The girl panted, her body weary and tired as she trudged through the bloody sludge, that had went up to her knee, in her dark surroundings. She wondered where she was, because, obviously, such a place to be in was really hard to believe.
"Hello?" she called out in hopes of finding someone out there in the musky place. She waited for five seconds, which turned into ten, which quickly turned into fifteen. Nope, nobody else was there. She was just all alone in the terrifying and mysterious place.
A growl. She quickly turned around to face the source of the growl, but it wasn't a human. Or at least, it resembled a human, but it was clearly not a human at the same time. The being resembled that of the… Shadow (or as her mind had told her earlier) that she had encountered in Paulownia Mall. Only smaller. Much smaller, just around her height.
"Minako…" it hissed as it reached out towards her with its blackened arms, "Arisato…"
Minako flailed back in response, trying to get away from the hand, only to slip and drop in the sludge, dirtying her uniforms with blood. She quickly scrambled up in the thick blood, slowing down her motions as she took a few slow steps back as she stared with fear at the being, "W-What… What…" she managed to stutter out, despite her fear.
"Minako… Arisato…" the Shadow continued hissing, moving towards the girl slowly, now showing its hunched back as its hands tried to grasp Minako's, "Why… Why did you…"
Minako jerked back because of the Shadow's movements towards her, though that didn't work out well and she only slipped once more. She then swiftly regained her footing, staring at the inching Shadow, "Wh-What… What did I…" she muttered as she tried to distract the Shadow.
"Why did you…" the Shadow continued, "Kill… Me?"
The girl was only left shocked when the Shadow suddenly lunged at her with great speed that it recently disguised with its hunched back. The Shadow's power wasn't a strength that could be easily outmatched either.
The Shadow had its hands wrapped around the delicate neck of Minako's, just close to choking her to death if it were to tighten its grip just a slight more. The Shadow raised its grip, bringing up Minako in the air solely by its grasp, but hurting Minako just that much more.
"Why… Did you… Kill us?" the Shadow continued to interrogate, which had become useless because Minako had lost her voice because of the hand on her throat and she simply didn't know why, she didn't know who the Shadow was and what she did to harm said Shadow.
Then the unthinkable happened, as more of the same Shadows began to rise out from the thick pool of blood, each hunched back, and each muttering out the same chant, "Why… Did… You… Kill… Us?" over and over again, as if trying to curse the girl into oblivion.
The surrounding Shadows began to inch closer and closer to Minako and the Shadow that was clutching the girl's neck. The surrounding Shadows raised their hands, as if they were just about to feast on the girl, still continuing their chant from before, "Why… Did you kill us? Why did you kill us?"
Minako parted her lips, trying to get her voice out and beg for forgiveness, "I… I…"
"… Ko-chan…"
Minako ignored it, "I…"
"…. Nako-chan…"
"I…"
"Minako-chan! Minako-chan! Wake up!"
Minako snapped her eyes open as she stared at Yukari in bewilderment, gripping her bed sheets with both surprise and fear, "What… Huh?"
Yukari sighed, "You were having a nightmare earlier, so I woke you up," she explained, "And it was a really bad nightmare too, are you alright now?"
"H-Huh?" Minako asked, still in confusion and shock of what she had seen in her dream.
Yukari gave a worried face to Minako at her confusion, "Do you feel better now?" she asked slowly, and then laid a hand on her friend's forehead, "You don't seem to have a fever…" she muttered.
Minako shook her head and sat upright, "No… I feel fine now," she said, giving a small smile, "My headache's gone,"
"Well, if you don't feel well, you should rest for today," Yukari told her.
"Hm…" she pondered for a while, regaining her energy as she shook her head to relieve herself of her nightmare. A nightmare was a nightmare, and not a reality. She shouldn't let it affect her. So with her usual cheeriness and enthusiastic manner, she pumped her fist into the air, "Nope! I feel fine now! I'll be able to get to school!"
Yukari was hesitant for a moment, but gave a slow nod, "Well… If you say so…" she told the girl, "But if you feel unwell, then don't push yourself,"
Minako nodded her head with even more enthusiasm, "Okay! I'll keep that in mind!" she said, "You don't have to worry about a thing!"
Her friend, relieved by Minako's cheery attitude, smiled, "Okay then, I'll be waiting for you downstairs," she then left the room, leaving Minako to her own to change and get ready for school.
