A/N: With all that drama out of the way, it's time for some lightheartedness fun. This chapter will introduce everyone's favorite teenage robot as well as some other things. I decided to try a different approach here so I've broken the chapter up into short, connected sequences, and given every member of SEES their own point of view. I'd like to hear what you think about this approach - the short sequences that is - and whether you'd like to see it in later chapters.
Enjoy!
The slaps were painful.
At least, they looked painful, with enough force to send Junpei and Akihiko sprawling onto the golden sand. Minato was glad he hadn't joined them for this particular sortie because if he had learned anything from their campaign of picking up women on the beach, it was that none of the ploys demonstrated were going to be of much help when he asked Mitsuru. She was too smart – or too aloof – to fall for such lame tricks and with the threat of being executed forever in the back of his mind, it gave him all the more reason not to go about it this way.
The 'operation' was a shame. Minato did not expect an immediate solution (given it was Junpei who was helping him, there was no way he could figure it out just like that) though he had hoped the experience would at least stimulate his brain. Give him a blueprint of what to do, what to say, perhaps even an idea of where to do it. No matter how vague, it was all he wanted. But while he knew Junpei meant well in helping him practice, Minato also knew that his classmate had an enormous ego. And needed to show it.
"What the hell was that senpai?" Junpei asked as he got to his feet and watched the girls that they were attempting to attract run off.
"What do you mean the hell was that?" Akihiko shot back, scrambling to stand as well. "You were the one who made us look like a bunch of idiots with your so-called 'expertise'!"
"Well who else was gonna stop you from saying 'That's too bad' all the time!?"
"I didn't say that all the time. Besides, they were out of our age group anyway."
Junpei looked at Akihiko as if the latter had been living under a rock his whole life. "Dude! Don't you know that older women are more experienced? They're like fine wines!"
"So by that logic, you're saying you prefer older women?" Minato said, smirking.
"You know what I mean!" Junpei said. He moved closer to Minato and then spoke in a tone loud enough for only the two of them. "You can't say a damn thing about this anyway. You're interested in her."
"That's true. I'll shut up now."
Junpei nodded and looked out at the sea. "Man this sucks. Why couldn't Yuka-tan and the others join us today? We're at an island resort in the middle of summer! Not being at the beach is just wrong."
"Well it is your fault," Akihiko said.
"How is it my fault?" Junpei asked, turning to face him.
"You scared them off with your maid talk."
"What? Don't blame it on me, I was just trying to lighten up–"
"I don't want to hear it."
Minato allowed them to continue arguing. Not because he had told Junpei he would keep quiet or because he was tired of playing the role of mediator, but because he spotted something at the south end of the beach. He took several steps in the direction of the thing that had piqued his interest, passed his friends who ceased talking, and saw that there was a figure standing at the end of a wooden dock.
"What did you find now?" Junpei asked.
Minato pointed at the female figure. "We still might have some luck."
There was a certain charm to walking in a forest. Be it the smell of the lush undergrowth, the melodious singing of birds and insects, or the plain tranquility and stillness of such a natural area, Fuuka loved it all. It was a place she would not mind spending the rest of the day, and the rest of tomorrow if she could, just enjoying nature's beautiful creations. The one aspect that lowered her enjoyment was Yukari and Mitsuru. Neither of them had spoken to the other ever since they had set off to see Jyomon-Cedar Tree earlier this morning. And although Fuuka liked the silence, there was a point where going without speaking was too much. Even for her. Oh she had tried coaxing them into conversing by throwing out random questions and speaking her thoughts aloud but for what it was worth, she may as well have been teaching algebra to preschoolers.
It was understandable however, given the events of last night. She admired Yukari for being able to tolerate the presence of Mitsuru and not go into one of her shouting fits. Likewise, Fuuka admired Mitsuru's ability to keep her composure in the presence of someone whom she would have been apologizing to over and over again. Though that was the case, she was still afraid of the impending dispute that she could feel taking place and whether or not she would be able to handle it the way Minato had. At least I was there and I saw how he did it.
