"I still don't think that should be possible." Yukari said as we walked to school on Monday.
"Neither did I…" I replied, clutching my bandaged left hand. Yes, I played so hard last night that I sliced my fingertips open. Mind you, that's actually not too uncommon, and usually you only need a plaster or something.
Of course, instead of doing the sensible thing and taking a break and casting Dia on myself, I kept playing until they were well and truly slashed open. Down to the bone. I was eventually disqualified and sent to hospital for rocking too hard. That damn monk just laughed his arse off.
Speaking of which, I'm supposed to be setting Kaz a good example, aren't I?
Yukari offered to speed the healing process up for me, but I declined. I figure as long as it doesn't get in the way of fighting Shadows, I should probably just use it as a good reminder not to go overboard next time.
"Like that's going to happen," Pharos smirked. Fair point, but still, 'accept the consequences of my decisions' and all that.
"Well, you still got your right hand, right?" Yukari asked. "I mean, could be a bit tricky taking notes..."
"Eh, it doesn't matter." I answered. "Ambidextrous."
"Seriously?" Yukari was surprised. I nodded.
Yukari looked a bit uncomfortable as a thought crossed her mind. "What's up?" I asked her.
"Oh, well," she scratched the nape of her neck. "What do you think of Mitsuru-senpai?"
...
The question's loaded and aimed at my foot.
"Don't you think she sort of pushed Fuuka into joining?" She continued in response to my silence. "I mean, it's good having her around and all, especially in battle, but..." she sighed. "It just feels… wrong…"
"Emotionally, Mitsuru didn't leave Fuuka much of an option." I shrugged. "However, I have no doubt that Fuuka wanted this."
"You think so?" She asked, so I nodded again.
She seemed a bit relieved, but still not one hundred percent happy.
Tuesday, I took Fuuka out on our first patrol. Mitsuru was back at the Dorm with her as I ran alongside Akihiko, looking for things to kill.
It's interesting, but outside of Tartarus, I prefer Mitsuru's back-up.
Let me explain. Mitsuru's scanning tells us a Shadow's resistances and weaknesses. Fuuka does this but quicker, as well as telling us the Shadow's skills, and relaying messages telepathically.
However, what she lacks is a thorough knowledge of the streets of Iwatodai, and a bloodlust that lets her quickly find new Shadows.
Compare Mitsuru to a blood hound, and Fuuka to ground control. Usually, ground control is better, but sometimes you just want a bloodthirsty animal to hunt down your prey.
And yes, my hand was still bandaged up. I'm telling you, I know what I'm doing.
I heard something interesting on Wednesday.
Apparently, now some of the culture clubs wanted new members. My options were Art, Photography, and Music.
I can draw pretty good and I've a decent eye for photos, but my first love is music. I actually got a scholarship to a music-based private highschool back home alongside Dave, but we both got expelled when we were sent to Juvenile Prison. Him for theft and wilful damage to property, myself for the same, GBH and justified homicide.
But enough about my life at fourteen, music club.
"Hello?" I asked, sliding the door to the music room open. It was devoid of life, empty except for some chairs, cupboards and a grand piano.
Not as grand as the one in the Velvet Room, but still pretty grand.
I walked over and sat on the piano stool, pushing a middle E note experimentally. I played a couple of scales. The piano had a good, melancholic yet hopeful sound. Dusting my hand over the top, I recognised the feel of the instrument.
I don't want to get spiritual or anything, but instruments, machines and even weapons have some kind of spirit. Not a soul, since they're not alive, but an experienced guitarist can pick up a guitar that had just come out of its case for the first time in years, play a few notes, and will always wince, because they feel the guitars neglect. Not misused, but unused.
This piano was used, of course, but it begged for a skilled master.
"Alright then." I said quietly, tapping the side of the wooden casing of the piano. Thinking for a moment, I began to play a soft, melodic introduction that sounded perfect on this instrument. After playing it a few times, I began to sing along.
"Put on my blue suede shoes, and I… boarded the plane…" I took a breath, "Touched down, in the land, of the delta blues…"
I shook my head. "In the middle of the pouring rain… no good?" I asked the piano.
The song sounded right, but it just didn't fit… the piano was asking for something different.
It wanted to let out some pain, show some determination.
I played.
I made it up on the spot.
A slow, mournful melody to begin with, slowly picking up volume and tempo. Then I hit the chord.
Dum DUM dum dum dun-insta-a-al! Oh, wait; this is an anime theme tune.
Well, it worked so I finished the line. I did it again, singing the song name this time, "Uh-oh-wo-uninsta-al!"
I hit the verse. Faster, increasing the determination and the pain. Bokurano, dum, dedadadadedumdedadadedum, fast bit, CHORD!
Now for the bridge, slightly more optimistic, but even more painful.
Quick riff aaand.. UnInSTALL! UninstaLL! Happy sadness, this just sounds perfect. I played the chorus again. "Will forever, be one!" I hummed the English translation of the lyrics, "Uninstall…"
I played the whole thing a second time, only slightly angrier. Just the slight change in how you touch the keys, the force, the speed, the angle and distance, all affect the sound oh so subtly. Once mastered, the piano can be such a beautiful instrument…
Let's break it down now in an afterverse, then stop.
