(Trois? I was wondering if you'd rather a Tropical Vacation or a Wintry...Where'd you go?)
Persona 3 belongs to Atlus, not the author. The author only owns the original ideas and original characters.
Chapter 4: Dark Hour and Deathly Child
Minato
"Class, we have a new a student joining us today."
While the rest of the class looked at the girl in the front of the class curiously, he just stared out the window.
"Why don't you introduce yourself?" the teacher said kindly.
"Uh...I-I'm..."
He looked at the front of the class and locked eyes with the girl, before nodding reassuringly. The girl hesitated, before looking at the class resolutely.
"My name is Natsuno Shiomi. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"I don't see why I still have to go to school."
Smith looked at him in surprise, paused in between putting on his boots.
"Hmm?"
"I mean, why do I have to go to school. It just doesn't seem...It just doesn't seem right..." he said quietly.
Smith glanced at Natsuno, who was drawing something, before looking back at him.
"I suppose you have gone through some world altering events lately..."
Smith put on his boots and stood up, walking over to him.
"Still, just because the world seems to have turned upside down, remember that it was never right side up in the first place."
He stared at Smith, who smiled back.
"I don't understand what you mean." he said bluntly, and Smith frowned.
"How about this? School gives knowledge. And knowledge is power."
Smith kneeled down to look at him eye to eye.
"Just try to do it. I know it seems weird to do something normal, but we all need a little normal in our lives."
Smith grinned, standing up.
"Besides, sometimes normal becomes abnormal in a heartbeat, so just try to have a bit of fun."
Smith walked towards the door, and Natsuno looked up.
"Where are you going anyway?"
Smith turned his head.
"Just off to see what I can learn about the Kirijo Group, among other things." Smith walked out of the door, "Stay safe." Before closing it.
Natsuno looked at him, and he just shrugged his shoulders. Natsuno just raised an eyebrow, before going back to her drawing.
"Hello there."
He opened his eyes to see green light filtering through the window. He looked to his side to see the mysterious boy from before standing next to him. The boy was staring at Natsuno, who was still asleep. He narrowed his eyes and sat up, and the boy turned towards him.
"We meet again."
"Who are you?"
The boy blinked, tilting his head.
"Who am I?"
He nodded. The boy just stared at him, before giving a soft smile.
"I don't know."
He frowned, before looking out the window at the giant moon above.
"Okay...Then what is that?"
"That's the moon, silly."
"I mean what's all of this? The green light, the giant moon...What is it?"
"It's the end."
"But what does that mean?"
The boy remained silent, and he got up from bed and walked up to the window. Silhouetted against the moon were more of those giant ravens.
Shadows.
"It's a hidden hour."
He looked at the boy in surprise.
"A what?"
"An hour, hidden between the days."
He thought for a moment.
"You mean between midnight and one?"
The boy nodded.
"Okay, a hidden hour...But what does that mean?"
The boy just smiled.
"Like I said, it means the End of the World."
He groaned and sat back down on the bed.
"That doesn't help me."
He had to figure out about this whole thing before he could tell it to Smith. Because grown-ups never believed you until you showed them enough proof.
"I need to get going," the boy said suddenly, and suddenly disappeared and reappeared next to the door.
"Before I go..." the boy looked at him in the eyes, and there was a moment of silence.
"I remembered something."
"What?"
The boy smiled happily, before disappearing.
"My name's Pharos."
"Why are you sitting here all alone?"
He looked up from the book to see Natsuno looking at him. The rest of the students were enjoying lunch break. Not that they hadn't either. Smith could make all kinds of food.
"What do you mean?" he asked, closing his book.
"I mean you're not talking to anyone. Why?"
"Do I need to talk to anybody else?"
"Of course," Natsuno said, frowning.
He stared at her for a moment, before going back to the book, ignoring the angry growl Natsuno gave. He managed to get to half a page before Natsuno suddenly shoved him. The book fell from his hands, and he looked up to see Natsuno smiling mischievously.
"Tag, your it!"
Natsuno ran a few feet away while he stared at her uncomprehendingly, before turning around and sticking her tongue out. That's it. He immediately got up and ran after her. Natsuno laughed happily, and he felt a smile tug at his lips, ignoring the stares they were getting. When they got in trouble for running in the class, somehow it seemed worth it.
"Hello again."
He opened his eyes to see Pharos sitting at the foot of his bed.
"What are you doing?" he asked, sitting up. Pharos tilted his head.
"Sitting on your bed, of course."
He raised an eyebrow.
"I can see that."
A moment of silence passed and he glanced at Natsuno, who was still fast asleep.
"It's strange..." Pharos mused.
He looked back at Pharos.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know who I am...But with each passing day, I can feel my memories return."
Pharos clutched his head, shaking, though he still looked calm.
"It's like a torrent, or a flood. It's almost overwhelming."
Pharos looked up at the ceiling.
"But even still, I am nowhere near remembering myself."
He frowned.
"Do you remember anything else?"
Pharos remained silent, before looking at him.
"Yes."
"...Well, what is it?"
Pharos smiled, and reappeared at the window. He stood up and walked over to the window as well, looking outside.
"The End...is not brought about by one person in particular."
"Then, who's causing it?"
Pharos just stared at the moon, and he sighed. Well, at least it was something.
"Tell me...Can I ask you something?"
He blinked and looked at Pharos, who was staring at him.
"Uh...Go ahead."
"Are we friends?"
He blinked, and looked at Pharos, who was looking at him in a sort of lonely way. He hesitated before answering. Were they friends?
"I don't know about grumpy, but I think we're friends."
Both he and Pharos blinked in shock, and turned to see Natsuno sitting up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Natsuno? What are you doing?" he asked.
Then he realized something more important.
"And you can see him?"
Natsuno yawned, before looking at them.
"At first, no. But after the first night, I could."
She got off the bed, looking at Pharos.
"I was surprised at first, but you seemed like a nice guy."
He blinked.
"You were eavesdropping?"
"It's not like you two were whispering or anything."
Pharos, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.
"You consider me a friend?"
Natsuno blinked and stared at him.
"Of course."
"But...Why?"
Natsuno frowned.
"Well, you seem nice enough. And you're helping Minato. That puts you in my good books."
Natsuno put her hand out and smiled.
"My name's Natsuno. It's nice to meet you."
Pharos stared at the hand uncomprehendingly, before giving a tentative handshake.
"My name is Pharos," Pharos tilted his head. "But didn't you know that already?"
Natsuno frowned.
"It's polite to introduce yourself."
"She's right."
Pharos and Natsuno looked at him.
"See? Even Minato agrees."
He shook his head.
"That's not what I meant."
Natsuno frowned and Pharos tilted his head.
"She's right...You are our friend," he said firmly.
Pharos looked at him in surprise, before grinning. It almost looked too wide on him.
"Then...We are all friends..." Pharos said slowly, relishing the word friend. He nodded, and Natsuno smiled.
"Of course!"
Pharos giggled, before disappearing. He and Natsuno looked around in surprise, only to see him standing at the door.
"It's getting late. I should get going. But don't worry, I'll return."
Pharos grinned again as the world returned to normal suddenly.
"After all, we're friends."
'Smith'
He looked at the building from the shadows of the forest, before smiling.
"I've finally found where you are, Takeharu Kirijo."
"..."
(So...Who does one manage to sleep like that?)
"I'd rather not talk about it..."