Disclaimer: I don't own Persona.

A/N: Chapter six is up. I wanted to hold off on this since this story is just a side project and I want to work on my other fics but... I wanna at least get done with the first Full Moon boss before the Movie comes out. Which I am very excited for, by the way. Enjoy.


Chapter 6: Social Links

Hamuko hummed along with her music as she swept up the leaves on the first floor corridor. She had been volunteered to clean up the area since every month the classes took turns cleaning the hallways during the daytime, with different students assigned to various days of the month. She didn't mind it much since there really wasn't anything else she had going after school. She was the type of person who got bored easily if she had nothing to do, so even a tedious chore was a little fun for her.

The corridor was an open area lined with trees and low hedges, though if one looked past the foliage they could see the track field and members of the track club doing exercises. Hamuko had heard a few chatty students passing by on their way to the gymnasium mention that some of the sports clubs were recruiting new members. The girl entertained the idea of joining one of them, thinking that it would be fun to participate in a sport of some kind. Truthfully, Hamuko hadn't really played a lot of sports but she liked to think she was athletic enough to be part of a team. She made a note to look into it when she had a chance.

"And that's all of it!" Hamuko grinned as she finished raking up the last of the leaves into a large pile. Now all that was left was to stuff them all into a garbage bag and toss them in the trash.

Still… Hamuko felt a little reluctant to do so as she stared at the pile of leaves. After all, it was the perfect opportunity to…

She glanced to her left. She glanced to her right. No one was around. No one was looking.

Hamuko grinned and tossed the rake she was using aside, flinging herself into the pile of leaves with a gleeful laugh.


"Maybe that wasn't such a good idea." Hamuko muttered as she brushed her skirt off for what must have been the thirteenth time. There were still grass and leaves sticking to her uniform, though she had gotten most of the leaves out of her skirt.

Oh well. It had still been fun.

Hamuko made her way through Iwadotai's Strip Mall as she headed back to the dorm. As she walked through the complex, a sign set out in front of one of the stores next to the stairs caught her attention.

"Bookworms Used Books – Reopening!" Hamuko read the sign that was drawn with chalk on the blackboard sign aloud. She glanced at the store for a moment before smiling and stepping towards the door. "Well, I do need a few books for class!"

Hamuko entered the store, taking a quick glance around. It was a relatively small store, though the shelves were completely filled with books. It almost looked like there wasn't enough room to store them all as evidenced by the piles of books that littered the floor and desks. Still, Hamuko felt the place had a good atmosphere. She liked secondhand bookstores because they always made her feel relaxed. Plus, if you were lucky, some of the used books had marks and notes from those who previously used them. She thought hand-me-downs were appealing because they had history.

"Like so." Hamuko giggled to herself as she glanced through one of the textbooks she had picked up off a desk nearby, stopping to read the humorous notes the previous owner had scribbled inside.

Hamuko gathered up a few textbooks and picked out a few purchases for her own enjoyment before heading to the counter where and old man and woman sat behind. The old man perked up when she placed her books in front of him, smiling as he began ringing them up.

"Welcome, young lady." The old timer smiled. "Would you like some fresh mackerel to go with your purchase?"

"…Eh?" Hamuko asked, tilting her head to the side with a confused smile.

"Ah, don't mind him. We don't sell fish here." The old lady quickly cut in, lightly thumping her hand against her husband's chest. "Don't fool with our customers like that."

"It was only a little joke, Mitsuko!" The old man grinned as he rang up Hamuko's books. "Now, your total will be… hm?"

Hamuko blinked when the man suddenly squinted his eyes at her, studying her intensely as he looked her over. Hamuko shifted uneasily, wondering why she was being scrutinized all of a sudden.

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh no, nothing's wrong…" The old man shook his head. "It's just… those leaves…"

"Oh! Sorry." Hamuko stuck her tongue out as she gave a sheepish laugh. "I'm probably getting them all over your store, huh? I can-"

"No, no! No need to apologize." The old man grinned, waving his hand dismissively. "Let me ask you this. You're from Gekkoukan, right? That's the school's uniform, right?."

"I am, and it is." Hamuko smiled.

"I knew it!" The old man grinned, sounding oddly excited. "Now, could you hand me one of those leaves?" Hamuko shrugged, picking a leaf off her shirt and handing it to the old man, wondering what he needed it for. The old man's eyes shined as he held the leaf, smiling from ear to ear. "Ah-ha! I knew it! I knew I recognized those leaves! This is from the persimmon tree!"

"Persimmon tree…?" Hamuko wondered aloud.

"Oh, come now! You must've seen it if you're really a student from Gekkoukan!" The old man insisted. "Not a day goes by that we don't think about that tree!"

"Is that so…?" Hamuko gave a slow nod, a little bewildered that someone could get so excited over a tree. Had she seen it…?