Once Yukari was out of the room, Minako took a deep breath as she felt her body shook with fear from her previous nightmare. No, she had resolved that she would not be affected by her nightmare. A nightmare is a nightmare, nightmares do not come true in real life. Or, at least, that was what she remembered to the extent of her memories.
So she breathed out, dressed, walked down the stairs and ate breakfast, and left for school with the others.
"So, Minako-chan, what happened yesterday?" Yukari asked as they waited for the monorail to reach Gekkoukan.
"I… Don't know," Minako said honestly, "All of the sudden, just after the meeting last night, time stopped and there was this card, hovering in the air, and this voice said something about Personas of the Fool, but then it was quickly interrupted by another voice that said that I wasn't the chosen one for the 'Social Link' or something, and then the card disappeared and I got this massive headache,"
Yukari replied by a stare at Minako in confusion, "'Social Link'? Fool?" she asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"
Minako sighed, "I don't know what they were either, but I'm not lying! That really happened to me!" she insisted, "And I'm fine, I feel well now,"
"Well, if you say so," Yukari shrugged.
Minako contemplated about it, there was something, just something, that made her think that this situation with 'Social Links' is connected with the Velvet Room. Minako shuddered, the Velvet Room was somewhere in between dreams and reality, considering the fact that she visited the Room in her dreams, and received the glowing key in reality. Or… Was the key maybe just an illusion? The girl rummaged her pocket, and fingered an object with a key-like shape. Nope, still there.
But what made Minako so reluctant to go back to the Room was the fact that the attendant girl might still be there, thirsting for her blood. Should she risk going back in there in hope for answers?
The monorails screeched to a stop, interrupting the girl's thoughts, and opening its doors for its many passengers. The two walked out, heading straight for their school.
School went on as per normal, with Minako being the teacher's pet as she answered the questions correctly, placing her smiling demeanor as the teachers call her name. She quickly gained popularity, partly because of her intelligence and her relationship to the equally famous (but missing) Minato.
"Minako-chan!" said girl turned around to face the boy calling her name in the classroom, just after school had finished, "Minako-chan!"
Minako blinked at the boy who called her, who looked like a typical boy student with dark brown hair, who she was able to recognize as a boy from her own class. Kenji Tomochika, if she wasn't wrong, "Yes?"
"Minako-chan!" the boy repeated as he finally reached the girl's seat, "You've been gone for… Eight days, right? Are you alright now?"
"Yeah!" Minako replied with gleaming eyes, and nodded with great vigor, which is apparently now her trademark, "Healthy as ever! Thanks for asking!" she said as she gave a quick bow in appreciation.
"Yeah," Kenji nodded along, "You're Minato's cousin, right?" Kenji asked.
"Um… Yeah!" Minako replied, although quite hesitant at first, but quickly reverted back into his cheery personality, "Yeah, I'm his cousin!"
"Do you know how he is? I heard he was sick, and he hasn't been here for a long time, I was wondering when I'll eat ramen with him again…" Kenji muttered.
"Well, he's sick with…" Minako stalled, she didn't know whom this 'Minato' person was in the first place, just how was she going to be even able to lie about his condition, "With…"
"He's sick with a really, really bad fever!" Junpei interrupted, who came out of nowhere, "Right, Mina-tan?"
"Um, right!" Minako then nodded with great fervor, apparently over exaggerated nods are now her trademark, "He's sick with a really, really bad fever!" she then quickly glanced a 'thank you' to Junpei, and Junpei grinned back what seemed to be a 'no problem'.
"Oh man, that sucks! It's been so long too," Kenji shouted as he placed a hand on his head, closing his left eye in disappointment, "So no more ramen with him for a while then…" and he sighed.
"Hey, if you want to eat ramen with someone, then I can go with you! I'm starving!" she piped up, rubbing her belly.
Kenji grinned a very wide grin, and Minako had almost thought that his grin would be too long for even his face to contain, "Sure!"
"Hey, hey, can I come too?" Junpei cut in, "I'm hungry too!"
"The more the merrier!" Minako giggled, and noticing her dorm mate just about to go out of the class, she called out, "Yukari-chan! Do you want to come with us for ramen too?"
