Hi everyone! The next update might take a while so please bear with me. Anyway, I'd like to thank you, my dear readers, for making it this far. I'd also like to thank Magic Detective, theOtakuGurl, Stormbringer-Tsuki, and Shiranai Atsune for favoriting/following. I am still hoping to know what you guys think. You can PM me I don't mind. I must look really desperate now. I hope this isn't too boring.
"There ya go." Ryoji laid the girl they found gently on the sofa. Earlier that morning, Theodore called him, informing him of the people who were mysteriously trapped in the tower. "Ken said that Misturu-san would send an ambulance for them, right?"
Minako nodded. "You guys wanna explore that place after dinner?" She asked as she stretched. Shinjiro flicked her forehead. "Hey!" She rubbed her forehead as she glared at the male.
"Don't you remeber what happened last time?" the male said. "If you want to go then wait till tomorrow." He was worried and that is something that he wouldn't admit because it will only cause him embarrassment. Also, Minako and Ryoji will tease him for it nonstop.
"I'm fine. I don't feel as tired as I did before. See?" She ran around the lounge. Shinjiro watched her, deadpanned, before sighing. "Alright. But only five floors. After that we go back." Minako stopped and beamed at her friend. "Roger."
"Come on. I'm cooking dinner for all of us so get Ken down here." Ryoji and Minako saluted. "Yes, sir!" They ran off to fetch their dorm mate. Shinjiro sighed again then smiled gently. "Idiots."
Minako was washing the dishes when Ryoji told Ken that they were going to the TV world to explore the tower. "Can I come with you?" Ken asked. "I want to help you guys." No one noticed that Minako stopped at what she was doing. She continued before they even found out.
"This will happen sooner or later, especially with Mitsuru around." Shinjiro remembered how Mitsuru did all that she could when she knew she could do something about it. She was stubborn, but he knew she did things for a good reason. Besides, he thought, no one can be more stubborn than that idiot.
"Well then Ken, I guess you're coming with us." Ryoji turned his head to Minako and noticed that she was done with the dishes. "Ready to go?" he asked. She smiled and nodded. "Let's go, everyone," she said. Ken felt his head dull pain in his head again, but just like before it disappeared immediately.
"You aren't going to stay here, Minako-san?" Ken asked when he noticed Minako following then to the teleporter, which was now working perfectly. Since the place looked similar to Tartarus Ken thought that they might need support from the outside, like they, SEES or NAT, did when they were exploring the tower of demise.
"I don't have too. Since we've already rescued everyone in the tower, I can go with you guys. I only stay here to watch over them. Also, no one knows when shadows might appear here, so it's better that I stay here, just in case." Ken nodded understanding what she said. Having someone who can both fight and sense shadows is truly advantageous, Ken thought. He stared at the girl with admiration - the same way he once did to Akihiko when he was still a child.
"Remember, five floors only." Shinjiro waited for the girl to respond. She nodded before going through the teleporter. The three followed her closely.
Minako called out Theia and scanned the place. "What floor is this?" Ken asked. He looked around and noticed that the interior was like a train stations. Some parts looked like the inside of the train.
"37th floor," Ryoji answered. "There weren't many shadows on the lower floors. Plus, Minako always knows where we should go." Ken looked at the girl who was still scanning with her persona. "That persona is amazing." Minako chuckled.
"I can only sense how strong a shadow is with Theia. The best I could do with her is give directions on where to go, and I'm still not used to that. It always give me headaches."
"I still think it's cool," Ken said childish amazement. Minako can't help but to feel flattered by what she heard. She bashfully played with her fingers. Ken turned when we felt someone staring at him. He saw Ryoji giving him a teasing smile before giving him an intimidating one.
"How dare you hit on my daughter!? And right in front of me!?" Ryoji glared at him causing the poor boy to flinch in surprise before realizing what Ryoji just said.
A blush rose from Ken's cheeks. "I wasn't 'hitting' on her!" Ryoji laughed as Ken looked away to cool down his flushed cheeks.
"Well, Shinji..." They all turned to the girl. "I don't think you have to worry with us going over five floors. The 40th floor is a dead end." Minako sighed in disappointment. She muttered something like "it's not fair."
The four effortlessly climbed the tower. They encountered some shadows and defeated them with no problem at all. Ken can't help but to feel a sense of nostalgia whenever he saw Minako's persona. It reminded him when Makoto was still with them, fighting shadows.
Her persona wasn't the only thing that made him think of the blue-haired boy, but also her leadership and the way she fought with everyone. Though their personalities may be polar opposites, when it comes to the battlefield they are calm. They both worked well with the people with them. Unlike, Makoto, though, the girl was able to lighten the mood with her cheery attitude. Ken noted that this might be the girl's way of lessening the unwanted stress and pressure felt by her comrades.
I hope she could do the same for herself, Ken thought. He knew Mitsuru might pressure her. He could only wish that the girl will be able to handle it.
In less than an hour, they reached the 40th floor. "It looks just like the 13th floor," Minako said. The floor would have been as blank as a clean sheet of paper, if it wasn't for the teleporter on the middle. "I wonder if it'll changed too..."
"What do you mean?" Ken looked confused. Shinjiro answered him. "The 13th floor suddenly changed that day. I almost forgot that." "Shinji was just too overwhelmed back then to even remember." Shinjiro glared at Ryoji.
"For now," Minako said calmly, "we'll just have to go back some other day." They left the tower and to the dorm. Ryoji wanted to teleport back to the dorm using the stone given by the siblings from the Velvet Room - the same stone Ryoji used to open the portal. But Shinjiro said refused stating that it's only for things that are urgent because it can only be used for a number of times. Ryoji let out a defeated sigh.
"Hey Shinji, how about we race?" Ryoji suggested. "Last one back will treat the other food."
Shinjiro groaned. "No way. I'm tired."
"You're just scared to lose."
Shinjiro stopped on his tracks and gave the shorter male a competitive smirk. "You're on." They ran leaving Ken to the contemplating girl.
"A full moon..." Though it was barely audible, Ken heard it clearly. When the girl noticed that the boy was staring at her she laughed nervously. "I must be really suspicious, huh?" Ken could only nod. He was taken aback by what she said. He never expected her to say it as casually as she did.
Minako smiled at him. She would have felt the same about herself if she were someone else. "I'll definitely tell you and your friends one day," she said kindly. "I want to prepare myself first before telling you guys. I can't rely on Ryoji and Shinji forever. I've already caused so much trouble..." She muttered the last part so softly that Ken barely heard it.
"Minako-san..."
The girl took a huge step forward and faced Ken. The tall boy halted on his tracks, and was surprised when the girl bowed and said, "I hope you, and your friends, would understand." She stood up straight again and ran off like her friends.
I'm sorry... But I'm afraid they won't be able wait. Ken stared at her retreating form guiltily. "I hope you're ready before Sunday, Minako-san."