Hello everybody! Man, how long has it been since I've last posted here? Anyway, I owe ya guys some explanations.
Final months of Residency were a bit of drag: had some problems with a boss who didn't like my performance at the hospital cycle back in september so I had to repeat the module during my vacations in december. Luckily january and february were much better than that. Due the above mentioned event, I had a really bad emotional breakdown: crying almost every day, doubting myself and wanting to quit residency. I had to go back to the psychiatric and resume taking medicine for my anxiety disorder. I'm much better now and I owe to all my friends.
I also was working on a Thesis paper. It was hard work, but I managed to complete it just in time. And the presentation day was a huge hit! I was praised by coworkers and teachers alike saying that my work could actually have impact on how healthcare caretakers handle nursing mothers and human milk donation. Residency ended on February 28th. At first I was thinking on doing an specialization course in allergy, but I didn't pass on the test and i started having second thoughts if that was what i really wanted. Also, I want to support mom better so I'm gonna work hard this year, make some money and then decide on how to further improve as a doctor. I already got a job at a health care unity not too far from home and I'm starting there this month so things should get a little more comfortable in the next months. Please bear with me and Ohta-chan as we get our act together. Once again sorry this took so long.
Ohta-Suzuke's A/N: We're so so sorry this was late! *On hands and knees, bows* I'm so glad to have readers as loyal as you, I can't thank you enough! I was laid off my job April last year (I really loved that job, with its flexible hours and awesome, crazy colleagues) but alas, they've moved their operations to another country. Until now, I have not been able to get over it because I still miss my friends. Now I have a new job which takes up most of my energy, and the commute home takes up lots of writing time. Ideas run around in my head, but due to the normal working hours of day-dwellers, it gets lost somewhere as I keep getting called to meetings and thinking of stuff other than Persona. Sorry for the rant, but this is what I have been going through in the past year. Please don't hesitate to PM us if you have questions. Some of the stuff here may not make sense at first, but we'll do our best to clarify things in the coming chapters. Don't forget to drop a review!
Questions Time!
kitanalao: Thank you so much for so many comments.
R U Out Lavos: Sorry about the delay. Hope ya like this chapter.
Kanjilearner1988: I hope you'll like this chapter. Sorry for the delay.
Cloud4012 Thank you =3 Hope you like it =3
gleamfang Well, it may not be the last time we see Adachi in this story so he might show more of his lovely personality soon.
Yusei Narukami Thank you. Regarding Souji. That's yet to be seen.
Originaljuan92: He shall appear soon. ;3
The Worldwalker: Thanks. Hopefully this chapter will be shed some light on it x3
Guest: Sorry about the long cliffhanger. that wasn't intentional XD;;; Hope ya enjoy the chapter
Yoshikunitsu: Thanks x3
BlackTyrantValvatorez: Those are some good suggestions. I'll give it some thought. Thanks =3
Darklight of the 0 arcana Yup. I saw it. I'm thinking on some ways to implement that on future chapters.
KO: I know right. That's creepy yet exciting.
Read and Review!
Chapter 24: Blood Moon.
The three wild cards stared wide-eyed and mouth opened at the freaky scenario before them.
"What the hell…"
"…is going on…"
"…here?"
As if noticing that it was being stared at, the red moon grew brighter. The inky black sky made it look more ominous. It released a flash so blinding, they were forced to shield their eyes.
But just as soon as it appeared, the red moon was gone. In the blink of an eye, back in its place was an ordinary crescent moon emitting a dull light.
"What was that?" Minako gasped.
"It wasn't the Dark Hour, that's for sure," her twin stated.
"I can't tell if that was a Dark Hour phenomenon or not," said Souji. "But it could be related. I think a visit to the Velvet Room is warranted."
Minato shook his head. "No, it's getting late. We should regroup with the rest. My instincts tell me that we don't want to get caught off guard after something weird like that happened, especially at night."
"We can go visit Igor after the service tomorrow," Minako suggested. "Besides, I don't want to make the others worry."
Reluctantly, Souji agreed. They quickly made it back to the dorm.
The next day…
The Persona-users were dressed in mourning garbs, preparing for the third death anniversary of Takeharu Kirijo. The service was only exclusive for family members, but Mitsuru pulled some strings to allow them to be there, hence the additional limousine hired to pick them up. The occasion was enough to put a damper on everyone's mood, even Junpei's, who would usually make up a stupid joke and get hit by Minako and Yukari later.
"Huh, it's not like what I experienced a limo ride should be…" Souji mused to himself. He laid back with ease, looking completely normal amongst the rest of the awkward youngsters (except Mitsuru, of course).
"You look like you're used to this, Banchou-kun," Minato whispered to him.
"Last time, the Velvet Room appeared to me as the inside of a limousine. The color scheme is what you'd expect, but it was more luxurious, to be honest."
Just like the Yakushima mansion, the Kirijo mansion was huge. So huge in fact, that they couldn't make out where the property began and where it ended.
The red-headed heiress began to address the itinerary to her friends. "Everyone will gather at the dining hall for breakfast while waiting for the rest to arrive. Once the priest arrives, we will hold prayers in the altar room. After paying our respects, lunch will be served and hopefully we can go home while the rest get back to their businesses."
"You don't look too pleased to mingle with your relatives, Mitsuru-san," commented Ken.
"Yes, I'd rather not do so for it will always steer back towards business talk, and other things which I'd rather not discuss at this point." She gave the twins a pointed look, which they understood. Having met her older and pompous prick of an ex-fiancé left a bitter taste in their mouths. Minato didn't regret punching the asshole for insulting his sister and friend. Akihiko extended the crook of his arm to Mitsuru, which she took with gratitude.
An elderly butler and a row of maids were waiting for them at the entrance. "Ojou-sama, welcome back," the butler greeted as the maids bowed. "Please let me take your coats. Kikuno-san is already awaiting your presence at the dining table."
"Have they arrived yet?" Mitsuru asked, trying to hide her nervousness.
"No. You and your friends are the first ones to arrive."
"Thank you. Please, lead the way."
In the dining room, Mitsuru made small talk with the staff as the rest ate silently. When the first wave of the Kirijo clan started to shuffle in, the Persona-users quickly finished their food, and ushered to the back garden by Kikuno. Her formalness immediately dropped after she closed the door. She was a woman of medium height, slightly taller than Yukari, with short, dark purple hair and brown eyes that would seem red at certain lighting. "Please don't take offense to this. Ojou-sama wanted you to steer clear of the family drama which will ensue." Her facial features softened at the mention of her mistress. "She will be joining you shortly, and I will be back to call you when the ceremony is starting." With a final bow, the trusted maid disappeared into the kitchens.
"What was that about?" Junpei questioned.
"Beats me, but she has the right idea," Shinjiro said, taking a seat on a bench by the vegetable plots. "I'd rather be here than getting tangled up in there. From what I can tell, they're a bunch of rich snobs and hypocrites. Aki might just lose his temper and start punching people."
"Isn't that what you would do?" Akihiko sighed. "But you're right. We're not equipped to deal with them. The sooner we get to pay our respects, the faster we can go visit Miki's grave."
"It must be hard…being a Kirijo," said Fuuka sadly. "All that expectation on her shoulders, yet the people she deals with look down on her all the time."
"Well, I refuse to be one of those people," Yukari said. "I believe in her, and will continue to support her as a friend. Those relatives of hers can't hold a candle against us," she finished confidently.
