Hi-5 for chapter 3! \o/
Thanks for reviewers so far! I'll keep up writing! I never write so much in one chapter though, so it takes time.
FYI, the name of the hospital in last chapter is fiction, and yeah, there'll be bunch of Social Links so I leveled up all of them in a fast amount of level. And as for skill cards that can be obtained after discovering Social Links, it'll be as follows:
Fool: Survive Dark/Endure Dark
Priestess + Empress: Bufudyne/Mabufudyne
Lovers + Devil:Enradi/Tentarafoo
Sun + Hierophant:Vile Assault/Blight
Moon + Hanged Man: Ziodyne/Maziodyne
I'll add the skill to Yui's Persona from time-to-time:D
Hope you'll enjoy it! Oh yeah, you may be wondering about the entire cliffhanger in last chapter and some...yeah, the secrets of Nanako and Akihiko...well, you'll know soon enough, I think. But still, it takes time to explain ALL OF IT, so be patient, 'kay? This chapter will contain a hint of Nana-chan's secret, maybe you can guess—and there'll be many open Social Link, as well as the journey to find our Mio-chuan.
Oh yeah. Alice-san, thanks for your concern. That's right my mother language is not English, I'm just trying hard to learn English. And for beta...um, I don't know if anyone wants to beta-ing this story, so I'm trying hard to keep my grammar and vocabularies with dictionary~ and well, thanks again!
So, let the chapter begin~! I'm sorry if there's typos or OOCs! And, if anyone wanna beta this, feel free to talk! Don't forget this story is AU. And I wrote this chapter on hurry, so, if you spot any mistakes, don't hesitate to tell me.
Disclaimer - I don't even own any of K-ON amazing character, and I don't own any of Persona series characters and other resources, I only own the story idea ^^
Perspective 03
/
Cocytus Pain
"Onee-chan, wake up! Breakfast's ready!"
Yui silently opens her eyes to see the bright Saturday morning greets her. She opens the curtain to look through the city—it's very warm and shiny. Suddenly, her phone on the desk vibrates; she lazily opens the phone to reveal there's short message from Ritsu that reads as follows:
Meet us at Police Station; I'll be there with Mugi at 9, don't be late!
She changes her pajama quickly and head straight downstairs only to find her sister that has been cooked a meal. Ui greets her sister with a warm morning smile. "Morning, onee-chan,"
Yui grabs some toast and egg to her plate and reply her sister greet with a cheerful grin. "Good morning, Ui!"
The two Hirasawa is sitting side by side on the round table, eating their breakfast as a little chat begin to grow to a lively conversation—mostly random. As usual, their parents are somewhere enjoying their two-hundred-twenty-seventh honeymoon or whatnot they'll explain. Somehow, Ui's expression is… kind of restless.
"You already have plans to go out? I'll watch over the house and do some house-cleaning,"
"Is that alright? I mean…you can go out yourself too, right, Ui?"
"Well, I have a lot of homework these days," the younger Hirasawa sighed. "It'll take more time to do it,"
"Want me to help you until 9 o'clock?"
"N-No, its okay, it's not necessary," Ui refused. "You should spend your weekend wisely, nee-chan. You're 12nd grader after all."
"A-Ah, you're right, Ui! There'll be more classes and study groups!" even Yui's glass of tea almost fell down of the excitement.
"Just do as your usual pace," Ui grinned.
Thou art I, and I art thou
You have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Priestess Arcana
As their talk darted off somewhere else, they didn't feel that clock already strikes to 9. Yui decide not to bring her uniform, but instead; she shoved her weapon somewhere in bag. She just wearing plain ruffled shirt with black skirt. After saying goodbye to Ui in front of the door, she speeds up her pace to the Police Station.
Not after a familiar figure accidentally bumped her forehead-to-forehead. She bumped into a small girl with her raven-haired and pigtails, she's holding books and some donut boxes.
"H-Huh? O, Oh, it's you senpai." Azusa rubs her temples. "Where are you going? Hang out?"
"Hello, Azunyan~!" she grins right after she sees her kouhai's face. "Yes, I'm hanging out with Mugi-chan and Ricchan,"
"S, So Mugi-senpai is getting better? Thank goodness," Yui almost forgot that Mugi recorded sick the whole time she's actually missing. No one knows the truth except for THEM.
"Are you having a study group with Ui?" Yui asked.
"A-Actually there are some math equations that I don't understand," Azusa showed her book. "So I decide to go to Ui instead of Jun,"
"I see, good luck, Azu-nyan," Yui gives her kouhai a warm hug.
