"Do you have time after school?"
Hamuko blinked at the sudden invitation from Junpei the moment she stepped in the class. She dulled at her position, winking her eyes thinking if she had mistaken him. I-Is he asking me out?
Seeing the girl didn't respond at all, Junpei scratched the back of his head as a shade of red across his face, somewhat another surprise for Hamuko. She let out a slight gasp, quickly covered her mouth before the capped boy gave her a glare.
What!? H-He's blushing!? A small laughter slipped out from her mouth where she couldn't stop the boy from hearing it.
"W-What are you laughing at!?" Annoyance was added in his sour tone. Hamuko coughed a little to clear the awkward in the air and straightened her position.
"S-Sorry…hmm, yeah, I'm free. What is it?"
"…There's something I need to talk to you. Mind to hang out?"
It surprised her inwardly, but she remained calm on her face and nodded to the boy.
"Yeah, why not?"
"Then, see you after school."
Putting down her bag on the desk and placing herself on the seat, Hamuko rested her head on her crossed hands. She never once thought Junpei would actually invite her to hang out, let alone only the two of them. They usually going with Minato and Haruka, or sometimes Yukari tagged along, never once they're only the two of them. She had no idea what he's going to tell her, But let's just see it.
…
Once the teacher concluded the lesson for today, Junpei went ahead waiting her in front of the gate, letting the girl got ready with her own. Minato waved her goodbye as he overheard their conversation in the morning.
"He had talked to me before about the day on Priestess's attack. I think he has the same issue for you."
"Oh oh…I see now. Well, let's just pretend I know nothing. I want to hear what he is going to tell me." Smirking, she said added mischief inside. She was pleased to see his pathetic face.
"Best luck for him…" Minato shrugged, wishing his best friend good luck. "Well, see you back in dorm."
"Yep, bye!" Seeing him off, she went out of the classroom behind Minato. Just when she stepped out of the class, Haruka was out from 2-E as well. "Oh Haruka!"
Haruka looked to her direction. Since the mid-term was soon coming, almost all the student went straight back to their home to study, or rather stayed in the library. No clubs activities were allowed before the exam, so the hallway was almost empty with the student gone. From Haruka's view, there's only Hamuko standing in the hallway, and of course Haruka herself.
"…Are you going back?"
Hamuko shook. "No. I'm going out with Iori-kun."
"Iori-kun? …It's rare." Even Haruka said so.
"He has something to tell me." Giving the poker face girl a smile, Hamuko dragged Haruka walked together to the school gate.
She had talked about the problem between her and Junpei to Haruka before, so the poker face girl had no problem in getting what Hamuko wanted to say, something that Hamuko couldn't share with the others, but only a few people like Minato and Haruka.
Like Minato told her, she could much expect an apology from Junpei for what happened on that night. But that's not what she asking for. She had done nothing in the most dangerous time in trying to help Junpei when Priestess almost tore him up. She blamed herself like a dumb on that time, let alone an apology form Junpei. She didn't deserve it at all.
"…I don't think I deserve an apology. He could have died if wasn't Arisato-kun." I did nothing…nothing. If she must say, Minato was the one deserved all the thanks and apology, not someone like her.
"…You both did a good job on that night. Both of you deserve it." Haruka said timidly but enough to hear by Hamuko. She only let out a bitter smile.
"Is that so?" Sighing, she already saw Junpei in front of her just beside the gate. "Just see what he will tell me. Be careful on your way, k?" Decided not to let her emotion got over her feeling, she changed to her usual smile.
"…You too. Don't get too hard on yourself." Waving the auburn haired girl goodbye, she urged her to hurry to Junpei who seemed pretty annoying.
After rendezvous with the capped boy, they went to Iwatodai Strip Mall to grab something to fill their tummies. Hamuko picked Wild Duck Burger instead of Hagakure today which shocked Junpei quite well. He's expecting she wanted ramen!
"Hehe…I have enough of ramen for the moment. So Wild Duck Burger the next!" She was more pleased when he told her this would be his treat. "Iori-kun, what should I choose? I haven't tried this yet…"
"What? You can a dumb sometimes. I thought you should have tried all this out already."