Everyone smiled, feeling the same way. They continued their small talk for about 20 minutes before Kikuno called for them. She led them to join Mitsuru at the family altar, and the lengthy ceremony began. The priest read prayers from the sutras, a few speeches were given, which droned on and on. Some of the younger generation had their heads bowed, snoring lightly at the back. And finally, the offerings and burning of incense which signified the closing of the ceremony had ended.
After lunch, Mitsuru bid goodbye to her family members and left with her friends. She ordered the limo driver to stop by the gravesite where a majority of Iwatodai's deceased residents were buried. They made a quick stop at the shrine, before splitting up to visit their own deceased relatives. Fuuka left them to go home and visit her parents, and Junpei left to check up on his dad.
The Wild Cards placed their joss sticks and offerings in front of two gravestones, located side-by-side, which they haven't visited in a long time. Engraved on them were the names of the people they lost 13 years ago: Kazuki Arisato and Miyuki Arisato.
"Mom…Dad…sorry we haven't visited in a while," Minato began, placing some water in a glass vase which held a bunch of geraniums. "Look who we brought with us. It's Banchou-kun."
"You wouldn't believe how much he's grown! He outgrew the both of us, even if are older than him," Minako said, arranging her sunflowers in another vase.
"A lot has happened since then…" Souji took out a photo from his pocket; a copy of the one on his study desk, and placed them between the two gravestones. "I miss you guys…"
They stayed there and talked to the gravestones and each other, as if their conversations would reach the Underworld and back. When they had nothing else to say, they put their palms together once more and prayed.
The third day…
The Velvet siblings were perplexed after their guests told them about what they had witnessed last night. It wasn't just them; Belladonna, Nameless and the Demon Artist stopped what they were doing. For some reason, they looked frightened.
Igor wasn't smiling. His eyes closed, deep in thought. When he reopened them, he still wasn't smiling. "The phenomenon you have witnessed is called 'Blood Moon.' In terms of astronomy, it is a natural occurrence also known as a lunar eclipse, which only happens during a full moon. Some call it 'Harvest Moon' or 'Hunter's Moon', an old term used for the full moon during or closest to the autumnal equinox. However, what puzzles me is the description you gave me does not resemble the normal appearance of a Harvest Moon."
"But…it wasn't even supposed to be a full moon last night," Minato retorted.
"Indeed. According to ancient beliefs, it also signifies a bad omen. Some believe that it has associations with black magic and witchcraft. Whatever the case, the situation is much, much more complicated than I had initially thought."
Souji let out an exhausted exhale of breath, pushing his bangs back. "First the Dark Hour returning, then the Fog, ghost apparitions appearing out of nowhere…now this? Just what is it that we're not seeing here?"
"I'm tired of waiting for clues to appear," Minako groaned in frustration. Her brows furrowed, a sign of a headache coming on.
Theodore stepped forward, bowing gentlemanly and took her hand in his gloved one to ease her discomfort. "Please do not overburden your thoughts, Master Minako," he said in a smooth voice. "Whenever you think too much, it clouds your judgment. Rest assured that my sisters and I are doing our best to gather information."
"I suggest you three do the same," said Elizabeth. "Try to observe your surroundings, sharpen your senses to any occurrences that happen around you, and try to pick up on small details. They might seem insignificant at first, but remember that in pursuit of truth, the eyes are often the first to be deceived."
"The three of you were chosen as Wild Cards for a reason. You are unlike your friends, whose abilities are limited to a certain degree," Margaret reminded them. "Take Elizabeth's and Theodore's advice to heart. The clues may have already appeared…you are just limiting yourselves." An enigmatic smile curved on her red lips, as if teasing The Fools of something they should have known by now.
Despite somewhat understanding what she's implying, the guests were still confused.
Belladonna continued to sing to Nameless' overture, and the Demon Artist busied himself with his painting. Igor took this as a sign to end their session. "Before you take your leave, I too, would like to leave some food for thought," said Igor. "Opportunities are not all equal. When facing an impasse, sometimes the best course of action is to create an opportunity instead of waiting for one. That is a choice you will have to make, which requires wisdom and timing." The Velvet Room was starting to blur, the edges a fuzzy white. "There is still more to explore, so I hope you use your time wisely before things get…chaotic..." the old man finished ambiguously.
Their vision turned completely white, and before they knew it, the Wild Cards were standing on solid pavement in the alley beside Paulawnia's police box.
Souji cocked his head, frowning in slight annoyance. "Is just me, or did we just get kicked out?"
"We were definitely kicked out," Minato deadpanned.
"Why would they do that?!" Minako pouted, restraining the need to stomp her foot like an angered child. "And what's up with them anyway…it's like they're hiding something from us."
"At least they left us with something, even if it isn't much," Souji said. He held his chin, re-playing what Theodore, Elizabeth, Margaret and Igor said to them a few times from his memory. "We haven't been doing much on our part, to be honest. I wonder what Igor meant by 'creating opportunities'."
"Perhaps there's still more to learn about our situation, particularly the patterns of these ghost sightings and Shadow attacks. And the rumors as well...we haven't really been observing the human element as a factor," the eldest said. He gripped his grey coat tighter to his body as a sudden gust of chill blew past them. Souji and Minako did the same. "We better get back. It feels like autumn is ending sooner than we thought."
Meanwhile, back in the room suspended between the conscious and subconscious, another visitor just arrived.
"Welcome back to the Velvet Room."
The same day, back in Inaba…
Evening...
The Inaba team were walking Nanako home after a shopping trip at Junes. With Dojima working late hours and Souji out of town, the girls decided to take the little girl shopping so they could buy some ingredients for their cooking club once their Port Island counterparts returned and to surprise their leader with a nice, home-cooked meal when he got back. That being said, Yosuke and Kanji refused stubbornly to become taste-testers…except for Teddie, on one of his feeble, single-track minded attempts to 'score' with the girls.
"Big Bro is gonna love the lunch we'll make for him when he comes home!" Nanako cheered, carrying a grocery bag filled with tangerines and autumn vegetables.
"Of course he will, Nanako-chan!" Yukiko said, smiling with her. "Souji-kun will love whatever you make for him."
Nanako's smile dimmed, and then she pouted. "I hope it's better than the Valentine's Day chocolate... he passed out right after the first bite..."
Kanji and Yosuke's eyes widened. Horror-struck, the latter turned to the girls. "P-please tell me you didn't help her make that chocolate..."
Rise, Chie and Yukiko exchanged nervous glances. Naoto sighed and facepalmed, having put together what had obviously happened. "No wonder Senpai came to school rather pale the next day. I thought his fever had returned," she muttered.
"What the hell are you trying to do?! Make Nanako-chan as bad at cooking as you guys are, and poison Senpai too?!" Kanji nearly screamed.
"Wh-what was that?! It's not our fault he got sick from eating too much chocolate!" Chie protested rudely. "He got some from Yukiko, me, Rise-chan, Naoto-kun, almost every other girl at school, and Marie-chan too!"
"But Sensei couldn't eat all that chocolate by himself. He gave some of it to me!" Teddie said, happy at having gotten his share of 'love' during Valentine's. "But... it didn't do me good..."
"Good?! Pigging out on all that chocolate gave you a bad stomach ache for three days! My closet still has whiffs of vomit, dammit!" Yosuke yelled. "I'm surprised Souji didn't end up in the hospital due to another culinary screw-up from you guys. Seriously!"
"What?! We're just trying to be good role models for Nanako-chan!" Rise pouted.
