Disclaimer:

I don't own Persona…. Why do I need to put this here? Seriously? If I owned Persona, would my writing be on this website? Would Kasumi be a figment of my imagination? No and No, so there. :P

Naoto: You're legally required to do it, so quit your complaining and get on with the story.


Chapter 4

The blue haired boy, who had given the me the name Minato Arisato, lead me up several flights of stairs, finally arriving at the top floor of the dorm. He pushed open the doors to what was apparently a meeting room, and we stepped inside. The door swung shut behind me, closing with an ominous thud as I was locked in with these people who were to decide my future. All chatter ceased as I entered.

Inside was what you'd expect in a meeting room. A large oak coffee table was surrounded on all sides by red furniture. Red couch, red stools, red chair… Do they have a red fetish? Along one wall was a row of computers. The wall was covered with beeping monitors.

Six people occupied the meeting area. I recognized Mitsuru and Akihiko sitting on the couch. Then there was a brunette, a girl with teal colored hair, and a guy wearing a hat. Reclining in the chair was a middle-aged man with long brown hair and glasses. Minato walked forward and claimed the last remaining seat on the couch, leaving me to stand awkwardly in front of everybody.

"Umm…" I trailed off.

"Oh, here." The hat-wearing boy stood up from his stool. "You can take my seat." The brunette rolled her eyes at this, but the boy didn't seem to notice. As I hesitantly sat down, he went to prop himself up on the arm of the couch. Chivalry isn't dead, I suppose.

There was silence for a while, during which we all engaged in a staring contest with everyone else. For lack of anything better to do, I started humming a song. I noticed Minato reach up and clip on his headphones.

"Ahem, anyway…" The man with the glasses broke the silence. "You're Kasumi Shirogane, is that right?"

"No… I'm the pizza man." I said sarcastically. Several people snickered. I think even Mr. Silent over there cracked a smile. Glasses hesitated, as though uncertain whether or not I was joking.

"That was sarcasm. Yeah, I'm Kasumi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"No, no… The pleasure's all mine." I rolled my eyes, trying to push my sarcasm abilities to their absolute limit. "It's always exciting to get mauled by demons in a time of day that shouldn't exist. Seriously, best time ever."

"Yes, well… We extend our most sincere apologies to you for that-"

"Yeah, about that… Do you have a 'Demon-infested Tower insurance policy to cover the costs for a new laptop?" As I talked, I pulled my messenger bag forward, dumping the contents on the coffee table. The battered body skidded across the wood, along with many different pieces of machinery I'm sure Naoto would have been able to identify, but to me looked like metal soup. "See these shattered bits? These are bits of my life. And look what's become of them."

"Ah, um…" Make random guy in glasses feel awkward and pressured? Check.

"If I may speak." Mitsuru spoke up, most likely to help the guy save face. "Shirogane, this is the Chairman of the Board for Gekkoukan High, Shuji Ikutsuki. You already know Akihiko and Minato Arisato. The girl with the brown hair is Yukari Takeba." 'Yukari' dipped her head and muttered a 'nice to meet you.'

"Then there's Fuuka Yamagishi, and Junpei Iori."

The teal-haired girl and the other guy gave me little hi's and waves.

"Everybody, this is Kasumi Shirogane. From tomorrow forward, she will be a junior in your school." Mitsuru continued.

"Hold the phone!" I stood up sharply. "I don't think this is fair. So I may have skipped three years of school… But I kept up with my studies! I'm well educated! I can spell big words. Insubordination. I-n-s-u-b-o-r-d-i-n-a-t-i-o-n. Insubordination. So there. In case my choice of words was too subtle, I am saying I'm being insubordinate."

The Kirijo acted like I hadn't spoken. Instead she just turned to the Chairman. "I suppose I should let you take over?"

"Yes, yes…" Ikutsuki still looked a little uncomfortable under my piercing glare. "I understand Mitsuru here already explained some things to you?"

"Something about Shadows and the Dark Hour… I'm still not clear on it." I stretched unconsciously, and then winced as my still bruised ribs let their opinion on my movement known.

"Right. You see, you wield a special power, known as Persona." The Chairman explained. "People with this power, namely you young students here, are able to enter the Dark Hour, and traverse the Tower of Demise."