"Please ignore him. He's just rambling." The old lady gave Hamuko a slightly tired smile as she nudged her husband aside. "I'll finish ringing you up. Now, your total is-"

"Wait, I know what you're talking about!" Hamuko said suddenly, tapping her fist against her palm as she realized. "Yeah, that small tree that's growing in the courtyard walkway. I was cleaning there today."

"You hear that, Mitsuko? They're taking care of the tree!" The old man grinned. He gazed at the small leaf he held warmly. "It must be growing nicely to produce such splendid leaves."

"It's growing so much you can make a pile out of persimmon leaves." Hamuko smiled.

"Oh…! You're a kind young lady, aren't you!" The old man smiled happily, making Hamuko blush at the praise. "Really, thank you for this. I've been meaning to see that tree for some time but I'm afraid these stumpy old legs wouldn't be able to make the trip!"

"Was that a pun?" Hamuko grinned.

"What? I don't… oh! Oh! 'Stumpy' and tree 'stump'! Looks like I did make a little pun there!" The old man laughed. "I didn't mean to though, honest!"

"Now you've gotten him started…" The old lady sighed, though her smile was warm. "Please, allow me to introduce my silly husband, Bunkichi. I'm Mitsuko."

"Mitsuko. That's a pretty name." Hamuko smiled.

"Please, you shouldn't use the word 'pretty' to describe an old woman like me." Mitsuko smiled. "Maybe if I were a decade or two younger…"

"Don't say that, Mitsuko! You don't look a day past fifty!"

"That's still old to me, dear…"

"Anyway, young lady," Bunkichi continued, turning back toward Hamuko. "Would you mind telling us your name?"

"Hamuko. Hamuko Runako." Hamuko smiled brightly.

"Hamuko Runako…" Mitsuko smiled. "Such a lovely name…"

"We'll call you Hamuko-chan from now on!" Bunkichi announced before smiling sheepishly. "Er, you don't mind do you?"

"Of course not. Hamuko-chan is fine with me, Bunkichi-san." Hamuko smiled.

"You really are a nice girl…"

Hamuko giggled to herself as she talked to the excitable old man and his soft-spoken wife. Guess it had been worth it to throw herself into that pile of leaves since it led to an event that made the two of them so happy. The tree must've held some sort of sentimental value to them or something. Hamuko was glad to make the old couple smile like they were.

*SMASH*

Hamuko jumped in place as the sound echoed in her mind.

Thou art I… and I am thou… thou hast established a new bond…

The voices…! So then that meant…!

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Hierophant Arcana…

"…What's a Hierophant?" Hamuko thought to herself.

Hamuko Runako has established the Social Link: Hierophant with the Old Couple…

"That's… kinda rude." Hamuko thought, internally scolding the voices. "Sure, they're a little old, but they have names…"

"Sorry if we kept you. Here are your books." Mitsuko smiled as she bagged the texts and novels and handed them off to Hamuko, who handed the woman a few yen notes as payment. "Please come again."

"I will." Hamuko promised with a smile, looking around the store. "I like this place. Maybe we'll be able to talk more next time I come to buy a book."

"Even if you have nothing to buy, feel free to visit anytime." Bunkichi encouraged. "Our doors are always open for you, Hamuko-chan."

Hamuko smiled and bowed to the couple before exiting the store. She clutched her bag of books to her chest as she walked down the street, thinking to herself about what had just occurred.

"What are the chances of that?" Hamuko mumbled to herself with a cheerful smile along with an expression that was a little disbelieving. "So these Social Links… I wonder how many there are…?"


"Hey, have you joined any clubs yet?"

Hamuko looked up from the book she had been reading to answer Yukari who had asked the question. They were sitting on the couch in the lobby of the dorm, and the only other people in the room were Mitsuru and Junpei. Akihiko and Minato were still out, the former having left to go on a workout run earlier while the latter's whereabouts were unknown.

"I've been thinking about it." Hamuko replied, marking her page as she closed her book. "I overheard a couple girls saying that a few sports clubs have positions open."

"As president of the student council, I encourage you to join at least one club during your time here." Mitsuru put in from where she sat across from the two girls. "It'll make your experience at school much more gratifying, I think."

"You said something similar in your speech a few days ago." Hamuko said. "But I do think it sounds fun. Are you in any clubs, Senpai?"

"Fencing." Mitsuru replied with a proud smile. "I am captain of the club. We have many members and not one member has missed a day of practice."

"Yeah, I'll bet." Junpei called from the table. "Any position that does open up is immediately filled by girls and boys trying to get close to the stunning council president who hope to impress her with their dedication to the club."

"What are you talking about?" Mitsuru said, puzzled. "I would assume anyone signing up for the club is doing it for the sport itself. I haven't asked any member to join personally."

"Never mind…" Junpei sighed.

"But he is right about the positions being filled up." Mitsuru said. "I apologize, but I've already gone past the limit of usual members because people were so enthusiastic about the club. I can't really…"

"It's fine. Fencing isn't really for me so don't worry about that." Hamuko smiled. She turned towards Junpei who was busy reading a magazine. "What about you, Junpei? You in a club?"