"Role models of what? Cooking of Mass Destruction?" Kanji shook his head. "If Fuuka-senpai and Minako-senpai can't help you guys, you're a lost cause. Period."
Before her boyfriend could draw out the fury of three girls, Naoto decided to step in. "Now, now... I'm sure if we just follow the recipe book more closely this time, we'll get it done correctly."
"But where's the fun in that?" Rise whined.
"Big Bro said it's important to learn the basics before doing complex things," Nanako said. "He told me that he had to practice lots and lots before he could make such tasty food."
Yukiko frowned. She agreed with Rise, but on the other hand wanted the food she made to turn out as good as the chefs' at the inn. "Actually...the twins told me the same thing. If Souji-kun says so too, then let's try something simple first. Perhaps an omelet…or egg over rice?"
"I'm sure if it's made with love, then he'll absolutely love it!" An unfamiliar voice rang vigorously somewhere behind them. "I mean, who wouldn't love something so lovely made by equally lovely ladies?"
The Persona-users were caught by surprise, quickly looking around for the source of the voice, until he came around the corner, appearance visible to all. It was a teenage boy around their age, dressed smartly in a crisp, buttoned-down white shirt, black slacks held up by black suspenders and polished shoes. His hair was inky black, neatly slicked back. Wrapped around his neck was a long, yellow scarf. But what made him stand out was the color of his eyes…a mysterious shade of blue sparkling with mischief.
Nanako ran over to greet him. "Ryoji-san!" she exclaimed, giving him one of her beaming grins. He approached them with a bright smile.
"Why, good evening, dearest Nanako-chan. Are these are your friends?" At her nod, his smile broadened. "Talk about a sweet bunch of people. So many lovely ladies and cool guys."
Teddie sniffed him warily. "Hey, who are you? How do you know Nana-chan?" he asked, trying to make his voice sound threatening…which obviously didn't work.
"Oh, please forgive my manners. I am Ryoji Mochizuki." He bowed before running a hand through his dark, spiky locks. "Nanako-chan here is best friends with my little brother. He never stops talking about how much fun they have after school."
"How is Pharos-kun?" Nanako asked.
"He's doing great. He told me to say hi if I happen to run into you." Ryoji scanned the group of people, and frowned when he couldn't find who he was looking for. "Hmm, where's Souji?"
Yosuke raised an eyebrow. "You know Souji?" He knew his partner would have told him about it if he had met someone this... mysterious. That was the vibe that he felt this guy was giving off.
"Yup! I ran into him and the twins when I went to the hospital for a check-up. The demands of work can be quite taxing." Ryoji adjusted his scarf and flipped his hair once more. "They're really nice people, but I haven't gotten the chance to chat with any of them again afterwards. Guess they just got really busy since I see them about town doing all sort of things."
"I guess you can say that…" Yosuke mumbled, still not feeling so sure about the guy. "You're out of luck. Souji's out of town for a few days. Had to solve some things over at Port Island."
"I see... A few days off should do him some good." The dark-haired young man nodded sagely and crossed his arms. "The last time I saw him, he looked kinda worn out. I hope he takes better care of himself." He then gave them his most charming smile. "But I'm sure he'll do much better when he comes back. I mean, with so many loving, cute girls and brave, supportive friends by his side, a guy can do anything!"
Hearts appeared in Rise's eyes. "He's so~ dreamy~!" She swooned. Kanji had to catch her. "He's so handsome and perfect…nothing he says is annoying or indecent!"
"I gotta admit, he is cute," Chie complimented, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "He's quite the charmer."
"I agree. He's the type of guy you can enjoy talking to without sounding awkward or feel shameful to be seen with," Yukiko said.
"I must say his charisma is quite remarkable," Naoto stated, adjusting her cap to hide her own reddening cheeks.
In no time at all, Ryoji was surrounded by five girls, enjoy their attention as he cracked small jokes and made them giggle and laugh, much to Yosuke and Kanji's annoyance, but not to point of wanting to punch him. Teddie on the other hand, was starting to fall under Ryoji's spell.
"The hell…? He's worse than Teddie!" Kanji complained. Not that he was heard. "He can flirt with our girls AND get away with it!?"
"Tell me about it. It pisses me off that he's openly flirting with them, in front of us no less, but I can't really bring myself to hate the guy. I mean, he doesn't seem that bad…" Yosuke shook his head. "And his pick-up lines are a million times way better than Teddie's." He looked at the human Shadow, expecting the little guy to whine about his misfortune or something equally pitiful, but that wasn't the case. "Huh?"
Said blonde had sparkles in his eyes, as if he had seen the most amazing thing in the entirety of his human existence. "I knew it... I knew it there was another one with the same destiny as me in this great big world!" He sounded ecstatic. "Someone with dashing looks just like me, and hiding beneath it is a dangerous ladykiller who scores with all the girls! Can I call you 'brother'?"
The other two sweatdropped. "Damn, that dude is really something..." Kanji said.
Yosuke sighed. "If somehow Ryoji-san does end up teaching him, Teddie could actually score with a real girl one day…" He thought it over. "Huh, he might actually shut up for once."
Ryoji turned to them, noticing that they were carrying several groceries bags. "Allow me to help you with those." He took a few bags off the girls, since Yosuke and Kanji already were already carrying some of the stuff. "After all, delicate girls such as yourselves shouldn't be carrying such heavy things."
Rise swooned once more, metaphorical pink hearts floating around her, and the other girls blushed harder at such a rare display of chivalry. It prompted Teddie to take action. "ThenI will carry the rest of the bags!" he declared.
"Are you sure you can handle it?" Ryoji asked out of concern.
"Don't let my gentle, delicate frame fool you! Underneath this hunk of gorgeousness, beats the heart of a wild bear!" Teddie proudly huffed, and picked the remaining bags, struggling to hold all of that weight in his skinny arms all at once. "I...ngghh…can take this…No….problem!" Despite his bold declarations, his knees were slightly wobbling, but he put up a strong front.
"Wow, Teddie, you're so strong!" Nanako cheered him on.
Ryoji was no less encouraging. "Nanako-chan is right, You are as strong as a bear!"
"Thank. You!" he grunted. They were inflating his ego and that gave him the drive he needed to keep it up.
The girls were actually impressed at Teddie's change of attitude. "Y'know, if he looks up to Ryoji-kun like this, he might actually do something right," Chie whispered to them.
"Indeed, but I don't think we should tell him about it," Naoto pointed out.
Rise giggled. "Totally! We don't want his ego to get bigger than it already is."
"I agree," Yukiko added.
The other two guys were baffled. "Did he just…did that guy just trick Teddie into carrying all the groceries AND impress the girls all in one?" Yosuke gasped, stunned. "Damn, he's a pro!"
"I guess... I guess even I could learn something from him," Kanji muttered.
"Come on guys!" Ryoji called them. "It's getting late. We should get going."
They couldn't help but smile. Ryoji's cheerful personality and laughter was infectious. He walked with the Persona-users to their homes, cracking jokes and flirting with the girls all the way.
A certain distance away, a black haired young lady and a boy in stripped pajamas watched them from afar. "So, Souji-kun did go back to his old place," Marie stated. "I guess he's trying to find his own answers too..."
"And judging from the reactions of Nanako-chan and his friends, they know not of his inner struggle," Pharos added. "He's really good at hiding it."
