A/N: I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I got burned out after fixing the last chapter and writing a short story about Dojima and Persona 4. Things have been tedious to say the least, in terms of writing and I found myself more than once scratching out ideas. Also, I am writing without feedback from my beta and hope she returns soon. Okay, that's enough excuses. Rest assured, the next chapter will take less than 2 months and 2 weeks, beyond that I can't really say for sure. Anyhow, there's an update in content in the previous chapter starting with Minato's visit to Tartarus during the Dark Hour, most of the revision is due to reader feedback and my own misgivings attributing to the rest of it. The changes should keep things more in character at this point of the story. There seems to be support for Fuuka becoming Minato's confidant to a certain extent, so the shift in the last chapter should help cater to that down the road. That should cover the last chapter. Now for this one. In my opinion, I think Hamuko needed some fleshing out so that she didn't seem to be blindly following orders and what everyone else wants from her. She seemed a bit too black and white, here's hoping this chapter adds some levels of grey to who she is. I will admit this chapter treads water in parts, at least that's what it felt like to me, and is something that has gone through multiple iterations before I even uploaded it for final editing. That being said, it's a chapter that helps me get back into the flow of writing because I have lost my usual rhythm. After finishing this chapter, I am hoping to regain the flow between ideas and execution for a smoother chapter next time. One note of clarification before I forget it. Minato is unaware of who Hamuko's social links are. Until this chapter, he assumed that she had the same links as he did in the past, which is why he doesn't know that she hasn't established the Justice link yet. Thank you for the previous feedback and sticking through what morphed into an extended hiatus. And my author's note is way too long as usual. Cheers.
Reader Reviews:
Yoshikunitsu: Thanks again for giving me your thoughts on the previous chapter. Yeah, as I write I think it's starting to get easier to see how Fuuka would fit in for Minato. I tried attaching a section at the end with those two, but it didn't seem any good, so I'll work on it for next time. Good point about Minato possibly helping out Hamuko's social links. I think you'll see how things fit together in this chapter with Minato beginning to learn that things are a bit different for Hamuko. Yeah, the Reaper scene didn't turn out as well as I wanted, but I think overall Minato just wanted everyone to get out of there in one piece. Just a lot of conflicting directions for him to take and he took the one of least resistance that time.
DeathChaos25: Ah, most of those changes were format based and more grammar mistakes. It confounds me that there are still mistakes after I have gone through it so many times. Anyhow, I think the ranks do feel a bit forced at times in the game and Hamuko may seem to care too much about people at times. Still, I hope this chapter shows that she isn't like that at all times. There are definitely areas where Fuuka can help Minato. I think it's just something he'll come to appreciate more in coming chapters. As for the Akihiko training scene, I think it's just part of them finding out what the other party is about. I couldn't justify fitting in any fireworks since I felt it should be presented as low-key. Though, I think Akihiko does make some interesting remarks about checking up on Minato during this chapter. And yeah, I try to find places where ending a chapter makes sense. It doesn't have to be a cliffhanger, which I feel can cheapen the reader experience in a way. I'm glad you like the way I end chapters. Thanks for supporting me since the early going. And I finally got around to watching the Persona 3 movie, after I looked through your review from a while back. It was better than I thought it would be.
Ventusblade: Wow, I could never imagine binge-reading this in one go. I have a hard enough time reading the same chapter for editing a few times. Thank you for the compliment. I think my writing has improved since I started, but I know I set the bar low when I started. Screen time is something I think and try to make sure a character at least makes an appearance every few chapters.
Jozern: Ha, indeed. Mitsuru and Minato did get along sort of, right? Though, it was mainly to get out of Tartarus in one piece. Minato will be sore after the training no doubt, aha.
Deniz542: Sorry, that this chapter took really long and then some. I'm more than happy to answer any questions or clarification that's needed for the story. It's great that you enjoyed the Reaper scene. I tried to keep the idea that the Reaper is supposed to instill terror and shouldn't be something sneezed at.