"Ha! Good one, Hamuko!" Yukari laughed.

"Hey, hey! That hurts, Yuka-tan!" Junpei protested. "I'm a very dedicated member of my club!"

"Seriously? You actually joined club?" Yukari asked, clearly surprised. "Which one?"

"The Go Home Club!"

"Of course…"

"I don't suppose the Archery Club has any available positions?" Hamuko asked.

"Sorry. We actually had our last open spots filled in last week." Yukari apologized.

"Mou… guess this means I won't have any of you as my fellow club member." Hamuko pouted.

"I think that it's better this way. It'll give you a chance to meet and interact with other students in the school." Mitsuru smiled. "Off the top of my head, I believe the Swimming, Tennis, and Volleyball Clubs have positions open."

"I'll look into those clubs then. Thanks, Senpai!"

"Of course."

The girls turned towards the door when they heard it open, revealing a familiar head of blue hair. Minato yawned as he stepped past the couch and headed towards the stairs.

"Where have you been?" Yukari asked.

"Out." Minato replied, making the girl frown at the bluntness of his answer. His trek for the stairs didn't stop.

"Wait, Minato!" Hamuko called out to him. "Did you join any clubs yet?"

"Yep."

Hamuko blinked with no small amount of surprise. "R-Really? Already? Which one?"

"Kendo."

"Ah, good choice." Mitsuru smiled. "We actually have a very capable club. The team has even made it to regionals before. Perhaps with you as a member we could make it to nationals."

"Ha… it's not like I'm doing it for enjoyment or anything." Minato replied dryly. "Given the circumstances, it's more practical joining that club than anything…"

"Wow… you sound pretty excited." Yukari remarked sarcastically. "When's your first club meeting?"

"Tomorrow. All I did was sign a form to mark my membership in the club." Minato said.

"Oh…"

"What is it?"

"Well, I was walking around today and noticed there were a lot of The Lost walking around." Yukari said worriedly, referring to those with Apathy Syndrome. "I was hoping that we could go to Tartarus today, but I'll understand if you're not up for it. I mean, it would be bad if you were tired on your first day at the club…"

"I don't mind." Minato shrugged. He turned towards Mitsuru. "Is it fine if we go to Tartarus tonight?"

"I see no problems with that." Mitsuru smiled. "Just remember to be careful. It can be dangerous."

"We're all aware of that." Minato replied shortly before heading upstairs. "See you guys at midnight."

"I'm surprised he joined a club already." Hamuko muttered to Yukari. "I thought for him to join any club that involves interacting with other people would involve blackmail of some sort."

"…Just how do you see him?" Yukari replied before turning in the direction of the stairs. "Though he does seem a little distant. Doesn't really talk much either…"

"Someone one just needs to help bring him out of his shell." Hamuko whispered back. "And I'm just the person to do it!"

"You seem excited about that." Yukari noted with some amusement.

"Of course! It's just like getting an animal to like you. All you've got to do is persevere and show a little kindness, and they'll be friendly and attached in no time!"

"I-Is that so?" Yukari gave a strained smile. "The only problem there is that your target is human, Hamuko…"

Yukari was glad that the boy they were talking about had already disappeared upstairs. She doubted someone like Minato would appreciate being compared to an animal.


Minato hadn't been lying when he said he joined a club out of practicality and not out of enjoyment. With all that had happened and the revealing that monsters actually existed, Minato decided that it would do him some good to actually make time to practice using some form of weapon. The openings in some sports clubs at this opportune time were the perfect, convenient solution to achieve that. It had been a toss up between the Track and Kendo clubs. On one hand, Track Club would help his endurance and cardio, helping him avoid Shadows… but he figured it would be more beneficial to join the Kendo Club. While he wasn't treating his sword like a baseball bat, unlike Junpei, it wouldn't hurt to learn a little technique. Plus, he was sure they did some endurance exercises that would help improve his stamina. Of course, he there were a few openings in the Swimming Club too…

…But there was no way anyone was getting Minato to wear a speedo. Even if it was for a sport and not his preferred choice of swimwear, wearing one was…

Expertly turning his mind away from such thoughts, Minato found himself standing in the gymnasium being greeted by some dark-skinned girl in a track suit.

"So, you're the new guy joining the team, huh?" The girl asked, giving Minato a once over. "You look a little scrawny, but give it a few weeks and I'm sure you'll be able to keep pace with the rest of the guys here."

"…Good to know." Minato replied, biting down the retort that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"Anyway, I'm Yuko Nishiwaki. I'm the manager of the Kendo Club." The girl, Yuko, smiled at him. She turned towards the gym doors when she heard them open. "Oh, here comes Mr. Takenozuka. He'll get you introduced to the rest of the team."

