Chapter 11: This is Not a Game

5/24/09-Sunday

"I'm home~!" An auburn-haired girl cheerfully called out as she slammed the door open.

This caught the attention of everyone in the dormitory lounge, mainly, Akihiko, Minato and Yukari as they turned to her. The silver-haired one was sitting on the sofa, reading some sort of sports magazine. Besides him was her quiet twin, who was blowing on an instant cup of ramen. And as for the mentioned female, she was on her way upstairs. All of the lights were on since it was a Sunday night.

Earlier that morning, Minako hadn't had much time with anyone since everyone had had their own 'business' that they had needed to attend to: Akihiko with his training, Yukari with her shopping, Mitsuru with her family company, Junpei with his usual hang out area and Minato with his random excursions. As for the red-eyed girl, she was out pestering a certain beanie-wearing punk. Not that anyone really knew about it...

"Oh, you're back." The senior had turned to her and smiled, lowering his magazine for the moment. Minato turned his silver eyes to her, showing a hint of happiness on his usually placid face; he was slurping up his noodles when he waved at the girl. Yukari stopped in her tracks for a moment and greeted her friend before heading back up.

"...Where were you?" Her brother finally asked monotonously after swallowing his meal. The girl closed the door and skipped towards him, sitting in between him and the senior.

"Wakatsu. I was with a friend!" She answered cheerfully with a bright smile on her face. The boy nodded in response, seemingly in relief.

Akihiko grinned behind his magazine after hearing her response. 'Must be the friend she mentioned to me... I'm glad she's having fun...'

"So... Do you think you passed?" The girl asked as she fidgeted with her orange checkered-skirt. She avoided his eyes but tried to steal a quick glance regardless, curious on how he looked. He had a smirk on his face.

"You'd better prepare this week." He chuckled before resuming on his meal.

'He looks confident' Minako sighed. 'But I only told him that to take his mind off of the Dark Hour... Looks like I have to wake up early this week...'

While pondering, a familiar figure had descended down the stairs. Turning, the red-eyed girl saw it to be her cheerful friend, Junpei. Minako waved to him, giving him her usual bright smile.

"Junpei-kun!" She greeted him enthusiastically, "Haven't seen you in a while!" The boy just smiled weakly at her and raised his hand as if waving. But he paused the moment he caught sight of her twin. In that instance, Minako could have sworn that she saw him give her brother an utterly disgusted look. Akihiko peeked out from under the magazine and his eye twitched at the tension. The atmosphere between Junpei and Minato had worsened since that night though it was more on the former's side since the latter was quite oblivious to it...

"I'm gonna grab a bite outside..." Junpei said bitterly and immediately exited through the door without another word. Minako tilted her head in confusion as the senior sighed quietly. She turned to Minato, who looked even more clueless, and then to Akihiko who buried his face under his magazine in avoidance.

'Don't tell me that he's still not over that?' Minako shook her head. '... I'd better watch them... Especially in Tartarus...' She sighed at the mere thought of it. Silver eyes turned to her worriedly, but returned to his meal after seeing that nothing was outwardly wrong. The red-eyed girl suddenly stood up and dusted off her clothes.

"Well, I'm turning in for tonight... See you tomorrow... And good luck with the test results!" The girl turned to Akihiko and winked at him playfully. "You too senpai~!" She chuckled.

"...Yeah." Minato smiled and stood, putting down his now-empty cup. He looked rather disappointed that she had left so quickly. He was kind of hoping that she'd lean on his shoulder and fall asleep against him... or something of the sort anyway. It could've been the other way around and he would've been happy... Either one in general would've been nice. "I have to go somewhere..." He added, turning to his senpai.

"Thanks. Good luck to you too." The silver-haired teen had lowered his reading material to answer the girl before turning to her twin with a puzzled look. "What about you? Where are you going?"

"... To console a monk..." He answered with his usual blank expression, hands in his pockets. Akihiko stared at him suspiciously before finally shrugging it off and returning to his magazine...