General Generic: You're right in that I originally sort of added that part out of the blue. Giving Persona more breadth is something I have thought about long and hard, but have declined to expand much for a couple of reasons. I intend for the story to take a deep dive into the characters mindset, motivations, etc. While I won't discount the potential of the idea, I have been deliberately avoiding it to be honest. There's just a lot that can go wrong if it is done poorly. Also, there is something similar I think later on for Minato. I hope that answers your question. Hmm, you have a good point and I'll look for opportunities for him to talk to people outside of S.E.E.S. for a different kind of perspective. Ah, I haven't forgotten about Maiko. Well, after that failed flag idea with Minato, Hamuko, and her, I haven't been sure how to approach adding her. Still, I can see Minato just enjoying time with her in a low-key way so he can relax a bit. Haha, the heartfelt scene is something that's possible I suppose. Good catch on the supermarket thing. I forgot about it somewhere in my notes. I did think about the supermarket being a Junes after reading your review and Minato could take Margaret through the popcorn section and she accidentally tries to microwave the packages with an Agi. Anyhow, those are just my thoughts on the stuff you mentioned.
jaycee425: Thank you, I hope to see you around for future updates.
kagemoto: I would if I could, aha.
Bladestar123: No worries, I don't take offense to anything that you said here and I'm always looking for ways to improve. I found your review helpful more than anything else as it pointed out areas where the last chapter seemed to contradict the narrative set up before. It helped point me in the direction of how I wanted to edit the last chapter. I'm glad you've kept up with the story for as long as you have and I took your points into consideration when I edited the previous chapter. As things stood before, Minato's judgment did seem off and I could see where you were coming from. He has tried his best to keep things a secret, for better or for worse. As for Mitsuru, she does seem hypocritical at times, and I have been pushing that side quite a bit, so I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the informative review.
Sorata-Shioya: Hey, good to see you again. Thanks for the encouragement, I did feel the edits did help somewhat and it's good to hear some validation. Agreed, Minato on fire was something to break things up a bit.
Kirigaya-kirito-sama: That's a lot of praise! But, I do find errors in previous chapters even as recent as yesterday. And I know that there are still many ways to improve the content and flow of the story. Thank you for the pm as well since it helped push me to get this chapter out finally.
ShadowsVoid2: Just glad to share the story with everyone on the site. It's really a long-term kind of project and finding that people like to read my drivel is gratifying. I didn't set out to put them at odds, but it just seemed to fit better than other avenues I could have pursued. Due to Minato's background and what Mitsuru stands for around half of the game. I could say that is just part of Minato's personality at the moment as he tries to keep a certain distance away from everyone. Yet, there will be slipups and changes as he is only human.
Chapter 26: Pretense
June 23rd, Tuesday (Gekkoukan High Entrance, Early Morning)
Minato P.O.V.
The residue of early morning showers remained visible to the denizens of Tatsumi Port Island beginning another weekday in earnest. Last night's events felt like a fleeting dream to Minato as he zigzagged along the sidewalk, trying his best to avoid stepping on earthworms. He recalled the team's brush with the Reaper and the chaos that followed. Luck played a large part in their escape and he hoped the team avoided meeting the executioner ever again. In any event, a new day beckoned, and his attitude brightened after seeing a soft rainbow peeking out from the clouds above Gekkoukan High. His good mood lasted for only a few more steps however, as he overheard a pair or girls talking loudly over each other.
"You've heard about Fushimi stealing her class' school fee money, right?" a pigtailed girl whispered.
"Of course I have!" her short-haired friend exclaimed loudly. "That's like the only thing people talk about these days."
"Yeah, well I bet you haven't heard the part about how her mother only works part-time and her father is dead. I heard they're going to try to expel her!"
"No way! Is that true? How the heck did she even get into Gekkoukan? Not only that, who are the idiots that made her in charge of her class' money?"
Minato had heard enough and deliberately glared at them, but they were oblivious to his brooding presence. Giving up on the endeavor, Minato wondered why Chihiro hadn't confronted her teacher about the class fees yet. The school treasurer had committed no crime and as long as Hamuko did her job, there was no reason for the accusation to linger. Not wanting to do anything hasty, Minato found Hamuko by the shoe lockers flipping through a textbook for their morning class with Ms. Toriumi.
"Morning, Hamuko," Minato said in way of greeting.
"Hey, Mr. Showoff," she replied smugly, but reverted to a smile almost right away. "Just kidding, what's up, Minato?"
"Err, do you know Chihiro Fushimi at all," Minato began, wondering if he could sound any less awkward. "You know, the girl with the glasses and long hair."