"We just call it Tartarus…" Akihiko cut in, throwing a weird look towards Ikutsuki. "That was the tower you entered. It's kind of like a Shadow nest."

Junpei spoke then for the second time that night. "But isn't that cool? It's like having a super power!"

I blinked, sitting back down. "Sure, if that's your definition of cool. Hey, question. Mr. Shuji called it the 'Tower of Demise.' You seemed kind of surprised to hear it referred to that way."

"Err, yeah…" Yukari said. "We don't really… actually, I don't think we've ever called it the 'Tower of Demise.'"

"I'm sure it was just a slip of the tongue." Fuuka chimed, playing roll of the peacemaker. I, however, was not appeased. I let the subject drop for now, though.

"Anyway." The Chairman started again. "The power you use is unique, and we think it could be of use to us. Mitsuru?"

The redhead reached down and pulled out a metal briefcase I hadn't noticed before.

"To make a long story short, as long as you'll be going to our school, you should be affiliated with some sort of club. We'd like you to join us. We're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, SEES for short. We are classified as a school club, after all." She clicked open the case, and there, gleaming uncannily, was a silver gun. The letters SEES were engraved on it, along with some pretty patterns. Next to the gun was a red armband, SEES written in black.

"Dammit." I cursed. "I thought it was a new laptop."

I noticed Minato smile slightly. So he was paying attention? Either that or a really good song just started playing.

"So, will you join us?" Mitsuru's icy demeanor had started melting. I guess now I officially went to school, she couldn't really stay mad at me.

"Um…" Hesitating, I weighed my options. This was a chance to fight evil, literally, not in the detective/policeman sense. I would finally be able to be proud of things I've done. And besides that, with everyone staring at me, it's not like I could really say no.

"Hey…" Yukari frowned. "I know it's a big decision. We have a pretty bad problem with rushing people into things. You can take your time making your decision."

"I… That's just…" Joining would also mean risking my life. I could die fighting these monsters. These Shadows. But…

"Apathy Syndrome's getting to be a really big problem now, right?"
Naoto, lying there helplessly, unable to form a coherent thought. Her eyes, once full of life, hold nothing. Her soul bound in endless apathy, to never again be the girl I once knew.

"I'm in."

I will protect my sister and the ones I love.

Who knew I could be so deep?

"Excellent." Mitsuru said. "This is your Evoker to keep."
"Are you sure?" Yukari had a look on her face that clearly said Again with this?

"That's awesome, dude!" Junpei exclaimed.

"…Yay…" The Arisato just shrugged.

"Oh, that's right. Shirogane, you should be aware that Arisato here is our field leader, and Yamagishi provides support in battle. Besides the Evoker we've given you, you'll need an actual weapon. Don't worry about that. There is one more thing, though. As long as you're going to join, we'll have to ask you to stay here. Is that a problem?" I shook my head. "Good. Then, at your earliest convenience, you can move into a room on the third floor."

"This is all well and good," I stood up, grabbing 'my' brief case and scooping my laptop soup into my bag. "But I really need to get back."

Before I could reach the door, Mitsuru called for me to stop.

"Before you go, you'll be needing this." She gestured to the white-haired boy, who tossed me a plastic bag. I caught it and peered inside. My fingers brushed over the soft fabric of a skirt. Yuck, skirts… Beneath the dreaded feminine attire was a white button-down shirt, and a black jacket, the Gekkoukan logo emblazoned on the left breast.

"Yay, I've always wanted one…"

"I'm glad, you'll need it for your first day of classes tomorrow."

Have I mentioned I hate school? Well, I do.

I had one hand on the doorknob, so close to freedom, I could smell it, when Ikutsuki called me back.

"Oh, one moment, Miss Kasumi. It's a little late for you to be walking home alone, isn't it? Akihiko, Minato, be gentlemen and walk the young lady home."

"No, no, that's really not necessary…"


Well, that was painfully awkward… I plopped down on my couch, clicking on the TV to the news. The entire walk home had been spent in stony silence, broken only by the slight trickle of music coming from Minato's headphones.

"Does that boy ever talk?" I wondered aloud as I reached for my cell phone. It informed me that it was eleven thirty, and therefore not unreasonable for me to call my sister again. Well, at least not to me. Naoto might disagree, but if she didn't want to talk, she didn't have to answer.

I dialed her number, watching the news with half my attention.