Slowly now… bring it back in…
Un In STALL! UninSTALL! Chorus, beautiful.
I shook my head slowly as I played the outro. This piano better be satisfied because I damn well am!
I played the final note, then a quick scale just to put a ribbon on the song, when I heard quiet, slow clapping behind me.
I turned around to see a slightly older kid in glasses walking towards me. "That was beautiful…" He said. "What was it?"
"Uninstall." I said, getting away from the piano. "Erm… sorry for intruding, but…"
"Oh, not at all!" The boy said. "Did you come to join?"
"Well, yeah, actually." I shrugged.
"Then welcome!" He exclaimed. "I'm the club president, Keisuke." He said, offering his hand. "Kisuke Hiraga."
"Minato Arisoto." I replied, taking his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh, Fuuka mentioned you!" Wait, she's in this club too? "She said that you were supposed to be musically talented, but she never said that you were that good!" He seemed impressed. "I hope you enjoy being our pianist!"
Pianist? "Oh, I actually came to ask about any guitarist positions?" I queried.
He was surprised. "You play that too?"
I nodded. "Better than I do Piano." I explained.
"Wow!" Keisuke was impressed. "Well, I'm very pleased to have you join the club!" he smiled.
"He should be pleased that you let him in, Keisuke-senpai." Another club member said, coming in. "You are the club president, you know."
"R-right!" Keisuke smiled nervously. "Sorry, I forget."
I heard Fuuka chuckle. "He's always like this… Oh!" She noticed me. "Hello Minato-kun, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, he just joined the club!" Keisuke told her with a smile.
"Really?" Fuuka beamed. "That's wonderful!"
"Yeah, I guess so." I smiled at Fuuka. "Great to be part of the team."
SMASH
Thou art I… And I am thou…
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fortune Arcana
SMASH
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Priestess Arcana
Two birds, one piano solo. Behold my skillage.
"Erm… you don't need to come to every meeting…" Keisuke told me "Since no one else does."
"That's okay." I shrugged. "Where do you want me to sit?"
"Oh, I'm not letting you touch an instrument when you're like that!" Keisuke exclaimed.
I flashed a puzzled look, hoping for an answer, which came from the pianist. "Holy…!" he shouted. "There's blood on the piano!"
I glanced at my left hand. I'd cut my fingers open again somehow while playing… dammit, must not have healed properly.
Actually, I'm voting with the theory that emotional scars resist healing spells, hence why my head bleeds every once in a while. I enjoyed cutting my fingers to pieces last night, so most likely, Diarama isn't gonna cut it. I'll have to make do with normal healing.
"Sorry…" I said, raising my bloody hand. "I'll go see the nurse."
"Heheh, you do like to put your passion into your art."
Now, I'd been brought up to be tactful, and lately I'd been learning to be increasingly accepting of people, but the school nurse just freaks me the hell out.
For one thing, he's a dude, which breaks every law of hot nursedom. Laws aren't just good ideas, they are there for a reason!
Secondly, he started filling in for Mr. Whatsisface in general studies, which he spends his time teaching us magic. Not Harry Potter magic, or the real stuff we were doing, but the good old 'sit in front of a mirror chanting to a picture of a tree' stuff.
I actually had him earlier today, and it was all about the origins of magic in Shamanism. I don't believe a word of it.
"Well, these are interesting, kekeke…" he chuckled.
"What is sir?" I asked, hiding my boredom as he looked at my hand.
"Well, I read your palm as I bandaged your hand." he said.
"And?" I asked. It'd be a cold day in hell before someone could read me, but I'd like to see what this guy could come up with.
"I couldn't." He said. "My divination skills are quite impressive, but you are the first young man in quite some time whose palm I could not read…"
"Really?" I asked dryly. How convenient.
"Oh yes, kekeke… but that is not all." He looked right at me from behind those glasses of his. "I cannot read any of your true intentions either."
Ah, a so-called psychic. "What do you mean by that, sir?" I asked, humouring him.
"You fake facial expressions incredibly well, but I cannot see any honesty behind those emotions in your eyes." He told me, looking at me intently. "However, I cannot see any signs of deception in your face either."
Hm? "What are you implying sir?"
"Do you ever smile unintentionally?" He asked me, "Or frown when someone displeases you but you don't want them to know?"
Huh. Well, I've got emotional control in spades. "What are you-?"
"Answer the question, young man." He said, completely different from his usual crazy self.
"Erm…" I looked over his shoulder at Pharos. Do I?
Pharos shook his head. "Never." He told me. "Even when you look angry, it looks forced to me."
"I don't think so…" I said, and he scribbled in his notes. He then picked up one of those torches and lifted my hair to shine it in my eyes.
Seriously, what is with medical people with torches and what do they think they'll find in my eye?
"Tell me about that scar." He asked me professionally.
Ah yes, the small scar just below my hairline, above my right eye. I actually started growing my hair to cover it, but it looked silly at first so I went the full whack and got an emo cut. "I got it in the car accident my parents died in, years ago." I said.