"Hmm, I can't say that we're really friends," Hamuko mused, rubbing her chin absentmindedly. "How should I put this? Chihiro likes to keep to herself and doesn't seem too comfortable around me or anyone else for that matter. It's not like I haven't tried to get to know her better, but she's shy. The only time I really see her is after school during school council meetings, but she just sits through them taking notes about the budget as council treasurer. Why the sudden interest in her though?"
"No reason," Minato replied, while turning over Hamuko's words in his head. Judging by her response, she didn't seem like friends with the school treasurer. The relationship between the two girls could at best be described as acquaintances, hardly that of an improving Justice Arcana social link. What was going on here? Was it possible that Hamuko had different people to symbolize her cache of social links? Up until now, Minato assumed that she would share all of the social links he had in the past. How could he keep tabs on her progress in building up her social links if he couldn't identify them?
"Hey, what're you thinking about?" Hamuko asked, waving her hand in front of his face. "You're thinking of something perverted, aren't you?"
"What?" The sheer absurdity of her statement disarmed him and completely derailed his train of thought.
"Ha, I knew it!" she exclaimed after his reaction, not bothering to suppress her laughter. "You really were thinking of something inappropriate. Asking me whether I know a certain girl and then ignoring me. The nerve!"
"It's not like that." Minato scoffed at her allegations. "When I got to school today, I overheard a couple of girls saying that there were rumors of Chihiro stealing money from her class."
"Yeah, that's true," she said, her laughing dying down and taking a more somber tone. "I've heard that she may get expelled if she doesn't return the money soon. I wanted to tell Mitsuru-senpai about the situation, but I sort of forgot about it, to be honest."
"You forgot to tell her?" Minato rolled his eyes at her in disbelief.
"So what? Since when, did you care so much about people you barely know?"
"I'm sure I barely knew you the first time we met on the train," Minato responded in a biting tone.
Hamuko opened her mouth to retort, but a look of recognition dawned upon her face. She understood that he meant the first time they met each other and how he had saved her back then. Giving him a glare she said, "That wasn't necessary."
"Yeah, well, I didn't expect a small lecture when I asked if you knew Chihiro or not," Minato retorted.
"What did you expect to hear then? I answered you with a good amount of detail because you gave me such an open-ended question and all I got from you was a two-word response. Also, I'm not the one being rude and daydreaming in the middle of a conversation. For a second, you made me think that you were into girls with long hair and glasses. You know, the naughty librarian look."
Minato couldn't think of an appropriate response so he decided to let Hamuko gloat for the time being. Besides, his concern remained more with Chihiro as she risked undergoing expulsion unless he helped her reveal the truth. Problem was, that he didn't share any classes or club activities with her. Attending Student council, even for a visit seemed unappetizing, not with Mitsuru there to lord over him. Add to that, his increasing level of discomfort talking with girls such as Chihiro who he used to date. Due to acting like a Casanova last time around, talking to the same girls now bordered between awkward and asinine. He could blame the power of the wild card all he wanted, but knew that it was by his own volition that he went down the romantic route with almost every female social link. Troubling memories of double bookings filled his head, the aftermath of the aborted school festival being an especially painful recollection.
"There you go daydreaming again," Hamuko snapped.
"Yeah, yeah," Minato replied. "I'm trying to get the kinky librarian out of my head."
"By the way, can we walk home together after school?" Hamuko asked, as they prepared to head for class.
"Don't think I can," Minato replied. "Akihiko sounded like he wanted me to stop by boxing club today."
"That works perfectly then," Hamuko said with a grin.
"I don't see how it does," Minato answered.
"I'll stop by student council today, to make sure the stuff about Chihiro gets resolved one way or another."
"Are you sure about this?" Delegating the problem to Hamuko sounded like a decent idea, considering she may establish the Justice social link with Chihiro. That is, if the link could exist between the two girls.
Hamuko shrugged in response and replied, "I wanted to tell Mitsuru-senpai about Chihiro anyways. You reminded me, so I'll make sure to take care of the situation. Besides, this way you'll owe me and I'll make sure to take advantage of that later."
"How did I get myself into this?" Minato groaned as Hamuko laughed, walking past him into class 2-F.
(Gekkoukan Boxing Gym, After School)
Minato P.O.V.