"There's nothing to be 'good luck'-ing for, and please stop hugging me, senpai!"
Azusa tries to let herself go from her senpai, but it's no use. Yui's much stronger and she loves to hug her cute kouhai every time in clubroom.
Thou art I and I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Hanged Man Arcana
Azusa finally let her senpai go and Yui then goes to the police station afterwards. She takes the bus and quickly arrives due to the emptiness of the city road. Ah, what a peaceful holiday—not so peaceful for them, though. They have to rescue Akiyama Mio, the bassist of Houkago Tea Time who happened to be in a same condition as Mugi was—that was what Ritsu concludes—trapped in the Remnant Time, and may in the risk of near death. But her whereabouts remains unknown for past days; it's already 5 days after Mio's missing case. After a certain minute, she finally arrives at the Police Station.
"So, in order to summon our Persona we must kill ourselves first?" Mugi's voice can be heard from in front of the front door.
"That's not it, Mugi! We're not killed by evokers! It doesn't have any bullets on it!" Ritsu rattled.
"But, Ricchan; we shot this thing to our head right? Doesn't that mean that we're committing suicide?" comes another dumb remarks from the innocent blonde, Yui tried hard not to laugh.
"Err…Hey, Dojima! Explain it to her!" Ritsu seemed to give up.
"Hehehehe…I can't help you, senpai," a soft giggle comes from the kouhai.
"Maybe that's your responsibility," Shinjiro voice added.
"Oh, some help you are!"
"Hello everyone!" the airhead brunette finally comes inside while giggling so mischievously.
There are Mugi, who wears a simple white with blue stripes long dress—Ritsu, who wears a black jacket with a yellow t-shirt inside and a black jeans— and Nanako, who wears a white dress with a black cardigan to sweetens her appearance along with dark blue skirt—in the lounge. There're different person who's standing behind the counter besides Shinjiro—a tall, red-haired and elegant woman with a black suit—who seems to be there listening the ruckus without saying a word, just simply giggling.
"Hey," Shinjiro greeted her simply. "Aki's not here today, but if you wanna buy something, you can talk to me or Mitsuru here,"
The red-haired woman gazed intently to Yui. "…I have been informed that you're the leader of operation. My name is Kirijo Mitsuru; I'm one of the five residents here; as well as the one who help obtaining cases," Everyone listens to Mitsuru's introduction, as she continued; "I hope you all will be succeeded over the rescue job,"
Yui bowed to her, "Thanks for the concern, Kirijo-san,"
The red haired woman smiled, "No need to be so formal, just treat me as same as Shinjiro and Akihiko do, okay? I'll be here only on weekends, though. It's nice to meet you,"
Thou art I, and I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Sun Arcana
"Sawa-chan will come a little later, so we have some time to relax," said Ritsu to Yui. "Let's have a seat there,"
Ritsu pointed at the long bench in front of the counter. To their surprise, Shinjiro already prepared special coffees for them as they sat through the bench. Mugi gently thanked him—makes him a little blushing while Mitsuru seems to be busy at the computers and data inside the office while Shinjiro joined after delivers the coffees to the counter table.
"What happened to Mio-chan, Ricchan?" Mugi asked Ritsu who seems to enjoy her coffee.
"Well, uh, her whereabouts is unknown," Ritsu sighed. "Sawa-chan took a scan to the school area, but she's nowhere to be found."
"Can you reach her by phone, senpai?" asks Nanako, who rolls her eyes a bit.
"No, it always be picked by voicemail," she stirs her cup. "I wonder where the hell is she, there's not even sort of clue,"
"How about her parents? We can ask them, right?" Mugi voices her other idea.
"No way, they always say the same thing when I asked them that 'Mio is sick and she doesn't want any visitors,' stuff." Ritsu pretending to be Mio's parents.
Four of them then sighed in guilt.
"Ricchan, are you happened to know where last she went to?"Somehow Yui—which always be a talkative—finally talks.
"No, her last text message was saying that she's going to hos—hey, wait a second…" suddenly they felt like their leader words jumps into conclusion steadily. Ritsu opens her phone and checked the past messages of Mio. "Yes, that's right! She said that she was in the hospital!"
"So, she's simply at the hospital when the Remnant Time hits?" Mugi repeated.
"That really explains it then," Nanako nodded. "I'll phone hospital for the confirmation, then!" there she goes.
"Hey, wait for me!" Ritsu quickly follows her to the back. Leaving Mugi and Yui sits in the lounge alone in silent. The guitarist eyes landed on the keyboardist pale skin—which is still bandaged and scraped side by side—made Yui shows smiles of apology.
