Guiding Star
Written by Aiyumi
Disclaimer: Persona and all related characters are property of Atlus, Inc. Any trademarks that may be referenced in this fan fiction are properties of their respective owners. I am just a fan and do not have any relations to said people/companies.
Chapter 12: Romance Movies
The nightmare and the failed attempt at summoning a Persona still nagged at Pharos, but he tried not to think about those too much. Minako was always so optimistic, and Pharos decided he should follow her example and try to think positive, too!
After some reflection, he chose to believe that his Persona potential might be tied to the part of his power that he had yet to restore. Three of the full moon Shadows remained, and Pharos hoped that his Persona power might come with the defeat of one of those three. After that, he should become strong enough to break free from his prison. However, he had a bad feeling about the situation. He had a hunch that only defeating those three Shadows wouldn't be enough to end the Dark Hour. There was probably more to it, and this was why he needed to awaken to his Persona power. He was sure that putting an end to the Dark Hour was the right thing to do, and wanted to help Minako and her friends do it in any way he could.
But for now, the only thing he could help Minako with was her summer break homework assignment. Pharos sat on Minako's bed with a textbook in hand. He directed his full attention to the computer-generated letters neatly arranged on the page, and read the words aloud. At her desk, Minako scribbled on her notebook and discussed the exercises with him. Even though they weren't doing anything special, Pharos found that moment quite enjoyable. He hoped he would be able to continue helping Minako with her studies once he was freed from the Dark Hour. Pharos sighed. It looked like everything about his future depended on him being freed. Until then, it was probably no use worrying too much about his future. Once the time was right, Pharos would have all of his answers, or so he wanted to believe.
... ... ... ... ...
On August 18th, a movie festival began at Screen Shot, where various movie marathons would happen. Minako went to Screen Shot with Rio and watched a Japanese dub of an American movie.
The following day, Minako went to watch a movie with Saori.
On August 21st, Theodore called Minako and invited her to watch a movie.
"Sure, Theo." Minako accepted his invitation. "Um, the other day when you called, I got your call in front of my friends, and ended up having to explain to them about you. Now they want to meet you! Do you mind if I bring them along?"
"It would be my pleasure! I am interested to know what it feels like to go to the movies in the company of friends." Theodore paused as though listening to someone else talk in the background. "Oh, um, my sister says she will also be joining us..." His voice wavered.
"Elizabeth will be coming too? Great! It's been a while since I last talked to her." But then Minako remembered how Elizabeth had been mean to Theodore the last time they had talked, and could see why he was apprehensive. "Uh, alright. I'll talk to my friends and invite them to hang out with us. I'll see you at the movies!"
Minutes later, the majority of the SEES members were walking toward Screen Shot.
"Hey! Elizabeth! Theo!" Minako waved to the Velvet Room attendants awaiting them. Theodore stood next to his sister, who had been carrying a huge box.
"Good afternoon, Miss Minako." Theodore greeted her.
"As your people usually say, it has been a while." Elizabeth smiled at her. "It has been even longer since I have last seen your friends."
Mitsuru took a step forward. "Hello. I have heard that both of you are knowledgeable about Persona-related matters. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. These are Akihiko Sanada, Aigis, Fuuka Yamagishi and Yukari Takeba."
"Ah, yes. Even though you might not remember, we have already met." Elizabeth pointed out.
"... Have we?" Mitsuru seemed puzzled.
"I was not present at the time, however I have heard about said encounter." Theodore added. "I am pleased to make your acquaintances." He bowed politely.
"So, we have indeed met before? I had the feeling we had, but do not remember much," Aigis said.
"Yes, I have met all of you ." Elizabeth answered. "The place where Theo and I reside is called the Velvet Room, and is situated between mind and matter, dreams and reality. To summarize, you have met me during one of your dreams. This is one of the reasons that makes it hard for you to recall."
"A dream...?" Akihiko mumbled.
"This is... hard to believe," Yukari said.
"Anything involving Persona-related matters is hard to comprehend. You all should know this better than anyone else." Elizabeth remarked.
"You have a point." Mitsuru agreed.
"Sister." Theodore called out, but was ignored.