Even before he arrived at his destination, Minato could already hear the loud shouts of the boxing club members practicing inside. If he had any second thoughts about continuing forward, then they failed to form in time as Akihiko spotted him, and waved him over. There was no escape now and Minato tried to put on a smile for appearances sake.
"Glad you could make it, Minato," Akihiko said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ready to start?" A rhetorical question, considering the upperclassman wouldn't take no for an answer.
"Ready when you are," Minato said.
With introductions out of the way, Minato entered the boxing club building. He had never visited before, since the facility allowed entry to club members only. Looking around, he could appreciate just how much money The Kirijo Group had invested. The club lacked nothing in particular, providing ample evidence as to why the school did well in competitions and attracted top talent from the area. Whoever did the interior design had good taste with the walls covered in the black and red school colors. After the short tour, Minato got changed into appropriate attire in the locker room and followed Akihiko out as he led him to a side area with sandbags, while the rest of the club engaged in a set of grueling exercises near the center of the gym.
"So, you want me to just punch this thing?" Minato asked, gesturing towards the sandbag.
"That's the idea," Akihiko answered. "I want to see how strong you are. Physical strength is everything here, just as it is when we're climbing the tower."
"Alright, senpai." Minato started punching the sandbag, dialing up memories of watching Akihiko fight Shadows in Tartarus. Not that he found the recollections helpful since his senior boxed as a southpaw.
"Hmm, that's not bad for a beginner," Akihiko commented, after watching for a good while. "Try picking up the pace after a quick breather. I want to see you break a sweat this time."
Minato took the momentary lull to change strategies. Emulating Akihiko seemed pointless as he had to think too much about what to do. Instead, the blue-haired teen focused on the few times he used gloves in Tartarus against Shadows. Learning to use various types of weapons in the past had been a skill born out of necessity. One trip in particular stood out when he found nothing but bows in chests, and bothered Yukari to teach him to shoot arrows properly. Abandoning all pretense, Minato began laying siege to the sandbag, a grim satisfaction in feeling the increasing amount of numbness in his hands from the constant impact against the bag. Sweat began to drip onto his brow, trickling downwards form his forehead and off his chin before Akihiko finally let him have a break.
"Okay, that's good enough," Akihiko said with a thoughtful look on his face. "I think I'm starting to see what your problem is."
"What's on your mind?" Minato questioned, grabbing the proffered towel from Akihiko and wiping his face.
"Before answering that I think you should know that there's nothing wrong with your sword technique, at least that's what I've been told by Mitsuru."
"When did she say that?" Minato interrupted, unable to stop himself.
"During lunch today actually," Akihiko answered him. "She seemed to think you had formal training or combat experience in the past, based on what she's seen from you."
"I see," Minato said. "I'm sorry for interrupting. Could you continue, please?"
Akihiko didn't seem to mind the interruption and said, "I think your problem is in body mechanics and in particular, your core strength. Good news is that you have a decent amount of power. Bad news is that you're wasting a good amount of it. Core training should help fix that over time."
"That makes sense, I guess." It sounded logical enough at least.
"I'll show you the core exercises I do as part of my daily routine," Akihiko said. "They're tailored toward boxing, but I think you'll still find them useful."
Akihiko began a series of demonstrations on how to do different types of planks, squats, and other core-strengthening exercises. The moves looked deceptively simple and easy when Akihiko did them. However, Minato struggled to imitate what he saw, wanting to hurl the contents of his lunch on more than one occasion. His muscles screamed in protest as he went through multiple repetitions. Crumpling to the ground after losing count of how many squats he did, Akihiko seemed satisfied.
"Remember, I want you to do those exercises every day," he said. "I'll know if you've been doing them or not when I watch you fight in Tartarus. Well, you're free to go then, Minato. Thanks for stopping by."
"Thanks, senpai. It was fun to visit the club. Good luck with your training." Sore and feeling queasy, Minato left after a quick shower in the locker room. If he learned nothing else today, boxing club prided itself on intensity or maybe insanity. Regardless, he appreciated how patient Akihiko had been in teaching him and Minato felt disappointed he hadn't asked him to show the footwork from Tartarus. Wandering back to the outside of the main building, Minato texted Hamuko. Taking a stroll across the courtyard, he pondered about what Mitsuru told Akihiko. If he read in between the lines correctly, she had complimented him, albeit in an indirect way.
(Student Council Room, After School)
Hamuko P.O.V.