"Okay, everyone. Put down the shinai and get over here for a second." Mr. Takenozuka called out to the uniformed club members as he approached. He scratched at the scruff on his chin as he gestured to Minato. "This here is Minato Arisato. He'll be joining the Kendo Club as of today."

Minato greeted the members of his new club with small wave, who returned his greeting with nods or greetings of their own.

Takenozuka nodded and gestured to one of the students. "Kazushi?"

A student with tan skin and short hair stepped forward, glancing at Minato before turning towards the teacher. "Yeah?"

"He's Kazushi Miyamoto, the future captain of this team." Mr. Takenozuka introduced the junior to Minato, sounding a little proud. "He's got passion and talent for the sport and always scores well in competitions. He'll be showing you the ropes for the first few weeks."

"Nice to meet you, Minato." Kazushi grinned at Minato who returned his smile with a small nod. "I've actually heard a lot about you already."

"Oh really…?"

"Yep." Kazushi grinned. "One of the two famous transfer students. Still, don't think I'll go easy on you just 'cause you're the new guy. In order to keep up with the rest of us, you're gonna have be dedicated! I'll make sure that you pull your own weight!"

Minato noticed a couple of students laugh a Kazushi's enthusiasm or give their own encouragements about not going easy on the new member. Yuko rolled her eyes and stepped forward, clapping Minato on the shoulder.

"Don't let this guy intimidate you. Just get used to things at your own pace. If any of these guys give you a hard time just let me know and I'll set 'em straight." Yuko smiled.

"H-Hey, Yuko. I'm trying to get him pumped for the club." Kazushi whined. "Don't say stuff like that…"

Minato's lips quirked upwards a bit as he watched to two bicker. It was a little amusing to watch them. At least here he could get some exercise in his free time and participating in one club wouldn't be too hard. Minato had actually never been in a school club before, but who knew? It might be a little fun.

*SMASH*

"…?!" Minato jumped a bit when he heard the sound of glassing breaking.

Thou art I… and I am thou… thou hast established a new bond…

Minato frowned a little to himself as the voices echoed in his mind.

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana…

"Chariot, huh…" Minato thought to himself.

Minato Arisato has established the Social Link: Chariot with the Kendo Team…

Minato gave no outward reaction to what he had just heard. He sighed to himself as the voices faded away.

"Sorry, Minato." Yuko suddenly apologized. "I didn't have a chance to get you your uniform, so why don't you just watch practice today? I promise I'll have your kendo uniform ready by next practice."

Minato nodded, retreating to the back of the gymnasium and leaning back against the wall as Takenozuka started shouting to the club members to resume their exercises. He let out another sigh as he watched the kendo club members spar. The clacks of the shinai smacking against each other as the club members fought with each other echoed throughout the gymnasium.

"Chariot Arcana…" Minato muttered to himself.

To think that the trigger for establishing these… Social Links would be so simple. All he did was sign a form, joined a club, exchanged greetings with two of his fellow club members as it was enough to trigger the formation of a link? To establish a bond? To Minato, it all seemed a little flimsy.

"Then again, the idea that friendship makes me stronger is pretty crazy too." Minato chuckled dryly to himself.

"What are you mumbling to yourself?"

Minato started a little when he heard someone address him. He glanced upwards to see Kazushi staring down at him with a smirk and an arched eyebrow. Minato coughed to himself, a little embarrassed he'd been caught talking to himself before narrowing his eyes at the fellow junior.

"Is there something you needed?" Minato asked.

"Nah. I was just thinking it must be boring to just watch."

Minato caught the shinai that was suddenly tossed to him.

"…What do you want me to do with this?"

"Isn't it obvious? This is the Kendo Club, man! We use those things to practice. Or did you forget joining?" Kazushi chuckled at Minato who didn't share his humor. "Anyway, I was thinking it wouldn't hurt to take a couple swings with that. Just because you don't have a uniform shouldn't stop you from having at least one spar. I mean, you shouldn't just be watching on your first day in the club. Why not get involved?"

Minato was a little surprised the boy was making such an earnest effort to make him feel included. He supposed that enthusiasm Kazushi had for the club wasn't half-hearted after all. It was a little flattering and reassuring to know that another member of the club was trying to look out for him and wanted him to join in. So, in response to Kazushi's offer, Minato's answer was obvious.

"…I'm fine, thanks."

Minato rejected the kind offer.

"What? C'mon, don't be like that. I'll set you up with one of the lazy guys so you can get warmed up."

"I said I'm fine. I'll get started when I get my uniform. Club is almost over anyway." Minato replied. "Go back to practicing. I'm okay with watching for today."

"…Suit yourself." Kazushi relented, sounding a little disheartened by Minato's refusal. "Well, just make sure you suit up the next time the club meets!"

Minato watched Kazushi walk back to the center of the gym and rejoin the rest of the club members. He blinked when he heard someone sit next to him.

"Sorry about that. Kaz is always like that to the new members." Yuko said from where she sat next to Minato. "I hope he didn't bother you too much."