"There's nothing to do with my dumb." She retorted. "So, what should I pick?"
Sighing, Junpei told her the best seller in the shop and suggested she went for it. After getting the foods, they went to the window side seat.
Biting the food on hand, Hamuko was delighted by the tender juicy meat with the cheeses and mayonnaise that enhanced the flavor of the meat. Fast food was always not her favorite, but this burger definitely caught her taste. Her eyes narrowed as she felt the juicy gushed out from the meat. She sighed satisfactory.
"Delicious~ thanks Iori-kun!"
Junpei chewed the food on his mouth, spoke after swallowed them. "Nah…it's just my little apology."
Exactly like Arisato-kun told me, she thought inside. Not letting the emotion got over her again; she put down the drink on hand, eying the capped boy straightly.
"Apology? For what?" She playfully asked.
"I-It's…you know…that day…" He looked away, tried avoiding her gaze. Smirking smugly, she moved following his gaze, not allowing him from avoiding her. "D-Dude, of course i-is for that day…!"
Hamuko pretended she couldn't understand, furrowed her brows and pondering. "That day? Hmm~~"
"T-That day…I acted without listening t-to your order…I-I mean, you're our leader after all! I-I should have listened to you…" Saying timidly, Junpei finally fixed his gaze at her face. No more avoiding or annoyance in his feature, he looked straight at her with sincere apology in his eyes. "I-I'm sorry."
Seeing that, Hamuko dropped her gaze. Now she was the one afraid of his sincerely apology to her. Indeed he acted rashly without tried on cooperated with them, and if he was torn up by Priestess, it would really be his own fault. But then again…
No…I'll never want to lose someone again. I'll never want any of this happen. I'll…I'll protect them, with my own hand.
Feeling determined deep in her heart, Hamuko lifted her eyes to face Junpei once again.
"…Iori-kun, I know you have a lot of grumbling in you since the day I was appointed as the leader of the team." Her words made the capped boy twisted his brows. "But I'm not playing heroin nor am I. Indeed I have power of using multiple persona, but that's doesn't mean I'm able to fight all alone. Don't you think I can fight so freely is because you and Yukari are behind me? That's for certain, and makes me feel safe."
"Tsuki-tan, I…"
"I don't think I deserve your apology." Shifted her gaze aside, she continued to say. "I was unable to do anything. Arisato-kun saved you. I was…like planted and just watching instead of helping you. In that case, I'll have to apologize to you."
Placing a hand on his head, Junpei seemed somewhat perplexed. He never expected this to happen. Why the one should accept the apology turned out to be the one to apologize? But he got the message she wanted to pass to him, and that made him embarrass.
"N-Nah…it's alright Tsuki-tan…you don't have to. I mean…leaving your back to me!" Letting out a small laughter, he managed to wipe away the tensed air around them.
"Yep, I'm counting on you! By the way…" Hamuko dropped her smile, swelled her cheek at the same time. "Can you stop calling me that? It sounded weird." Now she understood why Yukari was so snappy everytime he called her 'Yuka-tan'.
"…Then what about Hamu-tan?"
"No way!" She retorted bluntly. She was not hamster!
"Mu-tan? Ha-tan?"
"Did you do this in purpose?" Now now now…she lifted her fist, intentionally showed it to him with the 'cute' smile hanged on her face.
"N-No…I-I'm sorry…" Junpei quickly took back his suggestion, flinched a bit when his eyes fixed on her fist. "Then what should I call?"
"…Just call me Hamuko, Junpei-kun." She took the last sip of the drink and that finished the whole meal.
"Y-Yes ma'am!"
Clang!
I am thou, and thou art I…
Thou hast reforge the bond…
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Persona of Magician Arcana…
Inner voice echoed in her mind as she stood up from her seat prepared to move out. A bond with Junpei-kun? Well, not bad at all… a smile across her face.
"Let's go back Junpei-kun. We should consider our study shouldn't we?" It's not like she really needed a study, but it's not a bad choice to revise the whole lessons after she had dazed out almost all the classes. Even Minato consider his own study too.