A soft buzzing noise from her bag shook Hamuko from her thoughts, causing her to wonder who could be calling. Meanwhile, Hidetoshi continued his speech in his ongoing crusade against student delinquency within Gekkoukan. No one in student council seemed awake enough to cut him off. At least the meeting would end soon, though that reminded her of the manila folder full of unfinished paperwork on the table. Mitsuru seemed to have piled on more work for her than usual, which Hamuko interpreted as a positive sign that her senpai trusted her to get more things done on time. Thus, began a careful dance between rushing through her work and stopping whenever Hidetoshi looked around the room to make eye contact with everyone. A sense of relief rushed through her when she signed her name on the last line of the final form just as the speech ended.
"Are there any other topics on the agenda for discussion today?" Mitsuru's voice seemed to echo around the room. The extended silence seemed enough as she dismissed Student Council. Thus, a mad rush began to clean up the mess they created as chairs screeched across the floor, paperwork about today's meeting flew into binders, and the whiteboard scrubbed clean.
During the chaos, Hamuko overheard Mitsuru asking Chihiro to stay for a moment. Chihiro seemed taken aback, but agreed. It seemed like Mitsuru wanted to deal with this sooner than later.
Once everyone else left, Mitsuru faced Chihiro and said, "Fushimi, I would like to know why there are rumors among the student body that you stole money from your class. This is a serious offense, and is considered misappropriation of public funds."
Chihiro stared at the ground terrified, unable to respond.
Hamuko decided to step in and try to ease the tone of the conversation. "Chihiro, I don't think you're the type of person who would do something like this, but we need to know what happened. We only want to help you clear your name."
Her words seemed to calm the bespectacled girl down, though she remained nervous. "Ms. President, do you think I stole the money?"
Mitsuru shook her head and replied, "Chihiro, I was just testing you. Due to the serious nature of the allegations it is not enough for me to vouch for your good nature. I know first-hand how diligent you are in your duties for Student Council, but to prove your innocence we need to know what happened. Do you think you can do that?"
Chihiro seemed to strengthen from Mitsuru's faith in her. "I gave the money to my homeroom teacher. That happened weeks ago though. I-I didn't want to accuse the teacher of not turning in the money."
"I see," Mitsuru replied softly. "Thank you for having the courage to tell me the truth. I know it must have not been easy for you to tell me all of this. It was obvious to me from the beginning that you did not take the money. Now, would you like to accompany me downstairs to the teacher's lounge to see what your teacher has done with the class funds?"
"Y-yes, Ms. President," Chihiro said, a look of relief spreading across her face. "I want to know what happened."
"Thank you for your assistance in this matter, Arisato-chan," Mitsuru told her as she led Chihiro out of the room.
"I'm just happy to help, senpai," Hamuko called after her, and she received a small smile from her in return.
Well, that ended as well as it could have Hamuko thought. Mitsuru had her going for a while with the way she treated Chihiro at first, but having Hamuko react the way she did all seemed part of her senior's plan. The Kirijo heir seemed a couple of steps ahead all the time, though sometimes Hamuko felt her behavior bordered on manipulation. It wouldn't have hurt to tell Hamuko of her intentions beforehand. Anyhow, Hamuko didn't want to brood over what someone else may call stylistic differences and wanted to leave school as fast as possible. Remembering to check her phone, she saw a message from Minato over twenty minutes ago and wondered if he was still waiting for her. She sent a text back in the hopes that Minato hadn't gone home. Almost right away, she got a terse sounding note telling her to hurry up. Soon enough, she found the floppy-haired teen resting outside by one of the benches underneath the cherry trees with his eyes closed.
He sat up at the sound of her approach, seeming rather grumpy. "I thought you would never come. Thanks for making me wait."
"The council meeting ran overtime because Hidetoshi wanted everyone to know about students skipping school." While she felt apologetic towards Minato, Hamuko couldn't control how long the meetings lasted.
"That sounds just like him," Minato murmured. "Calming down would do him some good."
Wondering why he didn't ask about the school treasurer, Hamuko said, "Don't you want to know what happened with Chihiro?"
"What's the point of asking? The way you're asking already tells me all I need to know. You must have done what you set out to do."
"You could at least play along. No fun at all," Hamuko complained. "So, uh, how did your time with Akihiko-senpai go?"
