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: Fun Fact: Part of the inspiration for this story comes from the Kirijo Group's motto, which is the quote provided in this story's summary (in case anyone's forgotten). I didn't write that part between Mitsuru and her papa out here, but it's certainly there behind the scenes!

Also, can I just say how much I love it when you guys make predictions in your reviews? Some of you can get quite close to the truth, and then some of you give ideas that I kind of wish I thought of! And I have to say that I'm proud no one had asked the generic "what's the pairing?" I like gen fics and I wanted this to focus more on friendships throughout the Journey… I mean, there might be some romance, but I'm not exactly good at writing that, so I would set my standards really low if/when it shows up if I were you, haha!

Symbiosis

Chapter Twenty-Two

On the ferry to Yakushima, Minato stood at the rails, watching the island grow closer as they approached. Beside him, Junpei whooped and cheered. Fuuka giggled somewhere behind them while Yukari sighed, exasperated.

"Awesome! There it is!" Junpei announced, as if they could have possibly missed it. "Ya-ku-shi-ma!"

"Ya-ku-shi-ma!" his Other echoed. "Minato! Minato, you too!"

Amused, he cupped his hands over his mouth. "Ya-ku-shi-ma!"

Junpei laughed even as the ferry's horn sounded, signaling their imminent landfall. Half of the group was quiet as they followed the more enthusiastic half in gathering their items and disembarking from the ferry. When they were all off, Mitsuru looked about the pier until her eyes settled on whatever she was looking for, lifting an arm to wave them over.

Within moments, a group of uniformed individuals appeared to take their luggage, transporting them to vehicles parked in the distance. Another few ushered the teenagers to another pair of cars, which they were told would take them to the Kirijo vacation home.

Minato sat with the boys in one car, breathing slowly and deeply with his music on low to drown out the feel of the vehicle. Beside him, Junpei let out appreciative sounds as he caught sight of the beach and, as Minato guessed, the elusive "babes in bikinis". Akihiko sat in the front seat, though he had been in a pensive mood since they met Ken Amada and wasn't up for chatting. He seemed to be lightening up, however, if the interested way he looked at the beach meant anything. So Minato supposed the vacation wouldn't be dragged down too badly by nobody being in the mood.

"Whoa…" Junpei said, awed, as he suddenly leaned forward in his seat. The car was slowing and Minato looked up ahead through the front window to catch sight of the mansion looming over them. It was quite elegant, with columns carved like Greek pillars, but simple in a way. Had it not been so large, he would have called the exterior plain.

The car parked and Minato stepped out, tugging off his headphones with a barely audible sigh of relief. He followed Akihiko and Junpei to rejoin the girls.

"They'll take care of your luggage," Mitsuru informed them, looking briefly at the maids who came out to greet the cars. She then turned on her heel. "I'll show you in."

With only a minor glance to where their bags were, they followed her up the steps and through the doors. Inside, even Minato to gawk at the obvious wealth displayed. It wasn't egregious by any means, but there was a certain air of luxury that permeated from the marble floors and the portraits spaced out on the walls. Even the decorative plants felt extraordinary in comparison to the common house plant.

"Wow…" Fuuka marveled.

"It's like we're in an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Fabulous…" Junpei uttered, eyes wide as he tried to take their surroundings in. His attention was quickly brought down when a pair of maids approached them, bowing in unison.

"Welcome back, Milady," they chorused.

When they rose back up, one gave a kind smile as she looked over the group. "And you must be her schoolmates, correct? Welcome to the Kirijo vacation home." She and her fellow maid stepped to the side, gesturing down the path they came from. "Please, follow me."

Yukari was close to gaping, but seemed to catch herself before her mouth could fall the entire way. Still, she looked back at the others as they followed Mitsuru and the maids, perturbed. "Um. Is this the right place?"

"Dude," said Junpei, "real-life maids." When Minato didn't respond, he nudged him with his elbow. "Dude."

"I know." Minato sighed.

"I knew she was from an important family, but this definitely confirms it…" Fuuka mused as she glanced around the mansion's halls.

The group was mostly down the hall when an older gentleman entered from the opposite room. From his pressed suit, neatly done hair, and intimidating eyepatch, he was certainly not one to be crossed. He stopped when he saw the group, single gray eye looking each of them over one by one before landing on Mitsuru.

"It's good to see you," she greeted courteously. But there was an obvious warmth lingering beneath her words—something Minato had never heard before.

The man's only response was a slow blink before continuing on his way. The entire party watched him leave in silence until he was out of sight and hearing range.