"Aww…you don't have to remind me the mid-term…talk about pain." Junpei dropped his shoulder just hearing about the exam.
"I just try to remind you. Who knows what will happen to us if senpai find out our grade." She clearly referred to Mitsuru. It's not a threat but she had a feeling that would truly happen if they're out in the exam.
"W-What will happen…?" Talked about scary…! He sweat dropped.
Since the exam was soon coming, all the clubs activities were canceled including SEES. All her dormates shut themselves in their room for their grade. Even if the exploration didn't cancel, Hamuko doubted anyone wanted to go in the time like this. Look, the boxing champion too, stayed more in his room rather than his usual practice. But he would sneak out to spare sometimes for his training. Whenever Hamuko found him, he would beg her to keep this as secret. Yukari was a study head now. She would shut herself in the room everyday she came back from school. Junpei, though he was still slacky, it seemed he was trying his best after Hamuko warned him. As for her best friend Haruka…okay, she had no idea what the poker face girl was doing in her room all the time. She doubted if someone could just sit in their room for the whole time without getting out except the time for dinner.
Because all the reason she listed up there, Hamuko was all alone watching TV by herself in the lounge. She had done with the revision, and currently she had no mood on doing it again. Finding something to distract her mind on studying, she decided to watch TV to while her free time instead of burying her head into the pillow. It's expected on one would be here however, she still felling lonely.
Rubbing the packaging of the snack she just finished the content, she stood up intended to shut the TV. Taking a glance at the clock, she stretched her body walked to the stair, hoping a nice sleep. And that's the time she saw the cool boy went down from the stair with well equipped.
Hamuko blinked at his full equipped and the bag he carried at his back at first, and then she saw his face was too, in deep shock. Raising her brows, she already knew what he was trying to do.
But she still asked. "Where are you going?"
"You're awake? …I thought everyone is in their room…" All of them were, but not Hamuko, the strange girl.
"That's too bad." That added more suspicion on him. What now? Is he playing dumb with me? "Where are you going?" She asked once more.
Sighing, Looks like I can't fool her…nor getting out without deal with her. "I'm going to Tartarus."
Immediately she frowned. "Isn't senpai said the exploration stop before the exam finish?" Looking around, she couldn't find anyone. So that's only one possibility. "You're going there alone?"
"It's not big deal. I always went there alone before I join SEES." He shrugged, didn't think this was anything. "I need to grab something from there to fulfill Elizabeth's request."
"Elizabeth?"
"The girl from Velvet Room. I think she has a brother named…" Minato placed his finger on his chin attempting a recall.
"Theodore. The name is Theodore." Now she remembered Theo did mention he has sister.
Thinking that she still had request left to submit to Theo, an idea hit her. Oh oh…it sounds better than just hitting the pillow. I don't have anything else to do.
Looking at her face, Minato had a bad feeling. To avoid that to come true, he quickly moved his pace to the door. However, the luck seemed did not side with him today.
"Arisato-kun~ I'm going too!" Tackling his shirt stopping him from getting away from her, she used her cute voice and bright smile.
That supposed made her adorable, but Minato only felt freeze by her smile.
"…What about your study?" He still trying on convinced her to draw back.
"I'm done with it."
"But Mitsuru-senpai will get mad if she finds out this…"
"Then we're on the same boat!" She had no intention to back off. "I still have request left to finish. You go to Tartarus, I go to Velvet Room. How is it? And you'll want some helps right?"
Staring at her smiling face, Minato couldn't count how many times he had cursed inwardly. It's not like he cursed her, but he cursed himself. He could have left her without bother, he just couldn't. I doubt she will let me go even if I do that to her…he rolled his eyes, finally surrendered.
He rubbed his blue hair. "Okay, fine."
Her smile brightened. "Wait me ya, I go to change!"
Leaving the cool boy in the lounge, Hamuko went back to her room to change to her school uniform, and picked her equipments and the Muscle Drink that used for the request. Then she went back to Minato.
"I'm ready. Let's go!"