"Are you okay to join fight today, Mugi-chan?" Yui voiced her worries as her eyes not moved from Mugi's blue sky eyes.
"Really, it's okay. I'm fine because I rested much tomorrow," the blonde haired smiled. "I looking forward to fight and rescuing everyone like you two did,"
"But, your wounds…" Yui directly pointed to her left arm. "You were fighting shadows back then?"
"Yes I am…at first after I talked to few classmates and goes to the Faculty Office, I already on Remnant Time." Mugi began the story. "I managed to get back to the class, running away from shadows that chased me the whole stairs…everything was so furious and hard…I don't remember much until when you two came to save me…I'm really thankful for that,"
"No need to thank us, it is a friend job to saves each other, right?" the brunette warmly smiled.
The blonde-haired ojou-sama seems to be relaxed a bit from the tense talk; she returned the smile of the guitarist. "Thanks, Yui-chan. I'm really happy."
Thou art I, I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Empress Arcana
After a moment, a vision of their teacher as well as their club advisor is seeable through the entrance. She open the door, with her usual sensual smile hangs around. Yui and Mugi who's having chit-chat earlier greeted her as she walks inside. Ritsu popped only in moment.
"Have gathered any clues?" Sawako titled her glasses like some intelligent woman in drama TV's.
"You bet, Sawa-chan! Mio-chuan is verified to last seen in the hospital, so we're going there after ringing the Chaos Bell," Ritsu gives her and her other two friends a thumb.
"Nice work, team!" the teacher grinned.
"Huh, are we a rescue team or something?" Ritsu barely giggling.
"It would be nice if we could call ourselves like a team, right?" Yui agrees.
Sawako offers a hand. "Okay then, Hi-5 guys!"
The three students think first before doing this, this is police station, after all. With no hesitation, they unite their hands, claims that they're a team.
Thou art I, and I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Fool Arcana
"…Then, are you guys happened to know where the restroom is?"
The three sweats dropped after the idiocy of their teacher. "I think you must go to the back, sensei. There must be a sign where the restroom is." Mugi pointed out of all characters.
The glasses teacher then walks all way to the back, but stopped when she saw Nanako there… she's ingested some pills. She gulped it so fast when she saw Sawako's figure staring at her and shoved the medicine bottle to her sweater pocket.
"Oh. Hello there, sensei."Nanako greeted her as she drinks some water—fortunately she's not choked—but she coughed a bit.
"What are you drinking? Are you having a headache?"
"Yeah, it's an aspirin." Nanako showed the pill bottle to her teacher. It reads as Aspirin, but Sawako seemed not to comprehend—still gazes suspiciously at her.
"You must take rest, don't rely on medicine so much." Sawako grinned and make her way to the restroom, leaved Nanako behind with some random thoughts. She suddenly gasped when something hits on her mind...
Haruka Hospital – Remnant Time
They arrived at the quiet, frozen hospital after quite some time—they need to ring the Chaos Bell after all. The surrounding is cold, there's ice everywhere, dreary and felt so off. Wait, why the hospital is frozen in the first place? Is that the effect of Mio's? That was their first question as the well-equipped 'rescue squad' entered the hospital lobby.
"S-S-So cold…!" Ritsu gritted her tooth. "I must've brought my jacket here…"
"Y-Yeah, everything's soooo icy," Sawako touches the walls that completely covered with thick ice. "This hospital consist of five floors, I'll be providing back up from the nurse office, there's my friend there."
"A friend of yours? Is that the nurse from days ago, sensei?" asks Mugi.
"Oh, so you remember about her?" Sawako tilts her glasses.
"Does that mean that the friend of yours is a Persona-user, sensei?" said Nanako out of curiosity.
"Well, yeah. She's longer than I do; I'm just a Persona-user one year ago when I took a trip with that friend to her hometown," Sawako continued as they walked.
"W-Wow, it's so surprising me by how many Persona-users are around and about!" Nanako seems to be surprised.
"Maybe they know each other?" Yui says something obvious.
"Well, I guess you're right, Yui." Ritsu agreed. "Let's go there faster; I'll freeze here if we don't hurry!"
They hurried the pace to the nurse office that happens to be on the first floor. The lamp there is still on, so there must be a person. Yeah, as Sawako said, there's only one nurse—she wears the usual nurse uniform with her peach hair tied down—the nurse brown eyes gazed to the door when she heard the door swing open. Her ID card revealed her name, her nurse ID number and her photo… it reads, 'Takeba Yukari'
"Oh, there you're Sawako," said the nurse as if it's figures. "The operation today will be here? The person whom you search is here?"
