Disclaimer: I don't own Persona

A/N: Happy to get this out. Time for more Social Links and relationship building. I think some will be a little surprised about what develops in this chapter, especially if one is knowledgeable about links. Enjoy.


Chapter 11: Questions

It had been an exhausted and relieved SEES team that had made it home after the mission on the monorail. It had been too close of a call for any of them to be comfortable with and most of the team had retreated to their rooms to rest upon their return. Both Mitsuru and Yukari had fretted a little about what people might say about the monorail when the Dark Hour ended, but Ikutsuki had assured the group that it would be taken care of without a major incident. Sure enough, the following day when Minato had turned on the news he'd caught the tail end of a report about the monorail incident. The matter had been explained away by the train missing a red light and overshooting its mark, with the train's driver receiving most of the blame for the accident. Minato was actually surprised that things were settled so quickly, though he imagined that it was easier for those not present to brush it off and fabricate stories. After all, there weren't that many people on the train that late at night and he could only imagine what witnesses might have said about the matter if they had been questioned. Even if it seemed like the monorail had instantaneously "jumped" from one spot to another, no one would believe something like that.

Well, Minato didn't pay much attention to it since it was better for people to accept things as they were rather than panic. Since nobody got hurt in the end, it was better just to leave things be.

Granted, there were still other related issues that were still bothering the leader of SEES.

"Why are you acting so surprised about it? I say it's completely expected."

"What makes you say that?"

Hamuko gave Minato a coy smirk and nudged the boy with her elbow. "You saved our lives, Leader. Say what you will, that earned you quite a few points with everyone on the team. I mean, if that doesn't deserve a rank up I don't know what does."

Minato and Hamuko were discussing the events of the operation on Saturday, and despite their adventure on the monorail, they didn't have any trouble taking it to school. As they talked, Minato had mentioned that his Judgment Social Link, his bond with the entirety of the SEES team, had increased. Hamuko noticed his confusion and called him out on it.

"All I did was pull one lever." Minato said.

"And pulling it saved our lives."

"It was a lucky guess."

"A guess everyone else was too busy panicking to make." Hamuko pointed out. The girl's eyes narrowed at the boy. "Geez, why are you so stuck on it? You should be happy! Team cohesion is important! Or is our depending on you really bugging you that much?"

"…It's not that I'm bothered by it." Minato denied, though truth be told he was still uncomfortable with the concept. "It's just that the triggers to these links are a little… odd, don't you think?"

"How do you mean?" Hamuko asked curiously.

"I get that joining SEES got the Judgment link established, but what about the others?" Minato said with a frown. "All I did was join a club to establish my Chariot Link, and I've barely exchanged words with Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai yet after just one conversation I establish their links too?"

"Wait, you got links with both our senpai? Good for you!" Hamuko said cheerily, smiling at Minato like a proud parent would. "It's nice to hear that you're starting to connect with others!"

"…That's not the point." Minato grunted, annoyed with how flippant her attitude was towards the matter. "My point is, that the triggers for these links seem too broad and vague. All it takes is a little small talk one time while other times it's saving the lives of everyone around me?"

"Again, thank you for that." Hamuko smiled.

"…Again, you're missing the point." Minato continued as his irritation grew. "Don't you find it strange? It's hard to figure out how these links work when it all seems pretty random. I mean, if these links are supposed to make us stronger we should try to figure out… why they… er…"

Minato trailed off when Hamuko started humming loudly, tuning out what he was trying to say. Minato narrowed his eyes at her as she hummed before she turned his way and blinked guilelessly at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you not finished?" Hamuko asked innocently. Minato continued glaring at her. The girl rolled her eyes and playfully mussed up Minato hair before he swatted her hand aside. "You're thinking too much, Minato! There's no guide to relationships so don't expect to find one on social links! Don't worry about it and just enjoy things as they come!"

"…If only I could think and live as freely as you."

"…Geez, don't sound so morbid." Hamuko frowned. She brightened up a second later. "Seriously though, it'll do no good to just fret over it. Why think too deeply into it? It's just us growing closer as a team."

"…Whatever." Minato said finally, heaving a sigh as he dropped the subject.

"Hm, still, links with Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai… looks like I've got some catching up to do!" Hamuko giggled.

"This isn't a contest…" Minato muttered.

"I know. Besides, I'm still winning."

Minato groaned and rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on.

"Now arriving at Gekkoukan High School."

"Oh, here's our stop." Hamuko chirped as she hopped out of her seat. She smiled down at Minato. "Let's get going."

Letting out another sigh, Minato hoisted himself out of his seat and followed Hamuko outside and began their trek towards the school's front gates. As they walked, with Hamuko thankfully forgoing conversation to quietly hum along to whatever music she was listening to, Minato directed his thoughts to other matters that bothered him.