Minato smiled at her enthusiasm. She was always so full of energy, a contrast of him, a completely opposite of him. Unlike him, she was so cheerful, and that smile seemed never disappeared form her small face. He was pleased everytime looking at her smiling face like that's only thing that could delighted him in the world. She has the power of making people happy. Shifting the bag behind him, he followed Hamuko to the door.
Just when thy about to twisted the knob-
"…Where are you two going?"
A timid and monotone voice jerked them up, almost caused their heart jumped out of their throat. A fragile figure kept peering at them with those violet eyes.
"H-Haruka?" Upon realizing the person was not others, at least not Mitsuru, the two of them let out a shaking sigh. Deeply feeling safe inside, she patted her chest hoping it would ease her fear. In the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse Minato shook off the fear. "…Please don't scare us like that…"
Ignoring their relief, Haruka walked near to them, looking at the bags they carried and the full uniform. Of course she knew what those bags for. She was not stupid. Hamuko only thanks for god that not Mitsuru the one who found them in this.
"…You're going to Tartarus?"
Haruka, you're such a genius…hit to the point exactly. "Yeah…please keep this as secret…"
Instead of stopping them, Haruka tilted her head aside, unreadable expression appeared on her face Though she barely showed any emotion, after sometimes Hamuko had spent with Haruka, she could at least read some of her expression, but now she completely had no idea what she was thinking.
"Haruka?"
"…Never mind. I'll keep this as secret. But I'll like you to consider if you really need to go there…" Her head dropped, making her face invisible. "…Today is dangerous…you may encounter something there…"
Her voice came out like a whisper, Hamuko and Minato had a hard time listened to her.
"What are you saying?"
However, Haruka shook her head, hadn't answered their question.
"No…it's just that…be careful."
Smiling at her worry, Hamuko nodded. "We know, don't worry. We're not doing anything dangerous right, Arisato-kun?" She threw the ball to the cool boy.
Minato quickly nodded, reassured the poker face girl. Haruka then walked back to second floor, leaving the two of them.
They exchanged a gaze, still curious about what actually Haruka wanted to tell them in the first place. Even Minato knew something was wrong with the girl, yet they couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Shrugging off the matter, they both headed out straight to Gekkoukan. It's weird to have student wearing school uniform in the time like this, earning them some odd glare on the way to the school.
"…Don't you think she is weird?" On board the train, Minato suddenly asked.
"Who?"
"I mean Kamijou. Don't you think…she is kinda like…Pharos?" Minato seemed had difficulty on voicing out his question. Will she punch on me? They're good friend after all…
But Hamuko did not. Shifting her position on the seat, Hamuko pondered at his question. She knew what he was trying to say…Haruka and Pharos; they're much alike, not to mention their features, but their temperament. They're mystery and ghostly yet they unharmed and friendly in some ways. Sometimes they would say something people couldn't understand at all, and around this time, Hamuko would feel uneasy with them as if they had something hidden from her.
But no matter how, Haruka still was different. Pharos appeared and disappeared whenever he likes, but Haruka was always with them. Though I can't understand her sometimes, but most importantly was she always remains with me, with all of us. We're facing the same thing together, going through all the problems together.
Hamuko had a feeling; Haruka would go through all of this together with them. Letting out a timid smile, like I know everything about her…
"I agree with you. She is similar with Pharos in some ways, but they're different person, aren't they?"
Staring at her smiling face, Minato then chuckled a little after pondering on her words. Closing his eyes resting his head on the seat, he spoke.
"…I think you're right." I hope you're right…
Later, the train arrived at the station. The moment they took their pace to the school, Dark Hour approached.
"Consider we're lucky, huh?" Minato said in amuse.
"Yeah, I don't want to walk on the track again." That brought back the memories of that night. That's her first time walked on the track, and she never wanted to experience it again.
Pushing opened the gate of Tartarus, they walked into the labyrinth. Hamuko suggested they went to collect the item Minato needed first before summit them to Elizabeth and Thoedore.
