A/N: I had a long-winded author's note here until today, but a friend of mine passed away the other day in an auto accident and it just gave me shock and perspective. I'm sorry the chapter took such a while to update, but it has been a bit emotional. Regardless, I am optimistic by nature and hope he is in a better place now. Make sure to give your friends and loved ones a hug, the next time you see them!
On a side note, I will probably push to when Hamuko wakes up after this chapter. This was really challenging, to say the least and I wondered by the end if it was filler…
Inevitable Update Placeholder: Updated with the grammar mistakes I had. I am trying to get better with them, but ahaha. Thanks sillyfudgemonkeys
Final Update: Thanks to rEpose! I added in the edits that I missed.
Formatting Update: 7/6/14
Reader Reviews:
DeathChaos25: Yeap, I am going through P3P and P3F, so I am picking some things like the cooking aspect of the FemC playthrough. Although, I did tweak it a bit, but the idea should still be the same. The arm thing might become bigger I'm not sure, at this point, to be honest. I am just fiddling with the dial on my ideas to see how things should or shouldn't come together. And the fact that this chapter did really take 2 weeks and some change, ahaha. It's time for Akihiko and Yukari to step up for failing, at least that's probably what should happen. Oh no! I am allergic to heightened expectations. Here's to hoping that my writing improves. Glad you enjoyed the previous chapter.
sillyfudgemonkeys: Wow, two reviews to increase my review total! That was a lot of grammar stuff to sift through, but fix it, I did… bad Yoda reference. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and I'm trying to improve my descriptive wording. I tend to enjoy putting descriptions about atmospheric stuff, but not enough about the action, at least part of the time. I borrowed the dorm mother part from the game, but tried beefing it up. A bunch of Hanged Man references and this chapter will have a return of one of the earlier aspects of it. Glad you laughed a bit. Hoping that this chapter is a bit different from the others. Partly because I raged at it in a good way and because I wanted to try something different.
Chapter 9: Depths
April 10, Friday (Iwatodai Dorm, After Midnight)
Akihiko P.O.V.
It had all happened so fast. Hamuko collapsed after summoning one of the scariest things Akihiko had ever seen. Was that menacing figure really that meek girl's Persona? Mitsuru and Akihiko had rushed to the rooftop to make sure there weren't any remaining Shadows and to check on Hamuko and Yukari. They found Hamuko unresponsive and Mitsuru tried to call the hospital, but the Dark Hour still hadn't ended. The best Akihiko could do was to carry Hamuko downstairs with Yukari wailing in the background. Akihiko set Hamuko down next to Minato, on the sofa closest to the front door. There hadn't been any physical trauma to Hamuko, but that piercing scream earlier was enough for Akihiko to realize that not all injuries could be seen.
In contrast, Minato's wound was an injury Akihiko saw firsthand and made him feel sick. It was a clear reminder to Akihiko, just how reckless he had been going out on these patrols by himself. Mitsuru had told him so many times that fighting Shadows wasn't a game and he had always just shrugged her warnings off. He wouldn't have felt nearly as bad if he was the one that had gotten injured instead of Minato. Through it all, Minato didn't complain about the injury, which made Akihiko wonder what was going on in the blue-haired junior's mind. He was a pretty tough kid, Akihiko had to give him that much.
The electricity in the dorm finally returned with the end of the Dark Hour and Mitsuru who was fiddling with her cellphone managed to call the hospital. Paramedics arrived and carried the two injured teens out on white stretchers and all Akihiko could do was watch. It wasn't a scene that Akihiko would soon forget with the ambulance's siren fading into the night.
Shortly after, Mitsuru, Akihiko, Yukari, and the Chairman rode in the car driven by Mitsuru's chauffeur towards the hospital. The streets were still largely empty, due to the fact that it was still hours before sunrise. When they arrived, at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, Akihiko felt slightly better because of how modern the facilities appeared with the cavernous hallways and gleaming white floors. He wanted Hamuko and Minato to get the best care they could get, and he was sure they would with the fact that the hospital was part of the Kirijo group's portfolio of companies. Furthermore, Mitsuru had made arrangements beforehand so that the other members of the dorm would be able to spend the night, which Akihiko was definitely going to do.
