Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3—or any version of the Persona series, really. I just own this rather shameless piece of work.
Other Notes: It's really weird writing such a passive protagonist. Even though he's your typical "insert your own personality" hero in the game, I wanted to keep that sort of "meh" vibe you get from the in-game narration at times. Those parts where it makes rather insightful discoveries only to shrug it off and say that "you decided to go back to the dorm". I found those parts hilarious while playing because it's like, "DUDE, MINATO", but translating it into story narration is just… strange. Frustrating, even, but I guess that's where his trademark phrase "I don't care" comes into play, haha.
Symbiosis
Chapter Eleven
That was too close.
Minato was diverging from the way Tamamo knew the events ran, and so far he had been put in direct danger both times. While she certainly could not argue with the way he did things, she felt no end of guilt for whatever happened. Since she had known that things worked out in the end, why hadn't she argued that he go on the monorail anyway? The idea of being on a runaway train was terrifying, but compared to falling off the tracks where he possibly couldn't have been saved had it not been for Junpei's quick thinking… wasn't that the "lesser evil", as it were?
He was becoming more proactive, Tamamo realized. The nights spent in Tartarus, leading the squad on the field, was affecting him more than he thought. He was still rather passive in most other endeavors, simply going along with everyone else's flow when it came to school activities or hanging out, but during the Dark Hour he was steadily stepping into the shoes of a true leader. He no longer treaded quietly down Tartarus's halls, waiting around corners for Shadows to turn their backs. He ran at them, weapon ready and Evoker in easy reach.
If he kept up this trend for the next full moon, which was… was…
Tamamo shifted uneasily.
It was hard to admit, but she couldn't remember a lot of things from the early to middle stages of the game. When she had played, it had all blurred together in the middle of planning Social Links and rushing through content to get her full end-game team together. She knew Fuuka had to be joining soon, which she vaguely recalled involving two Shadows and a stakeout of some sort, but…
…But was that the next event? Or was it some other Arcana fight she couldn't remember? She tended to remember the Full Moon Operations that gave her new party members or involved particularly significant confrontations (such as the infamous October 4th operation), but not the exact order they came in. Everything else joined the rest of her blurry memories.
Frustration warred with a familiar feeling of helplessness. The only thing she had that could help Minato was her knowledge. If she didn't have even that, and had to hide other information besides, then what good was she?
"You must wait," Orpheus advised when she complained aloud to him in a bout of self-pity. Despite Minato steadily moving on to fusing other Personas to use in battle, he seemed to make a point to always keep Orpheus around, made easier now that he had access to the Compendium. Tamamo was grateful. None of the Personas spoke often (or even at all), but Orpheus seemed to be the most willing to chat with her at any time. "Just as we do. If he requires your aid, then he will call."
"Personas are very trusting of their 'Others', aren't they?" Tamamo murmured, partly admirable and partly guilty. Was she not trusting Minato to take care of things enough? She was an actual separate living soul rather than a facet of his, but she had lived in his head for more than a decade…
"Of course," Orpheus replied. "'Thou art I, and I am thou'. Those are words not spoken lightly… For those that try to repress themselves or are unprepared, it is difficult. But for those who can see their true selves and accept what they find… we do our utmost to lend our power."
In the end, she supposed, the Persona was telling her she could only wait for his signal. She didn't have the same type of power they had to help Minato on his journey, but she'd be damned if she couldn't find some other way. Despite her limitations.
"Nothing to it, then," she muttered, shrugging. She lifted her hands, palms faced outward to the Persona floating before her. "Try again?"
"Certainly." Orpheus obligingly held out his own white-gloved hands.
The Persona was much taller than her so she had to extend her arms a bit to get her hands properly parallel, but they managed. With a little concentration, a small light sparked, ghostly blue in color. It was a little too chaotic to be a flame, more like condensed lightning-in-a-ball, but it looked a little like kitsunebi, or foxfire, to her. How ironic.
She wasn't confident to pull anything off on her own just yet, but using Minato's Personas as a sort of conduit seemed to work. Truly, the power of the mind and soul in the Persona universe was strong indeed. If she could continue on like this, working on her growth alongside Minato's, would she be able to affect the outside world like his Personas, even a little bit?
(Once, she thought she heard Pharos's giggle echo throughout the mindscape, but she forced the idea away. She didn't know what the amnesiac avatar of Death was looking for in her, and she wasn't sure she even wanted to.)
It was about two weeks later, including one grueling week of midterm exams, when Akihiko finally returned from the hospital to announce that he was officially pronounced healed from his injuries. Minato had joined the others at the dorm lounge after school ended, exhausted from the week of studying and test-taking, just in time to hear the news.
"That's great!" Yukari exclaimed.