Yukari stopped in her tracks and looked at Minako, "Ramen?" Yukari then pondered for a moment before giving a smile, "Sure, I don't have archery today, so why not?"
Junpei gave a pout, "But then, Mina-tan, people will get the wrong idea and think that we're on a double date," his pout gradually grew into a grin, just about as wide as Kenji's, "Not that I'm complaining or anything…"
Yukari strutted over to the group and stomped on Junpei's foot, earning a wince from the boy, "Not in a hundred years, Stupei!"
"G-Geez, Yuka-tan, I was only joking…" Junpei said in pain, "No need to be so harsh…"
The group left the classroom and headed over for Hagakure, where they all ordered the specials and the chef quickly replied by giving them four, steaming hot, bowls of noodles (which looked and smelt delicious, of course).
"Careful, they're hot!" the chef warned as the steam from the noodles began to thicken, emphasizing his point.
While the girls patiently waited and heeded the chef's warning, the boys, on the other hand, ignored it and were rewarded by burned tongues.
"Ah! Ah! Hot!" Junpei exclaimed as he reached out for a glass of water and drank it all, Kenji following his actions with another glass of water. The chef only sighed and went with his other orders of ramen. Junpei panted as he began to calm down, trying to get rid of the numbness in his mouth, "But… It's so… Delicious!" he cried out as he dug back into the ramen. He didn't learn his lesson as he once again reached for another glass of water.
"So Kenji, what did you want with Mina-tan earlier?" Junpei asked suspiciously out loud, not even trying to hide his question from the girls. He then took another slurp of noodles and stared at his friend, "Did you… Maybe…?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? I was only asking if she's alright like any good classmate because she's been out for a while," Kenji asked in a confused manner as he raised one eyebrow, "Plus, don't you remember that I like… Someone… Already?" he said as he ended his sentence in a very, very hushed voice, not wanting the girls to hear what he was saying.
"You like someone already?" clearly his wants were not being granted, and clearly Minako has exceptional hearing, "Who, Kenji-kun?"
"Oh right, I forgot that you like THOSE kind of women," Junpei groaned and sighed.
"Hey, hey! Don't refer to them like that!" Kenji scolded, "They are fine and refined, just like wine, you get me? The older the better!" he said smoothly.
"Who." Minako growled as she glared at the boy, disliking being ignored, "Kenji. Kun."
"I-It's…" Kenji started, blushing madly, "I-It's… You… You don't know her!"
"Well, it's more that it will be weird if you know, but I think you all know her well," Junpei sighed once more and grimaced.
"Who." Minako repeated once more, a scowl appearing on her face.
The name slipped out of Junpei's lips too fast before Kenji had a chance to stop him, "Kanou,"
And everyone was silent as Yukari choked on her ramen, "W-W-What?" she said as she finally got the ramen down her system, "Kanou… Kanou as in… Ms. Kanou? … O-Our… Teacher?"
Kenji sighed, though still blushing madly, or even blushing even more than before, "D-Dude, way to keep a secret!" he then glared at the two young ladies, "Y-You better not tell anyone, a-alright!"
"O-O-Our… Teacher…" Yukari seemed to have a harder time to be absorbing such information.
"Told ya," Junpei sighed, and returned back to his big bowl of ramen.
"I-I guess… Love has no… Boundaries…" Minako stuttered, still slightly shocked at the revelation.
"A-Ah! See! Minako-chan gets what I mean!" Kenji exclaimed, quickly recovering from his embarrassment, and then stared at the girl, "You understand, don't you?"
"O-Of course, Kenji-kun!" was all that Minako could say in an attempt to please her classmate, she giggled nervously, "Love is love…"
Kenji, on the other hand, was too absorbed in his own thoughts to even pick up on Minako's nervousness and stutter, "Yeah! See! Finally someone else gets me!" he said in proud achievement, his chest pumped out with his love for Kanou.
Yukari gave a sigh, "Seriously, I would never have thought that YOU, of all people, would like Kanou," she said, shaking her head, "Honestly, I thought you were in a relationship with Rio-chan. You know, the captain of the volleyball club? I have always seen you two together ever since middle school,"
"Oh, Rio?" Kenji clarified, "She's just a friend,"
Yukari could only stare with complete shock at Kenji's casual statement, her jaws gaping wide open. 'Wow, Kenji. Smooth,' was all that she could think of. Kenji gave a shrug and returned to his bowl of ramen as well, while Yukari gave it a few more seconds of shock before returning back into her bowl of ramen as well.