"Was that…?" Fuuka began, glancing nervously at their red-haired upperclassman.

"…her father?" Yukari finished.

Junpei shuddered. "Dude, talk about scary! He's not gonna make us walk the plank, is he?"

Akihiko rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid."

Surprisingly, the joke got a chuckle out of Mitsuru. She dismissed the maids, who listened to her words without protest. "I can take things from here. Now, all of you, we won't be here long, but please make yourselves at home."

"Sweet! This is gonna rock!" Junpei cheered. His eyes eagerly darted from face to face. "Hey, wanna go to the beach? It's right there." He did a little dance, caught up in his own excitement and hype. "Dude, this place rules! Come on, let's go!"

"What, already?" Yukari balked. "I mean, sure, but let me get changed first!"

Junpei only grinned wider. Minato worried he would pull something. "Then I'll see ya there! I'm not gonna waste a single minute!"

And with Mitsuru's blessing, they were shown to their rooms so they could prepare. Yukari and Fuuka chatted along the way while Junpei rushed into his to change. As the others entered their rooms, Minato heard him tear back out again barely a minute later, eager to get to the beach. Akihiko left soon after, announcing to the hall that he would see the rest of them there and that he would try to contain Junpei.

Minato took his time getting ready, pulling out his clothes but mostly checking out the spacious room. It was clearly a guest room given the lack of decorations or belongings, but the real draw of it was the window and balcony that looked over the sea. Quietly, Minato set aside his swim trunks to push aside the airy curtains and open the doorway. He stepped out, enjoying the sea breeze and summer sun.

In the back of his mind, Tamamo took in a deep breath, as if she could feel it as well. Minato's mind returned to their earlier conversation and, though he was loathe to return her to a melancholic mood, he found himself curious.

…Do you ever get angry? he asked. About not having your own body, I mean.

He felt her surprise, and then, as he expected, a dose of sadness. "Sometimes, yeah. Especially in the beginning, when I first woke up. I mean, I think I took it pretty well at first, but sometimes when there was nothing to do, all I did was think, you know?"

Leaning against the balcony's rails, he closed his eyes. He didn't dive, as this felt rather personal and he was unsure if she would want to see him, but he searched out her presence in his head, so very much a part of him and yet something uniquely her own. Go on.

"There's not much to say, really. I would just have these moments when I would think 'this is so unfair' and kind of mope for a bit… but I've never really been one to angst. I think brooding's a bit of a waste of time, so I get annoyed when I catch myself doing it." She laughed. "Sometimes I do wonder, though. Why I was put in your head or what it would have been like to have my own body in this world. Things like that. But then I'd think about you and how worried I'd be for you if you were left to your own devices, so I figured things worked out for the better!"

He snorted. You say that like I look for trouble.

She gave him a consoling pat. "No, but trouble does look for you. And seriously speaking, I do think about it sometimes and go over and over about how unfair it is. But I think all these years with you have gotten to me, so when I think about a life where I don't know you the way that I do, it feels a little unfathomable. So, really, I think I'm right where I'm meant to be."

Minato blinked. Then, staring ahead, he tried to imagine the same thing. A life without her voice in his head, unable to reach her presence. He pushed down the usual anxiety that crept up his spine at the idea, earnestly trying to consider a life where he had never known his Other, or would only know her as another face in the crowd—close, but not too close.

When his mind blanked, Tamamo sighed. "This is so very mentally unhealthy… For you, especially."

If he were being truly honest, he might have agreed. But.

I don't know, he said thoughtfully. I think I've managed to grow up to be pretty balanced.

"Well—"

Her words were interrupted when he heard a knock at his door. Turning, he called out to acknowledge the sound and Fuuka's voice drifted through. "Mitsuru-senpai, Yukari-chan, and I are just about to head out. Are you coming?"

"Yeah, I'll meet you there," he said, making sure his voice carried. "Go make sure Akihiko-senpai hasn't strangled Junpei."

There was a laugh and a promise to keep the peace before the footsteps trailed down the hall. Minato returned his gaze to the sea, savoring the quiet view before turning to finally go change.

By the time he arrived at the beach, the other members of SEES were fully enjoying the day. Fuuka, Junpei, and Yukari were wading in the water having some sort of splash war while Mitsuru watched from a chair beneath a wide umbrella. Akihiko was off to the side, stretching. Minato went to join him, waving to the others when they greeted him.

"Everyone seems to be having fun," Akihiko commented as Minato neared.

"I think we've earned it," he murmured as he loosened himself up to swim.

The senior nodded. "That's true… Our operations during the Dark Hour put a lot of stress on us, so it's good to relax a little like this. Rest up."