Even Junpei looked genuinely glad. "Congrats, man!"
Akihiko leaned back in his seat, looking pleased. "Just in time, too." When a round of confused and curious looks met him, he elaborated, "Mitsuru and I have been doing a little research on the chairman's request. We think we've found another Persona-user."
The trio perked up at that. Minato even straightened from his usual slouch.
"We did!? Sweet!" Junpei crowed. "Is it a girl?"
Yukari rolled her eyes, but Akihiko nodded. "Actually, it is. She's a junior who goes to our school: Fuuka Yamagishi. Do you guys know her?"
"Yamagishi?" Yukari repeated, sounding thoughtful. "Oh, that girl in 2-E! She gets sick a lot from what I heard…" She frowned. "I don't see her at school very often."
The upperclassman gave an understanding hum. "She was at the same hospital as me. That's how we found out about her." He sighed, sounding put-out. "Maybe she's not cut out for battle. I had an Evoker made for her, too…"
As the conversation continued, devolving into the usual bickering between Yukari and Junpei, Minato had the strangest feeling that he should keep the girl's name in mind anyway. There was no telling what they'd all get up to in the following weeks before the next ordeal, but if the last two had any indication, it would be a doozy. Any ally they could make would be a strong asset to have at that point…
Seeing Akihiko in action was both humbling and inspiring, Minato found.
At the older boy's request, Minato left a memo for the members of SEES to gather at the school dorm on a later evening to head into Tartarus. While waiting, Akihiko filled Minato in on his capabilities, as well as his Persona's. The others seemed a bit surprised that he wouldn't be taking over leadership, but understood when Akihiko had explained that he wanted to focus on regaining his strength after a month of inactivity.
"Besides, you guys are used to this dynamic," the boxer mentioned. "There's no reason to fix what isn't broken, right?"
Yukari had agreed easily, glad to not have to adjust to another person's pace again. Junpei's brow furrowed and he seemed to have to refrain from saying anything, but he, too, agreed without protest.
So, SEES went to Tartarus and warped to their current floor of exploration. Seeing Akihiko don his gloves and take up a fighting stance was strangely intimidating, especially given his ease at roaming Tartarus's halls despite not having gone in since that first day with them. It almost made Minato jealous, as the older teenager was so calm despite the situations that fell about their ears. Minato had been aware of the Dark Hour for ten years now, but even he felt uneasy with everything that was going on.
He kept a calm face, sure, but Akihiko seemed naturally calm.
"Well, it is understandable," Tamamo said as Minato guided them down the corridor. "Akihiko has been at the whole fighting Shadows scene for two years. Judging by what he said before, he went on patrols regularly during the Dark Hour to beat any Shadows that left Tartarus."
And fighting seems second nature to him, he thought. He was really disappointed at not being able to come with us any time we went here before.
Tamamo hummed. "His reason to fight is a strong one. He takes it very seriously."
His reason to fight… he mused. The goal that was important enough to stake his life on to reach…
When a Shadow attacked, Akihiko met his target with his fist—a well-aimed strike that snaked out and caught the mask in a blink. All things said, the masks of Shadows were admittedly somewhat fragile compared to the main body, but they were still sturdy enough to withstand some damage. So it was a great surprise that what seemed like more of a warning hit resulted in an immediate crack in the mask, sending the Shadow skittering back.
Akihiko clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed with himself, and an almost awkward silence ensued before the rush of battle called for the underclassmen to focus on other things.
When it was over, however, they huddled together, still rather stunned at the display of raw strength.
"Dude, remind me never to piss him off," Junpei uttered with terrified awe.
Minato warily agreed.
And so they continued through the floor, gathering what materials they could find before ascending to the next. Mitsuru accompanied them through the transceiver and her Persona's communicative abilities, but as they climbed higher and higher, Minato noticed that the signal seemed to get weaker from her end. Even scanning enemies turned up less results, requiring them to tread lightly on what skills they used to avoid wasting energy.
Before long, Minato had them return to the entrance, nerves getting the better of him. It didn't seem that Mitsuru would lose contact with them anytime soon, but they'd been up for a while. Long enough for Akihiko to get back into the groove of fighting outside of the boxing ring, at any rate. He seemed to be disappointed at the short run, but reluctantly agreed when Minato told him he didn't want to risk possibly reinjuring his ribs so soon after they were proclaimed healed.
Dia spells were useful, but they could only do so much.
As they returned to the dorm that night, Minato decided to spend more time in the gym. He was lucky the kendo club had been recruiting this time around. It may not have been the same sword type that he used, but it was still useful to know to improve his own technique. And with Akihiko fighting alongside them, he had a feeling he would need every little bit to keep up.