"I don't mind." Minato replied neutrally. "It's not a bad thing to show concern for his fellow club members."

"…Pft."

"Did I say something funny?" Minato asked, glaring at the giggling girl.

"No. It was just the comment about him showing 'concern' for others. I'd say it's more about him being competitive." Yuko smiled. "He always attacks the newbies because he's always on the lookout for someone who will give him a real challenge. He's always complaining to me that the other members of the club don't help him work up a good enough sweat. I honestly wish any of these guys were good enough to smack him around a bit. Maybe then he'd calm down a bit."

"…That so?"

"Well, I guess that dedication is his selling point. That or his stubbornness." Yuko laughed to herself. "He shows up every day for practice. Hasn't missed once. Most of the other guys just do this to kill time though there are some who try to match Kaz's enthusiasm. Seriously, don't feel like you have to show up every day but at least pop in now and again or Kaz will come after you. One of the guys didn't show up for a month once and Kaz cornered him one day after school."

"…What happened to him?" Minato asked, mildly curious.

"Nothing really, though he did drop out of the club a couple weeks later." Yuko shrugged. "There's a little more to it than that, but I don't want to bore you. I'm just giving you a little fair warning about what might happen if you plan to be a ghost member of the club."

"I'll make sure I don't give him a reason to come after me." Minato assured her with a sigh.

"See that you do. Whenever he's got a problem with someone he usually comes complaining to me first." Yuko gave a tired sigh.

"So by telling me this, you're hoping you won't have to deal with him complaining to you?"

"Of course!" Yuko smiled. "Hope you enjoy the Kendo club, Minato-kun!"

"…Right."

"Hey, Yuko-san! Could we get some towels over here?"

"Ah, just a sec!" Yuko called back to the student yelling at her as she got to her feet. She smiled down at Minato before taking off. "See ya around."

Minato watched her hurry about, his gaze switching over from her to Kazushi. They both seemed friendly enough. Maybe being part of a club wouldn't be too troublesome.

"…I wonder… is this really considered a bond?" Minato muttered to himself. He shook his head, deciding not to think too deeply about it as he sat back and watched the Kendo club members spar as the sound of shinai striking against each other continued to echo in the gym.


"So, today I'd like to introduce you all to a new teammate."

"Hamuko Runako, second year student from class 2-F who just transferred in!" Hamuko announced as she beamed at the other members of the Tennis club. "Nice to meet you all!"

"My, you're an enthusiastic one." Ms. Kanou smiled at Hamuko before turning towards the other club members. "I hope you'll all be nice to her. Now, um… who was the leader for the juniors again?"

"That'd be me."

A keen looking girl with her long dark haired tied back in a ponytail stepped forward as she answered the teacher in a slightly irritated tone. Her ire seemed directed at the teacher herself, but Ms. Kanou didn't seem to notice. She only smiled and daintily held her hand up as she giggled to herself.

"Oh, Rio. I'll leave the rest to you then. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do here anyway."

"…Right. Have nice day, Ms. Kanou." The girl said with a tired sigh.

"I will! You girls play nice!"

The club members all watched at the teacher left the tennis courts still giggling to herself. As soon as she was gone all the girls let out their own annoyed sighs and rolled their eyes at the woman.

"'I don't really know what I'm supposed to do here anyway! Tee-hee!'" One girl with short hair giggled in a high pitched tone, doing a mock imitation of Ms. Kanou that got half the group laughing. "Seriously, she's too old to try and act cute like that!"

"She only shows up when there's a new member or when the principal's around." Another club member sighed, shaking her head. "Isn't there a better teacher to supervise us? Do we really have to deal with such an airhead?"

"No use complaining about it." The dark haired girl that stepped forward said, turning back to address the collective of the group. "Get back to practice guys."

A chorus of half-hearted affirmations and groans of displeasure met the girl in response to that, who gave a long suffering sigh. Despite the badmouthing of a teacher behind her back, Hamuko liked the club's easy and friendly atmosphere. A couple of members smiled and waved at her in greeting before picking up their rackets and pairing off to practice. Hamuko turned back towards the girl who Ms. Kanou called forward as she approached her.

"You're Hamuko-san, right?"

"That's me." Hamuko smiled.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Rio Iwasaki, a junior like you." The girl, Rio, smiled back. "So, what made you decide to join the Tennis club?"

"Oh, just looking for a way to pass the time after school and get some exercise. I also thought it would be a good way to make more friends at school." Hamuko replied, parroting Mitsuru's words from last night a little bit. "I've never played tennis before, but I learn quickly and it seems like lots of fun!"

"Haha… well, even if you're only doing it in your free time you sound like you'd make a promising player." Rio grinned. "And tennis is fun if you put in some effort. Why don't you grab a racket and we'll do some basic exercises to help get you started? That's what we're doing today anyway."

"The basics are ALL we've been doing for the past two weeks." One of the club members nearby complained nearby with some of the others making their own agreements to her statement. "Can't we do something other than drills for a change?"