"W-Well, I-I guess that it is their…" Minako trailed off, and then just gave up and sighing at the very end. The meal was left with an awkward air as the group began to disperse one by one, each to their own destinations, after they finished eating their ramen.
The red-eyed girl woke up, and focused on what she could remember the night before. She gave a sigh; fortunately, she did not have a nightmare, unlike the night before. Rather, she didn't have a dream at all, and if she did, then she would have forgotten what it was.
She checked the clock. Five o'clock in the morning. Yup, just enough time.
Yukari woke up in a daze. She didn't get enough sleep last night, especially not after a nightmare of Kenji and Kanou marrying, and doing particular 'stuff' that only adults should do. She sighed, she can never erase that mental image from her mind ever again.
Damn that Junpei. She could do well without knowing about Kenji's crush.
It was then she remembered something else, ah, right! Today was her day to cook breakfast for everyone, ever since the 'mother' of the dorm had left. Yukari took a quick glance at her clock, and turned wide-eyed. Damn it, she overslept!
Yukari quickly rushed to the showers, did what she needed to do, changed her clothes, and ran down the stairs to prepare the breakfast, only to be greeted by a delicious smell out of the dining room. Yukari approached the kitchen to see a familiar figure preparing the meals, just like before.
"Ah, Minako-chan,"
The red-eyed girl turned to face the newcomer and gave a smile, "Yukari-chan! Good morning!"
Yukari gave a wave, "Morning, did you cook all of these?" she pointed to the dishes.
Minako nodded her trademark nod, "Yep! Mind if you help me set up the table, Yukari-chan?"
Well, it WAS supposed to be her turn today, so Yukari gave a nod and helped set up the table with the appropriate dishes. Junpei came around after a few minutes, claiming that the smell of the food woke him up, and helped the two with the table. The others came around soon enough, just in time for breakfast to be served.
Mitsuru gave a shook of her head, closed her eyes, and gave a small smile, "I am delighted that you woke up early to cook us breakfast, Arisato, but there is no need to cook for us whenever you can,"
"Oh no! It's fine, really!" Minako said, replying with a smile of her own, "This is my way of saying 'thank you' for helping me all this time!"
"Right, speaking of that, Arisato," Mitsuru said, replacing her emotions with a serious one, "How are you? Did you feel anymore pain from yesterday night?"
Minako shook her head, "Nope! I don't feel a thing now!"
Mitsuru smiled once more, "That is good to hear, and thank you for the breakfast, Arisato,"
Minako nodded once more, "You're welcome, and thank you for helping me all these times!" she then glanced at the clock, before giving a quick bow to her friends, "Ah! I'm late! I need to go earlier so I can catch up on my studies!" she exclaimed, then quickly waved at her friends before she went out of the dorm and ran over to school.
"Hm…" Fuuka muttered as she sliced a piece of pancake and put it in her mouth, and chewed, savoring the taste of the well-made dish, "This pancake… I think we have a recipe for it in the Home Economics club… Maybe it's just a coincidence…" she pondered as she began to eat the rest of the pancakes.
"Mina-tan!"
Minako turned and faced the boy, "Yes, Junpei-kun?"
"Hey, do you want to stop by Hagakure again?" Junpei asked, smirking, "I just found one thousand yen on the road today! It's my lucky day!"
"Junpei, you should return that money back to its owner," Minako scolded, wagging her pointer finger at Junpei as she tapped her feet on the ground, and turned back to walk out of the school gates, "That's not nice, you know!"
Junpei immediately changed his happy face into a pouting one, "Aw, come on, Mina-tan, the yen was just lying there on the road, alone and no one else in sight!"
Minako contemplated it for a while, tapping her finger on her chin, before coming to a decision, "Fine, Junpei-kun, I'll let it slide this time," she said, "But next time, don't do it again!"
Junpei sighed, "Yes, Mina-tan," he promised, but then changed his sad face into a wide grin, "Now, about that ramen…"
However, they had only taken just a step outside of the gates until they heard the shrieks and cries of flocking girls over to one spot.