All of the staff members they passed greeted Mitsuru warmly and seemed genuinely respectful, in Akihiko's opinion. Eventually, Mitsuru led everyone to a large waiting area with austere looking furniture placed along the walls, where they took their seats with a few other people who were already there. An attendant asked them if they needed anything and Mitsuru waved them off, and they bowed, before returning to the front desk. After some time had passed, Ikutsuki left on his own to call Mitsuru's father to update him of the situation and other matters. Akihiko tried to stay calm by reading one of the magazines strewn by the nearby table, but the nervous energy coming from Yukari and Mitsuru was palpable. Yukari's constant tapping feet were starting to get on Akihiko's nerves, so he tried to break the ice between the three.
"Do you think they'll be okay?" Akihiko asked, wondering out loud. He scratched the back of his head absentmindedly, while trying to not appear too dismayed by the amount of time it was taking for any news of the injured Arisatos. Yukari looked up at Akihiko and gave him an accusatory stare, as if insinuating that he didn't want her classmates to be okay.
"We can only hope so." Mitsuru's curt reply cut off any hostile words Yukari may have been trying to get out. Akihiko could tell by the tone of Mitsuru's response that now wasn't the best time for speculation. Akihiko had known Mitsuru long enough to realize that the scowl on her face wasn't in response to his question, but merely her way of expressing deep concern. Akihiko sighed putting his hands on his chin and thought about what happened so far, growing more pessimistic by the second.
Akihiko had promised himself that he would become stronger, but for what? Maybe stronger to protect those close to him, so that they wouldn't suffer the same fate as Miki did? Did he even know what he wanted in life? His life was nothing but self-remorse because he couldn't save Miki when the orphanage caught fire. Was it his fault that Hamuko had gotten hurt, as well? The atmosphere was suffocating him.
Akihiko tried to flush the negative thoughts from his head and decided that sitting down was just giving him too much time to think. He walked to the vending machine, at the end of the hallway and bought a can of soda hoping that the sugar rush would help take the edge off his guilt. After throwing the Cielo Mist can in the trash, he punched the wall, swearing in frustration. Upon his return, Akihiko noticed that Ikutsuki had still not appeared and Mitsuru informed that he had to leave due to a school board meeting at school in a couple of hours.
After what seemed like an eternity, the white doors to the emergency room creaked open and a doctor came out to greet everyone.
"Doctor, how are they?" Mitsuru quickly asked. Her fists clenched, bracing for the news with her fingernails digging into her palms.
"The girl is fine. She just seems to have an extreme case of exhaustion. We couldn't find anything else wrong with her. All the tests that we have run have returned negative." He showed Mitsuru the chart that he was holding, which she intently read over.
"Didn't you see her face? You're telling us she's only tired?! I don't believe it!" Yukari added, choking back tears.
"Takeba calm down," Mitsuru warned. "He's doing the best he can. And what about Arisato-kun?"
"He's lost a considerable amount of blood and needs a blood transfusion, quickly. The problem is that we were not able to find his medical records on file. We had asked him what blood type he had and we didn't believe that he had an O negative blood type, so we wasted time testing his blood. And I regret to inform you that we do not have any of it in stock at the hospital's blood bank. I have already tried phoning other local area hospitals and blood banks, to no success."
The doctor's explanation brought Akihiko's self-loathing from earlier to the surface and he temporarily lost it.
"Why didn't you believe him when he told you his blood type?!" Akihiko yelled, while grabbing the doctor's collar.
"Akihiko! Stand down!" Mitsuru's voice brought Akihiko back to reality and he released the doctor, muttering an apology in defeat. The doctor fixed his collar and responded to Akihiko's question in a calm manner.
"We had to make sure of his blood type, as he seems hardly cognizant now!"
"Doctor, let me give Arisato-kun my blood," Mitsuru said, while looking rather defiant. "I have the same blood type as he does."
"Mitsuru-sama, are you sure you want to do this? We do not even know how much blood will have to be drawn! You are the heir of the Kirijo group and to give your blood to some commoner-!"
"I don't want to hear it, doctor, as I've already made up my mind," Mitsuru's glare ended the doctor's complaints. "Arisato-kun protected both me and Akihiko from harm today and this is the least I can do."
The weight on Akihiko's shoulders seemed to melt away with the knowledge that Mitsuru had the same O negative blood type as Minato did. It was really a fortunate coincidence that they shared one of the rarest blood types in the world, but Akihiko did worry about the adverse effects on Mitsuru.
"It is a bit ironic that Arisato-kun has the same blood type as me," Mitsuru said to Akihiko and Yukari, while putting on the first smile Akihiko had seen from her all day. "I would've never guessed that we shared something at that level."