5/25/09-Monday, Dark Hour

"Seriously? He's still the leader?" The cap-wearing teenager shouted in surprise. Yukari and Mitsuru sighed as they watched the lanky male ramble. Minato had been appointed leader once more. He was still getting ready and was on his way to the entrance of Tartarus along with Akihiko. Apparently, the boy had overslept and the senior had had a hard time getting him up, so everyone else went on ahead of them.

"He almost got you guys killed! And you're okay with that?!" He added in a frustrated tone.

The two girls couldn't disagree with his point, but Akihiko was sure about passing the field leader position to the blue-haired boy. He had talked to Mitsuru about it too and she had agreed with him. Besides, with the tests that they had performed on him, it was discovered that he was a Wild Card, having the ability to summon and carry multiple Personas and switch between them during battle. It was dismissed as a theory that it was because of this ability itself that his Persona had rampaged. Rather, they had theorized that it was because he had held multiple Personas for a long time without using them that he hadn't been able to control the sudden burst of power. Now that it had been released, he no longer poses as a threat. Plus, the results of the tests showed that he could now control his Personas without a problem. Thus, even though his suspension hasn't been lifted yet, they hoped to try his skills out in the field.

"Stop being so childish, Stupei! The past is the past. And we weren't the only ones hurt that night, you know." Yukari finally spoke to the fuming teenager.

"Takeba's right. Arisato stayed in the hospital for a week. He had experienced the most damage among us." The student president added with her usual stern tone. Junpei snorted in response and the two sighed.

He had been acting distant from Minato since that incident, even going as far as avoiding him in general. As for Minato, he had been too focused on his last-minute study sessions that he hadn't even noticed the hostility directed at him. They understood his point though... That event was disastrous... They were lucky that Crimson had been there that night and was able to save them. Then again, they would've been equally doomed had Minato not called out his Persona.

Minato didn't take as much physical damage as Mitsuru had, but his awakening had him stay in the hospital for a long time, which meant that the summoning process had really hurt him mentally–to the point that his memories of that whole event had been erased.

"Let's stick together. This floor is unexplored... We can't risk jumping into danger." The leader commanded in a monotonous yet strong voice. Yukari and Akihiko nodded, but Junpei didn't respond. As usual, he was giving their leader the silent treatment... And said leader didn't even notice.

The group explored the new block. It was different from the first one; its color had changed to purple though it still had a lot of blood splattered everywhere and it was as creepy as ever. Not to mention that some parts of the hall had freaky faces placed on the walls that gave off the feeling of spying on them; or, at least, staring right through their souls... The Shadows were also more powerful and different from the ones in the previous block. It was quite difficult bringing them down and they weren't as distressed as the ones at the bottom. Still, with Minato's new power, they were somehow able to get through the first five floors.

"Okay, that's it for tonight. Let's split up and find the portal... Then get some rest." Minato turned to the group. True enough, they did seem rather tired. Still, the training they received gave them promising results even though exploration was starting to become tougher, especially since Mitsuru's signal could barely reach them now. Yukari and Akihiko nodded in response. Junpei sneered, which the boy simply ignored.

"And... Avoid battles." He added before they finally split up. The cap-wearing boy groaned and ran off on his own, causing Yukari to sigh in exasperation. The senior patted her on the shoulder.

"I'm sure they'll settle this." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Yeah... I hope so..." Yukari sighed again before splitting from her senpai, sparing a final glance in the direction Junpei had run off in before disappearing down one of the dark halls...

'Dammit... What's their problem? Acting so casual with the guy who had almost killed them! And I'm the bad guy? What's up with that?' Junpei grunted as he ran around the area. The only sounds he could hear was his heavy breathing and his footsteps as they made the pools of blood on the floor splatter everywhere. It was eerie and quiet like usual. The hall was one straight way with a turning point to the right coming up. 'And what's the point of getting him suspended if they'd let him go again?' As he approached closer, he heard a sound. Footsteps, he recognized... They might belong to his teammates, but they could also belong to a Shadow... Either way, he had to be careful.