Minato felt the same. After completing a few basic stretches to make sure his limbs didn't cramp up on him, he took to the water. He shivered at the cold temperature before jumping in, letting the water immerse him fully as he swam out, surfacing when he felt he was a good ways away from the group. After looking back to ensure he wasn't too far out, he slicked his now wet bangs back and away from his face. He let out a breath as he let himself relax, floating on his back amidst the lulling waves.

And then he paused, returning to treading water when he felt someone watching him. His first thought was his teammates, but when he looked they were still by the sand. And there was no one immediately near them; the majority of the beachgoers were further down.

The feeling passed and Minato tried to relax once more, his muscles having tensed when he felt the weight of a gaze. Was he being too paranoid? His time fighting in Tartarus and trying to keep everyone alive and relatively uninjured certainly made him look out for danger in his surroundings more, but he had yet to devolve to jumping at every little thing that came around the corner. And he certainly didn't want to end up like that if he could help it.

Tamamo giggled.

He frowned, suspicion bubbling up. Why are you laughing?

"Don't worry!" she sang. "It's nothing dangerous. Honest. You'll find out soon!"

Resisting the urge to scoff, Minato dove underwater, deciding he would escape any possible onlookers by searching for shells beneath the waves. That's not comforting at all.

His Other only giggled more, so he chose to ignore her and her nonsensical mutterings of, "I can't wait!"

The members of SEES stayed out at the beach for a long while, alternating beach activities as the day went on. In honor of Tamamo, Minato stayed out swimming for as long as he was able, until his body grew too tired to keep floating. By that time, he all but dragged himself back onto the sand to rest beneath the umbrella that Mitsuru had vacated a couple of hours beforehand when she returned to the mansion.

Eventually, the remainder of SEES went back together, separating to relax after the tiring play in their respective rooms. Minato hit his bed and napped after showering, waking only when a maid inquired if he would join the others for dinner or take food in his room. He chose the latter, too tired to continue socializing, and returned right back to sleep.

He probably would have slept the rest of the night away had it not been for Mitsuru herself arriving to gather him and the others for an impromptu meeting with her father.

She announced herself with two short knocks on his door. Normally, he could have ignored such a simple wake-up call, but Tamamo more or less yanked him into consciousness in order to listen. "Arisato, I apologize for interrupting your sleep. However, my father wishes to speak to the group. Please get ready. A maid will be here to show you the way to his office shortly."

And then her footsteps tapped away to knock on another door (Junpei, if he remembered the layout correctly). Minato blearily sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and trying to locate the clothing he'd worn for the day, having already dressed in his pajamas. He shuffled around in the dark of his room to change before heading to the door. When he pulled it open, Junpei was waiting with the maid Mitsuru mentioned.

"Mitsuru-senpai said she found Yuka-tan and Fuuka earlier and sent them ahead," the other teen informed him. "She went to go find Akihiko-senpai outside." He cocked his head. "Did you really just go to sleep?"

Minato nodded. "'m tired…"

Junpei snickered. "That's so you. Anyway, just us here if you're ready to go." With an exaggerated grin, he nodded for the maid to lead them. She did so, politely ignoring their hushed conversations as to what the president of the Kirijo Group could want to say to them. They wound their way through the great halls, taking numerous turns that made Minato a little dizzy and had Junpei muttering about the rich.

The maid eventually stopped before a single door, indicating for them to go through with a smooth gesture of her hand, head tipped forward respectfully. The two boys stepped past her and entered the office, where they found Yukari and Fuuka seated around a table. Fuuka sent them a small smile, but it was quick to fade when the girl beside her failed to react to their presence.

While Yukari had not been completely enthusiastic about the trip, she gave off an almost gloomy air now. She didn't look up even as Minato and Junpei sat across from her and Fuuka, keeping her eyes trained on her lap, where her hands lay clasped. She didn't acknowledge even Mitsuru or Akihiko arriving and taking their own places in the room. The only thing she seemed to notice was when Mitsuru's father, the intimidating Takeharu Kirijo, strode into the office and took a seat before them.

The older man looked over them all, stern expression unwavering. He skipped the pleasantries entirely, getting right down to business. "From what I understand, Mitsuru has already given you the short version."

There was a round of nods and murmurs of confirmation.

Takeharu lowered his head briefly before speaking. "Well, it's true… We adults are to blame. If I could've atoned for it with my life, I would have done so… But now, I have no choice but to rely on you." His single eye closed briefly, then opened to focus on the empty space of the table. "What my father wanted to create with those monsters' power… was a time manipulation device."