"Yes, I'll begin the scan, you guys stay away," Sawako takes out her evoker and shove her glasses away to her skirt pocket. "Come, Succubus!"
A big Persona with a black wing shrouds Sawako. The others just sees is silent, as the nurse began to talk.
"Um, are you a Persona-user, Takeba-san?" asks Nanako first.
"Sawako already tells about me, huh?" the nurse shook her head. "My Persona can do healing, so I'll be here to treat you guys if anything's happened." She smiled gently at the party.
Thou art I, and I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Lovers Arcana
"Ooh, seems I found our primary target," Sawako speaks through telepathy web. "She's on the 5th floor…but somehow the door is tightly closed by unknown force,"
"5th…? You mean ICU room?" Yukari interrupts. "It must be the power cables,"
"Power cables…?" Mugi comprehends. "I see, so the power cables enabled the electricity door to move away. Where's the source of power cables, Takeba-san?"
"I have a doctor come to that place but…seem that he's freezing in there." Yukari sighs. "It's on basement, B2. You can go there by stairs as I though it's unable to use lift because of freeze."
"Hmm, then, take left when you left room, guys!" Sawako take a commands.
Few stairs already been passed, and the four of the party are grinding through the iced parking basement lot. Bunch of shadows has been gathered on the ice floor, waited to be slashed by the party. The floor itself is turns to ice, even Ritsu almost slipped and Yui could did a ski there if she want to. They increase their skill rapidly as they're advancing through floors down, Nanako's Persona can heals in good amount and Mugi's Persona is strong against ice—who covers and helps Ritsu much since ice is her primary weakness while she keeps spamming her fire as her advantages.
/
Basement – B2. Power Cables Source Room.
As expected by Yukari; the whole room freezes, the cables not working and the power source's turned off. When they entered the room, what they see first was a statue (or perhaps, a block) of a man freezes completely like he has been drowned in Alaska's water for months.
"Ricchan, use your Agilao to melt the ice," Yui commanded.
"Fine!" Ritsu leaps off; draw her evoker and summoning her Persona. "Onmoraki, Agilao!"
In few attempts, the ice finally melts. Revealing the figure of a doctor with a white uniform alike Yukari and an evoker on his hold. He looks like he want to summon a Persona, but alas, he freezes out. Ritsu seems to beat as she run out of energy—perhaps for casting fire skills too many.
"A-Are you okay doctor?" is the first question Mugi asked. "Here, I have a green tea for you,"
"Senpai, since when you have that thermos?" Nanako blinked. "Well, better to take some rest here and help this doctor then,"
"Huff, huff…y-yeah I—I'm fine…" the doctor still gritted his teeth. Yui poured him a little cup of tea while Ritsu helps to warm up the area with her remaining power.
After take a sip of the tea, he talks normally. "T-Thanks a lot, guys. Whew, ice in here is damn crazy,"
"I FULLY agree with you doctor," Ritsu sighed as she shoots some fire to the frozen box of cables.
"So, is Yuka-tan sends you all here to help me?" asks the doctor in friendly tone. "I'm really grateful…and, wow! You guys are Persona-user? That's really rare!"
"Yuka-tan? Oh, you must mean nurse Takeba!" Yui give the doctor a cup of tea. "Yeah, we need to go here first to enable the electricity,"
"Mission accomplished, leader! Can I have a cup of tea, too?" Ritsu mimicked a sub-commander while her fingers already stiffed because of the surroundings.
"Here you go senpai." Nanako poured a cup for Ritsu. They are making a circle around the doctor which seems to make an emergency fireplace with few of tree branches.
"Trismegistus, Agidyne." The doctor shoots the evoker to his head and burns the branches with fire skill—stronger ones than what Ritsu's Persona do. The idiot brunette cries in awe.
"Who're you, doctor?" asks Mugi while sipping the tea.
"Me? Can't you tell by my ID Card?"
"You don't have any ID Card by your uniform, doctor," Ritsu quickly cut in.
"Whoops, seems I left it in the office. So, um, I'm Iori Junpei. A super intelligent doctor!" he seems proud to himself.
Thou art I, and I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Magician Arcana
"Uhh, okay?" Nanako can't even trust that this doctor is as awesome as he says it. "It's nice to meet you, doctor Junpei,"
Meanwhile, Nurse Office…
Sawako and Yukari are still there; both of them are sipping some coffee. Yukari is busy with her work while Sawako still concentrate with the backup. That nurse is relieved when she knows that the doctor is saved. Somehow, the glasses teacher reminded of something.