"That stupididiotjerk! Hiding something like that won't do him any good," Marie berated no one in particular. "And that moron Ryoji is supposed to warn them about it, not chase after skirts."
"I think Ryoji did deliver the message…in his own way," Pharos said, giving her a cryptic smile. "What they'll do about it, it's yet to be seen."
Marie's ire spiked a little, before sighing and walked away. "Whatever. Come on, when that playboy is done fooling around, I gotta report this to The Nose and the Blues."
S.P.I.E.S Dorm…
To say Souji wasn't exhausted would be an utter lie. The same applied to the rest of the Port Island Persona-users. They just arrived back in Inaba, and the weather wasn't helping with its light drizzle, dark clouds and chilling winds. The group dragged their feet along with their luggage as they entered the dorm, trying to mentally stave off the cold and hunger by thinking about hot chocolate, warm soup or thick, soft blankets to snuggle in all night. Of course, Souji called his uncle earlier and informed him that he would be crashing at the dorm for the night.
Mitsuru unlocked the front door, and pushed it open. They were so tired that none of them noticed one of the dim lights were on, which Aigis was vigilant enough to turn off before they left for Iwatodai.
"SURPRISE!"
They nearly jumped out of their skins. Koromaru barked three times before whining and hiding behind Ken, covering his eyes with this ears and paws. Mitsuru froze in her tracks. Junpei was the first to freak out and threw his bag at a random direction.
"Ouch!" a deep voice grunted. "Hey, watch where you throw that thing!"
The lights came on, and some of the girls (Yukari and Fuuka in particular) screamed. In front of them stood a tall figure in ripped clothing, half of its face a grotesque green with bolts sticking out of its head, scowling at them.
Akihiko's fighting instincts took over, but before he could punch the stranger, Souji recognized it immediately. "Kanji? What are you doing in last year's Halloween costume?"
Sure enough, it was Kanji in all his tall and muscled glory, dressed as Frankenstein's Monster. The others behind him were dressed up as well – Yosuke as a werewolf, Yukiko as a cute witch, Chie in a Bruce Lee jumpsuit and matching gloves, Naoto (blushing in embarrassment) as a black cat, Rise as a succubus, and Teddie as a Jack-O lantern.
"Wow, Partner. You must really be really out of if you can't even tell this is a party," Yosuke jested, shaking his maracas for emphasis. "From the way you guys left for Port Island, we decided to hold a party and cheer you up!"
"I appreciate the thought, Hanamura, but we're exhausted and in need of rest," Mitsuru interrupted him. "We've all just returned from an emotionally draining ordeal, and want nothing more than –" Her sentence was cut off by stomachs growling.
Chie blushed. "Aheheh…pardon me. I kinda skipped dinner at home because I was promised gyuudon at this party."
Akihiko sported an unabashed grin as well. "Yeah…come to think of it, we also skipped dinner because we were afraid we'd miss the train back here…"
"Senpai is right," Fuuka said, holding on to her own stomach. "I didn't feel hungry on the way because I was so tired. Now that we're actually here, I'm hungry again."
"Lucky for you guys we ordered some Aiya's in advance," Kanji grinned, jerking a thumb in the direction of the dining room. "You won't hafta worry about Myst- I mean, anybody screwin' around in the kitchen." Souji and Yosuke sweatdropped. Luckily, Kanji caught himself from using the dreaded code word aptly describing the girls' horrendous cooking.
"Yeah, we kinda got that…" Yukari trailed off skeptically. "What I don't get is the costumes. Halloween ended days ago."
"Did the Halloween display at Junes get cancelled again?" Souji asked.
Yosuke sighed. "No, they decided not to do it this year…which totally sucks. The weather wasn't cooperating either."
"I was pumped about handing the kids balloons and treats this year, too," Teddie said in a defeated tone.
"So long story short, we decided to bring the celebration here. Thanks to the spare key you gave us, we let ourselves in," Naoto finished Yosuke's sentence for him.
"But that's not all," Yukiko interjected, sounding excited for some reason. "Yosuke-kun and Teddie managed to find some costumes for you all, and Kanji-kun made some adjustments so that they'll fit. The clothes are inside your rooms."
"So go on and get dressed already! I'm hungry!" Chie urged, making shooing motions with her hands.
"Teddie found our costumes?! I don't like the sound of that…" Yukari mumbled.
"Ugh, I knew something smelled fishy the moment we arrived at the train station," Shinjiro grumbled.
Souji gave him a sympathetic smile. "Just go with it, guys. Once they get like this, anything short of a freight train won't be able to stop them."
"That hyperbole is laying it too thick…" Minato sighed.
His sister however, looked positively elated. "You chose me a costume?! I can't wait to see what it is!" Minako all but squealed, and rushed to her room.
The blue haired twin sighed again. "And then there's her…"
"Minako-senpai has the right idea!" Rise cheered. "Oh, Akihiko-san…" she continued as-a-matter-of-factly, "you might want to go and change right about now. Once Chie-senpai, Yosuke-senpai and Kanji start fighting over the meat, there won't be anything left."
"Senpai, your costume is in Minato-senpai's room," Kanji told Souji. "I patched up some of the tears, too. We even prepared something special for Koro-chan in there. I'm sure you'll love it!" He gave them an enthusiastic thumbs up.
The enthusiasm was not shared by everyone. Shinjiro mumbled curses all the way to his room (because he knew there was no way in hell out of this), Akihiko was torn between going upstairs and dinner, and the girls were a mix of skeptical, moody and curious. But they were hungry, so they proceeded to change as to not hurt their friends' feelings.
About 20 minutes later, the Port Island Persona-users came down one by one. There was no commentary like the Yakushima trip. First up was Minako in a pink princess dress with a golden crown, Yukari came next in a red Qi Pao and a Chinese hat ("Hey, isn't this skirt a bit on the short side?" she complained), followed by Akihiko as a Japanese general ("Why do I suspiciously feel like a gang leader in this?" he asked), and Fuuka was dressed in what seems to be a cross between a Victorian dress and a detective's tweed coat with a fashionable deerskin hat ("Is this costume…steampunk?" she wondered). Following them was a smug Junpei in a blue baseball player's uniform with a traditional, Japanese twist where the top resembled a kimono, the kanji character for 'Victory' emblazoned on the back. Up next was Ken, as Feather Hawk (though he would never admit it, he was smiling non-stop from behind the helmet), Minato as a male cheerleader, and Koromaru wore a red bandana around his neck with a loose necklace of colorful glass balls. Souji came next dressed as a vampire, his own costume from last year. Shinjiro followed, in a complete bodyguard's tuxedo and dark shades, his head beanie-less ("Wow, you look so different when you're dressed up for once. Doesn't he look dashing, Minako-senpai?" Rise praised him. She got a scowl in return). The android sisters both had minimalist costumes, much like Naoto's – Aigis as a black dog and Metis as a white cat ("Sister, who is this 'Mewlie-san' that you keep referring me to?" Metis asked). Mitsuru appeared last in an armor decorated with some leopard prints, beads and feathers, and a golden headband around her head.
"What am I supposed to be?" Mitsuru questioned, tugging on the fabric of the armor and running her fingers across the beads.
"Isn't it obvious? You're an Amazon queen," Rise answered for her. "A pretty badass one, too. I was the one who suggested Kanji to make it for you."
Kanji grinned. "It took a while for me to get it adjusted. It used to be worn by Chie-senpai in the TV World but it needed fixing. Rise added the finishing touches of beads and feathers to make it look authentic. Do you like it?"