That mysterious boy's prediction had come true. However vague he'd been when informing Minato of the "ordeal" that he'd apparently be faced with, the fact that it had come true proved that the child knew something about the Dark Hour and Shadows the rest of them didn't. The boy's entire existence was an oddity, completely unexplainable and just thinking about him and his words confused Minato. The boy had said he'd see Minato again once the ordeal was over, yet he hadn't made a reappearance and Minato was growing anxious to see him again. If he ever saw that boy again he wouldn't let him go without having a few questions answered first.

Still, something else about the boy was nagging him, specifically something about what the boy said. Minato could scarcely remember the exact words the boy had said since his appearance had been so sudden and he'd been half asleep at the time. The way he'd said ordeal and the way he told him… could Minato assume there would be other similar "ordeals" in the days to come? If so, when would they come? Knowing that there might be other Shadows like Magician and Priestess were alarming enough, but should he really be so quick to make that assumption? He'd hate to waste time worrying if it never happened again. He needed more information before drawing any conclusions. He still barely knew anything about the Dark Hour or Shadows in general, Personas too, so it wouldn't do any good to worry with almost no specific details.

"…I should really have a talk with the Chairman or Mitsuru-senpai one of these days." Minato thought to himself, thinking about how little they'd told them so far. "They have to know more than just that information on Shadows an Apathy Syndrome. They should-"

"Wazzup?!"

Minato grunted as he was suddenly thumped on the back, breaking him out of his thoughts. He turned his head to find Junpei grinning at him.

"Hey, Junpei." Hamuko greeted with a smile, hearing the boy's exuberant greeting and turning to face him. She waved when she noticed someone else familiar trailing behind him. "Morning, Yukari."

"Hey." Yukari smiled back. "Guess we missed each other on the train, huh?"

"Guess so."

"Speaking of which, did either of you guys catch the news about the train?" Yukari asked as the four of them fell into pace as they walked the rest of the way to school together. "It's being blamed on the driver. Missing a red light and overshooting his mark."

"Is that how it ended up?" Hamuko asked.

"You really didn't see anything on the news about it? They went over the incident a few times, I heard."

"Well, I don't really watch the news that much so…"

"Well, it sounds like it was taken care of. Ikutsuki-san said not to worry." Junpei grinned. "Yep, everything's back to normal. Just another ordinary day at school. Nothing compared to the craziness the day before yesterday."

"You sound happy." Yukari noted.

"Hehe… what can I say? Things are getting kind of exciting," Junpei chuckled, earning incredulous looks from Yukari and Minato. "I've never had that kind of thrill before."

"We almost died." Minato said, feeling the need to point that out. Yukari shivered as she remembered their near crash, but Junpei waved him off.

"Hazards of the job." Junpei said, still grinning. "And come on! Despite the danger, you've gotta admit all this business with Shadows and the Dark Hour is really exciting!"

"…I wouldn't mind a little more ordinary." Minato said.

"No more joyrides on trains, at the very least." Yukari added empathetically, siding with Minato on the matter.

"C'mon, guys! I think Junpei has a point." Hamuko smiled. "I mean, in the end we stopped the crash and saved the city!"

"Not the city. It was just-"

"Hush, Minato. We did something great that night." Hamuko smiled. "Sure, the experience was pretty dangerous itself, but since we got though it let us be happy about it! Plus, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's haven't been a lot of the Lost around lately. When Yukari and I went out Sunday night, we didn't see a single wanderer."

"Now that I think about it, you're right…" Yukari murmured, surprised that she hadn't realized. "Mitsuru-senpai and Ikutsuki did say that those afflicted with Apathy Syndrome and Shadows were connected…"

"Heh. Won the battle, save the city, and helped a lot of people by doing it." Junpei grinned, looking ecstatic by the fact. "Yeeeeep! I'm feelin' pretty awesome right now!"

"…Well, I hope you keep that enthusiasm," Yukari said, smiling a little. "After all, midterms start next Monday."

"…You just had to remind me, didn't ya?" Junpei sighed, face dropping as he remembered. "Way to kill my good mood, Yuka-tan."

"Better start studying, Junpei!" Hamuko advised her friend teasingly.

"Not you too, Hamu-tan! Don't make me think about that stuff now!" Junpei whined.

Minato placed his headphones over his ears as the group walked down the path towards the main school building, drowning out the voices of the rest of SEES playfully bickering with one another and shoving the troubling thoughts concerning the Dark Hour to the back of his mind.


"Yo, Minato!"

Minato closed his shoe locker and turned to see Junpei jogging towards him. The boy arched his eyebrow at his fellow junior and turned to face him. "What's up?"

"Nothin' much. I was just wondering if you've got any plans now that school's over."

"Not particularly."

"Well, how's about gettin' a bite to eat with me at Hagakure's? My treat!" Junpei offered with a grin.

"…What's the occasion?" Minato asked. Granted, he was all for accepting a free meal, but he and Junpei had only just recently began to get along, or at least buried the animosity between them. He was curious about what he'd done to bring about such goodwill.