Akihiko wondered what Mitsuru was talking about, but began to feel that he would have to uselessly watch on the sidelines, as he watched Mitsuru walk past the emergency room doors. There wasn't much Akihiko could now, but hope for the best.
(Hospital Room)
Mitsuru P.O.V.
Mitsuru followed the doctor past the door entering a hospital wing with nurses busy chatting to patients and a strong, pungent odor of the cleaning agent used to sanitize the area. Over in the corner, by a window, Mitsuru saw Minato lying on his bed wearing a typical white hospital gown, looking much frailer than Mitsuru had previously seen. He must've been sedated, since he didn't offer any response when Mitsuru walked close to his bed. However, Mitsuru was proven wrong when his eyes temporarily flickered.
"Mitsuru-senpai?" he mumbled, turning his head slightly to try to see her better. Mitsuru could see that his good arm attached to an IV and the constant pulse of the heartbeat monitor reassured her that at least he wasn't in any immediate danger.
"Don't worry, you will be alright. The doctor is going to give you a blood transfusion since you lost a lot of blood."
"But, whose blood?" It seemed to take him a lot of effort to speak and Mitsuru tried to keep her answers shorter.
"Mine. We have the same blood type, Arisato-kun. O negative, correct?"
"Yeah, but why, senpai?" Minato seemed to have a hard time believing what was going on with a slightly bewildered look on his face. Mitsuru took this as a chance to say what she had meant to say from the start.
"Because there is no other choice, and because I want to repay you for earlier," Mitsuru found this last part a lot harder to say than she had wanted it. In fact, she looked away from Minato so that her crimson hair would cover the slight blush creeping into her cheeks.
"Thank you," was all he said. Yet, the way Minato said those words seemed to speak volumes in Mitsuru's mind.
(Gekkoukan High, Morning)
Yukari P.O.V.
The whispers in the classroom annoyed Yukari to no end, while she tried to tune them out by taking notes. Some of the whispers were plausible and the others, just outrageous, but they continued to swirl around Yukari like a flock of crows. Since Minato and Hamuko had not shown up on the same day, the rumor mill had begun to churn in earnest. It didn't help that Junpei asked Yukari what was wrong because her eyes were swollen from crying earlier.
"Yuka-tan, what's wrong? Did you have a long night?" Junpei asked with a concerned look on his face.
"I'm fine, Junpei. Nothing happened last night. I just have bad allergies this time of year." Yukari pulled out a tissue and pretended to blow her nose.
"Oh, sorry about that. I didn't know. Well, I was wondering if you knew what happened to Hamuko and Minato. They don't really seem the type to skip class." It was an innocent statement, but Yukari pounced on it.
"They're fine, don't ask me such stupid questions!" Yukari's temper was seeping through her earlier façade. People in the class stopped talking and looked around to see the source of the commotion.
"Whoa! Don't be so mad, Yuka-tan. I only asked a question." Junpei retreated behind Kenji, trying to use him as a shield.
"Dude, that's not cool. Go stand behind someone else, man!" Kenji said, while leaving Junpei out in the open. Maybe it was how stupid Junpei and Kenji were, but Yukari's hot head seemed to cool down a bit.
"I-I'm sorry, Junpei. I didn't mean to yell at you. There's just a lot going on right now and you wouldn't really understand." Yukari felt ashamed that she was projecting her pent-up frustrations at Junpei, although it did seem to relieve some of stress that she was feeling now.
Junpei seemed genuinely surprised at how quickly Yukari apologized. However, he seemed to take it in stride and said, "I'm not sure I understand, but we all go through things Yuka-tan. You don't have to hold it in all by yourself, you know? We're friends, right?" That cheesy grin that seemed permanently plastered on Junpei's face reappeared.
"Thanks Junpei." It was weird for the jokester to offer Yukari sympathy, but maybe she was just an emotional wreck. In between the feelings of failure to summon her own Persona and Hamuko getting hospitalized while protecting her. She could really empathize what Akihiko was going through because they were really in the same boat of failing to protect someone. The bell finally rang, signaling the end of class. Yukari decided she would visit the florist and then go to the hospital to check up on Hamuko.
(Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, Afternoon)
Yukari P.O.V.