"AKIHIKO-SENPAAAAAI!"
Minako jumped back to let a charging fan through, just in time before she got ran over herself, wide-eyed, she stared at the group of girls, "Oh wow, these girls are all for Akihiko-senpai?"
Junpei sighed yet again, "Yep, he's really popular with the ladies," he said, "Man, you don't even see this in TV! Dude, if only they flocked to me…" he muttered and grinned, earning a stomp on his foot from Minako.
However, when the group of girls began to approach Minako and Junpei, they scooted back in fear of being crushed by the girls. But fortunately, the group stopped walking and from inside of the group, Akihiko came out as the girls gave way, as if he was a king or a very charismatic prince, "Oh, you two, can I meet you at the police station in Paulownia Mall later if you're not busy?" asked Akihiko.
"Paulownia Mall?" Minako asked, raising an eyebrow, "I thought it was under renovation?"
Akihiko smirked, "Mitsuru finished fixing up the police station and the left side of the mall, so you should have no problem entering and getting to the station," he told the two, "So can I see you two then?"
"Aw, well, I was hoping that I would have some time with the ladies…" Junpei said, earning a glare from Minako and a shout from Akihiko's fan base which was something along the lines of, 'Ugh, get lost!' to which Junpei sighed, "Sure, I'm free,"
MInako nodded, "Yeah, I'll be there too!"
"Good to hear," Akihiko said, smiling at the two, "Well, I'll see you two later," and he went off with the girls trailing behind him like lost puppies.
"What do you think he wants from us in a police station, though?" Minako asked when the large group was out of sight.
"Last time, there was an officer who we bought weapons from for Shadow-hunting and Tarta-," Junpei stopped, "… Oh, we haven't told you what Tartarus is yet, have we? Well, it's better if we show you than tell. Anyways, how about we quickly grab some ramen and then go to the police station?"
When Akihiko said that Mitsuru fixed up the left side of the mall, he literally meant ONLY the left side of the mall.
The karaoke center and the right side was strictly off limits, and was closed off by a police tape, where many workers worked to no end on the right side. Minako shuddered, she had heard from Junpei along the way that the Kirijo family (Mitsuru's family) owned most of the properties on Tatsumi Port Island and that Mitsuru had 'powers'. Fast construction powers were powerful, it seemed. Though it might be because the left side wasn't affected… Too much. But after much staring at the insides of the mall, the two walked over (passing a few pieces of rubble along the way) to the police station.
"Excuse me…" Minako said as she pushed the door to the station inward, finding a lone officer manning the station and Akihiko chatting with him.
"Ah, this is the one I've been talking about," Akihiko said when he noticed the two enter, "This is officer Kurosawa, he supplies SEES with weapons,"
Minako bowed to the officer, "Nice to meet you, I am Minako Arisato," she said and stood upright again.
Kurosawa gave a nod, "The pleasure is all mine, I've heard much about you," he said, "I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know that something strange is going on,"
"I called you over to see which kind of weapon you are capable of handling so that Kurosawa-san can help supply it," Akihiko explained to the girl.
"But…" Minako started, "But I can't… Remember what weapon I can handle,"
Kurosawa nodded, "I was informed about your condition, so I thought that holding the weapon might help you remember what you are capable in,"
Minako gave a slow and reluctant nod, and Kurosawa went in deeper in the office, and the others followed him inside into what looked like a storage, but full of a variety of weapons, something that an ordinary police station wouldn't have.
Kurosawa took off a sword from the wall hanger and unseated it, and gave it to Minako, "Try it," he said.
Minako took it and swung it (albeit awkwardly and with the wrong hand grip), and then shook her head in dismay. Kurosawa took it back and gave her a dagger instead, to which she tried it and shook her head once more.
An axe, a mace, a bow and arrow, a rapier, and one gun later, Minako had still yet found her ideal weapon. Kurosawa sighed and Akihiko was getting impatient, and so was Junpei. Kurosawa looked around the storage room to find yet another kind of weapon. The varieties of weapons were getting limited now, what with Minako rejecting them all. Maybe the girl just wasn't cut out for fighting.
He was about to state it out loud before he saw that weapon. A weapon created from the motherland of Japan itself (although similar with other foreign weapons). Said weapon was not as popular as a sword, but people should know what it is. Although, it would be rare to find someone who would actually be able to use it, let alone master the techniques of fighting with the weapon.