"Ah, well, y'know… I know I've been pretty difficult to deal with and I was pretty immature about the whole leader issue, so I thought I'd try making it up to you by buying you lunch." Junpei said, scratching the back of his neck in a gesture that gave away his slight embarrassment. "I know I already apologized, but it just didn't seem like enough. And you did save my bacon that night after I ran off. So… if you want…"

Junpei left the offer hanging as he trailed off. Minato gave a few moments pause before shrugging his shoulders.

"Sure. If you're offering to pay, I'll take you up on it."

"Sweet!" Junpei grinned, his enthusiastic reply surprising Minato somewhat. "Let's get going!"


The two boys had apparently beaten the afternoon rush or had just missed it seeing as Hagakure was surprisingly empty when they entered. Minato and Junpei took their seats as the latter turned to the SEES leader.

"You okay with the special?"

"More than okay." Minato said, eyebrows rising in slight surprise. "You don't mind paying for it?"

"Nah. Like I said, it's on me! Plus, I've got things to make up for and repay you for so don't hold back!" Junpei grinned before turned to the chef. "Hey! Two specials over here!"

"Coming right up!" The chef called back.

"Lucky that we got here when it ain't that busy. We'll be chowing down in no time." Junpei grinned.

"Yeah."

"Oh, almost forgot," Junpei said, turning toward Minato and flashing him a grin. "Welcome to Iwatodai."

"…What?" Minato said, expression puzzled.

"Ah, it's just… I don't think I greeted you properly when we first met. I did with Hamu-tan, but I can't remember being that friendly with you when she introduced us to each other."

"That was over a month ago. We're way past introductions." Minato said, lips quirking upwards slightly in amusement.

"I know, I know. It just didn't sit well with me so I thought I'd do it. Guess it seems weird to do it now." Junpei said sheepishly.

"So how should I respond? 'Thanks for the welcome' just doesn't feel right after all we've gone through already."

"Maybe… 'let's work together from now on' or something?"

"Sure, let's go with that." Minato sighed, with Junpei letting out a couple laughs at his own silliness.

Their words were soon muffled by loud slurps as they received their ramen bowls. Both boys didn't bother with conversation, content with enjoying their meal and the comfortable, relatively quiet atmosphere around them. Sipping the rest of the broth, Junpei placed his bowl on the countertop and turned towards Minato.

"So, where'd you transfer from anyway?" Junpei asked.

"I was staying with a relative in Shinjuku before coming here." Minato replied, pushing his bowl away as he finished.

"In Tokyo? Huh. I just lived a little ways from this city when I transferred so it wasn't a big change for me but I bet it's a big difference between here and Shinjuku."

"Not so much. Iwatodai was never a rural city so it didn't take too much time to get readjusted again." Minato said.

"Readjusted? You've been to Iwatodai before?"

"I used to live here." Minato said, pausing when he realized where the conversation had ended up. "…I moved away when my parents died."

"Oh… er, I-I'm sorry. I didn't know you…"

"Don't worry about it. Happened a long time ago." Minato said, dismissing the issue and steering the conversation in another direction. "So, you're a transfer too?"

"Huh? Oh, y-yeah! Didn't I tell you?" Junpei smiled, glad that Minato didn't seem to be bothered by his insensitivity. "Back in the eighth grade I started attending school in this district, so I know where you and Hamu-tan are coming from. What do you think of Gekkoukan anyway?"

"Definitely the most extravagant school I've ever attended." Minato said. "Guess that's what you can expect since the Kirijo Group is its builder and sponsor."

"Yeah, no kidding. It's way better than my other school." Junpei grinned. "I mean, I've been attending the place since freshman year and I still haven't gotten the entire layout of the island down. It could be another small city on its own! And with Tartarus too…"

"To build an artificial island and build a school on top of it… it sure is amazing to think about." Minato muttered. "Guess that goes to show how much power the Kirijo Group has…"

"Yeah…" Junpei nodded absently, glancing at Minato before grinning to himself. "Hehehe…"

"…What's so funny?" Minato asked, wondering if he said something humorous.

"It's nothing. It's just… this is nice, y'know?" Junpei said, scratching his cheek. "Just this, talking with a friend. Had a hard time doing that when we were being jerks to each other. I was just laughing about how stupid I was being for making such a big deal out of the leader thing instead of getting along with you."

"You seem to get along pretty well with the others." Minato commented.

"Even so, there are some things I can't talk about with Hamu-tan and Yuka-tan since their girls. Regarding our senpai, Akihiko-senpai is a little too straight-laced sometimes and I feel like Mitsuru-senpai would start lecturing me if I did anything improper." Junpei said. "So right now I'm glad I've got someone who I can really talk to."

Minato raised his eyebrow as Junpei grinned at him.

"…Are you coming onto me?"

"What the fu-?! NO!" Junpei shouted, face reddening with indignation at the accusation. "Girls, man! I like girls! All I'm saying it that's it's nice to have girl and guy friends I can talk to! I'm not-!"