"…Yukari. Are you into medicines?" asks Sawako out of blue.
"Huh? What for?" the nurse confused.
"Well, I see these pills in the morning…" Sawako gives her the detailed info—which makes Yukari gasped in shock.
"You gotta be kidding—!"
"No, it's the truth." Sawako sighed. "Do you know anything about those? I'm aware of those pills before but I dunno what the hell that was."
"I-I know about that." Yukari lowered her sound. "Those pills were…"
After the short break, they regained some energy to go on. They even invited the doctor to the party, but he declined it and said that he has many jobs to do—so they parted as the party went to the lift straight to 5th floor. They stop directly when they (finally) find an ICU room.
"Are you ready, guys?" Sawako's crystal voice can be heard through.
"Yes, we're ready, sensei!"
Yui barge in with the whole party to the room, when they meet an awful scene—Mio is definetly there, but she's already chained side by side on the surgery bed, unconcious. She's no different than Mugi when they found her days ago—maybe even worst, her head is bleeding, she's not breathing and her body is cold.
"Hey Mio! Wake up!" Ritsu slaps her face desperately. "Please, wake up now...moron!"
"My, anyone already come to visit her?" an eerie voice echoes through the room. "But this is in the middle of surgery, you guys shouldn't even bother me,"
"T-That voice...!"
Mugi silenced as a nurse figure comes into vision. Yes, it's Mio in nurse uniform. Same one as Sawako cosplayed her (forcefuly) when they was on second grade. One thing that can be distinguished, the nurse Mio's expression is dull, sullen and cold, as cold as ice that covers the whole hospital—unlike Mio's usual expression which is calm but within a cheerful.
"Oh, so you came, my dearest prince…" nurse Mio gazed intently on Ritsu's amber eyes, the other three only can gape in shock.
"P-Prince? W—Who…?" Ritsu sweat is dripping from her forehead as the nurse fine fingers touched her cheek.
"You forget your own princess? What an idiot prince." Nurse Mio sighed. "I'm already waiting for you to get me out from this hell, this cold, hall of pain."
"What are you talking about! It doesn't make any sense," she paused as she slaps nurse's hand to other direction. "…The other Mio!"
"My other self always lock me inside when I want to voice my opinion, she denied my existence but she can't bear that." she glances toward the surgery bed now, caressing the other Mio's face and her soft raven hair. "That's why she's weak, so weak that I can even kill her bare-handed, but I decide to wait for my prince before I killed myself."
"NO WAY! YOU CAN'T KILL YOURSELF, MIO-CHAN!" Yui shrieked out loud.
"This is my decision. I don't wanna be here. I don't even can stand to the real world without prince's help. I don't wanna live with it. I don't wanna to make my prince suffer more because of my carelessness. I want to die. I WANNA DIE!"
After she mentioned it, she grabs some scalpel beside the bed and begins to stab around the body on table. But, quickly Ritsu's hand interrupted, so she gets the stab instead of Mio's skin, leaving her hand a minor stab wound.
"Prince—why?" her yellow eyes gleaming with hatred. "Why you disrespect my decision?"
"I want you to live," Ritsu sighed. "It's not the Mio I know who wants to die, and besides, I'm NOT your prince,"
The nurse growls out, she then kicks Ritsu to the ice wall pretty brutal—she doesn't have any time to dodge, even makes her yellow hair band fall and she knocked down. While still holding the scalpel, she targets Nanako which is near. Ritsu crouches to her evoker and shoot it forcefully between her unruly bangs.
"Persona, Agilao!" Ritsu drives out her Persona and barely reach the nurse's clothes and burn it down.
"Why—why everyone deny my existence? WHY?" suddenly the ice temperature risen, revealing the nurse true form—a gigantic, flying half-burned nurse with a huge scalpel and injection.
"Mugi-chan, Nana-chan, prepare for battle—" Yui taking commands, but stopped when Ritsu yells out.
"No, Yui! Let me do this myself!" she took out her weapon. "You three better do something with the real Mio, she's not breathing!"
"Ricchan, we'll help you first to settle this." Yui forces herself. "Please!"
"…Thanks a bunch, commander!"
Yui takes the front line; Ritsu, Mugi, and Nanako quickly follow her up. Mio's shadow still in uproar, but it's agitated and slowed down. It still casts ice skill constantly that'll take quite a skill to dodge it—thanks to Ritsu's Sukukaja skill, though, that she able to avoid ice so far.