"Then, I really can have dreams, even though I am a machine..." Aigis uttered her conclusion.
"Yes. Your body might be mechanical, but your soul is that of a living being."
Aigis smiled widely at hearing that.
"Sister!" Theodore tried to get Elizabeth's attention again.
"Gah! Theo! Can't you see that I am in the middle of a conversation?" Elizabeth snapped at him, but sighed. "Never mind. What is it?"
"Um, Sister, what is inside that box?" Theodore pointed at the huge box Elizabeth was carrying.
"Do not be so impatient, Theo. I was about to get to it!" Elizabeth looked away from her brother and mumbled. "Just as I had expected. A total of eight people including myself..." She opened the box and addressed the whole group. "I have heard that it is a tradition to have popcorn while watching movies. Thus, I took the liberty of buying popcorn for all of us." She handed a large cup of popcorn to each one present there, including Theodore and Aigis.
"You bought all of these for us?" Fuuka asked shyly. "I-it must have been quite expensive..."
"It is rare for us to be able to go on an outing like this one. Buying popcorn was the least I could have done. It was no problem at all!"
Minako didn't want to imagine the excessive amount of coins Elizabeth must have left at the counter in exchange for those cups of popcorn.
"Um, thank you." Fuuka accepted the popcorn.
"So, what movie are we going to watch?" Minako glanced among everyone. "Today they're showing romance movies and action movies."
"What about a romance movie?" Theodore suggested.
"No. I have already watched that one the other time." Elizabeth objected. "I would prefer an action movie."
"Miss Minako, what would you prefer? A romance movie or an action movie?"
"She has already watched that romance movie!" Elizabeth didn't let Minako answer. "Miss Minako, you would rather watch something different as well, would you not? Care to join me and watch some action?"
Theodore didn't like that. "Sister! Miss Minako is no longer your guest. She is my guest now. I should be the one accompanying her!"
"Theo, this has nothing to do with whose guest she is." Elizabeth argued. "I am saying she should not have to be forced to watch a movie she has already watched if she does not wish to."
"Okay, okay, let's not fight." Minako waved and tried to get the siblings' attention. "Let's split in two groups. Those who want to watch the romance movie to the left, and those who want the action movie to the right."
Elizabeth and Theodore immediately posted themselves to opposite sides. The others reluctantly began to move. Akihiko, Fuuka and Aigis went to the action side while Yukari went to the romance side.
"You want to watch some action too, right, Mitsuru?" Akihiko asked from his position near Elizabeth.
"... Huh?" Mitsuru startled. She hadn't moved yet, but had been standing closer to the romance side. "I-I am fine here."
"I-is that so...?" Puzzlement was evident on Akihiko's face. "Uh, alright. See you later, then..."
Theodore, Yukari and Mitsuru remained at the romance side. Despite being curious about the other movie, Minako decided to stay with them mainly because Theodore was the one who had invited her, and she felt bad about not joining him.
... ... ... ... ...
After the movies, everyone grabbed a burger at Wild Duck. They talked about random subjects while they ate.
Then, Elizabeth called Minako to a corner to talk.
"Miss Minako, how is Theo doing as a Velvet Room attendant?"
"He's doing fine. I have nothing to complain about." Maybe except for his odd requests, but Elizabeth's requests had been equally embarrassing, and Minako would rather not bring the subject up.
"Good to hear." Elizabeth seemed pleased. "I was worried that his inexperience might cause accidents and inconvenience."
"He has done everything right so far. He's responsible and very dedicated to his job."
"This relieves me." Elizabeth smiled gently.
"You care about him a lot." Minako observed.
"Of course." Elizabeth had a gentle look in her eyes.
"The day I met Theo, I thought you were too mean to him," Minako said bluntly. "I admit I was a bit scared. It gave me the impression that you two didn't get along."
"We get along well, even though we argue a lot. Theo is too cute and naive, and I cannot resist teasing him. You said he is quite responsible and dedicated to his work. I believe my teasing also contributes to him becoming more responsible, since he is afraid of the possible consequences if he does not fulfill his obligations."