"Calm down. I was just joking." Minato deadpanned, though he smirked a little at Junpei's vehement denials. Minato sighed and stared ahead listlessly for a moment, mulling over Junpei's words. "Although… I admit that it is nice to have people you can talk to."

In spite of his own mixed feelings about certain issues regarding relationships, Minato could tolerate and appreciate just the mere exchanging of words.

"L-Like I was sayin'," Junpei nodded, glaring at Minato before smiling again. "Still, the way you talk… did you not have a lot of friends back home?"

"Home is a relative term for me. I moved around a lot growing up, so I was never in one place for very long. It made it hard to make friends." Minato said neutrally.

"Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here!" Junpei grinned, pointing to himself. "Same goes for Tartarus too. Just tell me what needs to be done and I'll do it! Besides, after thinking it over I'm more suited for dashing second-in-command than actual leadership."

"Right…"

*SMASH*

Minato let out another sigh.

Thou art I… and I am thou…

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

Well, it wasn't like the voices were entirely unexpected this time. It was one of the only times they hadn't caught him completely off guard.

"Don't tell me I'm getting used to this…" Minato thought, frowning to himself.

"Something wrong?" Junpei asked, noticing the odd look on Minato's face.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Minato replied, waving off his concern.

"Alright then." Junpei shrugged, deciding not to make an issue of it. Instead, he grinned and leaned closer to Minato with a conspiratorial look on his face. "So…"

"…What?" Minato frowned, leaning away from the boy.

"…When you think about it, we're actually pretty lucky, huh?"

"…Why do you say that?"

"C'mon, dude! I'm talking about living in the same dorm with the three prettiest and most popular girls in the school!" Junpei grinned.

"…So that's what you meant, huh…?" Minato muttered, realizing what Junpei meant when he mentioned there were only things guys could talk about with each other.

"Don't sound so apathetic! And don't take our good fortune for granted!" Junpei said, grin widening as he explained things to Minato. "Yuka-tan has been the school idol ever since freshman year. She's got the looks and the body of a model, and guys are asking her out all the time! She friendly to most everyone in school, though she can be cold at times… but that combo makes her all the more appealing…!"

"She probably only has an attitude towards people like you who talk about her like this." Minato said. Although this harassment might explain why she seemed to make quick assumptions and get defensive sometimes. There had been times where he felt she'd be particularly stand-offish with him when he hadn't really given her a reason to act like so, or at least he thought so anyway…

"Then of course there's Mitsuru-senpai, adored by practically everyone in the school. The only reason she isn't the school idol is because no one has had the balls to try to get her. That cool, regal attitude is what endears her fans to her but also keeps the admirers at bay. This untouchable aura of beauty… definitely one a kind, a flower only the strongest have even the slightest chance of plucking…!"

"…I really wish the others were here to hear you say this." Minato said honestly. He could imagine the other SEES members being surprised at his eloquence in describing their status at school while also being disgusted with being referred to so objectively.

"And lastly there's the cute new transfer, Hamu-tan. Her looks alone earned her big points, but that upbeat attitude and cheerful demeanor in combination with that has garnered quite the following according to certain sources. Just watching her skip around the school puts a smile on your face and makes any guy happy that the school uniform makes the girls wear skirts. There have been a lot more students visiting the shrine to give their thanks since she transferred to Gekkoukan…"

Minato finally decided it was best to remain silent. Inwardly, he thought that Hamuko was a little overfamiliar and could be annoyingly persistent at times, but she was actually the one he felt that he got along most with. Given that they both were guests of the Velvet Room and they had a shared secret that initially defined their relationship notwithstanding, he saw her as a cheeky friend rather than a potential partner. In the face of Junpei's ramblings, Minato only gave a mute nod, his expression flat and impassive.

"My point is… we're pretty fortunate. It gives us a golden opportunity, you know?" Junpei grinned. "Be honest… any of them strike your fancy?"

"…I don't know any of them well enough to answer that." Minato replied, neutrality emanating from his words and tone.

"That's a pretty reserved answer." Junpei said. "What? Got someone waiting back at your old place?"

"Nothing like that." Minato replied, though paused when he thought back. "…Well actually, there was this one girl I went out with once…"

"Whoa, what? S-Seriously?" Junpei exclaimed, eyes wide. "When?! D-Do you still talk to her? Have her number? Picture? Tell me!"

"Calm down! You're creeping me out…" Minato grimaced, leaning away from Junpei. "It's no big deal…"

"The hell it isn't! C'mon, dude, gimme details!" Junpei demanded, grinning from ear to ear. "How far did you get with her?"

The conversation continued like that for some time, with Junpei trying to pry details out of Minato life before he moved to Iwatodai with awkward, invading questions. While Minato was bothered and annoyed by his insistent questions, he couldn't deny that a small part of him was happy that he and Junpei were finally getting along. Minato still felt like he was treading unfamiliar ground, but it was nice.


"Looks like you need more practice, eh?" Junpei chuckled.

"Whatever." Minato muttered, annoyance growing and Junpei continued to gloat.