Yukari had picked up a handful of Gerberas from the florist and carried them to the hospital. She entered Hamuko's room and was glad that there was a window nearby providing some light Of course, Hamuko wasn't conscious to see the flowers, but maybe having them nearby would do some good. Yukari had worried about Hamuko feeling lonely all by herself in the hospital. Before she could stop herself, Yukari began to talk in earnest from the depths of her heart.
"I… I want to say that I'm sorry, Hamuko. I was the one there to protect you, yet you were the one that saved me." Yukari had been unable to muster these words until now and felt slightly better. She lifted Hamuko's hand and put it in hers and just sat quietly for a while.
"I know that you can't hear me now, but maybe you can sense my feelings, at least." Yukari's voice was starting to break. "I've always had problems trusting people and we only met each other recently, but we're so similar with our backgrounds and not having parents in our lives."
Yukari was struggling to find the right words to say and tried to warm up the cold hand that she was holding.
"No matter what happens, I'm going to tell you everything that I've kept hidden away from everyone else." Yukari looked determinately at Hamuko's face, as if daring her to refute her vow. When nothing happened, a small smile appeared on Yukari's face because she thought Hamuko looked rather cute with her hair undone. After spending a long time with Hamuko, Yukari decided to go check in on Minato. When she entered his room she didn't expect to see both Mitsuru and Akihiko there, while Minato seemed asleep.
"Hello, Takeba," Mitsuru said, drawing a chair over and motioning Yukari to sit. Yukari noted the dark circles under Mitsuru's eyes and for once she seemed to look human, unlike her usual luminous appearance.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Yukari," Akihiko intoned. "Did you already go and see Hamuko?"
"Huh, how did you know, senpai?" Yukari wanted to know how Akihiko knew what she was up to.
"We figured you would go see her first, once school ended for the day. I mean, I wanted to get to the hospital as soon as class ended, too." Akihiko looked a bit weary of Mitsuru and was looking down at his hands. Maybe something had happened between the two that Yukari wasn't aware of.
"Yes, after class ended. Isn't that right, Akihiko?" Mitsuru's lips barely moved to say this, but the fear from Akihiko was tangible.
"Will he be okay, Mitsuru-senpai? And what about you?" Yukari remembered that Mitsuru had given Minato some of her blood earlier in the day.
"Yes, he will recover. The doctor said that he needed his rest. He should recover in a couple of days. I will be fine, thank you for your concern." Mitsuru sounded exhausted, but Yukari could tell there was some relief behind that weariness.
"Has the doctor said anything about Hamuko?" Yukari added, hoping that she would hear a similar response. Seeing Mitsuru's face harden a bit, Yukari's optimism starting to deteriorate.
"Physically, there isn't anything wrong with her. The doctors have said there isn't anything else they can do. The only thing we can do is wait for her to regain consciousness." Mitsuru looked a bit troubled and Yukari almost felt a twinge of sympathy.
"I'm going to return every day until she wakes up then!" Yukari, said emphatically. "It's only a matter of time right?" Yukari's enthusiasm seemed to catch her two seniors by surprise, but they both nodded their heads.
"Yeah, you're right, Yukari," Akihiko replied, with some pep in his step, as he stood up to leave.
"The two of you should go back to the dormitory and focus on your studies," Mitsuru said, while checking the clock on the wall, which read 6:30 P.M.
"What about you, Mitsuru? You're probably more tired than any of us, at this point." Akihiko put a hand on her shoulder in concern.
"Don't worry about me; I will not stay here for long."
"Well, if you say so, senpai," Yukari replied. "We'll see you back at the dorm then." Akihiko held the door for Yukari and their echoing footsteps indicated that they had left.
(Gekkoukan High, Office of the Chairman, Night)
Ikutsuki P.O.V.
"That can't be right," Ikutsuki muttered. He had continued to watch the footage of the Magician Shadow's assault on the dormitory by himself, in his school office. The furniture of the room was all leather and the walls adorned with expensive antiques. The man at the desk, seemed possessed by a maniacal energy watching the same footage over and over, as if expecting a different outcome to occur.
"How is that girl, who had not awakened to her Persona ability until now, able to summon another one in its place? Is this a new phenomenon?" Ikutsuki twirled the fountain pen in his hand round and round, occasionally jotting down ideas on his notepad.