Minako nodded. "Hm. I think I understand. But, um, you don't need to keep nagging him the whole time. Give him a break once in a while. He deserves it."
"Hmm." Elizabeth slowly nodded. "You might be right. I will try to contain myself from time to time." But then she smirked. "No guaranties, though."
When Minako and Elizabeth returned to where the others were, Theodore, Mitsuru, Aigis and Akihiko were having quite the animated discussion while Fuuka looked embarrassed, and Yukari was staring downwards with an annoyed expression. Minako couldn't catch what the subject was, but from the looks of it, Theodore, Mitsuru and Aigis seemed to be misunderstanding something again.
"We should take our leave, Theo." Elizabeth announced.
Theodore stopped talking and glanced to the sky through the store's door. "Oh, it seems to be getting late. My apologies. I completely forgot that the environment here is influenced by time, unlike the Velvet Room. All of you must have other things to do, and we shouldn't be taking up your time." Theodore stood up. "It was a pleasure to spend a bonding moment with all of you. Thank you."
"So, until we meet again..." Elizabeth walked outside, and Theodore followed her.
... ... ... ... ...
That night, at the dorm, when everyone else had already gone to sleep, Mitsuru called Minako to talk in private.
"Um, Arisato, I apologize for bringing this up all of a sudden, but I was hoping to get advice about... a certain issue. As you are a honest and level-headed person, I thought that maybe you'd be able to help me."
That was indeed sudden. It was rather unusual for Mitsuru to ask someone younger for advice, but it was also a sign that Mitsuru trusted Minako. "What is it, Mitsuru-senpai?"
Mitsuru was clearly nervous. "Here is the issue. Lately I have been trying to get a better understanding of romance. I have read some romance stories, and as you already know, watched that movie today. The stories tend to be exaggerated and overly dramatic, and I'm aware that they might not reflect how romance usually happens in reality. However, all those stories have a point in common that I'm curious about. The characters always do whatever they can to be able to stay with the person they truly wish to be with."
Minako listened with interest. In the other timeline, Mitsuru hadn't brought this subject up until December, when she had been pressured to marry an influential man solely for status and possible political benefits to the Kirijo Group. Minako nodded and signaled her senpai to continue.
"You see... I'm the heiress of the Kirijo Group. I'll probably have no choice, and be forced to marry someone that the group chooses, whoever they think will benefit the company most. My parents' marriages were also arranged. They previously had no one they were interested in, and just accepted the marriage. With time, they learned to like each other. But what if I already have someone I'd rather be with? Should I fight for my own rights and aim to get what I want for my life? Or should I disregard my feelings, put the company before everything else, and stay with whoever the group chooses?"
Minako could tell that despite the nervousness, Mitsuru wasn't being as passive about the situation as she had been in the previous timeline, when she had almost married the horrible man against her will, and only declined the marriage when the man got on her nerves by offending both Minako and Mitsuru herself.
Minako smiled. "From the way you're asking this, it looks like you already have someone in mind."
"Err, well..." Mitsuru shuffled. "Yes, you could say that. And I'm pretty sure the group wouldn't approve, as he's not someone from high society."
"Is it someone I know?" Minako asked, even though she already had a suspicion of who it might be.
"Uh... yes." Mitsuru admitted.
"Hmm." Minako decided to voice the suspicion that she had had since the other timeline. "Would that be... Sanada-senpai?"
Mitsuru blushed and closed her eyes in embarrassment. "I-is it that obvious?"
"More or less. I can tell that you care about him a lot. Well, I know that you care about all of us, but I always thought there was something different about the way you treat him..."
Mitsuru's expression relaxed. "When I met him, I could have never imagined that we could get along like we do now. He never treated me differently despite my status as a member of the Kirijo Group, and I'm very grateful for this. He has always been a good friend, and the person at my side both at good times and hard times, like the ups and downs of trying to find potential new SEES members. For a while, I have been wondering whether we could become more than friends. Akihiko is reckless and irresponsible more often than not, but I have to admit that I envy him sometimes. As the heiress to the Kirijo Group, I have been trained to follow protocol. Everything has rules to obey, standards to maintain, appearances to keep. But to Akihiko, there's none of that. If an obstacle appears, just brute-force through it. To him, it's as simple as that. He is free, and sometimes I wish I could have that freedom. I have no idea whether he would want us to be more than friends, and if so, I'm afraid that dragging him into high society will likely strip his freedom away from him. And it'd be difficult for the group to accept him, as he doesn't have status that could benefit the company in any way."