He tiptoed his way there, hiding behind the wall. A smirk played on his face the moment he laid his eyes on the creature. It was a large muscular man-like creature and it was even alone! He knew that a Steel Gigas was quite a rare Shadow, and to find one alone... Lucky~ Junpei looked around for any sign of his teammates or other Shadows... None.

"Heh... Screw his commands... This is a lucky catch!" He exclaimed to himself as he raised his weapon. Without warning, he charged at the enemy, surprising it. The Shadow was slashed in the back, making it shriek in pain as it landed on its face, creating a loud thud on the floor. The Persona-user was about to follow up with another attack but, to his surprise, it was able to capture his sword with a hand. The Shadow threw him against the wall, making him slam his back painfully against the structure.

"Geh... Shit...!" He moaned, trying to stand up. The enemy had already gotten up and was in fighting stance. Junpei was shaking as he finally stood, using his sword to support his weight.

"Grr... Time to shake things up a bit!" He took out his Evoker and fired. In front of him, his familiar golden-black Persona appeared, floating in the air. The Shadow didn't even flinch at the sight. Instead, it went straight for the boy, ready to bash into him. But before it did, Hermes spread out its golden wings and fired off an Agi, creating an explosion right in front of the creature. It flinched for a short time, but kept going the moment the Persona disappeared. The Shadow tackled Junpei into the wall. It felt as though his back broke along with his ribs. His weapon was sent flying and clattered onto the bloodstained floor.

"Ugh... Damn it...!" He cursed under his breath, trying to stand again, but he collapsed even before getting up. The Steel Gigas was getting ready for another attack... "Shit... Is this the end...?" He muttered under his breath, waiting for the creature to attack. His body felt numb. He definitely wouldn't be able to dodge this one...

"...?" Without realizing it, he had closed his eyes and upon opening them... It was gone. All he saw was... Red...? Junpei raised his head. There, in front of him, was the familiar figure that had appeared the other night. It was the golden-haired female from before, still clad in her crimson dress and equally red mask. His mouth was left hanging after seeing the girl. For her to be here during such a crucial time, he sure was lucky... Or could it be that it was no coincidence? Either way, he was saved.

She raised her Evoker and, without a word, summoned Messiah, using Salvation on the downed male. In the next instance, the teenager's pain suddenly subsided. Her powers were far superior in comparison to Dia. From the looks of it, he didn't really break anything; it just felt like he did... If he really had broken a bone or two, then even such a high level skill couldn't have patched him up.

"Hey, nice! Thanks!" He exclaimed after finally snapping out of his awed trance. The boy examined his now-healed wounds and picked up his fallen weapon.

"Y'know, I don't min-"

"Didn't he tell you to avoid battles?" Crimson scolded, cutting his words short, before sighing. The boy frowned at those words and scoffed, turning away from the girl.

"As immature as ever I see..." She sighed again. Junpei turned to her with an annoyed expression, but before he could retort, she cut him off and slammed her hand on the wall, creating a strange thudding noise. Even with her face covered, it was obvious that she was angry at the teenager.

"This is not a game of 'playing hero'. It's time to wake up. Your lives are on the line! He didn't want that to happen as much as you did... " The boy kept quiet, his expression froze. She turned away from him and got ready to leave. "Think about it..." She added before disappearing again. Junpei stood there dumbfounded...

5/26/09-Tuesday

"What's with him? He's been like that since our expl- since this morning..." Yukari quickly amended as she turned to Minako worriedly. That night, Minato had found the portal and gotten everyone out of the place. Strangely, though, Junpei had been quiet upon regrouping, as if he were pondering something deeply–much to Yukari's surprise. It was as if something had happened to him back when they had separated. Unfortunately for them, Mitsuru had no idea either since the signal had been too weak for her to read.