"All of these were the armors we used during our murder investigations in the TV," Naoto told them. "Kanji-kun had repurposed or resized them so that they could fit the wearer. As you can see, he's quite talented."
"C'est magnifique! Repurposed, you say? I'm impressed how it can fit so well on me when Satonaka and I have different body types. The craftsmanship and beadings are exquisite."
"Kanji-kun, this dress is so cute!" Minako twirled, causing the puffy skirt to swirl around her legs.
"Uh…yeah. That dress was kinda inspired by the one worn by Yukiko-senpai's Shadow. I made it from her tsukesage," Kanji said, shyly looking away. "I decided to have you wear it since you guys are about the same size. I made that crown from some scrap metal I salvaged at Daidara's."
Minako twirled some more, and pulled Shinjiro in an awkward waltz. He stumbled on his feet, finding it difficult to keep up with the hyper girl and controlling his blush. "Oi, slow down, would you? It's not like I'm going anywhere…" Ah, so he wasn't resisting. The female leader's laughter signaled that the party has started. Everyone loosened up and started to tease about each others' costumes, though it was all in good fun. Conversation flowed easily.
Yukari grabbed Fuuka's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Hey Fuuka, Minako is a princess and Shinjiro-senpai is a bodyguard. You think they might elope one day and live happily ever after?"
"Oh, you're referring to that Western drama we used to watch back in high school," Fuuka whispered back. "You're right. But unlike in the drama, I can imagine Minako-chan dragging Shinjiro-senpai to get married instead of the other way around. She's stubborn like that, and he can't resist her anyway." They giggled at that.
Koromaru wagged his tail, pleased at being able to participate in the festivities. "And what are you supposed to be, Koromaru?" Ken asked the Shiba Inu. He barked his answer.
Before Aigis or Metis could translate, Souji told Ken the answer. "He's dressed as Yatsufusa, one of my Personas. According to legend, he was the messenger dog of the emperor who was promised his daughter after defeating his enemy, but the emperor broke that promise. Do you know that story?"
As usual, Teddie began flirting. "Oh, Mitsu-chan. That armor brings out your adult charms even more! Will I be able to score with you after my punishment ~ ?" Nobody batted an eyelid at what happened to him next.
Their hunger finally prompted the Persona-users to head to the dining hall where dinner was being served. It was a relief for everyone that the food came from Aiya's, so that way there would be no nasty surprises hiding underneath something seemingly innocent.
But the peace wasn't meant to last. Chie and Akihiko smelled meat and started to race each other to the table.
"Hey, hands off the protein!" Akihiko commanded. Yosuke was trying to hold Chie back from devouring the beef bowls by herself, especially the 'Rainy Day Beef Bowl' which was meant to be shared. The insane amount of beef crammed into that bowl almost gave Shinjiro a heart attack.
The table was already set and the food divided equally, but the elegance of it all was ruined by bickering teammates. Mitsuru took a stand. "Knock it off! I'm tired, hungry and I want to enjoy some time with my companions. So help me, or I'll execute anyone who tries to ruin this evening!"
The threat worked. Everyone behaved. Souji and Yosuke forced Teddie to sit in between them, making sure he stays out of trouble. As they ate, the topic of their short trip back to Port Island came up. It began with the usual stuff like the weather and new items available in Paulawnia Mall, until the topic of the Velvet Room popped up. The Wild Cards reiterated any information they got from the Velvet Room, which caused the others to groan.
"Can't that old man come up with something better?" Shinjiro grumbled. "And those blue guys…they've been repeating the same thing over and over again. It's getting on my nerves!"
"I second that!" Kanji said. "They should be telling us something we don't know."
Minako stood up and made a hand gesture for everyone to calm down. "I know how frustrating it is because we haven't made much progress, and it's the policy of the Velvet Room not to give direct answers. They can only assist, not interfere," she said. "But I agree with Margaret that we're limiting ourselves. We just have to find new ways of looking for information."
"Our usual method of talking with the townspeople isn't going to work this time," Souji told them. "I don't think they are involved with this crisis, and seeing as these spirit sightings are becoming a norm, they're not likely to remember anything useful. Given time, perhaps…but I don't think we have that luxury."
Everyone murmured their agreement, and the dining table turned silent, the Persona-users thinking on finding another method for intel-gathering. Mitsuru was especially thinking hard.
Not Chie though. She was pumped up. Despite the disappointing news, she had been looking forward to another round of training after Akihiko got back. She looked to her left only to see her boyfriend with his face on the table, looking down in the dumps. "Yosuke, what's the matter with you?"
"Pipe down…" he grumbled, his voice muffled by the table. "I just remembered that I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow. Ugh…so many numbers…my eyes hurt…" Whatever he was mumbling after that didn't make any sense.
"Oooohhh…I think I know why Yosuke's like that," Teddie cooed, an impish giggle escaping. "A bear-y pretty lady was looking for his dad when we clocked in for work. Later Yosuke got called to his office. Teehee ~ I bet that buxom babe reject- OW!"
"That's not what happened, you little twerp!" Yosuke gripped the blonde's ears before he could utter another word, and before Chie kicked him for thinking he cheated on her. "She's the auditor from Junes HQ going through our accounts. And since I'm your supervisor, I got yelled at for any discrepancies caused by you sneaking out snacks!"
"But Yosuke, it was only some candy and potato chips. I told the pretty cashier lady I'd pay for them later…"
The huge, red tick mark throbbed even more on Yosuke's forehead. "You…you little liar! Five bottles of soda, packed lunches from the sample food section and ten boxes of candy?! And don't get me started on the ones you took last week! Do you know how torturing it was going through that many numbers?! I have to do it all over again tomorrow!"
Teddie flailed his arms, attempting to escape from his foster-brother's hold. He grabbed onto Kanji in hopes that his fellow junior would help him, only to get yelled at. Everyone sweatdropped. Leave it up to these three to kill a serious moment.
"That's it!"
To everyone's surprise, it was Mitsuru. She wasn't angry at such display of frivolousness. Her eyes lighted with…inspiration? "I must look into this lead at once!" she said, and whipped out her phone. "Kikuno, is that you? I need you to do me a favor…" She stepped out of the room, her voice becoming soft whispers in the hallway.
Yukari blinked. "What…what that all about?"
"She was calling Kikuno-san…I think it has something to do with the family business?" speculated Fuuka.
"If it's important, she'll keep us updated," Akihiko assured the others.
"Senpai, you know how she is. Even if it was important, she'll keep it to herself if she feels that it'll endanger us," Yukari reminded him, her face grimacing in disapproval.
"Look around us, Takeba. Isn't it too late for that?" Shinjiro pointed out.
She held up her hands in surrender, too tired to be arguing about this right now. Junpei and the twins wisely remained quiet. Mitsuru has yet to return, but even she wouldn't miss dinner after such a long journey back. The atmosphere around the room mellowed somewhat, despite the arguing boys in the background.
Shinjiro sighed heavily, heaving himself off his seat and headed into the kitchen. "I think I just wasted my time. I'm gonna go make some drinks." Koromaru loyally followed him, wagging his tail and panting happily. "Souji, mind giving me a hand?"
The others snapped out of their trances. Some tried to take control of the situation by trying to separate Yosuke, Kanji and Teddie, which wasn't going successfully thus far.
