Paradox Arc:

Chapter 23: A girl named Hamuko Arisato

Hamuko Arisato

Dark Hour – 6/4/2009 – Iwatodai Station, Tatsumi Port Island

Hamuko Arisato(Wild Card – Initial persona: Orpheus) realized it is time for her to return to her hometown. Ever since the death of her parents, she lived in an extra hour every day unlike the people around her and this continued for ten years. However, this is the first time she saw another person who could move freely like her instead of turning into a coffin.

She was startled seeing the boy with blue hair who is wearing a Gekkoukan High uniform. He was standing beside her at the train station, staring at her as if waiting for her to move first. He was strangely calm, and he smiled when he looked at her. Has he already experience this before? Hamuko thought to herself.

She just remembered, she needs to get to the dorm right away. Without further notice, she began to walk through the road. Then she realized that the boy with blue hair was following her calmly.

"Do you need to go to the dorm too?" Hamuko turned and asked the boy when she realized how close he is to her. That boy simply smiled.

"Guess we have the same destination. Let's walk together." The boy said. She thought it was obvious as he wore the same school uniform as her.

"Okay." Hamuko smiled back at him before walking through the street together.

Iwatodai Dorm

The door to the dorm was unlocked and Hamuko entered the room with the boy beside her. When she entered, she saw a young boy wearing a black and white shirt that is seemingly waiting for her.

"You have arrived." The mysterious boy said to Hamuko. The blue haired boy seemed calm about the situation. The boy showed her a contract, and after briefly reading it, she wrote her name. The boy coughed when he saw her writing. Was her handwriting that bad? Hamuko wondered.

"May we meet again." The boy disappeared along with the contract.

"Who's there?!" A female voice was heard from the stair. What appeared was a pretty brunette with a gun strapped to her leg.

"Huh, don't tell me…" The brunette began to take out her gun before another voice stopped her.

"Takeba, wait!" The voice belonged to a beautiful girl with red hair who appeared next to the brunette.

After Midnight

The light returned to the lounge. Hamuko's mp3 player continued to play 'Burn My Dread'. She turned off the player before the blue haired boy repeated her action with his own mp3 player.

'We have the same type of mp3 players…!' Hamuko thought, surprised at the similar brand of their mp3 players.

"I didn't think you'd arrive so late. Are you two the transfer students?" The red haired girl asked Hamuko and the blue haired boy.

"Yes, my name is Hamuko Arisato." Hamuko introduced herself first.

"My name is Mina-" The blue haired boy pause his word before introduced himself.

"My name is Makoto Yuki."

Makoto Yuki

Makoto never expected that girl to have the same surname as him. When he first met Hamuko, he thought she was a new person in this world. But when her surname was revealed, he had finally understood that it was the other way around.

Hamuko is his alternate self in this world and he was the new person of this world. Thinking that he once called her beautiful gave him a weird feeling of narcissism. No, Philemon said he must form a bond with her, regardless of who she is.

"I didn't expect two transfer students." Mitsuru who looked younger said. "You two must be tired, I suggest you take a rest for tomorrow. Takeba, show them their room."

Makoto, although not really tired, followed Yukari to his room even though he already knew where it is.

Returning to his room, Makoto recalled Father Time's warning before he arrived to this world.

"So even if I know everything that will happen, I mustn't change it?" Makoto thought, "So I can't prevent Nyx arrival, save Mitsuru's father, Shinji, Chidori and… even that girl Hamuko?"

Makoto remembered the moment he met Hamuko for the first time, how she rest on his lap before she died. He couldn't forget the first thing she said when she saw him.

"Makoto, do you love me?"

"Do I love her?" Makoto slowly closed his eyes before he went to sleep. "Oh well, I just repeat my year without changing anything or else I can't go back… *zzzzz*…"

Hamuko Arisato

Morning - 8/4/2009 – Gekkoukan High

"Let's see, in 1999 your parents… *gasp*." Ms. Toriumi, her homeroom teacher gasped at her profile before apologizing. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Hamuko gave a fake smile, but deep inside she felt a little sorrow every time someone sympathized with her. Even with the death of her parents, she could still move forward. That is what Hamuko wanted people to see in her. Ms. Toriumi took Makoto profile to read next.

"Let's see… *gasp* I sorry again for your parents, Makoto-kun." Ms. Toriumi gasped again. Hamuko blinked.

'He's an orphan too?' Hamuko thought. Makoto however shook his head in relax.

