjiro shouldered his axe. "Yamagishi, I trust take care of him for now?"
"Y-yes, of course," she nodded quickly, giving another nod of thanks towards Junpei as he pulled Theodore off the ground and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, helping him upstairs.
"I don't think it's necessary that we stay here any longer, so I'll be leaving now," Mitsuru added.
"Awh, so soon?" Yukari frowned.
"Yes, I'm leaving tomorrow for business over-seas in France. Regrettably, I will not be able to join you in the next fragment," she sighed.
"We understand," Aigis assured.
"Thank you," she nodded. "Amada, you should leave as well. You have school tomorrow still, don't you?"
"Oh yeah..." Ken grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
###
Theodore sat on the couch in the Dorm's lounge a couple of weeks later. He held the worn notebook he'd found in Minako's room before open in his hand, while holding his old bookmark just under his nose as he read the content. "How lugubrious..." he murmured, frowning slightly as he shook his head.
"Theo."
"Mm?" he asked, pulling the bookmark away as he glanced up. Minato stood beside him, staring down at him.
"Shouldn't you be working?"
"Eh..."
"Theo..."
"My apologies, Minato-kun," he grinned wearily, snapping the book shut. "I was enthralled in this book and-"
"Can I ask something?"
"Sure...?"
"Where is the Velvet Room?"
"Why do you wish to know...?"
"Just curious," he shrugged.
"It's not in one specific place, really..." he frowned slightly. "Is there something you need-"
"I was just curious, Theo. Forget about it."
"Minato-kun, I know I don't have the answers to all your questions, and for that I apologize. I wish I had them myself... But that's no reason to go back to the Velvet Room so hastily. We need you."
"Yeah, I know," he mumbled, glancing up then as the front door opened. In stepped Fuuka, Yukari, and Aigis.
"Hey!" Yukari greeted with a grin. "We were on our way to pick up Ken-kun from school, and then head over to Hagakure. Wanna come with us?"
"Hagakure?" Minato asked hesitantly.
"What?" Junpei voiced, pushing his way through the girls and inside the building. "You've never been to Hagakure?"
"Hey, Junpei...!" Yukari complained after having been shoved aside. "Why are you even here? I thought you were going to hang out with Chidori?"
"She was busy," Junpei waved her off, hurrying over to Minato then and clasped his hands onto his shoulders. "You have to come to Hagakure with us! You haven't lived until you've tasted their special," he grinned widely. "You'll come, right?"
"Sure," he said, shrugging Junpei's hands off.
"Sweet," he grinned, clapping him on the back. "To be honest, I was kinda getting tired of that chickfest..." he sighed.
"Would you like to come, too, Theo-kun?" Fuuka asked.
Theodore glanced over his shoulder at them all and smiled slightly. "Thank you for offering, but I'll have to regretfully decline. I've been shirking my duties here."
"Is that why it has been taking so long to commence the next operation?" Aigis inquired.
"Uh, yes... That has something to do with it," he grinned sheepishly. "Have fun, though, everyone. You deserve it."
"Are you sure we can't convince you to join us?" Yukari asked.
"I'm positive," he nodded. "Enjoy yourselves..."
"We'll come by later, okay, Theo-kun?" Fuuka assured before joining the others outside again.
"Would you all mind showing me around the town sometime?" Minato asked once they had started on towards the school.
"Huh? You've never been around Iwatodai?" Junpei asked, glancing back at him.
"No."
"We've been home for a couple of weeks now, haven't we?" Fuuka started. "Did you stay inside this whole time?"
"That's right," he nodded.
"What fun is that?" Yukari frowned.
"I didn't know my way around," he shrugged. "And Theo was too busy."
"That sucks, man," Junpei sympathized. "We can make up for lost time, though, right?" he grinned.
"Yeah, maybe we can stop by the mall on the way to Hagakure," Yukari nodded.
"Or we can just stop at the mall and tell Ken to meet us there."
"The mall is closer..."
"I'd rather still go meet Ken-kun, if that's alright," Fuuka grinned sheepishly.
"I'll come with you, Fuuka," Aigis said.
"Alright then, we'll meet at the mall instead," Yukari nodded.
###
"What's over there?" Minato asked as he, Junpei, and Yukari all arrived at the mall.
"Over where?" Junpei asked. Minato nodded toward the back of the mall.
"Oh, that's the back ally," Yukari answered. "No one ever goes back there."
"Why not?"
"I dunno..." she shrugged. "Hey, Minato, wait...!" she frowned then as he started walking toward the ally. She hurried after him as Junpei wandered off to the arcade.