In the newly opened block, the Arqa Block, they considered this place was bad than in the first block. It's even scarier and creepier, and they couldn't see properly under the dim light surrounding the area. To avoid separating, they tagged along. Fighting shadow without the support of Mitsuru was a little difficult than usual, but Minato handled it well enough as he already got along with fighting shadow alone. In Hamuko opinion, Minato was more capable as the leader. He was calm and seemed more experience than her.
Tossing the last old lantern Minato needed to him, Hamuko stretched her body and let out a yawn.
"We're done! Pretty fast, huh?"
"Thanks to you, Tsukikage." Putting the lantern to his pocket, he raised a hand as a 'good job' sign.
"Hey, do you find any access point on our way?" She asked, figured out the way to get back to the entrance.
"…No, I don't think I see one."
"I don't bring Traesto Gem, do you have any?"
"…No."
"Great, we have to climb up another floor again." She grunted, accepting the fact as she took lead to the stair.
"…Hmm?" Minato stopped his pace as well as stopping her by grabbing her arm.
"What is it, Arisato-kun?" Slightly shock by his sudden action, Hamuko tilted her head to him.
Instead of answering her, Minato rolled his eyes to every corner around them. Leaning forward attempting a question, Hamuko suddenly shut her mouth after she heard something else other than their breathing.
Dead silence without crawling creatures or their footstep, the silence replaced by something eerier and heavy. Out of their surprise, the air around was too, filled with gloomy and tense like it symbolized something bad was coming to them.
Feeling uneasy inside, Hamuko grabbed his shoulder searching for sustain to ease her fear. She looked around tried to figure out the source of voice, and then she found the sound was not coming from some other direction, it's right in-
"…What is this sound? It sounds like…chain?"
"Yeah…and it's just behind us." Grasping firmly on his sword, Minato felt cold sweat surrounded his forehead and started to flow down to his cheek.
Nodding to each other, they slowly turned their head back to the hallway they came down a moment ago.
They gulped. Even the gulping sound could hear inside them clearly, almost as clear as their beating heart. They had no idea what that might be, but at least they knew it was something very bad…the worst if they must said.
The sound of pulling chain was getting closer and closer. It was slow, but there's no doubt it was heading to them. As the thing taking the corner, the first thing that came in sight was two long barrel guns, and then its bloody cloak, the last was the face shrouded in bandages, with only one ominous yellow eye. Two long steel chains on each left and right shoulder, forming a cross in front of its chest.
Hamuko and Minato could hear each others' gasp. Without thinking the possibility of defeating the thing, the both recovered their paces and ran to opposite direction in unison. There's only one thing in their mind: RUN!
"What is THAT thing!?" Mitsuru didn't tell them there's something inside Tartarus!
"Talk about shadow!" Minato didn't know whether that should consider as shadow.
By the time they started to run, the creature seemed following them, but the sound of pulling chain fainted quite fast until they couldn't hear it anymore. Yet it wouldn't lower their guard. Thinking they should be safe after heading to the next floor, they kept running to the stair and hoping to get out of here as fast as they can!
"There, the stair should behind this corner…" Hamuko pointed ahead of them, unaware the long guns were already aiming at her when she took a turn. "…!"
"Hamuko!" Pouncing over on the stunned girl just the guns fired, they rolling on the ground, managed to keep Hamuko safe from being shoot, keeping some distance with the creature at the same time.
Minato cursed under his breathe that they're so close to get to the stair. Now the creature ruined it! The creature didn't waste a minute, recharged its guns and fired another shot.
Leaping from their position, they ran to keep quite a distance with it. Minato pulled out his evoker pointing at his temper.
"Orpheus!"
Orpheus used Agi on the creature. Now they're caught up in a fight with that scary thing. The creature dodged it and again chased them up. No more places could run, Hamuko summoned Eurydice to back Minato up; running to the creature shifted her naginata to it. The blade of naginata just simply shaved through, didn't leave a scratch.
"What!?" Deep shocking inside, Hamuko unable reacted to the punch the creature gave on her, slammed hitting on the wall.
Summoning Surt casting Ragnarok on the creature, it managed to slow its attack while Minato took this chance changed his persona to Thor to used Vicious Strike. The bursting energy took the creature quite a bit. Panting, Minato leaped immediately he sensed danger approaching. Two gun shots fired to the position where he stood just now, the chain flying to him and sent him to the ground. Feeling bitter in his mouth, he forced himself to stand up.