"I'm sure he'd make for a great bodyguard," Minako said honestly. "Uh, not that you can't fend for yourself..."
"Ah, he definitely would." Mitsuru let out an amused chuckle. "Even though I was trained to fend for myself, some extra protection is always nice." Mitsuru seemed more at ease now. "Arisato, thank you for listening to what I had to say. I still don't know how to go about this, but I believe I can think it through more calmly now. And I need to find a way to tell Akihiko how I feel."
"Tell him what you've just told me, about the freedom thing. I'm sure he'll understand." Minako encouraged her. "Good luck, Mitsuru-senpai. You have my support."
... ... ... ... ...
At the Dark Hour, Minako and Pharos were talking seated on the bed.
"Minako?"
"Yeah?"
"I was just thinking about that movie you watched with your friends today." Pharos had a look of contemplation. "I really like that line from the end."
"Line?"
"Yeah!" Pharos nodded. "I tried to memorize it, but I'm drawing a blank. The beginning was, 'Your voice is gentle like the waves. Your eyes sparkle like the stars. Your smile shines like the sun...' but I can't remember the rest. Do you remember, Minako?"
"Huh...?" Minako sweatdropped. What was Pharos thinking trying to memorize pickup lines? The image of Ryoji flashed in her mind, and she recalled him throwing cliched pickup lines when hitting on girls at school. Oh no. Don't tell me he had been memorizing pickup lines from movies! She thought in exasperation. "No, I don't remember." She dryly answered Pharos' question.
"You don't remember either." Pharos sighed. "Too bad. It was so beautiful... I like when people compare someone's qualities to nature like that." He inched his head forwards and looked at Minako expectantly. "The movie festival's still going on, right? Do you think it'll have more romance movies?"
Minako kept remembering about the previous timeline's Ryoji. He had known no limits, and shamelessly hit on any girl in front of everyone, including in front of other girls he had just asked out. Witnessing those scenes had been nothing short of embarrassing. And the worst part was that now Minako realized most of the pickup lines he used must have come from movies she had watched. What a great job she had done raising him... Minako hadn't known it at the time, but now that she was aware she had been raising him, she felt somewhat responsible. The environment around her and her actions would have an impact on his behavior in the future, and she felt she should do a better job of educating him this time around.
"Even if the festival has more romance movies, I'm not going to watch them." Minako voiced her decision. It was clear that those movies were a bad influence on him.
"Why?"
Minako heaved a sigh. How should she explain that? "I had enough of romance movies today..."
"You don't like romance movies that much? Hmm. I like them. And I like it best when the story is about two unlikely people that get together at the end. But there's one thing I don't understand."
Minako breathed deeply. Here comes another awkward question, she thought.
"So, they get together, get married, then what?" Pharos asked innocently. "The movies usually don't talk about what happens after that."
Minako tried to explain. "Uh, they live together, share their joys during happy times, and support each other during hard times... well, at least that's how it should ideally be, but in reality, it usually doesn't work that way."
"Why not?"
"Because it isn't that simple. A lot might happen. Along the way, they might conclude that helping each other during hard times is too much for them to handle. Or they might find out that they stopped liking each other, or that they found someone they like more, or many other things. Then it might end with them wanting to get a divorce, like what's happening to Maiko-chan's parents."
"Oh. This is sad... the movies make it seem so simple, but reality is a whole different story, huh?" Pharos concluded. "I like how the couples match so well in those movies. They seem as though they are perfect for each other. No matter how far apart they had lived before, or how different they are from each other, they end up crossing paths thanks to a twist of fate... the thought that somewhere in this world, there's a special person that's perfect for you. Someone that's meant for you and no one else. Isn't it beautiful?" Pharos spoke with a glint in his eyes.