"It's a good thing that Junpei isn't around right?" Fuuka said, hoping that either one of them would say something this time.
"Yeah," Yukari said. "He would have made this walk unbearable." She glanced at Mitsuru. "What do you think senpai?"
"Hm? I suppose so," she replied. Before she could go on, her cell phone began ringing and fishing it out of her right pocket, she placed it to her ear. "Mitsuru speaking."
"Oh Mitsuru," Ikutsuki's voice said. "Sorry to bother you but we have a slight problem and I was wondering if you could do a favor for me."
"Hang on, I'll put you on speaker so that Takeba and Yamagishi can hear you as well."
Mitsuru gestured for the others to gather around, pressed a button and held out her phone. "Please continue."
"Well, your father and I are in the main laboratory and while working, we discovered a machine that was considered inoperable suddenly left the facility on its own," Ikutsuki said.
"You mean like a robot?" Yukari asked.
"Something like that yes. It's a–"
Ikutsuki paused. Fuuka thought he was probably consulting with Takeharu about how much detail he needed to go into, and what the Chairman said next confirmed her assumption.
"To be precise, it's an anti-Shadow weapon. I would like to ask if you could all go and find it."
"Is there any more information you can give us?" Fuuka asked. "I'm going to need more details to locate anything other than Shadows."
"I'm sorry Fuuka but it's classified. I can't give you any more information than I already have."
"We'll keep an eye out for it," Mitsuru said. "We're currently not with the boys so it might take some time for us to all assemble. That being said, if we do find it, what do you want us to do with it?"
"If you can, try to keep it contained," Ikutsuki said. "Once you're sure you have it under control, call me back and your father and I will be on our way to wherever you are."
"Understood."
Mitsuru sighed as she ended the call and folded her arms.
"Are you alright senpai?" Fuuka asked.
"I'm fine," Mitsuru replied. She looked distressed though whatever traces of it there were in her eyes, Fuuka noted that she hid it well. "It's just that things keep piling on top of each other. First with Arisato and his loss of control, then to Takeba learning of her father's fate and now this. It seems this vacation isn't living up to what I promised."
"Hey, don't worry about it so much Mitsuru-senpai," Yukari said. Much to Fuuka's amazement, Yukari then placed a hand on her senpai's shoulder. "We've still got another day left. Let's make it the best one."
Mitsuru nodded and smiling slightly, gestured for Yukari to remove her hand. "Okay. Now then, we should go back and find the others." She turned to Fuuka. "Then we can have you use your Persona to scan the area."
"Alright," Fuuka said. "Where do you think the boys would be?"
"If I know Junpei, I know exactly where he'll be," Yukari said.
And with that, she led them back down the forest trail and to the place where the ground was just as bright as the sun.
If there was anything that screamed to be a silver lining for Junpei, it was the girl standing on the dock. With short blond hair and a slender body concealed by her light blue sundress, he felt this was the opportunity that would make up for the consistent string of failures. Fate had given him one last chance to prove he had what it took to pick up a girl and he was not going to let this one slip through his fingers. Not by a long shot.
"Talk about saving the best for last," he said, glancing at Akihiko and Minato. He then took a step forward. "Pardon me gentlemen, but I'll just scoot over there and–"
Akihiko grabbed his arm. "Oh no you're not. I'm going to be the one to score this time."
"You're going to score? I thought you weren't interested in picking up chicks," Junpei said, shaking off the boxer's grip.
"If I'm in a match, I want to win. And the only way for that to happen is if you step aside. You've had plenty of attempts at this already and it's all gone wrong. What makes you think you're going to be successful this time?"
"Because Minato is comin' with me." Junpei placed an arm around Minato's shoulders. "Ain't that right buddy?"
Minato eased himself out of Junpei's arm. "That wouldn't be fair at all. How about we each try individually? That way we're all on even ground and stand a better chance."
Junpei thought about this. The proposal wasn't a half bad idea and if he could have the first shot, then perhaps he could show Minato and Akihiko who the real master was. From observing their earlier foray on a pair of ladies, who were sitting on beach chairs, he knew they needed it; Minato especially. If his classmate was going to have any success in asking Mitsuru out, he'd have to do better than standing around and waiting to be prompted with a question.