"Fundamentals are important!" Rio insisted with a solemn look on her face, narrowing her eyes at the person who had been whining. "I told you, after next week is when we'll-"

"Okay! Okay! Geez, I get it." The girl cut in hurriedly before Rio could say anymore. "Just go easy on the new girl, 'kay? Don't scare her off by running her ragged on the first day."

"I'm wouldn't scare… ugh." Rio huffed before turning back towards Hamuko with a serious expression. "Look, just keep up as much as you can, alright? If you start getting worn out, just keep your mind focused and you'll be able to pull through."

"You're not going to tell me to rest instead? Even though I'm a beginner and just starting out?" Hamuko asked.

"W-Well, I assumed-"

"No, that's good! If I'm going to do something, there's no way I'll do it halfway!" Hamuko beamed, pumping her fists in the air enthusiastically. "Don't be afraid to push me, Rio-san. I'll be running circles around you and the others in no time!"

"Hamuko-san…! Okay!" Rio nodded, giving the girl an excited smile as she handed her a racket. "Let's get started then!"

"Er, wait!"

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"Um, am I holding this right?" Hamuko asked, showing Rio her grip. "I mean, it doesn't look complicated but with sports you never know if there's a right way or not to do things…"

"Just go with what you're comfortable with, though you should hold it something like this to help keep a grip on the racket and give your swings more power." Rio replied, showing how she was holding her racket. The girl sighed to herself and rubbed her temple with her free head. "Honestly, that teacher… she should be the one showing you this, not me. She's really a supervisor in name only. Totally useless…"

"Well, at least you're devoted. I think that shows a lot." Hamuko smiled.

"…I'm happy you decided to join this club, Hamuko-san." Rio smiled, sour mood forgotten. "Ready to start practice serving?"

"Show me how!"

"Heh. You got it!"

*SMASH*

Hamuko stumbled a little as she followed Rio onto one of the open courts.

Thou art I… and I am thou… thou hast established a new bond…

Hamuko smiled as the familiar voices echoed in her head.

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana…

"Hm… Chariot this time, huh?"

Hamuko Runako has established the Social Link: Chariot with the Tennis Team…

"Hamuko-san? Is something wrong?"

"Oh! Sorry, Rio-san. Just got lost in thought for a moment." Hamuko smiled as the mysterious voice disappeared. "So, what's a good technique for serving?"


"I'm home!"

Hamuko paused at the door, taking a quick look around and noting that nobody was hanging out in the lobby for once. She smiled when she spied one person sitting on the couch. Minato was bobbing his head slightly as he listened to music, and Hamuko could faintly hear the lyrics of his music from where she was standing. She circled around the couch, dropping her school bag on the floor before hopping over the couch as plopping down next to Minato. She tugged on one of his headphones and pulled it off, to which Minato responded with an annoyed glare that the girl pointedly ignored.

"So, how was school?" Hamuko grinned cheekily, sounding like a parent asking her child how his first day went.

Minato didn't bother replying. He let the earphone she tugged out hang over his shoulder as he continued with what he was doing. Hamuko glanced downward, finally noticing what he had been doing before she had come in. Her eyebrows went up and her smile grew wider when she saw what he had in his lap.

"Hey, that's really good!"

"Thanks." Minato replied absentmindedly as he erased the stray mark that he'd accidentally drawn when Hamuko had landed beside him and made him skew his line.

Hamuko watched as Minato dragged his pencil across a page of the new sketchbook she had bought him to replace his old one. Since she had ruined the pages before taking a look at his old book, she never got a chance to sample his work. The offhand way Minato had mentioned that he drew made it sound like he just did it to waste time, but he was much better than she thought. The strange characters he drew had lots of detail and the shading was in a way that really helped define the drawings and made the picture pop. While they just appeared to be black blobs and ghosts, Hamuko could see the fine details on the masks they wore and the arms on the blobs helped her-

"Hey, aren't those the Shadows we fought at Tartarus?" Hamuko asked excitedly when she realized she recognized the figures Minato was drawing.

"Some of them." Minato confirmed as he shaded in another blob. "I'm not that creative. I can only draw what I've seen."

"Even so, I think they're really good." Hamuko repeated as she pointed at the pictures of the Shadows. "I like how you drew this one like its attacking. Then there's this other one that looks like its fleeing!"

Hamuko turned over to the next page, giving her comments on the drawings she found there and continuing onward. It wasn't just Shadows she found in the book, but Minato had drawings of their Persona as well. She found a picture of Io casting a wind spell, Hermes in a gliding pose like it was about to strike something, Minato's Orpheus swinging its harp down and a drawing of her Orpheus playing its harp.

"I wish I could draw like that." Hamuko sighed as she flipped through the pages. At some point the sketchbook had ended up in her lap.

"All it takes is a little practice." Minato said as he twisted his pencil between his fingers. "They aren't that hard to draw. The Shadows are just dark splotches with arms and masks."