Minako came to a conclusion. Pharos was romantic. Aspects of Ryoji had already begun to show. She could easily see Ryoji say those things Pharos was saying. They were one and the same, and there was no denying it.
Pharos went on. "I know movies are usually made-up stories, but I wonder if those things happen in reality, too. Minako, do you think there's a person somewhere in this world that's just the perfect match for you?"
"I don't know."
"Why do you always turn down the boys that ask you out at school?"
"I don't even know them." Minako answered matter of factly.
"But isn't that the point? You'll never know them unless you spend time with them! What if your perfect match turns out to be hiding among them?" Pharos argued.
What? Pharos was suggesting going out with everyone that asked her out...?! Wait, was this the reason for Ryoji's behavior in the previous timeline, because he was looking for a perfect match? If Minako managed to change Pharos' mind now, Could he behave differently this time around?
"Look, I don't think going on dates with random people is a good idea. Most of these outings will probably end in frustration and embarrassment. Lots of rumors will spread, too. Nothing good will come out of that."
"Ah, I hadn't thought about that... hmm. I thought you didn't care about rumors, but I guess it must be annoying if they get too noisy..." Pharos thought for a bit. "Oh. Now I remember. You don't like the notion of fate. It also means that you don't believe there's a destined person for you. Is this why you don't like romance movies? Because you know they don't reflect the truth?"
Maybe it would be best to leave it at that. "Something like that..."
"I see..."
Minako stood up. "So, are you going to help me with my homework or not?"
"Oh, yeah, of course."
... ... ... ... ...
August 23rd was Sunday. Minako was bothered that Akinari seemed to have lost all his hope and was only waiting for the end to come. He seemed to be suffering too much, and Minako wished he could have some enjoyment in his life. Since Maiko had said that Akinari came to Naganaki Shrine on Sundays, Minako decided to go to the shrine and see if he was there. Sure enough, he was.
"Good afternoon, Kamiki-san." She approached the bench where he was seated.
"Oh. Arisato-san, was it? Good afternoon."
"I got some free time today, and wondered if you'd be here."
Akinari's expression relaxed. "I'm surprised you still remember my name. Actually, I'm even more surprised you came here specifically to see me. Others usually don't come back after I tell them not to. Please, have a seat."
Minako sat at Akinari's side and they chatted casually for around an hour. Minako did her best to avoid the subject of his disease and, at some point, even Akinari seemed to forget his problem even existed. Even though they only discussed random subjects, Akinari seemed content to have stayed in the company of someone that treated him normally and didn't look at him with pity the whole time.
... ... ... ... ...
That Dark Hour, Minako took care of some more homework with Pharos' assistance. Around half of the Dark Hour was gone when she decided to call it a night, and they chatted a bit while seated on the bed.
"Um, Minako..." With no more homework for distraction, Pharos' mood darkened a bit. "I've remembered something. It's about the end. What I know is that it'll happen because the majority of people wish for it. But I don't understand. Why would people wish for that? Is it because they're suffering, like the guy at the shrine this morning? I noticed he seems to be wishing for it, to end his indescribable suffering. But is the end of everything the right thing to wish for?"
"I don't think so." Minako gave her opinion.
"You don't wish for the end, then?"
"No, I don't," Minako said firmly. "What about you?" She was curious, and couldn't resist asking.
"... Me?" Pharos' head shot up, as though he hadn't expected Minako to throw the question back at him. "Hmm. I don't know. If everything ends, I won't be able to do the things I want to do. Or, if I manage to do them before the end, will I be satisfied and wish for the end to come, or will I find even more things I want to do? I don't know... but for now, there are so many things I'd like to do. For example, I want to become friends with your friends, go to all those places you visit, go to school, and a lot more."
"I think it'd be the second option. You'd find more things you want to do. There are a lot more activities besides the ones you listed."
"I see..." Pharos considered Minako's hypothesis. "What about you? Do you have plans for the future, too?"
"I hope to go to college, get a job, things like that. Nothing concrete yet, but I also have a few things I'd like to do." Minako was sure of one thing, though. She hoped to be able to see many more springs in her life.
"What about boyfriends?"
"Huh, what?" Minako deadpanned. Pharos surely liked that subject, didn't he...?