"Alright then," Junpei said. "But for your own good, I'll go first and show you how it's done."
With no grumbles of disagreement, Junpei made his way down the beach and onto the dock. As he approached the girl in the sundress, his bare feet leaving specks of sand on the wooden flooring, he shot a glance back at his friends and saw that they had moved to wait behind a giant boulder. While they appeared to be out of sight, they actually had a perfect view of him. Prime seats to watch the master do his thing. Oh boy this is gonna be good.
As he came closer to the girl, he could only grin as all sorts of scenarios played out in his imagination. From him taking a stroll on the beach with her, to seeing the envious look on Akihiko's face, to hearing Minato say that he had finally learned something... It was simply riveting and with his confidence in check, he took a deep breath, let it out, turned his cap backwards, and spoke.
"H-Hey, h-how's it going?" Junpei began. When the girl did not respond, maybe due to the headphones she was wearing, he took a step closer and tapped her shoulder. "I noticed you've been, uh, staring at the ocean so I was wondering if you come here often or something."
The girl glanced at him. With her bright blue eyes and pristine, innocent face, she was one of, if not, the most beautiful girl Junpei had ever seen; her beauty even rivaling that of Mitsuru. Or so he liked to think anyway. He wondered if Minato would change his mind in pursuing Mitsuru once he had laid his eyes on this girl. The possibility was there but he threw the thought away as fast as it came. He wouldn't let Minato have this chance. His friend already had Mitsuru and for him to snatch away yet another pretty girl would be downright unfair.
"What do you want?" the girl asked. Her voice was flat.
"Don't worry," Junpei said. "I-I just want to talk. My name's Ju-Ju-Junpei."
"Ju-Ju-Junpei?"
"N-No it's just Junpei. You know what, how about I start again?" He cleared his throat. "Hi, how you doin'?"
The girl looked back toward the horizon. "I am looking for a human."
"Oh yeah?" Junpei said. "Any chance that human might be me?"
"You are not the one."
Junpei heard something crack. Then shatter. And as his heart broke into pieces, the full force of her words slammed into him. Slumping his shoulders, he turned around and returned to where his friends were waiting.
Akihiko grinned as he passed Junpei and climbed onto the dock. From observing Junpei do his thing – whatever it was – he had agreed with Minato that Junpei wouldn't last more than a minute. Truth be told, they were right; the show lasting for about thirty-eight seconds. It was disheartening to see that the self proclaimed 'master' was dispatched with such ease but it came as no surprise when Junpei returned empty handed. Akihiko was already skeptical of Junpei's prowess in picking up a girl, let alone flirting with her, and while he himself wasn't confident in his ability to charm a woman, he knew he could at least make the girl bat an eye at him.
At least.
"Hello there," Akihiko said as he approached the girl. "Say, what do you think about the ocean?"
"Is your question directed at me?" the girl replied in that same toneless voice. And without looking at him too.
"Yeah it is." When the girl did not answer, Akihiko wondered if this was what Junpei meant by 'tough one.' It must have been because he was sure that any other girl would have given him a response. Maybe I should change the subject. "Hey, are you into sports or anything?"
The girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye. While it wasn't enough to expose her face, Akihiko could already tell she was beautiful.
"Sports?" the girl repeated. "Why would I be into it?
"Well I just thought that with such a great figure, you'd work out or something," Akihiko said. "You know, I heard that tri-athletes who train at the beach perform better than those who practice indoors. Makes sense right?"
The girl returned her gaze to the ocean. It appeared as if she was considering this and for a moment, Akihiko thought she would turn to look at him directly and agree with him. Imagining her doing so was enough to jumpstart the triumphant feeling in his heart. That's right guys. Who's the king now?
"That type of information is irrelevant to me," the girl said.
The words whacked him in the face like a boxer's punch and Akihiko stood where he was, dumbfounded. Somewhere, he could hear the ringing of the bell that signaled the end of a boxing match.
How appropriate.