The days flew by quickly. In between attending club practices, filling in at the odd student council meeting, and hanging out with Junpei and Yukari, Minato barely noticed the time slipping away until summer rolled by, calling for the change in uniform.
He couldn't help the relieved sigh that escaped as he tugged on the shorter-sleeved shirt, buttoning it up. He thought it had been getting hotter. If they had stayed in the winter uniform much longer, he would have been baking.
"You probably wouldn't feel as warm if you cut that mop of a hairstyle of yours," Tamamo remarked.
Too lazy…
She huffed. "At least pull it back or something, then!"
I don't have something like that, though…
"Minato," Tamamo deadpanned."You live in a coed dorm. Asking Mitsuru for normal accessories might be a stretch, but Yukari's bound to have at least a headband or something you can use."
And so, after some debate on whether or not he should endure the annoyance of another summer with a sweaty face and bangs (no thank you), he went to his female classmate's room, hoping to catch her before she set out to class. Thankfully, she was still in when he knocked.
She gave him a decidedly odd look when he asked for a hair tie (headbands were easier to wear, but he thought they looked strange on guys), but handed a few thankfully plain black ones over, citing that he could keep them since she never used it anyway.
Minato thanked her before tying his bangs back then and there.
Yukari watched him, looking confused. "Why the change in style all of a sudden? Thought the whole hair in your face thing was part of your 'cool guy' charm or something."
He sent her a blank look. "…The heck is that?"
"It's not?" she asked, surprised. He wondered if he should feel offended. "It's just… Why keep your hair like that then, if it gets so annoying? I keep wondering how you see with it all in front of your eyes, but I figured it was all just part of your look, so…"
Is that how it works? Minato wondered. "I just don't like going to the barber… Too troublesome."
"…Seriously? That's it?"
He shrugged.
"I… see…" The brunette seemed at a loss. "Y'know, Minato-kun, you can be pretty weird sometimes. Maybe not on Junpei levels, but you're definitely a lot less cool than I thought you'd be."
"Foot-in-mouth syndrome strikes again!"
Minato only dipped his head. "Thanks."
And then he all but flounced off before she could decide if she had meant it as a compliment or not. He could tolerate his female teammate better after having fought alongside her, but sometimes things were just better left unsaid.
That morning, walking into the school building, Minato noticed that the student body was more riled up than usual. Students mingled together, forgoing their usual cliques as they shared information. It wasn't such an unusual sight, but it was uncommon enough that Minato lowered the volume on his music to near inaudible levels to hear what was going around. Only the biggest rumors flew around in such a way, grabbing just about the whole of the student body's attention.
"So who was it?" one girl whispered to another. "Do you know?"
"No, but I heard she's in the 11th grade," answered the other.
"Wait, was she the chick who got suspended a while back?" asked a boy. Minato vaguely recognized his face to be someone from his class. "I heard she got caught trying to go to Shirakawa Boulevard or something."
"Dude, that's another girl," his friend retorted, shoving his arm. "Nah, I hear this girl ran away from home. Wonder why she was found here, though…"
"I'm wondering what put her in the hospital," said another.
And on they went, the rumors growing or shrinking in detail with every student Minato passed. They continued off and on throughout the day, as other students not "in the know" were informed, speculation rising. It was almost amazing, in a way, how they could latch onto such information so quickly and chime in.
"Even students at private schools get excited when action involving one of their own occurs," Tamamo observed as the conversations started up again during the break. She paused. "Wait a second…"
"Man, can you believe these people?" Junpei complained before Minato could ask what was up. "So, Minato, did you hear the details?"
Who hadn't? But, curious as to what Junpei heard, he shrugged. "About what?"
Junpei deadpanned. "Dude, sometimes I worry about you." He shook his head. "Anyways, a girl from 2-E went missing last night and this morning they found her lying on the ground in front of the school gate! Nobody knows what happened and, supposedly, she's still unconscious."
"Junpei gossips more than even the girls in your class sometimes," Tamamo said as Junpei greeted Yukari, who walked over to join them.
Minato agreed, half-tuned in to his teammates' discussion about the rumors. It seemed they didn't hear much more than what he had. What were you thinking about earlier?
"Hm? Oh." Tamamo seemed distracted as Yukari informed them that she had seen the girl the day before, perfectly healthy before the mysterious "attack". "This incident. You should check up on Fuuka Yamagishi in 2-E when you can. Though I kind of doubt you'll find much…"
It took waiting for the next break between classes, while the teachers changed classrooms, for Minato to do as Tamamo suggested. With a quick word to Junpei that he was just heading to the restroom, he left only to enter their neighboring classroom. A few students looked up at his arrival, but didn't pay him much attention beyond that.
Minato eyed them before spotting a relatively harmless-looking girl. "Excuse me. Is Fuuka Yamagishi here?"