"Grrh, why it's not easy to defeat? Its weakness is fire, right?" Ritsu take a deep breath while keeps her pace with her dual kunais.
"Why wouldn't any of you listen to me…?" comes another voice from the shadow. "I wanna be alone…I don't wanna be here…I…"
"What're things she wants to say…?" Mugi mutters a bit—seeing the shadow that they supposed to defeat is blabbering something again—she put out her knife, cancels the attack.
"Friendship…huh?" the shadow looks directly to Ritsu. "Is…a thing you gave to me…prince?" the shadow darts its looks to everyone presents there. "Tell me, who the hell am I…? Am I your friend, your princess or your enemy…?"
"We're your friends, Mio-chan." Yui gives a soft answer.
"Then why…? How come I didn't even tell you guys how do I feel?" the shadow voiced another question.
"Why? I don't know." The airhead brunette smiled. "Only you who knows what or why, Mio-chan."
"Stop, don't respond to it. We must defeat it first, senpai." Nanako says her opinion, she lowers her Naginata. "…That's what I think. Besides, the shadow itself losing its concentration now, it's our chance."
Mugi didn't reply, Yui didn't even mention a word to her party, or to the shadow Mio again.
"Yeah, I agree with Dojima-chan. Every shadow must be eliminated." The brunette who keeps her bangs falls down is prepares her evoker again. "Onmoraki, Agila—"
"WAIT!"
Surprisingly, Mio—the real Mio jumps out in front of the shadow, let the fire of Ritsu's Persona hits her. Four of them blinked, even Sawako in the office shocked. Mio herself looks (quite) okay, and because of that, the shadow reverts back to its original form.
"Gosh, Mio! Why you—"
SLAP!
Ritsu question's stopped as Mio slaps the nurse in the cheek. That was a hard slap, across the face.
"You tough psycho…" she sighed heavily. "I said, stop saying you wanna die!"
The shadow doesn't say a thing.
"I can't believe that you blabber out all of my thoughts so far," Mio still remain in her calm façade. "…You are me, after all,"
The party there turns agape as how intelligent Mio is.
"Let me explain to you guys first," Mio turns her back to the party. "When I trapped here, in this castle, she already start to pop out of nowhere and blabber about even a single thing…yeah, it was all inside my mind."
"So, basically you barely accept her?" Ritsu arranges her own words. "H-How come you didn't breath earlier!"
"I'm exhausted after walking through 1F to 5F, so…maybe I fainted."
"A-And, you said…I'm the prince?" Ritsu gaped; her face turns to a deep shade of red.
"Y-Yeah…I-I-I mean, it's NOT like what you think OR what you guys—especially Mugi—thinks!" Mio face went red as she points at a dreamy-faced Mugi—remember, Mugi has a fetish to any of girls' skinship. "I'm too confined in you … so… sometimes I think it's bothering you,"
"We're friends, right? It's not bothering me, really." Ritsu smiled. "It's fun to have a friend like you, Mio. Take it easy, man."
"Good to hear it, right, senpai?" Nanako gives Mio a smile.
Mio turns her back again, back to her own shadow. She offers her left hand straight to the face of her inner self. "You heard that, right? You're not hated by anyone, and you're not that weak, you know?"
The nurse shadow nodded, it reaches out Mio's hand, revealing the true form of a water maiden, and vanishes within light.
"Whoops, watch it, Mio-chuan." Ritsu catch her down as she falls down. Yui take a closer look at Mio, she's fine, but she looks exhausted. "Can you stand up? Can we carry you instead?"
"I-It's fine, really. Don't hesitate our help if you're tired, Akiyama-senpai," Nanako cuts in as she saw Mio makes such a worry expression.
"Let's take Mio-chan back to the nurse office, shall we?" says Mugi as she grabs Mio's feet.
Yui grabs Mio's body with Nanako's help. "U-Umm, it's okay if we carry you like this, Mio-chan? Or perhaps we must use a rolling bed instead?"
"Nah, everything's fine. I don't really mind it for now," Mio inhales and breaths heavily.
"Then, you want me to give you a piggyback—ACK! Hey! Don't bit my finger!"
"Hey Ritsu, you forgot your headband," Mio said as she throw a look to the abandoned yellow hair band on the floor. "And I think your wounds need to be healed,"
Ritsu and others seems to forget the wound that the amber brunette gets when they were argued with the nurse. "O, Oh right! Thanks for telling it, my dangerous queen—"
"Shut up, idiot! Just get going!"