"Oh..." Minato frowned, stopping as a door came into view in the back of the building.
"Hey, didn't I say no one goes back here?" Yukari mumbled as she caught up with him. "What's wrong?"
"That door," Minato answered, frowning still as he started toward it cautiously.
"Huh? Door?" she frowned. "... How long has that been there?"
Minato slowly slid his hand out from his pocket and pressed it against the door, feeling the old and sturdy wood. "It's the Velvet Room," he murmured, lowering his hand down towards the door knob. He smiled slightly as his thoughts trailed to Elizabeth, always able to keep him entertained, and then to Theodore. He didn't see much of Theodore during his stay in the Velvet Room, and then always felt uneasy around him.
It wasn't until Theodore broke his fever that he began to relax around everyone, and Minato felt his distrust towards him lift. He even acted concerned for him before the others showed up that afternoon. Still, he missed Elizabeth.
"Minato-kun...?" Yukari asked as he pulled his hand away from the door.
"Where should we go next?" he asked, turning around to face her.
###
Minako slid her eyes open slowly and glanced around drowsily. She was seated on the ground with her back against a dirty brick wall. Where was she...?
She put her hand to the wall behind her and pushed herself up, staggering slightly before grabbing her head. She looked down and saw she was wearing her school uniform, covered in tears and snares. Just as she remembered it. What else could she remember?
She placed her hand against the wall again and used it for support as she walked towards a light, finding the end of the wall and the street there. She glanced up. She was in an ally apparently. She gazed over shoulder then when she heard a scream of terror.
"No! Stop!" a woman cried as someone pushed her against the wall. They pulled out a switchblade and held it to her throat.
"Hey...!" Minako called out, her voice hoarse. She rushed over as quickly as her weak legs could muster and threw herself at the assailant in an attempt to tackle him, but only managed to get herself thrown off and back against the wall. The victim took the distraction as her chance to flee.
"Dammit," he muttered, watching her off momentarily before turning to face Minako. He roughly grabbed the collar of her jacket and picked her up and shoved her against the wall. "What the hell are you doing?" he growled.
"Ngh..."
The moon shone brightly that night. She remembered there was some significance behind the moon, but she couldn't recall what that was exactly. It didn't help that that guy kept hitting her back against the wall and yelling at her.
"Let her go." A calm voice caught both of their attentions, and they both turned their heads to see a figured shrouded in shadows. "Let her go," he repeated.
"Who the hell are you?" the mugger asked incredulously.
"Let her go."
"Look, kid, just get out of here and you might not get hurt."
"I said let her go."
"Fine," he muttered, dropping Minako. She fell to her knees just as he balled his hand around the switchblade and swiped it at the figure. He grabbed the mugger's fist with ease and bent his wrist backwards until he was forced down on his knees, cringing in pain. "H-hey...!" he snapped, startled from being out-powered, until the figure kicked him in the face and sent him flying back.
Minako frowned, her attention going from the now unconscious mugger to her rescuer, who seemed to be staring down at his hands in confusion. "Thanks..." she murmured.
"Huh? Oh..." he murmured, shaking his head. "N-no problem. You must be Minako..."
"What?" she frowned, standing up then. From her new vantage point, she could clearly see his face now. Whatever wasn't hidden by blue hair, in any case.
"I-I have to go..." he murmured.
She stared at him, a feeling of uneasiness washing over her. She knew him from somewhere, but couldn't place it. But the longer she stared at him, the more she felt afraid of him, despite how he had saved her just minutes ago. So in an act of instinct, she fled.
"Hey..." he frowned, watching her off. "I'm sorry..." he sighed then.
Sorry for the wait, guys. ;_;;; I got Persona 4 for Christmas, and I've been busy playing it... I've almost beaten it, but that giant eyeball outta nowhere got me. D: That's so evil to sneak an additional boss battle on me like that when I used most of my SP already. DD: At least Persona 3 had the decency to replenish my health and SP whenever they did that. D:;;
In any case, my apologies again for the wait, and again for this just being a filler chapter of sorts. But, uhm... Something big should be happening in the next chapter, so that makes up for this, I hope? : D;; I hope you all enjoy this and stick around for the next chapter. Much love~!
(Also, I'm going to my buddy/awesome editor's place Tuesday where we were planning to make a Persona 3 parody comic with a dub to go with it I guess, I dunno, so I don't know how long it'll be for the next chapter. : D;; I'll try and work on it when I can~!;;)