"Saki Mitama!" Hamuko summoned Saki Mitama to use Mediarama on both of them. The pain on their body eased a little, but the damage they had received was far worst than that. She could feel her back was aching; the pain on her left leg also killed her. Gritting her teeth, she once again ran to the creature.
Feeling his pain eased quite a bit, he regained his strength to stand up. Pulling his legs together, Minato saw Hamuko running to the thing, summoning Dionysus using Mind Charge on herself. Couldn't let the girl doing all this by herself, dodging the shot from the creature, he summoned Thor again, hoping it would distract the attack on the girl.
Summoning again Dionysus, Hamuko cast the powerful Ziodyne. Normally she wouldn't use such powerful magic in front of other SEES members, but this creature was just way too terrible. It even forced them to switch persona. If they could know what this thing was…if they could. Mitsuru was not here, they could only rely on themselves.
The creature stunned a bit with that powerful magic attack however, it recovered quicker than they expected. The attack just seemed provoked it more. It raised its gun, a glowing light appeared on top of their head and slowly it went down.
Feeling urge deep down, Minato shouted.
"Get away, Tsukikage!"
Having the same feeling as Minato, Hamuko quickly ran from her position to Minato, tried to get away from the scene before the light dropped on the floor. Huge explosion bursting out the floor, shaking the area with it almighty power, though the two Wild Card managed escaped from most of the damage, they still been sent away by the heavy momentum.
Seeing the two human remained unmoved, the one eye creature slowly approaching them.
Haruka jerked up from her bed with widened eyes. She looked at the window, but her gaze wasn't there. They're in far somewhere else.
"That's not good…" Whispering timidly, she closed her eyes as she stood up walked to the window side. Clenching her hand into fist in front of her chest, she decided she couldn't let it be.
Groaning under his breathe, his hand reached to the evoker. Taking a look at his partner, his face twisted feeling the pain became grieve. He saw the creature was just in front of them, eying him with its ominous yellow one eye. The chain chained him up, circled his body and pulled him up to the creature. He struggled yet it only aching his wound more. Minato tried to move his hand however; it only turned out to be despair.
Am I going to die here? Is everything ended here? He didn't want to admit it. But the creature was already pointing its gun at him. One shot was enough to take him down. His life would just end from that moment on. Oddly enough, he felt peace yet bitter inside. Shifting his gaze to the auburn haired girl on the ground, he only hoped she would be safe after he died. If…just if, if she wakes up…maybe we can work it out.
Shifting his gaze back to the gun, he glared at the creature with sharp eyes.
Feeling aching all around her body, Hamuko opened her eyes. Lifting her head, she saw bloody cloak floating in front of her. Alarmed, she jerked up, seeing Minato was tied up by those chains.
"Arisato-kun!"
"Summon Thanatos! Hurry!" Ignoring the danger he's facing, he requested. Hamuko blinked at first, and then only she got his words.
Pointing the evoker at her temper, Hamuko felt struggled inside. She remembered the last time she summoned Thanatos. It gave her miserable pain that even now she still couldn't wave off. No, I must save Arisato-kun…!
"Thanatos!"
Pulling the trigger, she shot. However, unlike usual, Thanatos didn't appear. No blue light or shattering sound, the silence left her in empty.
"…Why…? This is…impossible!" She tried again, but the result was the same. Thanatos didn't respond to her!
Minato also shocked by sudden change of fact. His eyes covered with despair. Doesn't give them second chance, the creature tied Hamuko up like Minato.
"I'm sorry Arisato-kun…!" The muzzle was shifting from Minato to her instead. She closed her eyes waiting for the pain the bullet shot through her body.
But she didn't get the expected pain. Instead she heard a growling voice from the creature. Confused, she opened her eyes, meeting a large snake-like shadow leeching the one eye creature on its arm, stopping it from fired. Widening her eyes, Was I being saved by a shadow?
