I'm not talking about the exams. No way. Nothing interesting happened before or after school during exam time, Mitsuru was adamant on that. I suffered them, doesn't mean you have to, so I'm gonna skip that completely.

Well, I'd like to, but you ought to know that Pharos cheats.

Yeah.

He kept walking around the classroom telling me what everyone was writing.

This probably means that he's real, and not just a figment of my imagination.

I'd like to say that I ignored him, but sometimes he told me an answer I knew was wrong, which led me onto what the real answer was. And it's hard to look back and check your answers if you've been told what they were, so I tried to keep some integrity by not changing the questions I know that I wouldn't have gotten.

I just hope that it doesn't come back to bite me in the backside later.

So, Saturday we had the last exam, General Studies. I was able to take it easy, since Pharos couldn't help me on this one. For each question, you were given two sides of an argument and had to write your argument for or against the topic of the debate.

I know for a fact that I aced it. Convincing people to my point of view was easy for me.

"Hey! Minato-kun!"

I turned around. "'Sup Kazushi-kun." I waved as my teammate walked up to me.

"Hey, rest of the team are going out later, you coming?" he offered.

I shrugged. "Sure, why not?" I asked. "Is Yuko-san going?"

Kazushi nodded. "Yeah, it was her idea." he said. "Anyway, we're going for Karaoke, but can you cover me for a few hours?"

I nodded. "Your mum worried about the results?"

He nodded. We both knew that we weren't talking about exams.

I reached into my pocket and passed him 5,000 yen. "I'll say you're on a food run." I told him. "Bring us something good."

"Dude, you sure?" He asked, reluctant about taking the money.

"You're putting five grand to it too." I pointed out. "Difference is you keep the change since it's your run."

He laughed and pocketed it. "Thanks man. I owe you one."

"You owe me pie." I corrected. "Don't forget it."

Mandagora was the Karaoke bar in Paulownia Mall. It was on the upper level, above the alley where the Velvet Room is.

Normally, it's next to impossible to get in on the weekend, it's that busy, but Yuko had reserved us a room. We had fun, and I laughed like hell during Saito's horrific slaughter of 'Don't stop me now'. I had no idea that was popular over here.

Eventually it was my turn to sing. I looked for one that I knew somewhat, and found that the opening for that new Fullmetal Alchemist was on the list.

Man, I love that anime. I picked it and stood up.

"Dude, Yui's a girl." Hideo laughed. "Again is a girl's song."

"Just watch…"

Let's see… adjust my voice to adapt…One octave below the original singers… okay. Let's go.

"Yume no tsuzuki, Oikakete ita hazu na no ni…
Magarikunetta hosoi michi Hito ni tsumazuku…"
Bring it down…
"Ano koro mitai ni tte Modoritai wake ja nai no Nakushite kita sora o…
Sagashiteru!
Wakatte kuremasu you ni Gisei ni natta you na Kanashii kao wa
Yamete yo!"
Now for the fast bit…
"Tsumi no saigo wa namida ja nai yo, Zutto kurushiku seottekun da
Deguchi mienai kanjou meiro ni Dare o matteru no!
Shiroi nooto ni tsuzutta you ni Motto sunao ni hakidashitai yo
Nani kara Nogaretain da Genjitsu tte yatsu!"
And now, Chorus!
"Kanaeru tame ni Ikiterun da tte
Wasurechaisou na, Yoru no mannaka…
Munan ni nante Yatterarenai kara-aaah!
Kaeru basho mo nai no
Kono omoi o keshite shimau ni wa
Mada jinsei nagai desho…"
(I'm not that way!)
"Natsukashiku naru… Konna itami mo kangeijan!"

Damn, I love that song. Lyrics fit FMA so well too.

"Not bad." Thanks Pharos. I turned around and everyone was in shock.

Ha ha, didn't expect that, didja?

"Wow Minato-kun…" Yuko was impressed. "Nice set of pipes."

"Dammit man…" Manaka was annoyed. "Why bother joining the kendo team if you can just go become a male idol instead?"

"Because I have enough fangirls as it is." Nice, well timed joke. I didn't, and did not want any.

A girlfriend or two would be different though.

Did I just insinuate that I wouldn't mind being a two timing scumbag?

Why am I not surprised? Scary…

"I'M BACK WITH SUSHI!"

Thank you Kazushi from derailing that dangerous, dangerous train of thought right there.

Eventually Hideo suggested we sneak into Escapade. Obviously we had to change halfway out of our school uniforms, and I suggested that we go in separately to avoid suspicion.

Since I wore an actual tie and looked the most mature with my hair parted, I went in first.

"Sorry, we can't allow any more inside." the bouncer said.

That's unusual.

I asked him about it, and after some headology, turned out that the band blobbed on them, and all the people inside were in uproar. I peeked through the door. There was a drumkit set up, guitar, bass, mic and some amps set up.

No band, so all it needed was some arrogant tosser who thought that someone gave a damn about his singing.

"What are you gonna do?" Pharos asked me.