It was Rise who finally had enough and announced that the games were about to start, and had to assure the Port Island boys that, no, there wasn't going to be a King's Game this time. Instead there would be apple bobbing, silly quizzes, a photograph contest and a few unmentioned ones in which she told them, "That's for me to know, and you to find out!"
Truth be told, it wasn't all that bad. They had immense fun during the photograph contest where they took pictures of themselves in various poses (and if it wasn't for Minako, Shinjiro wouldn't have participated at all) with a Polaroid camera belonging to Rise, pasted them on the wall, and made up ridiculous stories about princesses and witches, ghosts and heroes, bodyguards and monsters, a forbidden love between a queen and a rival country's army general, and so forth depending on the sequence of the photos.
After they were sated with full bellies and laughter, the Inaba residents decided that they too should crash at the dorm and leave for their own homes the next morning.
It was a night where pleasant memories were made; to compensate for the ones that SEES had to go through back then.
Yasogami High, Class 3-2...
School was dull (as if that's surprising), but at this time of year Yasogami High buzzed with excitement. The cultural festival was just around the corner, one of the few annual events that got the town riled up. It was particularly important for Yasogami High, because not only was it an opportunity to increase enrollment of new students. It was also one of the best events to make some extra cash.
In a certain class however, the mood wasn't exactly matching up…
"Alright, let's get this brainstorming session over and done with. It's not like you guys give a damn…" the class rep mumbled the last part.
Soon enough a few people were scribbling onto strips of paper, some of them taking a long time to come up with an idea, except Yosuke. He finished writing down his idea before Chie could yell "Steak!"
"Done!" he exclaimed. His classmates turned to him, eyebrows raised. None of them forgot what he suggested last year. Though most of them slacked off, those who actually participated (Souji, Yukiko, Chie and the class rep) shot him venomous glares.
Yosuke winked at them. "Hey, don't look at me like that! I promise this time it will be good."
"I swear if your idea gets chosen and it's embarrassing, I'll murder you myself," hissed Chie. The Iwatodai transfer students wondered what the whole fuss was about – they'll have to ask the rest of their teammates later during lunch break.
Souji didn't say anything, but crossed his fingers and hoped for the best. 'I just hope it isn't some sort of play…I'm stressed enough as it is trying to keep up with lessons to memorize any lines.'
Anyone who had suggestions passed their strips of paper to the class rep assistant. Yosuke grinned like a fool as he handed his.
The class rep cleared his throat to get his classmates' attention. "Well, after last year's fiasco, I just hope all of you learned your lesson and not put in anything ridiculous. I'll be reading the suggestions now. Let's see; Library café, normal enough…movie theatre…haunted house, but class 2-1 is already doing that so it's rejected. What the – maid café?! Rejected!"
"That was quick!" a guy from the left side of the classroom complained. The girls gave him dirty looks, to which he curled into a ball in fear.
The class rep continued. "Ugh, people never learn. On with the rest…karaoke club…and…" He flipped the last piece of paper, "Jazz bar." A vein popped on his forehead. "Who the hell wrote this? Do you want to get arrested?!"
Immediately all heads turned to Yosuke. "Hey, I didn't mean it has to serve alcohol!" he defended. Now everyone knew where that idea came from. "I meant like a lounge setting where people listen to music and drink stuff that's not booze. Geez, I'm not stupid!"
"W-well…" the class rep was taken aback, anger forgotten. "If that's the case, then I guess it's up to the votes. So there we have it. Write down your choice on another piece of paper and we'll pass around the ballot box shortly."
After all was said and done, the class rep and his assistant began counting the votes. "Jazz bar…library café…jazz bar…jazz bar…karaoke club…"
Minato looked to his right to see Yosuke smirking. 'What is he planning? I just hope it isn't anything like Junpei's perverted ideas…Kenji wasn't any help either.' He sweatdropped as he recalled some of Tomochika's lewd suggestions back when they were in Gekkoukan.
"Looks like the jazz bar wins the votes," the class assistant announced. She pushed her spectacles up her nose. "As usual, I just hope all of you pitch in and take responsibility to make this a success. We'll be leaving for the faculty office and student council for approval and later discuss any ideas with you all." With a bow, both left the classroom.
The Persona-users gathered around Yosuke's desk, since the teachers announced a self-study session for an impromptu meeting earlier. "Alright Hanamura, what's the big idea? It seems way out of your league to think of something as cool as this after what happened last year," Chie said, narrowing her eyes at her boyfriend.
Again with the smirk. "Don't get all riled up. Just so you know, I happen to like jazz. I just thought it would be cool to do something relaxing after the exams. You know, chill out with friends and family, listening to music, and eat some tasty snacks..." He turned to the Wild Cards. "Besides, I thought we could combine our musical talents once more like that awesome Junes concert we did with Rise. And jazz seems to be right up you guys' alley."
They thought about this for a moment. It did sound like fun.
"As for Shinjiro-san, we can use his culinary talents on the bar side of this event," Yosuke added. "And Yukiko has solid experience in waitressing. Metis is cute, so she'll be our promoter. Chie can help her out with that."
"Hey, I never agreed to this in the first place!" Shinjiro retorted.
"I do like the idea," Souji said, ignoring him. "It's appropriate for all ages, as long as people are aware we won't be serving alcohol."
Yosuke looked pleased. "That's what the promoters are for. A live concert will attract the crowds for sure!"
"One problem though," interjected Yukiko, sounding worried. "Aside from the four of you, everyone else can't play an instrument as well. Remember how long it took us to practice just one of Rise-chan's songs?"
That got the rest thinking. There was silence for a few moments until Minako spoke up. "Then why don't we do a live performance, say….every one to two hours? That way, we'll have enough time to take a break in between or take over for the others in case we're short on staff, and we don't need to play as many songs."
"And we don't want to steal the spotlight from the music club. Ayane-chan told me they'll be having their own concert to promote their club," Minato added. "We'll be doing something completely different from hers so I guess it won't be stealing their thunder."
"Great!" Yosuke cheered. His enthusiasm perplexed his friends. He wasn't like this last year. "I'll get started on a playlist right after school!"
Minako was too steeped in excitement to give much thought about the possibility of failure. "Yosuke-kun, wanna borrow some of mine? I think there are some classy numbers in here which are people-friendly!" she offered, waving her brother's MP3 player to his face, almost choking the blunette simultaneously.
Shinjiro groaned, returned to his desk and tried to sleep. It wasn't working, since his girlfriend's excited voice kept him up. Every so often he would lift his head slightly and took a peek at her smiling face.
A few days later...
The entire school was abuzz with activity. A few classes were postponed to make way for the culture festival preparations. Most of the males were doing carpentry work and heavy lifting, while the girls dealt with the decorations and management side of things. The teachers supervised their students, making sure that nobody got injured or started a fight.
The day before, Yosuke, Souji and the twins have finalized their music list and decided which ones they were going to play live, and also their practice schedules before the actual performance. The bigger question was asked by Yosuke after their first practice session. "So, what do you guys want to call the jazz bar? It has to have a cool name, but it can't just be 'Jazz Bar' if you get what I'm saying."
"It'll attract the wrong crowd and get us penalized for sure," Minato agreed. "The name can't be too long, but it has to be catchy."
"And according to the playlist we have, it's not just jazz I'm seeing here, but also blues music as well. Those two go hand-in-hand together that you sometimes can't tell the difference," Minako added, her eyes flitting through their music list.