It was seeing the failures of Junpei and Akihiko that reminded Minato to never allow either of them to be his wingman in a bar. A hypothetical bar of course. Until he figured out where Mitsuru lied on the relationship spectrum, there would be no excursions to find girls. A part of him felt that he was limiting his options by doing this but he ignored it. So what if he was limiting himself? The chance he would stumble across someone that he could connect with on the same level as Mitsuru was minute. If he included what he'd been through with her in that hotel room, that chance was even smaller.
"No luck senpai?" Minato asked as Akihiko neared them.
"Unfortunately not," Akihiko said, shaking his head. He then smiled a little. "But I at least talked to her longer than Junpei did."
Junpei sighed and put the palm of his hand against his face. "It doesn't matter how long you talked to her! If you can't get her to come with you or at least get her number, then it's a lost cause!" Turning to Minato, he said, "Alright man. If you can't pull this off, I'm gonna be traumatized for the rest of my life."
"Aren't you being a little overdramatic about this?" Minato asked.
"Well I've got a right to! At least Akihiko-senpai has got his horde of girls and you...well you know what you've got. Meanwhile, I'm all alone here." Junpei uttered a strangled cry and wiped at his eyes.
"Wait, Minato's got someone already?" Akihiko asked.
Minato's heart plunged and looking to Junpei for moral support, he remembered why he decided against telling Akihiko. If the boxer learned there was something between him and Mitsuru, there was no telling what might happen, especially since Minato had no idea just how close his senpai were. He could just picture Akihiko beating him up though whatever physical pain he sustained from it, he knew it was nothing compared to speculating what Mitsuru might do. Not wanting to think about it any further, he shot Junpei a look that said 'Don't tell him anything.'
Junpei's response: 'I won't but you better win that girl over.' Then turning to Akihiko, he said, "Nah he doesn't have anyone. I just meant he's got the charisma. You know..."
Satisfied with Junpei's improvisation, Minato left for the dock. Once he was out of earshot, he looked back at them. And found that Akihiko was nodding. Minato was not sure whether it was at his 'charisma' or something else entirely but he guessed it didn't matter. Now that Junpei had done his part, he had to do his. He moved towards the girl, feeling the strong ocean breeze ruffle his hair and fill his mouth with the taste of sea salt, and thought hard about what he was going to say. Something about her appearance? How she was enjoying the island? The weather? Minato could not quite decide which of the three topics he liked more so when the girl turned around and faced him, he was glad.
Or was he?
Gazing into the girl's eyes, bright as the sky as they were, he noticed that they seemed to have widened. Not only that, she was looking at him directly. She hadn't done so when Junpei or Akihiko had approached her and knowing that made Minato suspicious. She's just probably fed up of being hit on and is now going to tell me off.
"Sorry if my friends disturbed you," Minato said. "They haven't been able to get much action lately and thought maybe–" He cut off as the girl took a few steps towards him, raised her hand, and brushed away the fringe of hair covering his right eye. Minato was startled at her action – judging by the loud gasps of Akihiko and Junpei, they were as well – and retreated a few paces. "What are you doing?"
"You are the one," she said. "Yes, you are the one. I have finally found you." The girl approached him again but before she could show another sign of affection, she looked over his shoulder and tensed. "Hostiles detected. Initiating evasive maneuvers."
With the speed of an assassin, the girl jumped off the dock and darted into the forest.
Leading Fuuka and Mitsuru down the forest trail was tricky. Not in the sense that it was difficult in knowing which way to go, but in the trek itself. The path was uneven, with twigs, leaves and the thick soil masking what was otherwise flat ground. Twice Yukari had almost tripped, and twice she actually did. She was lucky neither Fuuka nor Mitsuru saw her the first time but the second time? Why they both saw that. It was embarrassing, and when Mitsuru helped her up, it became even more so once Yukari noticed the heel of her senpai's footwear was similar to that of those school boots she wore.
Sharp.