"It is fine, 13 years has-" Makoto looked like he bit his tongue before repeated it, "I mean 10 years has pass anyway."

"I see, if you two need anything, just come and find me."

"Yes." Hamuko and Makoto said at the same time. They left the room before Makoto spoke.

"Hamuko, if you feel troubled or sad, don't hesitate to say it to me. I'll always be there for you."

Hamuko raised her eyebrows by Makoto's word. Was what happen with her parent made him said that? But he sounded so sincere. Then it is alright, except that he was too formal of her by dropping her surname. He's not really that close to her… yet.

"Sure, Makoto-kun." She replied.

"Makoto is fine." He smiled. For some reason, his smile was sweet, so perfect with his cobalt blue eyes.

"Then… Makoto."

Makoto Yuki

Just then, a glass crashing sound was heard in his head.

Thou art I, I am thou

Thou shall reestablish the power of Universe Arcana

Universe Arcana social link: Rank 1

'So this is the bond Philemon was talking about?'

"Oh, we're going to be late for class! Come on, Makoto." Hamuko said. Makoto smiled, following her quietly to the class.

'We're totally the same being.' Makoto chuckled at the thought of her.

Hamuko Arisato

8/4/2009 – Iwatodai Dorm

Hamuko, Makoto and Yukari were walking home together when they saw someone talking to Mitsuru when they reached the dorm. Makoto widened his eyes upon the man in front of him.

"Good timing." Mitsuru said,gesturing her hand towards the man with the glass. "May I introduce to you, the chairman of our school's curriculum."

"My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. Please to meet-" Before the man with the glass finished his words, Makoto suddenly interrupted him.

"Mitsuru-san, I need a rest. Can I go back to my room for now?" Makoto said coldly. Hamuko and the others were stunned by his sudden rudeness. Before Mitsuru could reply, Makoto was already by the stairs proceeding upwards.

"Yuki, wait!" Mitsuru called for him but he ignored her. She turned to Hamuko and Yukari. "Is there something wrong with him today?"

They both shook their head before Hamuko spoke. "Let me talk to him."

As she reached second floor, Makoto was walking towards his room before Hamuko called him. "Makoto, wait up!"

"What is it?"

"What's wrong with you just now?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"It has nothing to do with you."

"It does! You told me you would listen to my trouble, but why can't you do the same? I'm here for you too, you know…"

Makoto widened his eyes by her last sentence. Just then she realized she said it in somehow a different meaning. She gave a faint blush as the atmosphere turned awkward for a second.

"I-I mean, I'm here to listen to your problem as well." Hamuko rephrased her sentence.

"…Not much, except…" Makoto began to speak, "…That man, I don't like him. I don't feel like I could trust him."

Hamuko was slightly happy he was honest with her, but Makoto's expression was the opposite. She didn't understand why he thought of Ikutsuki like that, but his eyes were the eyes of anger and sorrow that even the icy color of blue is not able to hide it. She felt that she couldn't ask him the reason when she saw it.

"Can you at least don't show that you don't like him in front of other people? It's still rude." She placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks. She thought Makoto would glare at her, but he cooled down instead.

"Okay, I'll do that." Makoto turned back and walked to his room, leaving Hamuko alone at the corridor.

"Hope he doesn't get the wrong idea about what I said." Hamuko mumbled.

Night - 8/4/2009 – Velvet Room

Makoto surprised to see himself at the Velvet Room, the old elevator type that he experienced before. In front of him were Igor and Theodore who stared at him creepily.

"You're the same Igor from my world, right?" Makoto began first. Igor smiled.

"Well of course, Minato-sama. This room reached all other world between dreams and reality."

"So why do you call me?" Makoto replied.

"To give you this." Igor placed two items on the table. One was the one he recognized completely: Velvet key. The other one was a card.

"As usual, use the Velvet key to enter this room anytime you desire. The other one is the 'Contact'card, you may use it to communicate with your persona's own ego. It may also be used to contact Father Time one year from now to send you back to the original world."

"And if I lost the card?" Makoto kiddingly said, but his respond was a pair of glaring eyes. "…I'm kidding."

"Well then, that is all my intention for calling you tonight. You have known everything that will happen, so I am no longer needed to guide you in this identical world." Igor said, Makoto simply nod his head.

"One question, will that girl Hamuko suffer the same fate as me?" Makoto asked one last time.

"If the future has change to that extent, the world you originally came from will collapse. This fate that she chose is the same as yours. I hope you offered her assistance instead of saving her."