"Blues…jazz…" Souji muttered, hands on his chin. A mental picture of Margaret, Theodore and Elizabeth popped into his head all of a sudden. Nameless' piano and Belladonna's serenading voice followed along. He smiled. "Yosuke, remember those blue uniforms I made you guys wear while we were exploring Adachi's dungeon?"
"Oh, you mean that shade of mysterious blue? I think Kanji's holding onto those now…said something about having a hell of a time replicating the color for his dyed fabrics. What about 'em?
"Aneki, Aniki…are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?"
The Wild Cards smiled at each other. "Velvet Blues!" they chorused together.
Yosuke's face contorted between awe and a grimace. "Whoa…even though it shouldn't be a surprise anymore, that mind-reading thing is still creepy..."
Samegawa Floodplain…
That evening, the sky was turning a little grey, with no indication of rain. All the after-school clubs were busy with their own activities and promotion was on full swing. Souji decided a little walk would do him good. A lot of progress was made for Velvet Blues, which would explain his good mood. He was relieved that Izanagi cut him some slack this time, and the intensity of his nightmares were put at bay. He wondered if it was because of the dragonfly pendant he now wore every day, or due to physical exhaustion thanks to the additional combat training with Akihiko, Chie, and now Mamoru. Despite the temporary tranquility, Souji still worried, because the Original God still wasn't behaving normally. As he passed through the floodplain to admire the riverside scenery, his thoughts were cut off with the sudden urge to look up, only to spot a round, flying object... heading straight towards him!
Luckily, he stepped aside just in time, and avoided getting hit by the baseball in the face. He sweated in panic and relief. 'Close one…! Last thing I need is another head injury.' He sighed, picked up the ball and looked around. "Now where did this come from...?"
"Yo! Duuuuuude!" Junpei's voice yelled from the grass field by the gazebo. He was wearing a complete set of a baseball player's uniform. "You okay?!"
"Oh, hi Junpei-san," Souji greeted. The capped young man panted, resting his hands on his knees after running so fast. Souji caught the smell of sweat, dirt and grass clinging onto him, the smell of sweat being the most prominent. "To answer your question, yes, no harm done."
"Phew… *pants* That's good to know, man *pants* Minato would kick my butt, and Mina-tan would finish me off *pants* if ya got hurt in the head again because of me…"
Souji let out a light chuckle. Junpei really had a way with words. "No need to worry. I'm okay," he assured. "What are you doing here anyway? Practicing?"
Before Junpei could reply, a young familiar face ran up to them. It was Shu Nakajima. "Coach! Coach!" The boy was dressed in the junior baseball uniform set, a bat balanced on his shoulder. He noticed Souji and bowed in respect, his large glasses escew thanks to gravity. "Sensei, it's great to see you!"
"Hey, Shu." Souji smiled at him, patting his shoulder. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, thank you. I was practicing with Coach Junpei."
"Coach Junpei?" Souji turned to said coach, who wore a wide grin. "So you took up the assistant coach job after all."
"Ah well, you know me. And if I didn't, Mitsuru-senpai would've found something else for me to do." Junpei sweatdropped at the last part. "Anyway, teaching the kids how to play is actually pretty fun!" He thumped Shu's back, knocking the breath out of the boy. "Shu here has what it takes to be one of the best players in the school team. He scored a homerun during practice today!" His face glowed with pride.
"That's amazing!"
Shu looked away, smiling bashfully. "Please, I'm not that good..." He noticed the baseball in Souji's hand, and his eyes became wide. "Sensei, I didn't hit you, did I? I didn't mean for it to go that far..."
"I'm fine, Shu. No harm done." Souji smiled softly. He couldn't help but compare this boy to the prideful pupil he tutored a year ago in his mind; such a contrast. "This was the home run, I take it?"
Junpei sniffed and wiped his nose. "Easy, Shu, don't worry about it! Souji isn't only smart, he's pretty quick on his feet too." He took the baseball from Souji's hand and tossed it, catching it again with one hand. "You just don't know your strength. We'll have to work on that."
"How can you make so light of this, Coach?!" Shu protested, glaring at Junpei angrily. He almost threw his bat to the ground. "I calculated the angle of the swing earlier on, and according to the weather report, the wind speed and air pressure are optimal for the next perfect home run! But because I couldn't control where the wind shifted and the strength of that hit, I almost hurt Sensei!"
Junpei took off his cap and scratched his head. "Baseball ain't about overthinking things, kid..." he sighed. Souji got the feeling that Junpei had told the boy this more than once. "It's more of a gut feeling than anything, and lots of practice."
"A gut feeling?" Shu repeated and blinked, confusion overtaking his self-loathing. "How could my 'guts' feel anything? You always say that but never explain."
Junpei didn't know what else to say. "Eh...? Well..." He scratched his chin, unable to come up with answer.
Luckily, Souji stepped in. "What Junpei-san means is that you don't have to rely only on your head to come up with the best game strategy, Shu. Sometimes when things don't go according to plan, you'll need to rely on your intuition as well." He held Shu's shoulders, grip firm, and looked at him straight in the eyes, and pointed to his chest, right above his heart. "Try to remember your real reason for joining the team. Baseball is about trying your best and having fun with it, always trying to improve yourself along the way. Right, Junpei-san?"
The grin on Junpei's face grew twice as big. "Couldn't have said it better, buddy."
"Intuition..." Shu slowly understood what Souji was telling him. "And having fun..." He remembered the lessons Souji had taught him while he was his tutor; life wasn't just about studying, but also following your heart. "I think I get it now. Thank you, Coach, Sensei!"
"Don't mention it."
Junpei crossed his arms and nodded, a proud smile on his face.
The phone in Shu's pocket rang. "Oh, I must be going. Mom's waiting for me. We're going out for dinner." He bowed at the two young men. "Thanks for taking your time to train me, Coach Junpei, and for the advice, Sensei."
"No problem-o, Shu. Anytime ya want to train after school, just let me know." Junpei gave him a thumbs-up.
"Give your mother my regards," Souji said.
"Of course! See you soon!" Shu ran off.
Once Shu was out of sight, Junpei turned to Souji. "Thanks for the words of wisdom back there, man. I don't think I would've been able to encourage him without your help." He scratched his cheek. "Pep talk's never been my forte..."
"Just because you may not know what words to use, doesn't mean you're bad at encouraging others, Junpei-san," Souji told him. "Action speaks louder than words."
"Why do you say that?"
"The fact that you took your time to help Shu get better at swinging the bat when you didn't have to go that extra mile, encouraged him much more than any words of advice I could have given him," Souji said. "Your heart is in the right place and that's what counts the most."
No one, other than Chidori or the twins perhaps, had ever said anything like that to him. Junpei's eyes widened in surprise, before letting out a weak smile. "All this time of being the team's goofball, getting praised and looked up to is a first for me..." He closed his eyes, trying to hold back the forming tears from escaping. "I can't remember the last time my old man said something like that to me. I can see why Yosuke couldn't stop admiring you even if he tried. You're just...special."
Souji smiled. "Everybody got something special that only they can do. Your ability to bring a smile to others even if it's at the expense of your pride is something commendable," he said.
The Magician took a seat under the gazebo, inviting Souji over to sit beside him. "Did I ever tell you that my dad was an alcoholic? He'd get these violent episodes sometimes after coming back from the bar, and he'd hit my mom and me." He let out a sigh as he stared at the colorful sky. "My mom couldn't take it anymore and left, leaving me with that monster. As I grew stronger, he just got...weak, y'know? My only escape was acting like an idiot, surrounding myself with a lot of people...who didn't even know what I was going through. Talk about superficial, huh?"