It amazed, and to some extent, annoyed Yukari that Mitsuru was able to walk with such grace in a place like this. Ashamed as she was of her clumsiness (and her jealousy – that tiny spark she really ought to put out), she supposed it was her punishment for not paying attention to where they were going in the first place. The trip to see the Jyomon-Cedar tree had been Fuuka's idea, and it was Fuuka who had dragged both her and Mitsuru along in the hopes of avoiding Junpei's maid obsession for one day. Instead of focusing on the hike, Yukari had followed Fuuka's zigzagging route without much thought and now, as she led them to the beach, her mind was still latched onto last night's revelation and Minato's words.
Stay with us and fight he'd said. Do it for him. She felt stupid for not knowing what was an obvious answer and felt even worse that she had hurt him so. Here he was, risking his life and spending his time for the benefit of so many people, hers included, and all she had done in return was to give him a permanent injury. She knew he had done more things for Mitsuru but at least her senpai had the capability to repay him for his efforts. Giving him a prestigious position on the Student Council, keeping a close eye on him due to his Persona issues, saving his life when she had shot that arrow...
It was impossible to match that and although Minato probably didn't expect her to, the need for repayment remained. There has to be something I can do for him. But what? As she brainstormed for ideas, some realistic and others complete rubbish, it was then that she lost her footing to another sneaky tree root and fell onto her backside.
"Takeba! Are you okay?" Mitsuru asked, moving towards her and alerting Fuuka.
"I'm fine," Yukari said, rubbing her side. "I was just thinking too much and not paying attention to where I was walking." She laughed. "You'd think that they'd make it easier for people to see the tree by constructing some sort of walkway."
"Well this forest is a World Heritage site," Fuuka said, "so they can't have too many manmade things around. Maybe it's better if I lead the way."
"I think that might be best," Mitsuru said. She then held her hand out. "Here."
Yukari looked up at Mitsuru. She was hesitant in taking her senpai's hand since she could get up just fine by herself. In meeting Mitsuru's sincere gaze however, Yukari finally understood what the gesture meant. She's trying to reach out to me. Even though I've been so rude to her, she's still trying. Seeing Mitsuru's endeavor to make amends, Yukari took her hand. The moment she did was when it hit her. She didn't have to repay Minato by doing something for him. She could repay him by being someone whom Mitsuru could trust. A true friend. The idea was daunting since Yukari didn't know how one could become close to a person so perfect but, after everything that had happened with Junpei that night, she knew it was in her best interest.
"Thanks senpai," Yukari said as she stood up. "Guess I should've packed a pair of sneakers or something huh?"
"Maybe," Mitsuru said. "But none of us could have known in advance that we would be taking a walk here."
Yukari agreed. Their plan for avoiding Junpei had been a last minute decision, with Fuuka suggesting that the only place he would not bother to go was the forest. "Come to think of it, I've never seen you wear anything but heeled footwear. Is there a reason for that or do you just love heels?"
"Believe it or not, I'm only wearing them because my family stylist recommended it."
"You have a stylist?" Fuuka asked.
Mitsuru nodded. "Ever since my father deemed me ready to handle Group affairs about two years ago, I was appointed one. At the time, I never gave what I wanted to wear much thought and just went along with whatever was picked out for me. Thinking on it now though, I realize it's not practical to be wearing this," she gestured to her black heeled sandals, "all the time."
"Don't you have other things to wear?" Yukari asked. When Mitsuru shook her head, Yukari took her hand. "In that case, we are totally going shopping when we get back."
"Sh-Shopping?"
"Yeah. It'll be fun, just us girls. What do you say?"
Mitsuru looked to Fuuka then back to Yukari. "Well I suppose I can adjust my schedule to make time for it. Although, there's no telling on what my stylist will do with the clothes."
"Don't worry about that. We'll make sure to pick out stuff that suits you," Yukari said, letting go.
"I'll leave it in your hands then."