His voice was grave, yet possessed such authority that it kept them quiet. Riveted.

Mitsuru spoke when no one else appeared able to, "That's what he was trying to do?"

Her father nodded and then painted a picture for them to visualize, "Imagine if you could control the flow of time… eliminate unwanted events before they occur. With such a device, you could shape the future to your liking."

"Damn," Junpei muttered. It was somewhat of a surprise to see that he was not awed by the idea, but rather incredulous. "That's insane…"

"However, under my father's direction, the research began to stray from its original goal," Takeharu continued. "In his later years, my father seemed to have only nihilism in his heart. Now that I think about it, his madness may have resulted from his struggle to break free from that…" Once more, his gaze swept over the members of SEES, lingering momentarily but noticeably on Yukari before he sighed. "It's only natural that you want to know the truth. And it is my duty to tell you."

The man did not move or do anything overtly, but Minato supposed he triggered something, for the large television set sitting opposite of them suddenly turned on. The lights in the office dimmed as an image came on screen.

"What's this?" Akihiko asked as the image darted in and out of focus, showing the interior of what looked to be a pristine laboratory, though the walls were dark and numerous alarms were flashing.

"This is the only existing footage of the accident," Takeharu replied crisply, staring directly at the screen with an unflinching gaze, "recorded by a scientist who was at the scene."

Then, as if on cue, a man's voice rang out from off-screen. "I pray that this recording reaches safe hands…"

Yukari straightened abruptly, as if she had been stung into proper posture. "That voice!?"

The camera jostled until a blurry figure came into view. It made Minato's eyes water trying to look at it to discern the man's features. Brown hair, pale skin, and plain clothes were all he could distinguish. The details were too fuzzy, more of a mass of colors blurring together. "My employer has become obsessed with a loathsome idea. This experiment should have never even been conceived… I'm afraid what I've done will result in an unprecedented disaster… But if I hadn't, the entire world may have paid the price…"

Fuuka gasped. "The entire world?"

"Please, listen carefully," the blurry scientist on the screen implored. Across the table, Minato noticed that Yukari's grip on her hands had her pale skin turning even whiter. "The Shadows that were amassed here have been dispersed as a result of the explosion. To end this nightmare, you must eliminate all of them! I am to blame for this. I knew the risks, but I was blinded by the promise of success… And so, I didn't raise any objections…" At the last moment, the image focused to show a haggard man, his dark eyes haunted as he stared into the screen. "It is all my fault…"

There was a sharp intake of breath as Yukari shot to her feet. Her expression was a picture of disbelief as the lights brightened. "Dad…"

Beside her, Fuuka looked at the now darkened screen before returning her eyes to Yukari in dismay. "You mean… that was…?"

But Yukari didn't reply, a look of abject horror stealing its way across her face.

Dark red eyes turned, beseechingly seeking an answer. "Father…"

"His name was Eiichiro Takeba," Takeharu explained, answering his daughter's unasked question. "He was the head researcher at the time… and a very talented man." He looked to Yukari, who had not moved from her spot. "But we are the ones responsible. We pushed him to continue the research. The Kirijo Group is to blame for his death."

For once, the Kirijo heiress was speechless. "I… I can't believe it…"

"So that means… my dad caused it all…?" Yukari asked, voice threateningly low. "The Dark Hour, Tartarus… the people who died in that incident… It was all his fault…?"

Akihiko leaned subtly back. "Y—You okay?"

The brunette sharply turned around, eyes blazing. "So that's why you were hiding this? Because you felt sorry for me? Is that it!?"

Mitsuru looked taken aback. "No, Takeba, I—"

"I don't want your pity!" Yukari screamed. Then, with a red face, she tore out of the room.

Silence rushed in at the wake of her passing as they wondered what to do.

Fuuka glanced from face to face before timidly suggesting, "Shouldn't someone go after her?"

Mitsuru's mouth opened to reply, but stopped short. She sighed deeply. "I doubt she'll listen to me… It will have to be one of you."

When her eyes fell on Minato, he instinctively grabbed the back of Junpei's shirt, hauling him up as he stood and ignoring his sputtering. Then, for good measure, Minato turned to Fuuka.

Her shoulders jumped, startled. "W—What?"

"We're going," Minato said simply, holding a hand out for her to take.

"All together?" she asked, shocked. But she still took his hand, allowing him to pull her up. "Wouldn't it be better if it was just one of us?"

"Maybe," he admitted as he steered them out of the room. "But misery loves company and she's been repressing this for too long. If she wants to yell, Junpei's her favorite target. If she needs a friend and a shoulder to cry on, you'll probably be better at comforting her than either of us."

