11/19/2009

Daytime. Kamogawa Riverbank.

Today is the last day of Gekkoukan High School's field trip to Kyoto. Even after two days of vacation and sightseeing with her friends in Kyoto, it seems Mitsuru still feeling very depressed over what happened two weeks ago. Her father, Takeharu Kirijo was murdered by the person she thought she could trusted, Shuji Ikutsuki, former Chairman of Gekkoukan Institute and advisor of Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES). At the end of the day, Mitsuru decided to seclude herself from the crowd of Gekkoukan High School. She walked blindly and ended up in the Kamogawa river. Seeing how beautiful the river is, she decided to sit at the riverside, gazing to the flow of the water, still remembering her late father.

Meanwhile Akihiko was staying in his room, doing whatever training he could do in there. Deep down, he was worried about Mitsuru, but he believed in her and decided to give her some space to mourn her great father. But lately, he can't stopped thinking about Mitsuru, since he really understand what it means to lose someone he was trying to protect. He then decided to walk around the hotel to take his mind off. Whether it's fate or not, when he was walking along Kamogawa river, he saw Mitsuru sitting in the riverbank. Seeing how depressed she was, he can't help but to try to help his best friend. He thought two weeks is long enough to wallowing in the past. He decided to approached her.

"What're you doing here?" asked Akihiko as he stand beside her.

"Whay are you still concerned about me?" said Mitsuru without even turn her head to Akihiko.

"Our days of fighting are over. We have no common goal to fight for, no enemies to defeat... and no reason to be friends," she added coldly.

"We've reached our conclusion. Why should we continue on?" said Mitsuru as she put her head between her knee.

After some quite moment, Akihiko suddenly said, "Whatever you're thinking right now, you have to know, it's not your fault."

Hearing this from Akihiko made all of the anger that she kept inside her this whole time explode. She stood up and shout at Akihiko.

"Of course it is my fault!"

"My trust for the Chairman blinded me, and I fell right into his trap!"

"There was nothing I could do!"

"If only I... If only... Aaaaa!"

And just like that. All of her anger she was bottled in deep inside her heart turn into sadness. Tears flowing right from her eyes. She fell on her knee, continue crying like a little girl. Akihiko did nothing but wait, hoping she would calm down.

After some time, Mitsuru stop crying and back to hide her face between her knee. Akihiko then decided to sit beside her, gazing to the river, though none of them is talking for a while.

All of the sudden, Mitsuru start talking silently, but Akihiko still manage to hear her.

"My father placed the onus of responsibility all upon himself. And ever since the incident, he looked as if he was dead inside."

"I fought so that he could release the shame and guilt that burdened him for a long time."

"But my effort were futile... and now my life is without meaning."

"You probably already know. Back when I lived in the orphanage, I had a younger sister. A younger sister, who I couldn't save. I was the only person she had. Luckly I had Shinji with me. He helped me to pull through, in his own way. But then, not few months ago, he was gone too."

"And you were the one who helped me that time. I was able to continue fighting because you were there. So this time, please let me help you."

"Your life is not without meaning. You still have me, you still have your friends, and you still have your father's legacy. Try living for their sake... and yours," said Akihiko as he tried to help his best friend, just as she help him before.

She finally be able to put a little smile on her face and said, "Yeah... I guess you're right."

"So, ready to go back?" said Akihiko as he stood up and reach out for her.

Mitsuru then looking to Akihiko as she take his hand and stood up.

"Yes," she said.

The both of them finally went back to the hotel they're staying, Higashiyama Sanjo Hotel together.

On their way to the hotel, Mitsuru was looking at Akihiko as she walk and thought, "There is no need to worry, Father. I am not alone. Please watch over me." Without realizing it, she was smiling.

The resolution in Mitsuru's heart has awakened a new Persona. Penthesilea has given rise to Arthemisia!

Evening. Akihiko's room.

Akihiko was training as usual in his room, hoping Mitsuru can go back on her feet as soos as possible when suddenly someone's knocking his room. He opened the door and saw Junpei and Ryoji.