"Hey, you weren't that bad. A little more training and you might be able to stand up to the master!" Junpei laughed. Minato only gave a short grunt in response.

After paying for their food, Junpei had managed to convince Minato to join him at the arcade. The boys had spent the majority of their afternoon there, with most of the evening devoted to one of the classic fighting games most arcades had. Junpei, a frequent of the arcade and avid player of the game chosen, had trounced Minato quite soundly in several consecutive matches. He hadn't stopped bragging since, and Minato was grateful when their dorm finally came into view. Junpei quickly jogged up the steps and opened the door, grinning as he gestured inside the dorm.

"I'm a gracious winner though." Junpei grinned cheekily. "After you, my good-"

Junpei choked on his words when Minato elbowed him in the stomach as he walked past. Junpei coughed and grimaced, hobbling after Minato and closing the door behind him.

"Okay, I deserved that…"

"You did." Minato agreed, giving a puzzled frown when he heard the odd jingle echoing in the room.

"Here comes Tanakaaaa, over the waves to youuuuu~"

Minato noticed Hamuko sitting on the couch watching TV. The SEES leader glanced at the television screen, watching the advertisement as the irritatingly catchy song continued to play through the speakers.

"Oh, is that Tanaka's show?" Junpei asked.

"Hm? Oh, Minato and Junpei! Welcome back!" Hamuko smiled, greeting the boys as Junpei made their presence known. "Yeah! They were having a special today and I managed to catch it!"

"Huh. What's the occasion?" Junpei asked, walking over and sitting next to the girl. "I thought they only aired on Sundays."

"It's some kind of promotion they're doing." Hamuko told him. "They've got all kinds of new products to use at home and recreationally. They had some pretty good ones. An All-Purpose Apron, an Explosive Fishing Set, and some new diet food that looked really good…"

"You know advertisers just pretty up the merchandise for the commercials, right? They're never as good as they look." Minato said.

"I'm choosing to ignore that. There's at least some legitimacy to every advertisement, and Tanaka's Amazing Commodities has great stuff!" Hamuko said enthusiastically. "Sure, some of their products are faulty, but…!"

"Wait, you've bought from them before?" Minato asked.

"Of course. They really do have great deals."

"Yeah. Tanaka sells things you can't normally find in stores, and the stuff you can he sells in bulk for really low prices!" Junpei explained.

"There was this one product that looked really useful." Hamuko said, eyes shining. "I think it might be worth the spending the cash to buy it!"

"…Whatever." Minato muttered, deciding that how Hamuko used her money didn't matter to him.

"Welcome back everyone."

The trio turned towards the stairs, noticing the chairman who gave them all a friendly smile in greeting.

"Oh, Ikutsuki-san." Hamuko muttered, blinking at the man. "I didn't know you were here…"

"Ah, I was upstairs in the Command Room compiling some reports on the Shadows we fought recently." Ikutsuki said. "I've actually been here for quite some time. I'm sorry that I didn't come downstairs to say hello earlier."

"It's fine. We didn't come up to say hi either." Hamuko grinned. Ikutsuki chuckled a little at that.

"Did we find out anything new?" Junpei asked.

"Not particularly. I was able to get some new data from that Shadow on the train, but nothing really substantial." Ikutsuki said, looking apologetic. "We've made so much progress over the past month or so thanks to you all, and if we keep exploring Tartarus I'm sure we'll find more clues eventually."

"Let's hope." Hamuko said, smiling optimistically.

"Indeed. Say…" Ikutsuki began, looking at though he'd remembered something important. "Would any of you happen to be good with electronics? Specifically computers?"

"Er, not really…" Hamuko mumbled.

"I mean, I play video games and stuff on 'em, but if you're asking if I know how they work I can't really help you with that." Junpei chuckled sheepishly. "What about Minato? He seems like he'd be good with electronics."

"What makes me seem like that?" Minato asked, glaring at Junpei as he was halfway to making his escape up the stairs when he'd been called out.

"Are you?" Ikutsuki asked, turning towards the leader of SEES.

"Well, I've helped on of my relatives install a new television once and fixed my cousin's laptop, but other than that…"

Minato stiffened when Ikutsuki's hand suddenly clasped his shoulder.

"That's close enough." Ikutsuki smiled. "If you wouldn't mind coming with me for just a minute…"


"In short, I'd like to see what you can do about this."

Minato stared at the multitude of wires underneath the console in the Command Room. Ikutsuki had pulled away a panel to show off the guts of the large computer, gesturing vaguely to the dozens of wires and circuits that it contained.

"…I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to be looking at." Minato confessed.

"That's okay. I'm not entirely sure either." Ikutsuki smiled, apparently unconcerned with the fact. "I tried poking around a little in there and it didn't make the situation any worse. Although, I didn't make it any better either."

"Is that so…"

"Yes. I suppose my brain's not wired to understand this stuff!"

"…Is that so."