"Marvelous, I'll feel sore for days," Minato explained, his face darkening into a grimace. "I think my arms are going to fall off."
"That bad?" she teased. "You didn't even stay for that long. Sounds like you slacked off to me."
"Well, I feel like barfing nonstop as it is. So, maybe if I didn't slack off a little, I wouldn't even be here to walk with you."
"Okay, okay, I believe you." She didn't want any more details and tried to change the topic. "You know, how does Officer Kurosawa get away with supplying us with our weapons? Sure, the Kirijo Group has loads of influence, but it's not like he can experience the Dark Hour. So, what proof does he have that S.E.E.S. uses his weapons for good? For all he knows, we could sell off the equipment to the delinquents that hang out behind Port Island Station."
"Talk about random," Minato responded. "Well, I'm sure Kurosawa witnessed or received enough circumstantial evidence convincing him that providing weapons for us would benefit the city. If it makes you feel better, I've wondered about it in the past as well. The whole arrangement is ironic, isn't it? Money talks too, I guess."
"Hmm talking about the police station reminds me of ice cream. Say, do you want to stop by Paulownia before we go back?"
"That's what you wanted this whole time?" Minato asked exasperated.
"Yeah, so what?" Hamuko complained. "Don't you remember that you owe me from this morning?"
"Fine, let's go after we drop off our stuff at the dorm. I don't want to lug my books around. Happy?"
"Uh huh, ice cream just tastes better when someone else pays for it," she said.
Back at the dorm, they didn't see anyone else around except for Junpei, who seemed lost in his thoughts. Wondering what could trigger such an uncommon sight, Hamuko greeted him, but received nothing in return. Shrugging off the snub, she met Minato at the front of the dorm to head towards Paulownia for ice cream, but not without asking him why Junpei seemed so surly.
"Hey, do you know what's up with Junpei?"
"No, not really," Minato said. "He wasn't playing video games or watching some game show like usual?"
"Nope, no electronics to speak of," she recalled. "I tried to get him to talk, but he just gave me a grimace in response."
"Guess he must have indigestion."
"You're just unbelievable sometimes. You know that?" Hamuko said this in between coughs because Minato's comment made her choke on her own spit.
"You could say the same about yourself, Hamuko," he remarked, giving her a soft thump on her back. "Let's get you some ice cream before you accuse me of owing you anything else."
(Iwatodai Dorm, After School)
Junpei P.O.V.
Indistinct chatter from people passing by the dorm filtered in through the windows of the dormitory lobby. Junpei hadn't moved much from his seat since he got back from school today. Things had been different for him even a couple weeks ago, when he got to play the hero. Even Mitsuru had noticed him for once and given him some praise. That taste of recognition had lingered in his mind for a while, but changed into resentment because of his return to anonymity within the S.E.E.S. team. Nothing else he did seemed to gain much notice, except for the times he screwed up because of trying too hard. No one else had the balls to go for critical hits all the time like he did. It's not like he wanted to fall on his rear swinging at Shadows, but everyone else seemed to laugh when he did. What could he do to stand out more in a good way? He didn't have much skill in magic besides the occasional Agi spell. Hermes' skills revolved around physical attacks, which didn't help since Polydeuces filled that role just as well. Having the power of Persona made him feel special at first. Now, he just stood on the sidelines trying to pick his fights. Seeing Hamuko earlier drove home the point of his resentment because she stayed in the spotlight all the time, never having to back off because the enemy resisted fire and physical attacks. Why did women have all the power in S.E.E.S. anyways? Weren't men supposed to be stronger than them? The lobby doors creaking open drew his attention away from his self-loathing as he saw Akihiko walk in with his gym bag slung over a shoulder.
"Hey, Junpei. What're you doing here all by yourself?" he asked.
"Nothing much, just hanging around. Uh, do you mind talking with me for a bit?"
"Sure, what's on your mind?" Akihiko took a seat on the sofa across the coffee table.
"So, I don't mean this the wrong way, but ya know, a man has got to draw a line at some point."
"Get to the point, Junpei," Akihiko urged him.
"I don't like how S.E.E.S. is led by a woman. The only reason Hamuko leads us in battles is because she can use a bunch of Persona. Even when she messes up, she gets a free pass since she's all that in Mitsuru-senpai's book. Fighting the Shadows is a man's job and we should be the ones in the front fighting them. That's why I think someone else should be leader, maybe you, senpai."