"I can't even draw dark splotches. It just looks like I threw up on the paper." Hamuko pouted. Her eyes widened a bit as she came upon the next drawing. "Hey, that's…!"

Minato's eyes glanced down at the drawing that had caught her attention. It was the Shadow Minato had defeated that night when he and Hamuko had awakened their Personas. One dark arm had the frowning mask raised up high above the numerous other arms that made up the Shadow's body, all of which were holding swords. There was a crude looking moon drawn on the corner of the page while the background was shaded in, and a large black splotch with a large sword and a mask was drawn off to the side of the Shadow with a large question mark next to it.

"…I can't draw backgrounds." Minato admitted quietly after a long moment of silence.

"Thinking back, that was actually a really crazy night, huh?" Hamuko smiled a bit as she closed the sketchbook. She handed it back to Minato who placed it off to the side of the couch. "I mean, I remember that I was so scared… and then you…"

Hamuko trailed off, folding her hands and staring down at her lap while Minato gazed listlessly up at the ceiling. Both were thinking back to the night that had been the start for both of them. While Hamuko thought about how incredible the events were, Minato was still stuck on that black thing that had torn its way out of Orpheus and destroyed the large Shadow.

"Both Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai mentioned a Shadow that strong had been out of the ordinary. They only got the occasional weak Shadow that wandered out of Tartarus until that night." Minato thought to himself. "Yet, it appeared on that night. And despite its strength… I had beaten it."

Well, to say he had beaten it would have been a stretch. Despite Mitsuru and Akihiko's sudden and unfounded expectations of him, he was completely inexperienced at fighting Shadows. Minato tensed as he remembered the sensations from that night. The terror that made his body freeze up and the pressure exerted from the Shadow that was leagues above him in strength. He highly doubted that Orpheus alone would have been enough to defeat that Shadow.

And that was what bugged Minato most about that night. For some reason, that other… had it been a Persona? Regardless, whatever that thing was… he had barely been able to contain its power. His head had nearly split open when the thing appeared, or at least that's what it had felt like. Mitsuru had asked him about it not long after his recovery, but Minato had nothing to tell her. He was just as clueless as she was.

Minato was worried about that thing appearing again in the middle of a battle.

"How did you feel?"

"Ah… huh?" Minato snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Hamuko address him. "What did you say?"

"I asked how did you feel?" Hamuko repeated. Minato glanced down and suddenly noticed that she was holding her Evoker in her hand. "I mean, I was only able to pull the trigger because I saw you do it. And even then you looked so calm. You pulled the trigger without any hesitation. I was actually worried I'd blow my brains out if I couldn't summon a Persona like you did."

Minato actually chuckled a bit in response to that. Hamuko glared at him a little for laughing at her morbid comment, but her expression softened into a more curious look as she leaned forward.

"So how did you feel?"

Minato thought about that for a moment. Honestly, in the face of everything that had happened all at once he had expected to die that night when he saw Yukari get blown away by the Shadow. However, that child whose sudden appearance and existence was another mystery to Minato, had somehow calmed his nerves and convinced him to pick up the gun and pull the trigger. Minato was actually a little frightened when he remembered how eerily calm he'd been about the whole thing. Still, that child, the voice that had calmingly spoken to him and coaxed him to shoot himself… he had obeyed. He trusted the voice that whispered into his ear like an old friend.

"I'm actually surprised how calm I felt." Minato said. "When that Shadow came at us I thought I was going to die. I didn't know what I was doing when I picked up Yukari's Evoker. But suddenly, I heard a voice… telling me to pull the trigger. So I did."

"That's all?"

"…That's all." Minato replied after a moment, refusing to say any more than that much to Hamuko's irritation.

Minato thought about telling Hamuko about the child that had appeared to him, but decided against it. He had mentioned the kid on the first night of their arrival and she hadn't made a comment on it, and the child's words during his later appearance in Minato's room a few nights ago lead Minato to believe that Hamuko was unaware of his existence and Minato decided he preferred it that way. Who knew what she would say if she knew about him.

Not only that, but the kid seemed to know what was going on and was aware of both Hamuko and their connection to the Velvet room. Minato found himself frustrated at the things he still didn't know. Too many questions and not enough answers…

"What about you?" Minato found himself asking.

"Eh?"

"How did you feel that night?" Minato asked, his tone more curious than expected. "When you summoned your Persona, how did you feel?"

"Mm… it's hard to say." Hamuko hummed as she leaned back against the couch with a thoughtful look on her face. "I mean, even after I saw you do it I thought I was crazy for picking up the gun and deciding to try the same thing. Just because it worked for you didn't guarantee that it would work for me. But…"

A peaceful expression came over Hamuko's face as she held her hands to her chest. She took a deep breath and sighed, surprising Minato with how solemn she looked at the moment.