"Fuuka…?" The girl blinked, looking lost even behind her glasses. "Oh, Yamagishi. No. She's out sick."
"I see." A tendril of doubt wove its way through his mind. "Thanks."
He left without another word, standing outside the door. He knew he was blocking the way, but nobody seemed inclined to try to make their way past him. There was another door anyway. That's suspicious.
"Oh?" Tamamo replied. "And why's that?"
He would have sulked had it not been for the hair tie exposing his full expression to the world. That was her lecturing tone—the type she used when he gave an answer and she wanted him to explain his reasoning like some sort of test. Yukari mentioned she was sickly, but with these rumors going around… Wait, that unconscious girl wasn't her, was it?
"No. A related incident, to be sure, but definitely not Fuuka. I think? Was it this early or…?" her voice trailed off, troubled.
He decided he would give it another day or so. To see if any other rumors sprouted up and if Fuuka Yamagishi showed her face herself. If not, then, well, perhaps the upperclassmen would know what to do.
The next day, Minato visited 2-E again, asking for Fuuka.
He made the mistake of asking the first person he saw rather than looking around for someone credible. The girl he addressed looked incredulous the moment Fuuka's name left his lips.
"Yamagishi? You want to see her?" she asked, insultingly disbelieving. The mere tone of her voice brought back unpleasant memories, and his hands clenched unseen in his pockets. "You're way out of her league. I don't think she even likes guys."
Sneers didn't look good on any face, Minato decided.
Oblivious to his flat reaction, she giggled, simpering. "But, hey, if you're looking, I'm free…"
"Not on your life," he said before she could say more. "And I can see she's not here." Not really, since he didn't know what she looked like. But he had a feeling she wasn't. Tamamo confirmed it a moment later. "Thanks for nothing."
He left her gaping at his back amidst snickering classmates. As he stepped back into his class, he reflected. That was a bit rude, but…
The memories of his childhood growing up screeched to a halt from where they'd been rising up, the taunting jeers of relatives and classmates fading before their words could become clear. In their place was a comforting silence, broken by a soft humming.
…Thanks, Tamamo.
She didn't reply, but she did send him a pat on the head. It made all the difference.
June opened with a flurry of ghost stories, all instigated by the continuously growing rumors of the girl found unconscious by the school gates. Allegedly, she still had yet to awaken and thus the student body felt obligated to provide answers as to why.
Eating a bread from the school commissary, Minato wondered what it was about the human psyche that automatically jumped to the paranormal the moment something strange popped up. Of course, the more logical folks moved on to the reasonable ideas, but the stories of vengeful spirits and lingering regrets tended to spread faster through the grapevine.
"I don't believe any of it!" Yukari announced adamantly after taking a bite of her own lunch. "Ghosts. Don't. Exist. Some people can be so stupid."
"Aw, c'mon, Yuka-tan," Junpei wheedled. "We of all people should know that not everything can be explained so easily, yeah? Who's to say ghosts don't exist either?"
She glared. "Shush, Stupei!" The nickname seemed to have stuck, much to Junpei's dismay. "And no. There might be… that, but not ghosts. No way. That's just too farfetched. Right, Minato-kun?"
"Don't involve me in this," Minato said blandly. Then, taking the opportunity before either of them could open their mouths to continue the argument, he asked, "By the way, have either of you seen Fuuka Yamagishi around?"
"The new recruit?" Junpei asked, adjusting to the abrupt shift in topics with ease. "Nah. She hasn't been at school, I don't think. Guess she's sick in the hospital again or something."
"Yeah," Yukari agreed, though she sent Junpei a dirty look. Most likely for his continued lack of censorship on Dark Hour-related matters. "I haven't seen her during club times either… At least, I think she's in a club. Not really sure, though. Why do you ask?"
Minato considered telling them that he thought she was involved with the rumors floating around, but wondered at his lack of evidence. She really could just be out sick, though Tamamo was certain something would happen with her sometime.
"Just paranoid," he said eventually. "I've tried asking around, but I guess I'm still too new so people don't know me enough to give me more information. Maybe you guys will have more luck than me."
Junpei barely took a second to agree while Yukari mulled it over before accepting. "Yeah, you should probably get out a bit more, Minato-kun. I still get asked who you are sometimes. Which, considering how fast stuff gets around in our school, is pretty impressive."
He only sighed in response, brushing his pants of any stray crumbs. "Dealing with people can be so tiring, though…"
A crumpled up napkin hit the side of his exposed forehead. "You are so lazy!"
Junpei barked out a laugh. "Ha! You got his little mole there. Nice one, Yuka-tan!"
"Don't get me started on you, Stupei."
"Will you stop calling me that!?"