He drew multiple circles in a technique called a mind map. Essentially, he was writing down different groups of ideas and categorizing them with multiple branches drawn out, as he went along. For example, he had Shadow in the very central circle and off to the left another circle labeled "Persona users." Next to that circle he had written branches with labels of Akihiko, Mitsuru, Hamuko, and Strega. Under Hamuko's name he had written "Massive Potential" jotting down ideas how he could exploit her ability to bring about the Fall even faster than he could have dreamed of. The way that her Persona had destroyed that Shadow had brought Ikutsuki to the verge of ecstasy. Mitsuru and Akihiko had been worthless pawns compared to the power that this new girl seemed to possess. Ikutsuki just needed to carefully manipulate S.E.E.S. in order to destroy the remaining full moon Shadows. After all, those children were merely the marionettes in Ikutsuki's sadistic play.
Unfortunately, there was an annoying flaw in Ikutsuki's planning and this rubbed the smile off his face. That fool, Minato, was not even worth the effort to have on the team. That boy seemed extremely weak and just threw his body everywhere, instead of properly fighting Shadows. Even his Persona was pathetic, just like him. The only thing that had caught Ikutsuki's interest was how that weakling had managed to summon a Persona without an evoker, but still wondered if he should block the boy from joining S.E.E.S.
However, it was a bad idea to exclude Minato now because of the bonds that he had formed with the rest of the members, Ikutsuki thought. It wouldn't hurt to have a guinea pig to act as live bait for a Shadow when the proper time comes.
He was truly a mastermind, it seemed. He stopped watching the recording of the video and opened a red wine bottle and toasted to himself.
"To myself, the future prince of this pathetic world." He choked on the bitter taste and quickly hurried over to pour himself a glass of water.
(Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, Night)
Minato P.O.V.
Minato woke up with a giant headache and felt like he had been hit over the head with a sledgehammer. His arm was in a sling that covered the spot where the Shadow had skewered him. The last thing he could recall was seeing Mitsuru's face, but couldn't really remember why. Minato tried to wiggle his extremities to make sure that he wasn't dreaming, but was instead surprised by a mass of crimson hair next to his beside; it was Mitsuru. What was she doing here by herself at this time of night? The clock on the wall read that it was nearly 9 P.M. She must've dozed off, Minato thought as he wondered whether he should dare to try to poke her.
None of the nurses seemed to have noticed that he was up and about, so Minato wondered if he should get up and explore the hospital. He wondered which room Hamuko was kept under observation, but that plan was quickly axed. Minato realized that he was in a rather revealing hospital gown and it seemed he seemed stuck in bed until someone gave him a change of clothing. After a while, Mitsuru seemed to stir and Minato called her name.
"Mitsuru-senpai, wake up," Minato said, gently prodding her with his hand. She slowly seemed to gather herself and when Minato saw Mitsuru's face he had to stifle a cough. She looked terrible, and Minato couldn't remember a time when she had looked so disheveled.
"Arisato-kun! You're awake!" Mitsuru grabbed him and awkwardly hugged him. She quickly let go and let his head drop a bit too forcefully on the hospital pillow. Minato did not dare say anything because he wanted Mitsuru to say something first, so that he wouldn't say anything stupid that could trigger her volcanic temper. After a while, Mitsuru looked him in the eye, back to her normal self.
"Do not mention this to anyone. However, I am quite relieved to see that you are awake." The rosiness in her cheeks hadn't disappeared, but Minato was a little happier on the inside. Mitsuru's true feelings weren't typically on display so early in the year.
"Why did you hug me though, senpai? Oh, I'm not complaining," when Mitsuru's eyes seemed to throw daggers at him. "Are you that glad to see me?" He was teasing, of course, but wanted to see what Mitsuru would say.
"Don't push your luck, Arisato-kun, as I just had a momentary lapse of judgment," Mitsuru warned him. "Regardless, you can leave in a couple of days."
"Well, that's good news, I guess. How are the others holding up?"
"Akihiko and Yukari are each dealing with their guilt in their own ways. I have already told both that they are not to blame for the injuries you and Arisato-chan suffered…" Mitsuru's voice trailed off, as she seemed lost in thought.
Suddenly, a voice reached out to Minato from the deep recesses of his mind. It was the one that he had heard on the first night back to Tatsumi Port Island.
"Do not forget who I am. One of the twelve has awakened your latent potential. I will be watching."
Minato put a hand on his forehand wondering what this statement meant. Mitsuru noticed the sudden change in his demeanor and the concerned look on his face.
"What's wrong? You seem troubled, Arisato-kun."
"I can't really put it into words, senpai. I can say I don't know all the answers anymore, though."
Minato's cryptic response left Mitsuru in a state of confusion.