Fairly obvious. I dodged past the bouncer and ran towards the stage. When the crowd got in the way, I jumped sideways and tic-tacked the wall onto the stage.

Do anything with enough confidence and no one will question your authority to do so. I grabbed the guitar and began to play.

Borrowing a brilliant crowd calming move I learnt from the great Eric Roche, I started playing Smells Like Teen Spirit. However, I'd taken time to learn it his style. The style that involved playing lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals simultaneously on one acoustic guitar.

It takes an insane amount of skill, but he played it off the top of his head for the first time at a gig with bottles being thrown at him.

I learnt the song beforehand, but it had the same effect, which is best described as 'holy crap'.

I played a few songs afterwards, then got off the stage and went to the bar, ordering a sprite.

Hey, I'm underage, and they're strict about that over here. Rules are rules, and it's not like anyone said I couldn't jump on stage.

Barman asked what he could do to thank me, and I settled for him letting my teammates in for the night.

I, on the other hand, got my name on the clubs V.I.P. list.

"Hmm… I feel a strange aura around you…"

I turned to the woman to my right. She had dark brown hair and was dressed for working in an office. Fortune. "In my mind," She said, "I see visions... People's past, present, and future... For most people, I see clearly, and far ahead... But you are different..."

She looked at me intently. "Your future is filled with both blinding light and stagnant shadow..." she said mysteriously. "I can see but a small portion... What lies beyond that is shrouded in mystery…" She turned back to her drink. "What a peculiar fate you carry..."

"Erm…"

"Would you like me to share my limited visions with you, Bearer of Light and Shadow?" I nodded. "Very well…"

She closed her eyes, as if concentrating. "…You have pulled fate's trigger… The bullet passes through many, breaking glass barriers and opening hearts…" She concentrated further. "I feel that a change is about to occur in your life…A strong wind blows across the world, sending a blue flower's petals into the air..." She opened her eyes. "How will you interpret this wind...? As a weak and frail breeze? Or a brave and mighty gust...?" She turned back to her drink. "Farewell, then... May your future be bright..."

"She's the real deal." Pharos told me. "But she's right. I can't seem to predict the future much when it comes to you either…"

"Nice, Minato-kun!" Yuko slapped me across the back. "Never expected you to get us in!"

"Hey, I have skills." Which reminded me. "Oh, I looked into their diet for you."

Yuko was all ears. "Really? What's it like?"

Some time before the exams, Yuko asked me to check out Yukari and Mitsuru's diet for her. She said that they were her best chance of finding a diet that would help you stay active and thin at the same time, since they were also in sports teams. I told her how much they eat about a day, and she was gobsmacked.

"Seriously?" she asked. "That much?" I just thought they could actually do with more. "Are they bulimic or something?"

"Nah, but they do put themselves through training from hell." Hey, Tartarus is Greek for Hell. Most people think its Hades, but that's just the person in charge of it. Common misconception.

"Wow… that actually makes me look good." she whistled. "Thanks!"

SMASH

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Strength Arcana...

It's that easy.

I pulled Kazushi over to a table at one point during the night. Believe it or not, because of all the people we could have our conversation in private.

I got him to tell me how the results of the exam went. From the look on his face, not well.

"I… I really don't want the others to know about this…"

"You look like you don't even want me to know about it." I pointed out.

"You deserve to know… and I'm gonna need your help…" Oh. If Kazushi was asking for help about this then it was serious. "I…" he sighed.

I gave him space to tell me in his own time.

"My hamstring's being ripped apart." Kazushi told me, coming clean. "He… he told me that I put too much strain on it during practice… if it keeps up I… I won't ever be able to walk again…"

He looked like hell, and I understood why. An athlete who couldn't use his hamstring was like… like me without my insanity.

Still alive, but I couldn't do what made me live.

If he destroyed it, then his life was over, but if he rested, had surgery and went through rehab, then he could still make it next year.

I need to be careful about this. Especially since he thinks he's doing this for his nephew.

Hell, how can I ask him to back out of a promise because he might suffer what his nephew already is suffering? How could I…

…That could work…

"You're gonna need to be careful then." I said, sipping my drink.

He looked up to me. "You need to find a way to let the hamstring rest." I said. "The sensible thing would be to back out of the promise and get it treated."

"Wha- What do you take me for!" Kazushi shouted, outraged.

"Someone who won't do the sensible thing." I answered with a sly grin. Kazushi caught it and sat back down, matching it. "The 'right' thing to do," I continued, "is destroy yourself and hope that it inspires your nephew to take the rehab. Which it probably won't."

Okay, good so far… but where to now...?

"Musashi managed to fight with an injured leg, if I remember correctly." Pharos pointed out. "Sent many men to their deaths."

Pharos liked to tell me what 'really' happened during the history exam, but this was actually good advice. I'd read some of that manga.

"Remember Miyamoto Musashi?" I asked Kazushi.

"Well, duh, who doesn't?" he scoffed.

Most of the people outside of Japan for one. "Well, he fought for ages with a sliced hamstring while it healed, so all you need to do is figure out how he did it." I told him. Come on brain… Think… THINK!