"Hey Akihiko-senpai. Let's go to the open-air hot spring together. I already asked Minato, he said he will be joining us as soon as he's done preparing," asked Junpei.

"Yeah. I hear it was a nice open open-air and mixed gender hot spring," added Ryoji.

"Of course not, you idiot. They take shifts!" yelled Junpei.

Akihiko had to admit it was rather late for a bath, but he thought it would be nice to take a bath in a hot spring after his training and agreed to joined them.

Evening. The Open-air Hot Spring.

Since it's already late for a bath, the hot spring is empty. There are only Akihiko, Minato, Junpei, and Ryoji who bathed that night. They seems to enjoy themselves in the nice open-air hot spring of Higashiyama Sanjo Hotel.

"So, Junpei, at what time does this hot spring change from guys only to girls only?" asked Akihiko.

"Um... I'm not sure. I didn't bother to check. Right, Ryoji-kun?"

"Right. But it could happpen at any moment, couldn't it, Junpei-kun?" Both of them seems to be acting strange.

"Right. Beside, if this hot spring were to change from guys only to girls only, there's nothing we can do about it. I mean, we're already here, right, Ryoji-kun?"

"That's true. We couldn't be blamed if something like that were to happen. Right, Makoto-kun?" Both Junpei and Ryoji seems to be acting strange. Makoto just let out a sigh without saying anything.

Ryoji then laughed and said, "Relax! It's really just a hypothetical question."

"So that's why we came at this stange time? You two are such idiot!" said Akihiko as he also let out a sigh.

Jenpei also laughed and said, "Clam down, man. Don't worry. It's pretty late. I doubt any girls would..."

Before Junpei can finish his sentence, the sound of door opening was heard, followed by Yukari's voice.

"Wow! This hot spring is huge!"

"Oh, you're right. It's the size of a swimming pool."

"So, this is an outdoor hot spring. Unfortunately, its therapeutic healing benefits will not help me."

It seems Fuuka and Aigis was there too.

The boys seems panicked, except Ryoji and Akihiko.

"Oh! Both Yukari-san AND Fuuka-san! This is my lucky ni..."

Junpei immediately smashed Ryoji's face to the water.

"Shut up, you idiot! They'll hear you," Yukari seems to heard Ryoji.

What's the matter, Yukari? Did you hear something?" Mitsuru's voice was heard.

Akihiko shocked hearing Mitsuru's voice.

"M-Mitsuru's here, too?! Oh, man. There's no way she'll consider this is just a misunterstanding!"

"Anyway, let get out of here before they find us," said Makoto.

"Yes! This is Mitsuru we're talking about. If she finds us, she'll... She'll execute us!"

The rest of the boys finally fully understand the situation they are in right now. They try sneak out the hot spring.

"I think I heard something. Fuuka, could you check over there? I-It could be a ghost," Yukari seems frightened.

The girls the scattered and looking the entire hot spring. They were surprised to find Akihiko and the rest trying to sneak out the hot spring.

"W-Wait! Th-This is just a misunderstanding!" Akihiko trying to calm the girls down.

"Silence!" Mitsuru's shout was heard throughout the entire hot spring.

"I'm going to execute you all!" said Mitsuru as she pointing her finger at Akihiko.

"It was nice knowing you," Aigis added salt to their wound.

"Arthemisia, Mabufudyne!"

Mitsuru's new Persona suddenly appeared out of thin air behind her. This shocked the entire people in the hot spring, but there's no time to be schocked. The guys suddenly froze in a moment even though they are standing in the hot spring.

"Aigis, put them in the corner. Let them think about what they're doing!"

"Understood."

The girls then continue their bathing. None of them dare to asked Mitsuru about what's happening, including Yukari until they finished bathing.

Meanwhile in the corner, the guys still froze until they melt by the help of heat of the hot spring. Even though it was tormenting, Akihiko seems relieved to see Mitsuru back to her usual self.

They eventually catch a cold the next day because they were freeze almost the entire night.