The three of them, namely Yukari, Minato and Minako herself, were sitting together at the table they had made by joining together their desks during break time. They watched Junpei storm out of the room, blending in with all of the students who went out to buy food. The four-man group usually hung out in the classroom to eat though. The red-eyed girl sighed and stood up. 'I think I might have been too harsh...' She looked up in thought and shook her head. 'Nah... Scratch that...'

"I'll get him..." She sighed again before leaving the two. Minato still had on his blank face though he did show worry for the two with a forlorn sigh before proceeding with his lunch.

"And he strikes again... " The female who remained with Minato said as she watched her friend leave the room. "I can't believe that you were second to Minako though..." Yukari added as she stared incredulously at the dazed male. He was eating the meal quietly when the girl spoke.

It had been a shock to the entire student body. The twins were first and second in the test ranking and, more impressively, Minako received a perfect score in everything. However, the most shocking part was Minato, the boy who slept through class and was absent for many days, had gotten second place! It was as if he knew what would appear on the test... As for Junpei, he actually had been studying those past days... He passed, close to the average but still quite low.

"Her meal is the best. I'd get a perfect score any day for one." He answered in his usual tone, showing her the chicken that the girl had cooked for him. It wasn't really all that special but, to Minato, it was the best. Heck, even if Minako's choice of toothpaste were to clash with his, he'd still say that it was the best. The girl chuckled at him.

Yukari glanced out the door and sighed, muttering to herself. "I hope Minako sorts this out..."

"Junpei-kun! Did you get into a fight with Minato-kun?" Minako stared at the boy's back as she ran after him. Their chase finally ended in the rooftop.

The cap-wearing boy turned to the girl and gave her a smile. He scratched his head awkwardly before speaking.

"No worries! It's just..."

"You're worried he's mad at you and you don't feel like asking for apology, is that it?"

"How did...?"

"Heh... You're pretty easy to read. But seriously... just look at him! Does he look like the type to carry a grudge? I bet he never even noticed your actions!" Junpei looked away and whistled tunelessly. True, Minato didn't look like the type to hold a grudge but, in all actuality, he really was the type to do so. In fact, Junpei himself had already experienced the boy's grudge though... Speaking of which... Those times were all about his sister... He only got mad when it was about her... He usually only reacts to her...

'Crazy sister fetish is crazy...' he cringed at the thought.

After his encounter with Crimson, he started wondering about the meaning behind her words and the painful truth behind them. True, he never tried to look at things through Minato's perspective... But now that he was, Junpei realized that Minato himself would be most hurt if he found out that he almost got everyone killed. And as bad as it sounds, he still can't deny that he was also jealous. He was jealous that Minato gets to be the leader... He gets to order them around... even when he had no experience in summoning his Persona! But... She was right. If there was a fight within the group, they would not function well... And if they didn't get along then it could mean danger not only for them, but also for the world.

"Hahaha. Guess you're right, Mi-chan! Sorry if I was being a jerk for the past few days!" He laughed. Minako simply smiled and took him by the arm, pulling him back to class.

"So? What are you waiting for? Let's go!" She chirped.

"Hey! Stupei's back!" Yukari giggled while cleaning up. Minato was doing the same, but minus the emotions.

Instead, he turned to his cap-wearing friend and spoke bluntly. "...You still owe me lunch." At those words, Junpei chuckled and turned to Minako, who was smiling yet again. She slapped him on the back and gave him the 'I told you so' face.

The pair approached the table to start eating but, just before reaching it, Minako leaned closer to Junpei with a seemingly innocent smile on her face. "By the way, if you two didn't make up soon... I would've done everything I could to get you guys back together... by any means possible." She said in a playful yet cold tone... It sent shivers down Junpei's spine... much sinister than Minato's...

'Note to self... Never mess with these two...'

There's very little editing done here since I had it Beta-read by Adven277 before, so... yeah XD

Anyway... school starts tomorrow and I'll prolly be uploading chapters 12 and 13 on or before the weekends... and yes, this means after that, it'll finally be the never before released chapter 14 :D

Though... yeah. From that point on, releases will be slow again...^^"

-Persona 3 and any SMT series does not belong to me-