They continued their walk to the beach, the topic of their conversation drifting between what they would do tomorrow, and what they hoped to find during their shopping outing. Priding herself on keeping up with the latest trends, Yukari was astounded to hear of Mitsuru's apparent lack of a fashion sense. The claim puzzled her, especially since the clothes Mitsuru wore were often the most fashionable; her current outfit one that Yukari remembered seeing as part of...which summer collection was it again? Chanel? Prada? Versace? Looking over the white sleeveless turtleneck and slim black pants, and keeping a watchful eye on where she stepped, Yukari decided she would never figure it out. And if she had no idea, she was sure Mitsuru didn't either.
The fact her senpai had no brand preference or sense of what was trending posed a challenge. Which boutique or department store would they go to? Should they go after what was in season? What about the price? The questions were the same bunch that always disturbed her whenever she was about to update her wardrobe. But instead of falling into her habit of fussing over them, Yukari welcomed them. The outing after all, would be more than just shopping. It would be about spending time with Mitsuru, getting to know her, and understanding that she was not a perfect goddess – something she had built up in her head over the past few months – but just a normal girl with hopes and dreams like anyone else. It was hard to think of her senpai as the latter though Yukari knew she had to try. For herself. For Minato. And for S.E.E.S.
Emerging from the shade of the trees and into the sun's gaze, Yukari looked down both ends of the beach; Fuuka and Mitsuru doing the same. She had expected Junpei would be here (it was the only thing he had yapped about ever since coming to Yakushima so why wouldn't he?) so not finding him or the others disappointed her.
"I don't see them around," Fuuka said, placing a hand to block the sun out of her eyes. "Maybe they've already gone back to the mansion?"
"I doubt it," Yukari said, folding her arms. "Junpei's been wanting to come to the beach so I'm pretty sure he wouldn't..."
She trailed off as she noticed a girl in the distance, who was coming their way. The girl wasn't alone; on either side of her were another three figures. The group on the left were all dressed in white, while the group on the right–
Yukari blinked and, trying to stifle the imminent burst of laughter, turned her attention to Fuuka and Mitsuru. Unsurprisingly, they were both as stunned and amused as she was, shaking their heads as if someone had told the world's lamest joke. Finding it impossible to hold her amusement back any longer, Yukari laughed.
At least the vacation didn't go by without that.
Comedy was a word Mitsuru seldom thought of. The idea of laughing at a clever joke or someone else's misfortune? Who had the time for that? Considering the time she spent in dealing with her commitments, certainly not her. She supposed there were the odd happenings at school – Hidetoshi's interrogation crusade being one of the more memorable ones – though they were too few and far between. Even when they occurred, protocol dictated for her to resolve it in a professional manner. Not to stand back and admire the humor.
Mitsuru wondered if she was missing out on the joy such situations brought by being the facilitator – the one who cleaned up the mess without any thought about the essence of what made something comical. It was something that had been floating about in her mind for a while and the more she thought about it, the more she believed she was depriving herself of the simple pleasures found in the life of a student.
So when Yukari had pointed out the steadily approaching figures, and then began giggling upon identifying who they were (the ones on the right anyway), Mitsuru couldn't help but join her. After all, when would be the next time she saw Junpei, Akihiko and Minato in their swimwear, running after a girl as if she was the last female on the planet? Probably never again. The sight of such desperation was one she would never forget; the shaking of her sides from the contagious laughter another.
But, like all good things, it wasn't to last and her laughter ended as soon as she realized the group of people on the left were scientists of the Kirijo Group. What would they be doing out here, chasing after that girl? It can't be for the same reason as the boys. She thought long and hard, only to be frustrated that the answer continued to elude her. Making a mental vow never to mix laughter and deductive reasoning together again, Mitsuru then noticed there was something unusual with the girl in the sundress. It was not her appearance or the way she dashed across the sand with her arms swept back.
It was her behavior.
While they were still a fair distance away, Mitsuru saw that the girl had not once looked back at her pursuers. Had not once uttered a cry for help that she was being chased. No, she just kept her eyes forward and ran as if it was the most natural thing to do. Her complete disregard of the six figures behind her was perplexing, and Mitsuru only understood what it meant when she recalled the earlier discussion she had with Ikutsuki.
A robot has left the Kirijo Group lab. The Chairman notified us of it. And now there are scientists chasing after this girl who isn't displaying human traits. There's no doubt about it. This girl has to be our anti-Shadow weapon.