"Everyone has their own demons to face. It was your way coping," Souji said softly. 'The Magician, using immaturity and humor as a mask to face this cruel world.' He thought of Yosuke, always the comic relief despite being ridiculed for something he couldn't control. "And I also think that's why Chidori, Aniki and Aneki care a great deal about you."
The Wild Cards' ability to say just the right things never ceased to amaze Junpei. "Thanks, Souji. You're one heck of a dude." But still, he just couldn't let Souji take the spotlight to himself. "How about we make a deal?"
The silverette raised an eyebrow. "A deal?"
"You keep on rocking your role as team leader, and I'll keep being the goofball who lifts the mood. Let's put our strengths to good use!"
Souji chuckled, holding out his hand. "Deal. Just don't try and make this some kind of rivalry with Yosuke and Teddie, though. We rely on you guys to keep up team morale, not a gag performance."
Junpei's grin got wider as they shook hands. Souji felt like he became closer to him, after witnessing some depth underneath Junpei's deceivingly shallow layer...
Thou art I and I am thou,
Thou hast established a new bond,
It brings thee closer to the truth,
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana.
"So…you still got some time for a baseball game?"
"Sure." Souji widened his stance, imagining himself holding a bat instead of a bamboo shinai, expression completely aloof. "I might be able to improve my sword swings in battle."
Junpei sweatdropped. He didn't know if the dude was being serious or not. 'And I thought Shu over thinks things.' But then again, he shouldn't be surprised considering the youngest team leader had been training with Akihiko of all people.
Yasogami High…
In class 3-2, things were going surprisingly well. The jazz bar concept had been approved by the Student Council and their homeroom teacher without much fuss. Yosuke was shouldering responsibility for once by taking lead with the layout of the classroom to be turned into a small stage and eating area. The Wild Cards and Shinjiro took their discussion of the menu and drinks to the roof, as not to disturb their working classmates. The rest of the girls went shopping at Junes for the decorations.
Nearly at the end of the week, everyone was exhausted. Despite that, they were cheerful and hopeful that their culture festival goes well. Their classroom looked awesome; the walls were decorated with drapes of blue fabric, various shades of blue crepe paper, and glow-in-the-dark ornaments. The bar side where the food and drinks were prepared, was cleverly displayed with bottles of different kinds of sodas and juice. The lighting was dimmed down to give a relaxing atmosphere. Despite the size, it really did look like an exclusive and trendy music bar. The final touches were the uniforms, in which Souji had to request from Margaret for extra sets.
All that's left was to wait for the opening ceremony, and the school gates would be welcoming new guests.
The night before the opening ceremony, the Wild Cards had a dream. As soon as they closed their eyes, they felt the familiar pull in their subconscious as they were called back to the Velvet Room. When they opened their eyes, they were surprised to find themselves somewhere they have never been to before.
At first glance, it was a normal, empty classroom. The place was messy and unorganized. Judging by the banners hanging on the ceiling and opened boxes scattered around, there was a preparation for a celebration of sorts, much like their own cultural festival. A group of people were working on banners, painting signage and arranging stuff for whatever class project they were doing.
The Wild Cards felt strange; they were organizing a box of fixtures which would be hung at some point, but they felt like they had no control over their actions. It was like they were in someone else's body, but they could only watch through a screen and experience whatever the host body was experiencing.
A commotion was heard somewhere nearby, so the natural course of action was to turn around and find out the source of the conflict, and that's what the host body did. Through the host's eyes, they recognized none of the people in the classroom, even the school uniforms they were wearing. The main theme of their formal wear was grey, and it had the design style of a private institution. The school emblem sewn on the uniforms had a picture of an animal of some sorts, which looked like an otter or a ferret, with a few other symbolic graphics such as elm leaves, and a six-pointed star. They couldn't make out the school's name, but they saw enough to know that it wasn't Japanese. However, not everyone followed the regulated dress code.
"It's cuz you did something pointless!" shouted a boy wearing in a strange and funky yellow beanie. One of his ears were pierced, a miniature figuring hanging from it. He wore a white turtleneck with some sort of graffiti design on it underneath his standard blazer, and had dark marks on his face which the Wild Cards couldn't be sure if it was a tattoo or face paint. "That pisses me off!" He was shaking a can of spray paint as he worked on a banner.
An arrogant sniff was heard from another boy who the former was yelling at. He looked arrogant too; he had the air and breeding of family money that reminded them of Mitsuru. His black hair was slicked back, a pair of full-rimmed glasses neatly perched on his face. His wore an additional turquoise scarf which had a big number '1' on it with his uniform. "All I did was speak the truth. The one at fault wasn't me."
They continued to banter until another person cut in. "Hey, stop it you two!" They looked up to see a scowling girl, her hand resting on a hip. She looked like a tomboy with her short dark hair and single clip. School skirts were usually at knee-level, but she wore hers long, reaching a little above her ankles. "You're being annoying! Let's hurry up and get the work done!"
"Come to think of it, it's pretty rare isn't it?" asked a brown-headed boy with orange sunglasses over his head. He buttoned down his school blazer to reveal a purple shirt with a red spade design on it, his air boots equally red. "You usually leave right away."
Another girl behind a desk shuffling papers giggled. She had long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail. She wore a red neckerchief around her neck. "You did it because you 'like the teacher', don't you?" Her way of speaking was very elegant and lady-like, matching her equally pretty face. She mixed English into her speech, indicating a foreign-educated background. The tomboy flustered at her remark.
"I'm so tired…" yawned another girl. Her appearance was that of a fashion statement of the past decade, the kogal. She tied her obviously dyed blonde hair in twin pigtails.
"For that sort of thing, leave it to Brown-sama!" yelled the boy with orange sunglasses. "Let's play the Persona-sama game!"
"What's that?" The Wild Cards finally heard their host body speak. Now they could confirm it's a guy.
Brown began to explain what the game was about. Apparently, it's a game that's all the rage now thanks to exaggerated rumors of it being able to tell the future. What caught the trio's attention was that strange things happening were a part of this 'game'.
There were mixed reactions within the group, but the one who strongly vocalized his skeptical views about the outcome of this game was the guy in the yellow beanie. "Are you sure you don't have brain-rot, Brown?"
"I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is if you are, Masao!"
Mark had a very competitive look on his face. "Alright, you're on! I'll bet you an all-you-can-eat dinner at Peace Diner on Joy Street." They shook hands.
The kogal girl, who sounded like a bit of an air-head, whooped for joy. "Woohoo! I'm with Brown!"
Everyone went with Brown except the tomboy and arrogant rich boy, who didn't want anything to do with this ridiculousness. The only one who didn't bet on Brown was their host. "I'll bet on Masao," he said.
Mark looked a little tearful, touched that someone took his side. "Toudou…" he whispered.
Their host showed them a 5000 yen note. "One-sided bets are boring, after all."
The vision ended there. The Wild Cards felt same familiar feeling of floating back towards the real world as the scenery faded into white, exactly the same as leaving the Velvet Room. Slowly, they opened their eyes only to find that they were on their own beds, in their own individual rooms.
'That couldn't have been just a normal dream,' they thought at the same time. The clock on their bedsides read 1:00 AM. 'We definitely need to have a discussion, just the three of us.' They let out simultaneous yawns before slumping back into bed, mere seconds before sleep took over again.
Ominous, isn't it? Enjoy D