"…The moment I picked up the Evoker I heard a voice in my head. I don't know if it was my conscious trying to convince me everything would turn out okay or my Persona calling out to me, but I heard a voice whispering to me… telling me to speak the words that I knew deep down inside, like they had been there my whole life, forgotten." Hamuko smiled. "I was really, really scared… but maybe what Igor said about Personas and how they're another side of ourselves that protect us from harm was right. Even if it was scary, it felt a little warm… like I always had the power inside me but didn't know how to use it…"

Hamuko suddenly stuck her tongue out, her expression reverting into that playful look Minato often saw her with.

"I may act chipper and careless, but this whole business with Shadows and Persona… it's really got me shaken up." Hamuko found herself admitting. "Plus our contract with Igor and the Social Links, along with Tartarus… it's scary, y'know? This isn't fun and games. I mean, Akihiko-senpai got his arm broken and if you hadn't saved us that night… who knows what could've happened?"

"…Yeah."

"I guess I'm a little irresponsible."

"Huh?"

"One of the reasons I didn't want to be leader was because I was afraid if someone got hurt… it'd be my fault." Hamuko admitted. "But you accepted the position, and these past few days you've been so strong and capable. I can see why our senpai picked you to lead."

"Maybe you can explain it to me." Minato frowned. "I don't-"

"You're too modest, Leader." Hamuko giggled, making Minato's frown deepen. "Seriously, I may not be keen on leading but I want you to know I'll be here to support you. After all, we're in this journey together, right?"

Minato stared at the girl next to him. The moments where she didn't act like an airhead surprised him most. She projected the image of being upbeat and cheerful, but she was more vulnerable than Minato realized before. He found himself wondering what things would be like if it was just him, if he didn't have anyone who understood his troubles or shared a contract with. Being able to talk with her like this, discuss things that they were both troubled by deep down inside was…

…It was nice having a companion that could understand him a little.

"…Right." Minato nodded slowly.

*SMASH*

Thou art I… and I am thou…

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana.

Minato smiled a little to himself. Maybe these "bonds" weren't a bad thing…

"So… do you feel closer to me now?" Hamuko asked.

Minato stared at the girl, nonplussed in reaction to her sudden question.

"…What?"

"I saw that smile! You heard them, didn't you? The voices in your head?" Hamuko smiled widely, leaning forward and causing Minato to back away. "Did my rank increase a little, maybe…?"

Minato's eyes widened in shock when her words registered. That devious little… had all that been an attempt to…?

"You…!"

"It DID, didn't it?!" Hamuko squealed in excitement, suddenly throwing her arms around Minato.

"H-Hey! Get off me!" Minato cried out in protest as his cheeks flushed.

"I did it! We're friends now! It's official!" Hamuko laughed joyfully as she clung to her leader. "See? I just needed to get you talking! You like me! You like me~!"

"S-Shut up! I don't!"

"We're friends~! Besties~! Doesn't matter what you say, nothing can change it now!" Hamuko grinned. "We're in this together 'till the end, Minato!"

"We're not…!"

"Whoa! What have we here?"

Minato froze when he heard a familiar voice come from the door. His expression was one of horrified embarrassment when he saw the rest of the members of the dorm standing at the door, having just arrived back from their clubs, or in Junpei's case, from the arcade. Junpei, who had made the comment, smirked at the two of them though the look he gave Minato was a bit envious.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Minato found himself blurting. Only after he said it did he realize saying those exact words in the way he had only made his situation worse.

"Sounding a little defensive there." Yukari giggled to herself. "What were you two getting up to while we were gone?"

"Guy moves fast. I'll give him props for that." Junpei smirked.

"I'm glad to see the two of you getting along so well." Mitsuru smiled while Akihiko chuckled a bit from behind her.

Hamuko continued to smile even as Minato shoved her off of him. She smiled broadly at her friends as she spoke. "Of course! Minato and I get along great! Isn't that right, Minato?"

"…Whatever. Be quiet." Minato grumbled, annoyed when Hamuko only continued to laugh.

"Y'know, I was going to suggest going to Tartarus tonight, but if you two are busy…" Junpei trailed off, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

Minato abruptly stood up, snatching his sketchbook off the couch as he began heading towards the stairs. Before taking the first step up, he turned back towards the group.

"See you guys at midnight."

Ignoring their laughter, Minato stomped upstairs to his room.

These "bonds" were nothing but trouble…


A/N: I've always liked character development and interaction, so I'm having a lot of fun with this. I give my thanks to The Infamous Man for betaing this chapter.

So just going to focus on establishing Social Links for now and then onto the first major battle of this story. Like I said, I might also be changing up a few Social Links but let me assure you, all characters from the game who had a Social Link or were part of one will be included. I'm not tossing anyone out, just adding a little more to separate the two protagonists. Though you'll all see that in links that will be established later.

Anyway, thanks for reading the new chapter and if anyone has any questions I'll answer so long as I don't spoil the story. Any feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading. Have a good one.

Kiiam