They do their duty well and they rescued another victim of Remnant Time. Somehow, Nanako's expression turns sad, sadder than ever. That's when Yui look up on hers while Mugi and Ritsu have been hurried to take Mio back to the Nurse Office by their selves.
"Senpai…? Why are you looking here? Kotobuki-senpai and Tainaka-senpai already march forward,"
"Umm, I don't mean to bother you but…why are you sad, Nana-chan?" asks Yui.
The brown-pigtailed girl gasps. She's shocked. "No, it's nothing! Don't worry." Nanako shakes her head. "Just…I feel kind of awry…"
"Awry…? Is there anything you worry about?"
"Well, it's about our future," Nanako gazes to her feet. "Is it going to be like this, fighting shadows to save people or will it end? Or will it evolve?"
"Sorry, but I don't know." Yui cheerfully grins. "It's fun to help others, right? Overcoming those obstacles is hard when you're alone, you know?"
Seems that sad feeling begin to subsides from the kouhai's face, as she began to understand those words of Yui. "Alright, I'll remember that. Thanks, senpai,"
Thou art I, and I am thou
Thou have been blessed to bestow skills of Persona of Justice Arcana
However, ominous cloud hasn't lifted up yet from the atmosphere in the Nurse Office, even as Junpei entered the room. The talks, mostly heated-up talks are what they three have now. They talk about medicine that Sawako suspected, pills that Nanako took in earlier in the morning.
"…W-What a pity," Yukari turns to be shocked. "Is there not EVEN a thing that we can do?"
"I don't know, doc." Sawako shakes her head. "Maybe I must ask the rest of her dorm owner…but perhaps, that'll be harsh,"
"You should take a look at her first before saying it to them, then." Junpei sighed. "It's crucial, y'know. We don't know how long she has been taking those illegal things, and for what purposes…"
"I thought that thing is banned years ago… humph, better ask my friend of this," Yukari take out her phone from her pocket.
"Do that later, Yukari. They're on the way here, carrying our target," Sawako's hand points at Yukari's pink cell phone. "No need to worry, I will watch over her, period."
To be continued.
Sorry if this chapter is out from what you expected, I'll promise the next chapter will be a lot better than this. Okay, let's go to After Remnant Tea Time then, thanks for reading ^^ I really appreciate your reviews, critics, or such. What do you think about this chapter? Maybe you know a big tip for Nana-chan's secret huh? Nice for you, then :D
Oh yeah, additional background information : Sawako meets Yukari while studying in the university. They're in different department, but they became friends eventually. More of this part will Sawa-chan tell in Chapter 5.
After Remnant Tea Time
(Yui revert as a silent protagonist here, like the usual Persona game. She'll interact with other people between choices.)
-Hospital Room…
Mio already taken care by nurse Takeba and doctor Junpei earlier, she let the whole party in after the check-ups and treatment. She looks healthier now, you and the rest of the party relieved. Although, Sawako's not there, she's going to the bathroom seconds ago.
Junpei: She's free to go now. Well, be sure to rest enough, Akiyama-san.
Mio: O-okay doc, you have my thanks.
Junpei: Nah, it's nothing, really. Helping sick people is my job after all.
Yukari: Don't take the credit all yours, super intelligent doctor. You had my hands full with bandages and report earlier!
Junpei: W-Who cares, it is nurses job to help doctors, you know that Yuka-tan.
Yukari:You… really not fit in a picture of doctor after all, Junpei. I think you'll be a comedian or whatnot in future, but when I saw you in this hospital as a doctor… wow, I thought it was a dream or I have been knocked out and been brainwashed by someone…
Ritsu:Takeba-san, I can agree with you.
Junpei: C-C'mon, this isn't a joke skit!
Nanako:Well, somehow I can't find any act that doctor Junpei do looks like a doctor in my eyes…
Mugi:Umm, no comment, doctor?
Junpei: H-Hey, anyone! Please take sides with me! H-how about you, girl?"
-Junpei casts a puppy-eye look directly into your eyes, what should you say?
"You're a great doctor for me, doc."
"I think you're suited to be a vet, not a doctor to me."
"Actually, I agree with Mugi! Ehehe,"
Junpei:W-WHAT! THAT'S A CRITICAL JOKE! I'm no vet, I'm an ordinary doctor!
Yukari:*giggle* you heard that, vetenarian Stupei.
Junpei:Aww, you are all mean. *sobs*
-As you talk there over with everyone, the bond between you grows.