So he picked up the weapon and shoved it to the girl, "Here, this is the last one that you will try. If you can't use it, then you can't use anything," he said strictly. Akihiko raised an eyebrow in confusion and surprise at the weapon, to which Kurosawa quickly responded, "It's a naginata, let her try it,"
Minako felt her grip around the weapon, carefully hovering her hands over the right positions. She tightened her grip on the naginata, and with complete confidence, she swung it like a professional.
A strike from above, another strike from below, a twirl in mid-air, and then the finishing blow!
Yep, she was perfect, emphasized by Kurosawa's surprised yet delighted face, Akhiko's wide-eyed surprise, and Junpei's mouth-gaping shock. Out of all the weapons, a naginata!
"Keep it," Kurosawa said when Minako was just about to return the weapon, "Free of charge, just this once,"
Minako's eyes beamed with gratitude and she hastily bowed, and looked as if she was ready to jump around the room with joy like a little kid. Thank God she didn't.
"I'm going to tell Mitsuru about this, meet us at the lounge this evening," Akihiko said, and then nodded to Kurosawa, "Thank you again,"
Kurosawa waved it away, "All for protecting this city," and Akihiko left the police station to go off for his own bowl of ramen, or that was what Minako had assumed.
Kurosawa gave her a case to carry around the naginata with, and after another quick bow of gratitude, Minako and Junpei left the police station, with Junpei off to do his own thing and with Minako off alone like a deer in headlights, since she rejected Junpei's offer to go along with him because she had this nagging feeling in her mind that she needed to do something in Paulownia.
So once Junpei was off, Minako thought about it.
And thought about it…
And thought about it…
And tho- Of course! How could she forget?
The Velvet Room!
Minako placed her right ear on the glowing blue door leading to the Velvet Room, intending to eavesdrop and listen if the attendant girl was there in the Room. She was grateful that the back alleyway hadn't been closed off.
She needed answers, and she needed answers desperately to stop such head-splitting headaches.
The Room was silent, very silent, and maybe even too silent. But she deemed the coast clear anyways, she was getting quite confident because she had her naginata with her. So just as a precaution, she took out her naginata, swiftly opened the door and pushed it open, and got ready with her naginata immediately once again.
"Dear Minako, it will take you more than a mere stick with a blade to be able to fight fairly with Elizabeth," a voice said from within, "But do not worry, she is not here at the moment,"
Minako sighed securely and placed the naginata securely back in its proper place. She took it in with her and closed the door behind her, sitting on her chair as she did before on her first visit to the Velvet Room.
"I am growing worried about you, Minako," yet his face still gleams with his smile, as per usual, "If you are to take Elizabeth's powers lightly. It would be best to heed my warning when I say that she is not a figure to be messed with,"
Minako gave a nod to the long-nosed man in acceptance of the man's warning, but said nothing.
"I assume you have come for answers, yes?"
Minako nodded again.
"Then speak, and I will answer to the best of my ability,"
"Why does 'Elizabeth' want to kill me?"
"That, I cannot answer,"
"But you just said-"
"There are times when it is better for you to wait and let the answer come to you," Igor interrupted, "Than it is for others to answer it for you,"
"Who is Elizabeth?" Minako asked. If she couldn't find out about the reason why she wants to kill her, knowing her assailant is the next big thing.
Igor sighed, "Elizabeth… She is a resident of the Velvet Room, just like myself, and assists me in various subjects," he explained, "Although, the things that she is doing recently is of her own accord and wants,"
Minako wasn't very much convinced by his answer, but she knew that he would not answer her question about Elizabeth's reasons, no matter how many times she would ask him. So she asked another question instead, "What is a 'Social Link'?"
"Social Links are your emotional ties with others. Think of it as a 'bond' between you and another person," Igor answered, "The stronger your Social Links, the stronger your Persona abilities are,"
Minako made a mental note to ask more about Personas, since Igor was certainly knowledgeable about them, but she went on with the current topic, "If they are supposed to make me stronger, then why did they hurt me instead?"
"That… I do not know," Igor answered sincerely, "I apologize,"
Minako waved it away, "It's fine," though she was surprised that there were still a few things that Igor did not knew. Now, on to her next question, "What is a 'Persona'?"