Ikutsuki pursed his lips at Minato's lack of reaction to his joke, but withdrew from the underside of the monitor and stood back up with Minato following him. "So, did you find anything out of place?"

Minato sighed and gave a helpless shrug of his shoulders. The main computer had apparently been subject to glitches and hiccups ever since the Magician Shadow attacked back when he and Hamuko had first arrived at the dorm. The computer must have been damaged from the Shadow knocking around the building, or at least that what Ikutsuki hypothesized, and ever since then the computer would malfunction. The hiccups weren't bad enough to interfere with operations and information gathering, but were still annoying to deal with when they popped up. Ikutsuki had been trying to fix it for the past few weeks with little luck and had decided to ask if anyone else in SEES was knowledgeable of computers and could lend a hand.

"Why not just hire someone to fix this?" Minato asked, feeling that was the most pertinent question.

"It's… not exactly that simple. A lot of this machinery is designed to interface with Persona and analyze Shadows and their activities, not to mention this computer is specially designed to keep working even during the Dark Hour. I doubt a simple electrician would be able to solve the problem."

"And you think I'm better?" Minato asked disbelievingly.

"Well, you know about Shadows and the Dark Hour. You know how technology responds to both. I figure you or one of the others might think of something I didn't."

Completely illogical reasoning, but Ikutsuki said it in a way that almost made Minato believe it was genuine.

"Just see what you can find. It couldn't hurt." Ikutsuki smiled. "Consider it… extra credit, I suppose. Fiddle with this in your spare time. I would really mean a lot."

"…Fine. Whatever." Minato sighed, deciding it was easier to accept rather than argue. He bent back down and peered into the collection of wires again.

"Thank you, Minato-kun." Ikutsuki grinned. "You're a very reliable young man."

"So I've heard." Minato muttered dryly as he moved a couple wires around to get a better look.

"…Well! I think I'll leave you to it then!" Ikutsuki said cheerfully as he turned towards the door. "Thanks again, Minato-kun."

"Wait."

Ikutsuki paused and turned back around, blinking when he noticed Minato staring at him with piercing eyes.

"Ikutsuki-san," Minato began solemnly. "There's something I want to ask you."

"O-Oh, is that all? If you have questions, I'll answer them as best I can." Ikutsuki said, a little put off by Minato's tone. "No need to look so serious."

"This is how I normally look."

"A-As you say…" Ikutsuki murmured. He walked over to one of the cushioned chairs, adjusting his glasses as he sat down. He gave Minato his full attention and gestured to the young boy as he pulled a smile back onto his face. "By all means then. Ask away."

"Why is it Tartarus appears at our school during the Dark Hour?"

Ikutsuki lost his smile. Minato immediately noticed the change and knew he had hit the nail on the head, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the chairman.

"You can't expect me to believe it's just coincidence. I've been living in the Dark Hour since I was a child, and I've never seen anything like that tower until a month ago. Buildings never changed, just the people. Other than Personas and Shadows, Tartarus was the new oddity that's most prominent to me. Why there? Why our school, on that island? The Kirijo Group constructed that island and built a school on top of it, but for what reason? You're the Chairman of our school, and you obviously have ties to the Kirijo Group. If anyone knows anything about the specifics, it would be you or Mitsuru-senpai. So… could you please explain?"

Ikutsuki stared at Minato for several moments. Minato didn't break his gaze or look away. Finally, Ikutsuki sighed and pushed his glasses up, giving Minato a rueful smile.

"…I knew I may have to answer that question at some point, I just never thought it would be so soon." Ikutsuki sighed, before his lips quirked upward. "You're too perceptive, Minato-kun. I really wish that we could've held off on this conversation for a little while longer."

"So you won't tell me?" Minato asked, his expression impassive and unreadable.

"No, no. I said I'd answer any questions you had when you agreed to join SEES." Ikutsuki assured him, holding up his hands in surrender. "Not just that… but we adults have already asked a lot of you kids. You're risking your lives during the Dark Hour… the least I can do is answer to your inquires if it helps ease your worries. I suppose answering the hard questions is the only way I can really shoulder the burden."

Minato relaxed a little at that, feeling slightly guilty that he had put Ikutsuki on the spot. But he need to know was greater than his remorse.

"The Kirijo Group has known about the existence of Shadows for some time now. Over a decade, in fact. As you know, Shadows, while dangerous, are unique creatures with special powers. The Kirijo Group set out to study these existences known as Shadows, and found out that they had an effect on time and space. It's why Shadows are invisible to most people and only appear during the Dark Hour, a time displaced from normal reality. To be able to harness that kind of power and find their own uses for it… those in charge of the Kirijo Group were quite taken with the idea."

"So the Kirijo Group wanted to study Shadows and find a way to harness their power." Minato said, following along. "Obviously something went wrong."

"Obviously." Ikutsuki agreed with a sheepish smile before his expression turned solemn. "Researching Shadows, the Kirijo Group made great many discoveries, Persona being one of them. However, due to circumstances, the Kirijo Group could… no longer continue to study Shadows in the way they used to."