He dropped my hair and flicked through my notes. "kukuku…" He chuckled to himself.
"What?" This was staring to worry me.
"This accident was when you were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome due to your sudden lack of emotion?" he asked, knowing the answer already thanks to my notes.
"I have emotions." I told him. "For example, I'm getting pretty pissed off right now."
"Yet your face is a mask of serenity." Edogawa smirked. "In fact, your face never betrays your true intentions."
That… was a very good point. Edogawa sighed and continued; "My theory is that since the conditions were right and they matched your symptoms, you were incorrectly diagnosed when you were merely mourning for your family."
"Incorrectly?" I asked him. "What the hell are you on about?"
"Have you come to terms with your parent's death?" he asked me.
"Yes." I told him.
"And your sister's?"
"What's your point?" I asked him. Yes, I'm dodging the question. Sue me.
"And you have recovered from your subsequent loss of emotion?" he asked, avoiding what I didn't want to talk about.
"Yes!" I shouted, getting angrier here. What was he getting at?
"But you fake your emotions habitually, which prevented anyone from picking up on this before." He stated, grabbing a form of his desk, starting to fill it in.
"Eh?" The penny should be dropping, but apparently it's stuck behind my ear. "Picking up on what?"
"I want you," Edogawa said as he handed me the form, "To take tomorrow morning absent from school, and go to the Tatsumi Hospital at this appointed time."
I looked at the form. CAT scan? "What are the doctors looking for?" I asked him.
Edogawa looked at me with all seriousness. "Brain damage."
I didn't believe him, but I went to the hospital anyway the next day.
You'll never guess what they found.
No, seriously. Guess.
You can't, can you?
Go on then, I'll tell you.
Brain Damage.
Turns out one of the nervous lobes in the front of my head, the one responsible for linking emotion to the face, right?
Dead.
So my facial muscles work fine, more expressive than most peoples, as it happens,
And the lobes and glands in my brain that control emotions are also perfectly functional.
But the nerves that put two and two together? Dead as a doornail.
Meaning, all those smiles, glares, reassuring or angry looks I've given people? All fake. Turns out I've only been doing them because I thought I should be. I didn't believe him, until one of his mates stabbed me with a needle when I was looking in a mirror.
Turns out, the face I get when I'm most emotional is one of complete boredom.
That nurse knows his stuff.
"You going to tell anyone?" Pharos asked me as I got on the train back to school, since I wasn't excused from the afternoon.
"Only the nurse." I said. "Apart from that, I've got patient confidentiality. No-one else needs to know."
"Wise decision." Pharos told me.
When I got into the school entrance during lunch, I saw Chihiro getting grilled by two students. When I went to listen what was going on, while keeping hidden, I was pretty surprised at what was being said.
"That means you were the last one who saw that money!" the girl said.
"Huh?" Chihiro protested. "N-no! I gave that to the teacher!"
"You're the treasurer right?" The dude jabbed her with his finger. "Why are you in that position if you don't even know how to handle money properly?"
"Hey Pharos?" I asked, as Chihiro's interrogation continued.
"Yeah Minato?"
"Wanna do something bang out of order?"
Pharos sighed. "Go on then." He said smiling.
He stepped into my head, learning the plan.
"The teachers are in the office right now!" The dude shouted. "So why don't you go fess up and apologise!"
WHAM! I ax-kicked his arm down, not bothering to hide my emotions.
In other words, I looked completely uninterested in what was going on as I turned around and picked him up by his collar, lifting him up in the air.
His shirt ripped and he fell to his knees. Dammit, that never happens in the movies! Damn Americans again!
"Go with it." Pharos advised me, so I threw the torn piece of shirt into his face.
"I don't like your tone." I told him. "Who do you think you are, accusing people like that?"
"I…I…" Oh, angry is scary, but plain bored is just terrifying.
I bent over so my face was inches from his. "Only Hidetoshi gets to do that." I warned. "Now get out."
The little bugger couldn't scramble away fast enough. I turned to his friend, still looking bored, by the way, and she practically jumped out of her skin.
"Boo." It was too good an opportunity to miss. I haven't seen anyone over the age of four react that much to those three letters before. She actually almost tripped as she legged it down the corridor after her friend.
Man, I love doing that.
I turned to Chihiro, putting on a concerned face. "You alright?"
"Y-Yeah…" She said, catching her breath for some reason.
"I know why…" Pharos smirked. Shut up Pharos.
"Th-those guys think I stole money from the school funds…" Woah, not good. "I-I couldn't stand up to them… but… I… I didn't take anything!"
"I know." I told her, scanning her face for deception leakage just to be sure. "We have to do something." I said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"R-right…" She said. "I-I have to prove to everyone that it wasn't me!" She got some energy back. "I… I never expected this to happen…" She said. "Minato-san… what should I do?"
SMASH
Thou shalt have out blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Justice Arcana.
"Um… Sorry…" She said, "This is my problem… I'll try to take care of it…"
Wait, by herself?
Wait, this is starting to make sense… "I'll see you later, Minato-san." She said, walking down the corridor.
I wish I was wearing glasses right now.
"Why?"
Because I can see the ending.
"You sad little geek person."