"A Persona is a facet of your personality that reacts to external stimuli, in this case, your Evoker," he explained, "Think of it as a mask that you wear. But you are special, Minako,"
"Special?" she repeated the word in a questioning tone.
"Yes, special," Igor said, "You are a 'Wild Card'. Like the number zero, you hold limitless possibilities. You are able to handle multiple Personas, where others can only hold one, and summon them as needed,"
"Multiple… Personas?" Minako asked, deep in thought, "But all I can summon is Orpheus Telos… Or that was the name that came to my mind…"
Igor chuckled, "In time, Minako, you will realize your full potential," he said, "But being able to summon Orpheus Telos, out of all your Personas, is already quite a feat. It is reminiscent of your the very first Persona that you summoned: Orpheus,"
Minako waited for the 'Telos', but when she realized that Igor had finished speaking, she was surprised, "Just Orpheus?"
"Yes, she was the very first who heeded your call, and I believe that you two will meet again, in time," Igor said, "But that is irrelevant for now, and we do not have much time. Is there any more that you would like to ask?"
"Why am I special?"
"It is how Fate deals her cards, it is the reason why you are called the Wild Card," Igor answered, "And I am afraid that our time is up. Time marches on in your world, until we meet again…"
But before Minako was able to say anything, she was blinding by a glaring white light and before she knew it, she was already standing outside of the Velvet Room, holding her naginata case. She ransacked for the key, and she did find it, but when she tried the key on the Velvet Door, it didn't work.
So Igor must have been trying to keep her out of the Room, but for what reason? Wait, maybe Elizabeth was there? Or was she going to come to the Room in any moment and Igor knew it? Or was there another reason? But either way, Minako still couldn't go in the Velvet Room.
It's not like she needed to anyways, for all she knew, it was getting late. And didn't Akihiko say that there was going to be a meeting that evening?
"I'm glad you can make it, Arisato," Mitsuru said as Minako approached the already assembled group, "We wouldn't want to miss the Dark Hour today,"
"Why?" Minako asked, before it hit her, "Oh, are we going to fight Shadows today?"
Mitsuru nodded, "But first, we have to show you Tartarus, the Shadows' nest,"
"Tartarus?" Minako repeated, "Shadows' nest? Where is this 'Tartarus'? It sounds like tooth paste,"
Waving away the deja vu, Mitsuru continued, "Yes, we should get going now before the Dark Hour is here,"
The team then went on, leaving Ikutsuki behind. Minako pestered Mitsuru for information about what this 'Tartarus' was, but her lips were sealed, and all she could get from the others were all about being patient (plus a teasing chuckle from Junpei). So Minako stopped and huffed, and wondered what this 'Tartarus' would be like.
But what she did not expect, however, was when the group arrived in front of Gekkoukan and Mitsuru saying, "We're here,"
"W-Wait a minute, you're saying that there are Shadows here?" Minako asked, baffled by the turn of events, "I-In our school? W-What's going on?"
Mitsuru's lips pursed into a small smile and she closed her eyes, "Be patient, Arisato, the Dark Hour is near,"
23:59:57
23:59:58
23:59:59
Dark Hour
Under the eerie green light from the eerily green moon, with the confused stare from the girl, Gekkoukan underwent its demonic transformation into Tartarus, as it did every midnight The peaceful school had just changed into a blood-covered green tower right in front of her eyes, and it had became a 'nest' for Shadows.
Her school: a nest for beings that feed on human minds.
Mitsuru glanced at Minako's reaction, and chuckled, "Arisato," she said, "Welcome to Tartarus,"
Author's Notes: Finally finished this long chapter after a long time of procrastinating and schoolwork.
Something that I have forgotten to write in last time, thank you for the script guide in Gamefaqs by Riou_McDohl, it helped a lot in terms of the dates and all that.
Oh, right, timeline. If I were to say, then currently, this chapter would just be a couple of days before Hierophant and Lovers Shadows. The more definite date will be up in the next chapter, once I finish going back and checking that the timeline is in check.
Sly: Yes, Minato will come back. ... In a while. I can't promise that he'll be back soon, or that will be too soon.
Radiant: xD If she doesn't suffer, she won't gain her memories. No pain, no gain!
D: ... No. Just no.