Ikutsuki sighed, removing his glasses and briefly rubbing the bridge of his nose before placing them back. Minato waited patiently for him to continue.

"I suppose I've veered a little off-topic from your original question. Truthfully, the experiments were conducted where Gekkoukan was built. The large facility that is a house of teaching today was formerly used to contain and study Shadows."

"These circumstances that kept you from continuing your research… they wouldn't have anything to do with the incident ten years ago, would they?" Minato asked. "Specifically the explosion that was all over the news?"

"…So you're aware of that too." Ikutsuki muttered.

"Even if I was a kid during that time is was a big enough event for me to take notice. By chance, Yukari-san also reminded me of it some time ago and it was just another detail that stood out too much for me to ignore." Minato said.

"You'd be correct in your assumption. That explosion and the events leading to it are the reason Shadows crawl around the streets in the Dark Hour today, and why Tartarus appears during the Dark Hour in the same place the Kirijo Group conducted experiments on the Shadows ten years ago. It's because of that failure that the Dark Hour came into existence and why SEES was established."

"Why a school?" Minato asked.

"At first, it was used as a front to hide what its facilities were truly used for. It became more genuine when it was used as a cover up for the explosion. The Kirijo buried the incident well enough to the point where very few people even remember it and Gekkoukan is one of the most renowned high schools in the country. By building and funding the school, the Kirijo group could take responsibility and maintain control of Tartarus' location, and cover up anything abnormal or strange that happened in the Port Island area. We wouldn't have nearly as much freedom to operate in any other case."

"I see. So that's why…" Minato murmured, understanding. He leaned his head back against the console, processing the information.

Honestly, just knowing that was gratifying in a way Minato couldn't describe. Fumbling around in the dark for the past few weeks had made him a little frustrated, and Minato was glad that he finally found the time to ask some of the questions that were weighing on his mind. After the operation on the train, and with that boy that had warned him of the Shadow beforehand, together with miniscule information on the Dark Hour and Tartarus itself… Minato was glad that Ikutsuki had answered his questions.

Still, it seemed like the Kirijo Group had a pretty shady past. It was a little unnerving that a company whose logo could be found on a multitude of electronics, consumer goods, and other merchandise had tried conducting experiments on Shadows in the past and had kept it hidden under the guise of a school. That, and the cover up of the explosion that had taken quite a number of lives… Minato sure didn't see the Kirijo Group the same way he used to anymore.

"…Is there a reason Mitsuru-senpai didn't tell us about any of this?" Minato asked.

"Now, now… she has her reasons. Recruiting new SEES members took precedent, and we wouldn't have made much of an appeal if we'd opened up with this kind of information." Ikutsuki said. "Try to imagine her situation. She is the daughter of the head of the Kirijo Group. Even if she had nothing to do with the incident or what took place all those years ago, Mitsuru still hold herself responsible for the tragedy and the Dark Hour. Because of her family she feels like she deserves part of the blame."

"Is that all?"

"Well, I'll admit there are other reasons she kept her silence… but I don't think it'd be my place to say. Some matters are private and better off left alone, don't you agree?"

Minato kept himself from making a comment about the girl looking into his past and obtaining his records without his knowledge, instead simply nodding in response. "Yeah…"

"Ha… I thought this conversation would be easier the second time I told it, but I should've known better…" Ikutsuki sighed tiredly. "I suppose I shouldn't expect to feel anything positive digging up and reciting such a past."

"Second time…?" Minato questioned, arching an eyebrow. He was about to ask what the chairman meant before it clicked in his head. "Akihiko-senpai asked you about it too?"

"In the beginning of his junior year at Gekkoukan he asked me. It took him some time to ask. Evidently he didn't regard the information with the same importance as you do." Ikutsuki said, giving an amused smile. "Akihiko, while capable as a Persona user, can be a little slow. You're a little quicker on the uptake."

"Should the chairman of Gekkoukan be talking about a student that way?" Minato asked, lips quirking upward in a smile.

Ikutsuki smiled back. "I won't mention it to him if you won't."

"Heh…"

They sat in silence for a while, Minato lost in his own thoughts while Ikutsuki observed him. Eventually, Ikutsuki got up from his seat and addressed Minato as he turned to the door.

"Do you have any other questions for me?" Ikutsuki asked.

"…I'm sure I will at some point. Just give me time to think about things for a while." Minato replied.

"Of course, of course. I'm sure what I've told you is a lot to process all at once. Just come to me when you decide what questions to ask." Ikutsuki said with a smile before giving Minato a look that was slightly pleading. "Just… promise me not to discuss what I've told you with the others. I'd prefer it if they came to either me or Mitsuru of their own volition like you instead of hearing anything from a third party. And don't tell Mitsuru of what I've informed you. She actually asked me to keep quiet as well."

"And you chose not to?"