*Yukari & Junpei S-Link rose to rank 3!*
*The bond between you, Ritsu and Mugi will be stronger soon!*
Ritsu: Oh yeah, let's talk about Mio's weapon, shall we? I don't want her to run off to me for choosing weapons.
Mugi: Oh, right! What do you think about this, Nanako-chan, Yui-chan?
Nanako: I think a tonfa might suits her pretty well, or perhaps, a one-handed sword!
Ritsu: Nah, I think she'll be all nervous with those all close combats thingy...
-Ritsu sighs
Mugi: How 'bout you, Yui-chan? Got any ideas?
"Gloves best!"
"How about spears?"
"Maybe a whip?"
Nanako: That's a cool option, senpai! Spears attack in wide range and it'll be handy with Mio senpai's heights.
Ritsu: Wow leader, you got a point! *chuckle*
Mugi: Umm...spears, then? I thought whip would be the best choice...
Ritsu: *sigh* Mugi, what're you thinking at?
Mugi:Nothing, I just potrayed what'll happen if Mio-chan using a whip.
-Mugi's expression suddenly turns into a dreamy and sort of…peaceful.
Ritsu:Please, . It. Now.
-After a random talk begins around you, you notice something.
...It bothers you a lot because Yukari eyed you so much; maybe she wants to have a word with you.
Yukari: Oh, hello. Umm, can I know more about your party? No reasons, really. I'm just curious.
Show Yukari your party.
Turn it down.
PLv 36 Hirasawa Yui
HP:215/215
SP: 150/150
Weapon: Golf Cub
Armor - Body: Sakuragaoka High Uniform
Armor - Feet: Indoor Shoes
Evoker Style: Amada Ken's Style
Persona: Hitokoto-Nushi of the Fool Arcanum
Skills: Garula, Cleave, Rakukaja, Sukunda, Mudo, Blight
Weakness: Elec, Light
Strong: Wind
Nullify: None
Reflect: None
Absorb: None
PLv 36 Tainaka Ritsu
HP: 267/267
SP: 111/111
Weapon: Kitchen Knife
Armor - Body: Sakuragaoka High Uniform
Armor - Feet: Indoor Shoes
Evoker Style: Shirato Jin's Style
Persona: Onmoraki of the Tower Arcanum
Skills: Sonic Punch, Tarukaja, Sukukaja, Agilao, Evade Slash, Maragilao
Weaknesses: Ice
Strong: None
Nullify: None
Reflect: None
Absorb: None
PLv 37 Kotobuki Tsumugi
HP: 150/150
SP: 220/220
Weapon: Cake Knife
Armor - Body: Sakuragaoka High Uniform
Armor - Feet: Indoor Shoes
Evoker Style: Takeba Yukari's style
Persona: Otohime of the Empress Arcanum
Skills: Hama, Bufula, Spirit Drain, Recarmdra, Mahama
Weaknesses: Dark
Strong: Ice
Nullify: None
Reflect: None
Absorb: None
PLv 39 Dojima Nanako
HP: 167/167
SP: 140/140
Weapon: Imitation Naginata
Armor - Body: Sakuragaoka High Uniform
Armor - Feet: Indoor Shoes
Evoker Style: Sanada Akihiko's style
Persona: Nemesis of the Justice Arcanum
Skills: Hamaon, Zionga, Cruel Attack, Mahama, Mazionga
Weaknesses: Dark
Strong: Light
Nullify: None
Reflect: None
Absorb: None
PLv 38 Yamanaka Sawako
HP: 159/159
SP: 100/100
Weapon of choice: -
Armor - Body: Simple Blouse
Armor - Feet: Quick Pumps
Evoker Style: N/A
Persona: Succubus of the Devil Arcanum
Skills: Support Scan, Oracle
Weaknesses: None
Strong: None
Nullify: None
Reflect: None
Absorb: None
PLv 42 Akiyama Mio
HP: 233/233
SP: 223/223
Weapon: Basic Lance
Armor - Body: Sakuragaoka High Uniform
Armor - Feet: Indoor Shoes
Evoker Style: Arisato Minato's Style
Persona: Mizuchi of the Moon Arcanum
Skills: Mabufula, Traesto, Rakunda, Diarama
Weaknesses: Fire
Strong: Ice, Light
Nullify: None
Reflect: None
Absorb: None
Yukari: Ah, I see what she means.
-Yukari skims and mumbles through as she analyzes the report. You decide to leave it out.
…It's getting late.
You approach Nanako which is nearby.
Nanako:Huh? What's the matter, senpai?
Let's go home now.
No, nothing.
See you next chapter, everyone! ~ Perspective 04 –Perjury