Akihiko let out an audible sigh. "Junpei, I may or may not make a good leader of our team, but I don't want anything to do with it."
"Why not?" Junpei demanded.
"Mitsuru nags at me all the time because I get off from the adrenaline rush from the challenge of a fight. Does that sound like someone who should lead a team to you? A leader needs to keep a level head at all times. I may have been fighting Shadows in middle school, but Mitsuru still has more experience than I do. I'm not ashamed to admit that she plans our missions far better than I ever could. Do you realize how many late nights she spends agonizing over what didn't work out?"
"You can't blame me for asking." Junpei replied. "It's not like I know about what goes on in the background. But, I still gotta ask, if Mitsuru-senpai has fought for so long, why did she give up the position to Hamuko? I wouldn't mind having someone like her lead us as much."
"The fact that Hamuko can use a bunch of Persona isn't the main reason we chose her as a leader, Junpei. If you want proof, then look at the results. When S.E.E.S. started, it was just me, Mitsuru, and someone who isn't with us anymore. The three of us couldn't even get past the first couple floors of Tartarus without having to back out. Reaching the top of Tartarus seemed like a dream none of us would ever achieve in our lifetimes. But now, we're climbing entire blocks at a time and the main reason for that is because of Hamuko. I can't put it into words easily, but she has this level of determination to push everyone else around her to achieve more than even they think possible."
"I don't really know about all that," Junpei muttered, not hiding his doubt. "Look at what happened during the last full moon. If I didn't step in, things would've ended up much worse."
"Yeah, but the entire situation should've been avoided with Natsuki showing up. I'm not making excuses for her, but it goes to show you that being a leader isn't all it's cut out to be. It's about responsibility. You need to be accountable for everyone, even though the situation can change at a moment's notice. Frankly, it isn't something that I think I'm capable of doing. Do you think you could handle Hamuko's job as well as she does, Junpei?"
"O-of course," Junpei stuttered. Sure, there seemed like more to this leader thing than he thought, but it didn't deter him. He just wanted an opportunity to stand out again.
"If you say so. I guess you have better leadership skills than I do. Just remember that you shouldn't judge someone based on how they look. Hamuko has carried S.E.E.S. from the moment she came to the dorm. Without her, we wouldn't even be here talking to each other like this. You may not like her, but you can respect the fact that she does her job without making complaints, no matter what obstacles she faces."
"Yeah, I guess," Junpei said in a monotone. "Thanks for the talk, senpai. I'm gonna get some fresh air." Junpei had heard enough and took hurried steps out of the dorm and hit the street. Heading toward no place in particular, he found his legs carried him towards the shrine. Akihiko's words kept repeating themselves in his head like an annoying jingle. Hamuko did her job without any complaints? If Junpei had the lead, then he would never complain about his role either. What did Akihiko know anyways? The boxer remained a source of admiration, but he remained too deferential to Mitsuru. Akihiko being in command wouldn't make much difference for Junpei as he didn't have any backbone to challenge the way things were. Heck, it became clear to Junpei that his senior had licked Mitsuru's boots since they went to middle school, and would never doubt any decisions she made, including to have Hamuko command the team.
June 26th, Friday (Hamuko's Room, Early Morning)
Hamuko P.O.V.
Opening her closet gave her a headache, as the scent of stale moth balls greeted her nose. Having fallen behind in doing laundry, Hamuko needed to dig deep to find something to wear to school today. As she dug through a few wrinkled blouses her phone unexpectedly rung, giving her an excuse to put her search on hold for the time being.
"Good morning, Hamuko. This is Elizabeth. How are you?"
"I'm doing well, just getting ready for school. Do you need something?"
"I am calling to inform you that another human has strayed into Tartarus. Two this time, I believe. Please don't delay in carrying out their rescue."
"I got it," Hamuko said. "I'll go find them as soon as I can."
"I see. Enjoy your day of schooling. Goodbye, now."