The creature growled angrily. The snake-like shadow leeched tighter, forcing it to release the Wild Card. Upon getting free, Minato climbed to Hamuko helping her to get up.
"Are you alright?" The girl only shook, showing she was totally fine, despite the shock. "Listen, we summon Thanatos together…if the both of us, we might make it."
"Two of us…?" Looking into his eyes, the determination within them gave her strength. She believes in him. "…Alright."
Facing the creature that already took down the snake-like shadow; they lifted their evoker pointing at their tempers.
"Tha…"
"…na…"
"Thanatos!"
Blue light illuminating from the bottom of their legs, Thanatos appeared as the shattering sound echoed the hallway. Thanatos roared, shaking the atmosphere as well as the area. It flew toward the one eye creature with the sword in its hand.
"W-We did it…?" Hamuko still couldn't believe. A moment ago she couldn't summon it, but now…
"…Maybe it needs the two of us…" Minato said, sounded uncertain as his voice trailed off at the end.
"What are you two waiting for? This way." A tender boy voice sounded behind them, caused them jumped up.
Turning their head to the source of the voice, they found Pharos gesturing them, urging them hurry to the stair. Though they're feeling shock and surprise, they decided to leave that behind, following the boy to the stair. Before they stepped onto the stair, Hamuko took a last glance at Thanatos and the creature. They're still fighting each other. Hamuko couldn't tell who was in positive.
"…Don't worry. Let's go." Seeing her worry, Pharos smiled at her.
On the next floor, they're lucky enough that the access point just right in front of them.
"Well, you should go back now." Pharos said.
"…Why are you here, Pharos?" Minato asked.
"Didn't I tell you I always remain with the two of you? I'll be with you everywhere you are." Pharos answered with a sincere smile.
"Pharos, why I can't summon Thanatos like the first time?" Hamuko voiced out her question.
"That's because Thanatos will only be completed with the two of you together." Telling something they couldn't understand at the moment, he pushed the Wild Cards to the access point. "See you guys next time…and good night."
"Hey…!"
Forcefully wrapping back to the entrance, Hamuko opened her eyes in frustration. Pharos again saying something she couldn't understand. Why everybody is like that? She was quite pissed with that now. Noticing they're full with scratches and wounds, she summoned Saki Mitama to heal.
"Thanks Tsukikage."
Hamuko!
"Arisato-kun, didn't you just call me 'Hamuko'?" She suddenly remembered he called her name when the scary creature about to shoot her. Smiling, she was happy with that.
"Err…that because…" What am I getting myself into…? It's not like he purposely called her by name, it's just that…it slipped out of his mouth, that is.
She chuckled at his stammer. "Well, then just call me my name, Minato-kun!" Oh she felt warmth surrounded her face, and making her hot.
His heart skipped a beat hearing his name been called by the auburn haired girl. He lowered his head, tried to cover his probably already blushing face.
"W-Whatever…"
"W-Well, let's go to Velvet Room!"
Minato handed the lanterns to Elizabeth to conclude the request while Hamuko gave the Muscle Drink to Theodore. When Hamuko received the reward, she blinked at the clothes on hand.
"I-Isn't this my winter clothes?" She twitched her brows at Theo.
"Do not worry. This is a copy of your winter clothes indeed, but I strengthened its defense so it can protect you from any harm, Master Hamuko." Theo calmly answered, didn't take down by her glare.
"…Fine." She accepted his explanation. But the next reward she got from fusing the persona Jack Frost really made her mad. "W-What is this Theo!?"
"Of course this is called Battle Panties…"
"That's what I mean!" Her face was red in tomato. "I mean…why do you have this !?"
"That's…" Theo looked at his sister Elizabeth.
"My my, that's the wonderful panties Theo got from somewhere else." Elizabeth amused.
"Sister!" Now Theo too, blushing.
"…Theo." Hamuko hold tight on her fist. "You're a stupid!" And then a punch landed on his handsome face.
Snorting, Minato spared him his pity. "Serve you right…"
Haruka opened her eyes, the fear within her eyes disappeared. Leaning against the window, she let out a sigh.
"Thanks for surviving..."