"I hate to be the one to stop the festivities but stay on your guard," Mitsuru said, drawing Yukari and Fuuka's giggles to a close. "If I'm not mistaken, that girl who is being chased is the robot my father and the Chairman are looking for."
"Are you sure of that senpai?" Yukari asked.
"I'm certain of it. Otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense for Kirijo Group workers to be outside of the lab dressed in their uniform."
Yukari and Fuuka looked towards the oncoming horde, who were now about a hundred meters away from them, and noted their attire of white lab coats.
"Yeah you're right Mitsuru-senpai," Fuuka said. She frowned. "In that case, Minato and the others are chasing after her because..."
"...because Junpei is being stupid as usual," Yukari finished for her. "Come on, we have to stop her from getting away."
They all then prepared to intercept the girl. As they stood waiting, Mitsuru doubted any of them would be able to keep the girl contained. What could they do to stop a robot anyway? Without their weapons or Evokers, they were powerless. And even if they were armed, they would still be at a disadvantage. Personas were an exclusive attraction to the Dark Hour and their weapons, well, they would be ineffective against a target who could fire projectiles. Mitsuru hadn't delved into the specifics of the anti-Shadow weapons that were developed but, she knew that they were outfitted with live ammunition for the sole purpose of dealing with large groups of Shadows. Whether they were able to distinguish friend from foe, Mitsuru didn't know and the possibility that this model carried blanks was unable to alleviate her concerns.
Twenty-five meters left. Twenty. Fifteen. What do we do? Think. Think. Th-
Her thoughts halted as the girl stopped in front of her, leaned forward, and gazed into her eyes.
"Identification verified," the girl said after a few seconds. And then, to Yukari and Fuuka's surprise, the girl continued, "You are Kirijo Mitsuru, daughter of Kirijo Takeharu, heir to the Kirijo Group, and best friend of Arisato Minato. I have been–"
"Finally! She stopped running," Junpei said as he, Minato, Akihiko and the scientists arrived and gathered around.
The two groups then looked at each other (for the first time by the looks of it); one trying to figure out why a bunch of scientists would be chasing after a girl, the other trying to figure out why a bunch of teenage boys were chasing after a robot. The befuddlement on their faces was almost enough to send Mitsuru back into the realms of laughter – what prevented her from going was the robot's claim. How could it, or she, know her identity? More importantly, when, where and how did the robot learn of her friendship with Minato? Mitsuru was sure she had never come into contact with this robot (girl) before.
Maybe she has just been programmed with a set of outdated data. But if that's the case, why would it need such trivial information of me being Arisato's best friend? That's so unnecessary.
The thoughts were as puzzling as figuring out why the scientists were on the beach, and Mitsuru was pulled out of them when it started.
"What are you boys doing?" one of the scientists asked.
"More like what the hell are you guys doing runnin' around the beach in your lab coats?" Junpei responded.
"We're trying to recover a runaway robot," another scientist said before being elbowed in the gut by his companion.
"Hey, don't leak information to these people. It's classified," the third scientist said.
"Robot?" Akihiko said, frowning and folding his arms. "There's no robot here. Just this extremely attractive girl who you guys scared off."
"Actually, it's Minato who scared her off," Junpei said, turning to face the blue haired boy. "I didn't get to say this earlier but what the hell dude?! You were supposed to charm her, not make her run across the friggin' beach like a ninja. Have you forgotten our deal already?"
Mitsuru wondered why Minato would do such a thing (after his display of affection in the ward) when she noticed the three scientists huddle together, perhaps considering whether it was prudent to play along with the boys' understanding of the girl in the sundress being just a girl in a sundress. Fed up with misunderstandings, she stepped forward and cleared her throat, shooting both groups a sharp eye. The scientists and the boys turned to look at her; the only person able to meet her gaze was Minato. He looked apologetic.
"Sorry senpai," Junpei said, placing a hand behind his head and smiling sheepishly. "But I swear we were only trying to befriend her."