How did people wander into Tartarus, anyways? Maybe, a Shadow called to them, but that didn't explain how they wandered past the lobby, deep into the tower. Either way, she needed to rescue them, which meant another group outing during the Dark Hour. She may as well count on going to Tartarus every other day. Why couldn't people stay out of trouble for once? Digging through a drawer she found a notepad and wrote down a reminder about having to rescue not one, but two morons this time. Hamuko didn't want to sound bitter, but thinking back on the past couple of months, she wondered how she got to this point. When asked to join S.E.E.S. after waking up from the hospital, she didn't have much of a choice. Either stay with the people who she had begun to know, or to start over in a new dorm where people may bully her like so many times before in the past. Recollections of people mocking, kicking, and spitting at her because of her red hair and eyes threatened to come out to the surface, but she pushed them back down before she could get too emotional. Memories were in the past and they needed to stay there. Deep down, she felt she didn't care about saving humanity as much as the need to belong somewhere.
(The Velvet Room, After School)
Hamuko P.O.V.
After classes and hearing Saori drop an expletive during library committee, Hamuko got on the train to Paulownia. During the trip, she wondered if anyone would read the love advice column she made up. The assignment seemed like a good opportunity to waste some time during a slow shift at the library. Instead, she ended up putting some serious effort into writing up relationship issues that she heard crop up from time to time in the hallways. She enjoyed giving unsolicited advice to couples around school while staying anonymous. Though, she wondered what it would feel like to have relationship problems. Arriving at the mall, Hamuko made a beeline for the alley.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Elizabeth greeted upon her entering. "What a pleasant surprise. I did not expect to see you so soon after our call."
"I meant to come here a couple of days ago, but I needed to catch up with my schoolwork," Hamuko said, while noting Igor's silent presence. "I've had a hard time keeping up with everything."
Elizabeth nodded, her attendant's hat swaying to and fro. "That is understandable. I admit I am curious about what this schoolwork entails. Why would a place of learning require manual labor? Is it part of a new design to engage students with exercise? However, I will withhold my curiosity for a more appropriate time. How may we assist you today?"
"Uh, right. So, I picked up a Persona; Inugami of the Hanged Man arcana, after one of my trips to Tartarus," Hamuko began. "But, I'm not sure I'm even supposed to have it."
"Why the uncertainty?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well, Inugami belongs to one of my teammates. Though, he hasn't used it recently. I thought it was odd that I saw the Persona in Shuffle Time, but I picked it out anyways. Inugami holds sentimental value for me, since it saved me back when I got attacked by a Shadow for the first time. I guess my question is if it's possible for more than one person to have the same Persona at the same time."
"An intriguing question," Igor said. "However, the answer you seek is clear. If you have obtained ownership of the Persona then by association your acquaintance can no longer use it."
"Does that mean I took part of his powers by accident? If that's the case I didn't mean to. I don't even see how that's possible."
Igor acted as if he didn't hear her misgivings and said, "Your ability to use your Persona should remain uninhibited as it now resides in your soul."
"When you say uninhibited, does that include Inugami answering any questions I have for it? Inugami refused to answer my questions about its previous owner."
Igor gave her an unsettling gaze through those bulging and bloodshot eyes. "A Persona is a mask to guide you through life's hardships. The form of your power may change depending on the situation due to your unique ability. However, regardless of which form your Persona takes, it will remain loyal to you, even after the time for farewell."
Elizabeth recognized Hamuko's puzzled look for what it was and added, "By asking your Persona about its previous master, you ask it to betray the bond that they shared. I am certain you want to respect those ties."
"Well, I guess all of that makes some sense," Hamuko answered. "But, I forgot to mention that the previous owner also represents my Hanged Man Social Link. Now that I think about it, Inugami didn't show up in Shuffle Time until I established a relationship with him. Is there a deeper connection here?"
"I believe this is what you call in your world a coincidence," Elizabeth said.
"I don't know," Hamuko objected. "It's just hard for me to say anything for sure. I mean, he's used three Persona now. Of course, that isn't a wild card by a long shot, but it's still more than anyone else in the team besides me. I know for sure that he isn't a guest of the Velvet Room, since I tried to bring him in here before, and the door wouldn't let him through."
"Perhaps you are overthinking this," Igor mused." Only a select few are summoned here to receive guidance in their journey to find themselves."
Finding that her thinking wasn't leading to any breakthroughs Hamuko said, "I guess I'll go for now. Thank you both for answering my questions. I'll make sure to find you that Christmas Star for next time, Elizabeth."
"I look forward to it," Elizabeth told her, giving her a polite bow as she saw her out of the Velvet Room.