"Well, though she is the daughter of the head of the company I work for, I am an adult and her senior. I was involved in ongoing matters when Mitsuru was just a child, and while she's grown into a capable woman, I believe it is my right to relay the information as I see fit." Ikutsuki said. "Besides, this isn't the sort of thing I can or should lie about. As I said, you kids are risking a lot to investigate Tartarus and clean up the Kirijo Group's mess. The least I can do is be honest if one of you comes to me asking questions. You especially, since you've been saddled with the role of leader."

"Yeah… I still don't see why Mitsuru-senpai put me in charge." Minato sighed. "If she feels responsible for the incident like you say, why make me the leader?"

"Indeed, I admit I was surprised when she told me. It isn't like her to hand of responsibility to another when she tries so hard to keep some measure of control in anything she does. No doubt she's… no, we've cause trouble for you by pushing the burden onto you." Ikutsuki said, expression apologetic. "While Mitsuru is confident in your leadership thus far, as am I, I still don't think it's fair for you. Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help you, even if it's simply answering whatever questions you have for me."

"…Thanks, Ikutsuki-san." Minato said sincerely, grateful he had finally gotten some straight answers and that the adult seemed to sympathize with him.

Ikutsuki smiled. "Of course, Minato-kun. I'm glad you came and asked me."

*SMASH*

Minato stiffened.

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

Yet another one that had caught him off guard.

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

Minato Arisato has established the Social Link: Jester with Shuji Ikutsuki…

"Minato-kun? Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing." Minato said, waving the chairman off. He turned around from where he sat and peered back into the guts of the computer. He reached inside with one hand and tugged on a loose wire. "I'll see what I can-"

Minato's eyes widened when the wire he was pulling came loose and he could hear the monitor suddenly turn on. Minato scrambled out from underneath the console, staring at the screen as an image fazed in and out before finally coming into focus. It appeared to be a video of the Command Room, though it showed Ikutsuki sitting at the computer console with a couple of folders and binders laid out in front of him.

"Don't look so alarmed. It looks like you accessed the old video logs somehow." Ikutsuki noted. "It actually looks like it's from yesterday when I reviewing the data gathered on the train operation. This is actually one of the more frequent glitches. The monitors start recording without being prompted and old video recordings keep showing up."

Minato's shoulder slumped in relief, glad he hadn't broken anything.

"Hm… a Shadow in the middle of town managing to take over public transportation…" The Ikutsuki in the video sighed, setting his pencil down. "I'll have to do a little more investigating. After all if it was able to take over the monorail… monorail… listen to the monorail in monaural."

Minato flinched as if though he'd been hit by something. Standing next to him, Ikutsuki's face broke into a wide smile.

"Heehee… oh, I'll need to write that one down." The Ikutsuki on the monitor chuckled before getting serious. "But really, they were incredibly fortunate. If Minato hadn't pulled the right lever, I fear what would've happened. Mitsuru said that the large Shadow used its hair to control the doors and machinery… it must've been a pretty hairy situation!"

"Ugh…" Minato choked at the horrible pun. Ikutsuki began to laugh merrily to himself.

"Ah… I suppose I've been caught red handed. I got a little distracted while working, as you can see…" Ikutsuki said, struggling to contain his laughter.

Minato didn't respond, shuddering as another terrible pun echoed from the computer's speakers.

"Still, to take over the train's engine… that was certainly an engine-ous move on the Shadow's part!" The Ikutsuki in the video went on, giggling at his own jokes. "Boy, what's with me today? I'm on a roll!"

No… no more.

Minato quickly dived back under the computer.

"Let's see, how about… one should always wear bright clothing at night, otherwise the Shadows-"

The monitor suddenly turned off as Minato readjusted the wire he'd fiddled with earlier, and he let out a sigh of relief. He stood back up, turning to find the chairman staring at him with a pensive frown.

"We were just about to get to the best part. If you'd waited a couple of minutes, you'd see that I really got into a groove."

"You told me to fix the computer, so I did." Minato reasoned, happy that he'd managed to stop the recordings though he didn't let his relief show on his face. "And about those recordings…"

"But that's fine." Ikutsuki went on, flashing Minato a smile as he walked over to a nearby book case and pulled out a binder. "I actually wrote them down in here so I could tell them to you all later! Now then, what do you think about this one…"

Deciding he could try his hand at fixing the computer some other time, Minato quickly fled.


A/N: All done for now. Was a little more lengthy than intended, but it happens.

More school/social life will come in the next chapter along with other points to further the plot along. It'll probably focus mostly on Hamuko since Minato was the primary focus in this chapter, but we'll see.

Certainly is the year of Persona though, what with Q being released in Japan yesterday and Midsummer's Night Dream P3 movie released today. Waiting for a release for the former and subs for the latter is killer, then there's Ultimax in September. Waiting is hard…

Ignoring that, I certainly hope those who waited for this chapter enjoyed it. I'll get the next one up when I can. As always, feedback is appreciated and I'll fix grammar mistakes at a later date. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.

Kiiam