"I second that," Akihiko added.
Mitsuru ran her eyes over the two of them (never had she been so disappointed in Akihiko), before turning her attention onto the scientists.
"L-Lady Mitsuru," the scientist who had spoken first earlier said. He gave a slight bow and gestured for his colleagues to do the same. "We didn't see you there. We heard your father contacted you to find Aigis and fearing you might not run into her, he instructed us to help you. Now that she's here, would you like us to take her back to the lab for you?"
Mitsuru shook her head and whipped out her cell phone. "It's fine. I can take it from here."
The name rang a bell in Mitsuru's mind, though the only thing she heard from every member of S.E.E.S. sans Minato on the walk back to the mansion was: "Who's Aigis?"
"I am Aigis, the Seventh Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon."
Late at night that same day, Minato leaned on the armrest of a couch in the lounge and watched the Chairman help the 'girl' introduce herself to the others, who, with the exception of Mitsuru, were all standing around her. Without the blue sundress, Aigis' figure was even more slim; the shape of the white armor plating that was her torso and limbs imitating that of a runway model. It was no wonder that Junpei and Akihiko were smitten by her though Minato's interest was held by her words.
You are the one.
Aigis had repeated this several times within the last few hours. When they regrouped with Ikutsuki and Takeharu, during their quick visit to the Kirijo labs, and on the way back to the mansion where stories of what happened today were exchanged – Yukari taking every opportunity to mock Junpei's idiocy of trying to pick up girls on the beach, and Junpei taking every opportunity to mock Yukari's clumsiness. She had said those four words every time and Minato judged she would not stop anytime soon. While the meaning remained unclear, it was enough to further irritate Junpei and Akihiko, and make Yukari and Fuuka raise their eyebrows. He found it difficult to guess what effect it had on Mitsuru but was sure having a robot display such affection would at least send her mixed signals.
For better or worse.
"...created ten years ago to combat uncontrollable Shadows," Ikutsuki was saying. "Aigis was the last to be made and is the only one that still remains today."
"You mean there were more?" Fuuka asked.
"Well yes. But they've all been deactivated due to the potential danger they posed to the general public. Can you imagine the amount of destruction a battle between them and the Shadows would cause?"
Junpei folded his arms. "That makes sense. Man, she's so cute but...she's a robot."
"At least we figured that out before we did anything," Akihiko said, and Junpei nodded. "So if she can fight Shadows, does that mean she has a Persona?"
Aigis stepped forward. "Yes, I am capable of operating the Persona 'Palladion'. Would you like me to demonstrate?"
"That won't be necessary Aigis," Ikutsuki said before shifting his gaze back to everyone. "In any case, my humblest apologies for ruining your day. We're still looking into why she suddenly reactivated herself this morning but it might be a while before we find an answer. In the meantime, you'll be happy to hear that her assignment to S.E.E.S. is permanent and effective immediately."
"That's awesome!" Junpei said. He sighed. "Now I don't have to work so hard."
"Typical," Yukari muttered.
"Hey, I heard that!"
Yukari ignored him. "By the way, is there a reason she keeps telling Minato he's the one?"
Ikutsuki place a hand on his chin. "Perhaps her identification system is malfunctioning. Or maybe she's still half-asleep. She's been dormant for so long that anything's possible."
"I can tell you that all my systems are functional," Aigis said.
"I agree with her," Mitsuru said, standing up and crossing over to where everyone was gathered. "She was able to correctly identify me back at the beach."
"Well there has to be something that is not quite right," Ikutsuki said. He turned to Aigis. "Are you completely sure everything is running as normal?"
"If it pleases you, I will run a system scan," Aigis said. "However, there is no guarantee of success in finding the answer to your concern. I do not know myself why I activated today or why I am saying these things but I do know that," she walked to where Minato was standing," my highest priority is to be at Minato-san's side."
Minato stiffened as she rested her head against his chest and felt his friends shoot him a variety of looks: astonishment, jealousy, confusion. He would later forget these looks in favor of the one that grabbed his heart. Twisted it. And make him feel as if he had just cheated.