"'Things like that' should also include getting a boyfriend, right?"
"Uh, well... maybe. If I find someone I like, who knows?"
"If you don't think there's a special person that's the perfect match for you, then what about simply a good match? Are you sure you still haven't found anyone you like?"
"I'm sure. No one yet." Minako answered.
"What about Junpei?"
"Huh?" What was that all of a sudden? "No. What makes you think that?"
"You two get along really well and stuff. You even invited him to go to that summer festival with you!"
"Hahaha!" Minako laughed and shook her head. "No, there's nothing between Junpei and me. We're just really good friends." Besides, Junpei had Chidori, who hopefully they would be able to save this time.
"What about the guy at the shrine?"
That Shadow boy had a wild imagination.
"Kamiki-san? No. I barely know him."
"You seem very concerned about him." Pharos argued.
"He seems to be suffering a lot, and I want to try to cheer him up. That's all."
Pharos hesitated a bit. "What about... that Theodore guy?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" A burst of laughter escaped Minako's mouth. "No. Where did you even get that idea from?"
"... Really? He seems to always treat you in a special way. So kind, and ... courteous? I don't know how to put it..."
"Ah, that's normal." Minako dismissed it. "The Velvet Room people are always polite and odd like that. You saw how Elizabeth behaved today, too, right?"
"Uh, yeah..."
"There's nothing between him and me. You're imagining too much."
"If you say so..." Pharos got lost in thought for a few seconds, then his expression became serious. "Minako, I hope you can find the right person for you. It must be good to have someone to share your joys with. I know you're strong and brave enough to face the hardships that may come your way, but I wish you won't have to face everything alone. I wish you the best. You deserve to be happy."
"Uh... thanks." Minako couldn't hide a light blush. His words had definitely touched her. For sure, he was good with words, and would be better off coming up with touching lines himself rather than memorizing pickup lines from movies.
Pharos added, "I really hope you find someone good. But if you don't... just remember that there's me, too."
"Hahahahahaha!" Minako laughed amusedly at his out of the blue statement. "Awww, Pharos-kun, you're so cute!"
A tinge of disappointment flickered in Pharos' eyes for some reason, but Minako ruffled his hair and made him blush.
Pharos tried to justify himself. "Uh... I guess what I'm trying to say is, I want you to be happy, and I'd be sad if the end were to come before you had time to achieve your happiness. Um, it's one more reason for me to not want the end to come, right?" Pharos forced a smile as he fought both the blush and the disappointment off. "Yeah, this is it..." He nodded to himself and stood up. "Uh, well, the Dark Hour is almost over. Minako, good night."
"Good night."
And the Death Arcana Social Link ranked up to level 6.
After Pharos had left, Minako kept recalling the conversation they just had, and her thoughts wandered to the other timeline.
For the greater part of November, Minako had been wary around Ryoji Mochizuki, not only because Aigis kept claiming he was dangerous, but mainly because he insisted on hitting on every girl he came across. He even asked Minako out once, but she refused, and he never attempted to hit on her again. Then he became good friends with Junpei and started to hang around the SEES members more often, and Minako realized he wasn't a bad person. Oddly enough, only after he remembered who he truly was and showed how much he cared about the world despite his role, Minako came to really respect him. Everything ended, and she never found out what had led him to chase girls in the beginning, or if he even had a reason at all. Could it be that he had been trying to find his "perfect match?" Had he found all his answers by the end? Did he actually fall in love with anyone?
"I wish you the best. You deserve to be happy." Pharos' words from moments ago resurfaced in Minako's mind.
If he were allowed to continue living after the promised day in this timeline, Minako wished he could live an enjoyable life. He really liked the world, and Minako wished he deserved to live in it like a normal person. Study, get a job, and also find someone to be with, if he so wanted. In other words, he deserved to be happy, too.
A/n: I'm clearly not following the movie festival's schedule at all. For this fic, let's pretend that there are different movie choices for the same day.
Sorry that this chapter was rather short compared to the others. The things I have planned to happen next have a different mood from this chapter, and I concluded it wouldn't quite work out if I were to place them here.
See you next month, and happy holidays! :3