"Hello?" Her familiar, 'masculine' voice answered after the second ring.

"Hey, Na- WAIT!"

"There's no need to shout… What is it?"

"It's nearing Midnight, and you answered on the first ring. What's with that? Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" I lowered my voice, but only slightly.

"I've been busy with work. I want to try to figure out who the next target might be." She explained as though that should be obvious.

"Work-a-holic…." I muttered under my breath. "ANYWAY, believe it or not, I have a reason to be calling you."

"You looked into the people I asked you to check out? You were magically able to solve this case and can give me a detailed description of the culprit? If it's not one of these reasons, I'm hanging up."

"…It's not-"

"Goodbye, Kasumi."

"WAIT!" I may have woken up people in Greenland with that shout. When the sound of a disconnected signal did not assault my ears, I knew I had been successful in keeping her from hanging up.

"Five minutes, and then I'm leaving." Naoto finally sighed.

"Thank you, oh wise and wonderful detective, for gracing a poor commoner with your attention."

"Four minutes, forty-two seconds, forty-one seconds…" She counted.

"Don't be weird… Okay… So, you know how Grandpa's always bothering me about going to school and stuff?"

"Yes…?"

"As of tomorrow, I will officially be a member of the Student Body of Gekkoukan High School."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Naoto? Did you fall to the ground in cardiac arrest? DO YOU NEED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE?"

The girl finally recovered. "You're not joking, right? You're finally continuing your education, and I didn't have to threaten or bribe you? This isn't a late April Fools' joke?"

I clarified with a chuckle, "Nope! Though to say I wasn't threatened wouldn't be totally accurate?"

"What?"

"Noooothing…."

"So why the sudden change of heart?" Naoto questioned.

"I joined the schools demon-slaying club."

"I realize I'm repeating myself, but, what?"

"I'm just kidding you. Remember a long time ago when we actually acted like siblings and would joke with each other like that without questioning each other's sanity? I miss those times… Then that stupid hat of yours devoured them like a ravenous wolf." I said in a joking tone. A tone that she would have picked up on a while ago, but now took seriously, reacting seriously as well.

"…Kasumi… Stop making me the villain. I'm happy that you are finally getting an education, and I'm grateful that you'll be helping me with the Inaba Murder case, but I don't have the time to argue with you about something that happened years ago, so if you don't mind, I'm going to go now, and try to catch a criminal. I'll talk to you later, about the matter we discussed earlier. Goodbye."

"Very well." This sudden change of mood shocked me, though in retrospect, I should have been used to it. I changed my tone – that had been light hearted a moment ago – to match her's. "Bye."

Click.

"I love you, Naoto. Sleep good, don't let the bed bugs bite…" I said into the dead line.

"Love you, Kasumi."

"I love you, too, Naoto. Sleep good, and don't let the bed bugs bite!"

"Bed bugs? There are bed bugs…? What'll happen if they bite me…? Kasumi!"

"It's okay, Nao. If the bed bugs do get you, I'll get 'em back for you, okay? So don't worry!"

"Ah, okay… Thank you, Kas… Love you."

I smiled fondly at the memory, despite the stinging behind my eyes that threatened to bring forth tears. "I wasn't trying to make you the villain. I really do miss those times. When we were two sisters, not a brother and a sister."

I closed my eyes, allowing sleep to take over me, along with bittersweet memories of a time that may never return.


~~Author's Note~~

School.

That's all I can say, really… Frigging school. I know how you feel, Kasumi… And the whole 'love/hate sibling relationship.' Of course, my brother and I get along much better than these two. Sorry, I'm a sadist to my characters; therefore I had to make Kasumi and Naoto's relationship full of glitches. *Shrugs*

Guess what time it is?

Kasumi: Adventure time?

No, you always guess that. Go back to the deep recesses of my subconscious that gave birth to you.

It's time to thank the awesome people who have reviewed my lil' story thus far!

*Drum roll*

Kaizer23

KaUiA

Axark

NightfallSky

You four all get a giant piece of cake. KaUiA, you get two because you reviewed twice!

Also, to you who have favorited/alerted: Because I'm overcome with laziness, and most of you are listed under the reviews, I'm not going to go through your names individually. Just know that I thank you. *Bows* Oh, and even if you didn't like my story/were too lazy to review/didn't feel like alerting, I still thank you for reading.