Knowing that she will die the same way as him pained him a little.

"I understand, but… if I returned to my original world, what will happen to this world?"

"It will be the same as your world, but the prophecy of Four Horsemen are likely will never occur here. This world will be safe, except Hamuko will still suffer your fate."

He understood that again, but remembering the scene where Hamuko lay on his lap has now made him uncomfortable with mix emotion after he saw her in person.

"Farewell, till we meet again." Igor's word echoed in his head before he lost consciousness.

Dark Hour – Iwatodai Dorm

Makoto woke up to find himself in Dark Hour. He left his bed and sat on the chair next to it. He rested his forehead on his palm.

'So I can see Hamuko alive for only a year before she passed away in front of me. I know that I can't change anything, but…' Makoto sighed in slight dizziness and stood from his chair.

'Why do I care so much about her after only meeting her for two days?'

After circling the room for a second, he remembered something before turning to the corner of his room. He slowly walked towards his table and wrote something on a paper before returning to his bed. The paper clearly said: "REMOVE THE CAMERA". He just hoped that Mitsuru will remove it by tomorrow, added by the fact that tomorrow night was supposedly the first time he used a persona.

The next night in Dark Hour, SEES encounter a Magician Arcana shadow. Hamuko and Makoto awaken to their persona and defeat the shadows. However, Makoto suffered no injuries while Hamuko had to be treated to the hospital for a week…

Hamuko Arisato

17/4/2009 – Tatsumi Memorial Hospital

"I was like you too, Hamuko." Yukari said after a quick explanation of persona and shadow and finalize it by mentioning the fact that she knew about Hamuko's parents.

"I hope we can be close friend." Hamuko gave a smile before turning to the only person in the room besides her and Yukari. "Besides, Makoto is the same as me."

"Yeah I know." Yukari said before turning to Makoto who's been staring at her for a while. "Anyway, you have a lot of homework Makoto prepared for you so I'm going to leave you with him. Hopefully you'll get better by tomorrow's morning, bye!"

Yukari left the room, leaving her and Makoto inside the room. Hamuko stared at the pile of notes Makoto held on his hand.

"Did you really make all of that notes for me?" Hamuko asked in surprise. She never expected anyone to help her to that extent.

"I'm pretty smart at school, you know? Such notes won't bother me if you want to ask for my help again." Makoto replied.

"No, what I mean is that why would you help me this much?"

"…" Makoto turned mute before he said. "Because I want to."

"Thanks!" Hamuko thanked him before taking the notes from him.

Makoto Yuki

After school - 18/4/2009 – Paulownia Mall

"Aren't you happy Hamuko come to school today?" Junpei asked Makoto after the school is over. They are currently going to the mall. But Makoto didn't understand him at first.

"What do you mean by that?" Makoto raised his eyebrows. Junpei laughed at his question.

"Come on, dude! You like her, don't you?" Junpei smiled like a freak. Makoto, who was drinking his soft drink, coughed at Junpei's question.

"Don't you start any rumors about this." Makoto glared daggers at Junpei, which made him shuddered.

"O-Of course not! Why would I do that? Ahahaha…" Makoto could only wait for a rumor to be heard.

"Why do you think I like her?"

"I called it men's instinct! Every time we talk about her, you looked worried. And you've been keeping notes for her during her entire absence. What do you call that?"

"That doesn't prove that I like her, she's my friend, so I want to help her."

"Well, glad to have friend like you, Makoto."Junpei shrugged.

"Yeah, sure…" Makoto replied as they began to walk out of Paulownia Mall.

"Hey Junpei."

"Hmmm?"

"You see, if you ever found someone you love, make sure…" Makoto cut his own word when he remembered the butterfly effect that would occur if he changes it. "Nevermind, good luck finding someone you love."

"Huh?" Junpei looked confused at first before he smirked, "...Sureeeee!~ Mind if it is Hamuko?~"

"Don't! Ah…" Just then he realized Junpei tricked him. "Damn you Junpei."

If Makoto had an Evoker in that moment, Messiah would have destroyed that mall along with Junpei, just like Takaya destroyed it in the original world.

A/N: Let me tell you ahead about Paradox Arc. I will skip almost every battle scene and most of the event. The point of this arc is to focus entirely on Makoto(Minato) and Hamuko's social link as well as certain change in story. But guess what, I decide to shift back to Conquest Arc next chapter and finish it before changing back to Paradox Arc.
P.S: Sorry for the short chapter.