Click. "He called that technique the circle of death right?" I asked, making a circle around the table with a finger. "He drew a circle in the ground and told his enemies that he wouldn't move, but if they entered the circle then they would die right?"

"What about it? Wait…" The penny dropped in Kazushi's head.

I smiled. "You look it up in the library; I'll try to reverse-engineer it." I was as much of a genius in combat as I was musically. "We can do this."

Kazushi smiled. "Thanks man… I owe you one…"

SMASH

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Chariot Arcana...

"Hey kid!"

Kazushi and I turned around to see a drunken monk with a cigar in his mouth walking towards us. It was pretty surreal.

He took a seat next to us. "That was some pretty fancy guitar playing there… but you're awfully young to be here." The old man said. He then turned to Kazushi and added "So are you. I'm surprised they didn't throw you out."

"Well, they said we could come in this once to thank Minato-kun for what he did." Kazushi reasoned.

"That explains a lot…" the monk grunted. "They letting you drink?"

"Only soft drinks." I said. "Like you said, we're too young to actually be here."

"I thought so… so you're some no good kids who wanted a peek at adult life, eh?" he laughed.

"We wouldn't drink anyways." Kazushi said. "And we're not 'No Good Kids'. We're athletes."

"Oh really? What sport?"

"Kendo." I told him.

"What, you?" He laughed at me. "Kid, if you're any kind of athlete, you're a swimmer, or a runner. Kendo ain't for skinny kids like you."

Now, I admit, I was smaller than the other guys on the team, but skinny I was not. "Excuse me?" my muscles weren't big, but they were rock solid.

By hell, they were they rock solid. I've broken hands with my abs.

"Dude, I'm the next captain, and he's better than me!" Kazushi told the old monk.

"Huh." The monk grunted, taking a swig of his booze. "You think it'll last?"

Kazushi was stunned. No surprise, considering the damage to his leg. "You seem optimistic about the future kid." the monk said, slamming his drink against the table. "Don't be. Because when you don't get what you hoped for outta life, it's gonna crush ya. Then you're gonna hafta drink and smoke just ta get through the day."

The monk stood up. "You're nothing like those punks I normally see around here; Always getting inta trouble with the police and at school. Can't say the same for my son though…" he looked at us. "I'm gonna remember your faces kids. Next time I see you in here, I'll get the bouncer to throw ya out." He turned away. "When you've had yer fill, go home. And don't come back." He walked off into the crowd.

SMASH

Aww, what!

Thou art I… and I am thou…

You've gotta be kidding me…

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Tower Arcana...

This just isn't fair… wait, Tower?

"Symbolising destruction, and your ideals falling in on you, Tower." Pharos added, smiling.

That explained a lot.

"What's up with him?" Kazushi asked, huffing.

"He probably doesn't want us getting into trouble."

"Sound more like he thought we were trouble to me." Kazushi grumbled.

"Remember what he said about his son?" I asked to Kazushi, leaning towards him. "I think he's trying to be some kind of parental figure to us because something happened between him and his son."

Kazushi looked at me like I was crazy. "Seriously? You think so?"

I nodded. "It's amazing what you find out when you listen and pay attention." I told him. "Not many people actually do it."

Kazushi sighed. "I suppose…"

I got back to the dorm at around half eleven, ready for bed.

"Where've you been?"

"With some friends," I told Akihiko. "Why?"

Then I looked at him. He was there with his arms folded, metal gauntlets covering his fists, wearing a bulletproof vest. Yukari and Junpei were kitted out for battle. "I've been out of action for over a month, and you didn't think that we were going to Tartarus first chance I got?" Akihiko asked. "I've gotta get back into shape! Besides…" He continued. "We've found another Persona user."

Wait, what?

"We did!" Junpei asked eagerly. "Sweet! Is it a girl?"

"Actually, yeah, she is." Akihiko nodded. "Her name's Fuuka Yamagishi, she's in your year, on the other side. You know her?"

"Yamagishi…" Yukari began "Oh, that girl in 2-E? I heard she gets sick a lot, so I don't see her very often."

Akihiko nodded. "It's possible. I did meet her at the hospital after all. But…" Akihiko sighed. "Maybe she's not cut out for battle… I had an Evoker made for her too…"

"We're giving up on her already?" I asked.

"Shame…" Junpei said. "I was gonna offer her some private lessons…"

Yukari glared at Junpei. "What do you expect?" He said, trying to defend himself. "I'm a guy."

"Actually… Mitsuru would probably be a better option for private lessons…" I added, thinking to myself.

"Junpei's gotten a nosebleed." Thanks Pharos, I really needed to know that.

"Anyway, come on! We need to go!" Akihiko told me. "Mitsuru's already there. We've got about twenty minutes until the dark hour!"

I slammed my schoolbag against the ground and pulled out my Evoker, ramming it into the back of my trousers. I got my gloves out of my pockets and tugged them onto my hands. "Then let's go." I said. I'd grab a Red Bull along the way.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Yukari asked me.

"I'll grab something when I'm there." I shrugged. "I'm feeling lucky."