"And what about you!?" Junpei yelped indignantly.

"I'm a soundboard," he replied simply.

It took barely any effort to find Yukari. She had not strayed far from the mansion, merely wandering out to stand on the beach. She looked up at their arrival and frowned when she saw them together.

"What do you guys want?" she muttered, folding her arms over her chest.

Taking a page from Tamamo's book, Minato sat down on the cool sand, indicating that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. A small tug had Junpei doing the same, while Fuuka meekly sank to her knees. "We're having a friendship moment."

Yukari scoffed, turning away from them to look back at the sea. However, Minato noticed that she didn't move further away.

When the other two shifted uncomfortably in the silence, Minato gave a quiet sigh. "Once, when I was little, I went to live with this uncle of mine and his wife for a time. They were always really kind and caring and never complained about my habits. They used to tell me all the time that they always wished they'd had a son like me and that they must have been blessed for the chance to have one, even if it meant my parents died." He gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "I remember being happy when they told me because it was like I was going to have a family again. That I wouldn't have to move around anymore. But it turned out that, in the end, all they were really interested in was what my parents left to me in their will. It was a shock, to say the least."

And it had made Tamamo rant for weeks, her anger on his behalf nearly scorching before she reined it in for his sake. It had simmered for a good long while, though, and listening to her vent out her feelings had helped him sort through his own, for she had lashed out with better words than he ever could have.

When he looked up to the others, he found Junpei and Fuuka staring at him oddly. Yukari was still turned away, arms wrapped defensively around herself. Minato gave them both significant glances, letting his words hang in the air. He heard a soft intake of breath from the teal-haired girl, realization dawning on her face as she looked between him and Yukari.

"Um…" she started, drawing their attention her way. Yukari twitched, but didn't move. "I… My parents are… very strict. They both came from families made up of doctors, you see, but they didn't become doctors themselves…" She fidgeted, playing with the hem of her skirt. "They wanted me to succeed for them, I think, which is why they pushed me so hard to excel in my studies… But I have a weak body, so the stress often got to me, which might've only frustrated them more… It made life at home very stifling. It was why I was glad to be offered the chance to live in the dorm with you all."

A heavy silence fell between them, but Fuuka gave a quiet, almost content, sigh.

Junpei shifted. "Guess it's my turn, huh?" A halfhearted smirk pulled at one corner of his lips. Then, he straightened, cracking his neck. "Well, then, here goes. You'd better be listening, Yuka-tan! You see, I hate drunks. Can't stand 'em. My old man's the reason why. He was always drinking, y'know? He'd just sit there and drink, all by himself. And every time he did, he'd get violent over the stupidest stuff." A scowl made its way across his face. "When I was a kid, if I acted up in any way—or in a way that pissed him off—I'd get spanked. It hurt like hell. I remember that. And it's a really stupid thing to remember because now… now, he's lost what strength he had. Just… gone. And I didn't even notice it."

"Junpei-kun…" Fuuka murmured consolingly, reaching out to pat the top of his hand. He smiled weakly back at her.

When Minato returned his attention to Yukari, he found her staring back at them. She straightened when they made eye contact, lips twitching down into a frown. She looked away, shoulders tense.

"I said I don't want your pity," she bit out.

"No one's pitying anyone," Minato said calmly. "We're venting."

There was an intake of breath from Yukari as she made to respond, but nothing followed. The little trio on the sand waited for her to make her decision.

She turned, stomping over and sitting heavily on the sand, completing their lopsided circle.

Her head was bowed as she spoke, hands on the fabric of her jeans. "When my dad died, nobody knew the truth of what happened, so there were all sorts of rumors. Because he was in charge of the research team, people were really mean to me and my mom. We even had to move a few times." She shot Minato a dry smile. "But that whole time, I tried so hard not to let it get to me. I kept telling myself that it wasn't his fault… I loved him a lot, and I believed he'd never do anything wrong."

She gave a watery smile, throat clogging with emotion. Fuuka moved forward across the distance to sit next to her, and Minato shifted to accommodate them. "I received a letter back in the spring. It was from him, written ten years ago…" Yukari choked out a laugh, hand lifting to dab at her eyes. "It cracked me up 'cause even though it said 'to my family', it was pretty much all about me. And that only made me believe in him more. So when I found out I had a special power, I thought it was fate. I was scared, terrified, but I thought if I cooperated with the Kirijo Group, I might find out what really happened. That's why I agreed to fight using my Persona."

Yukari breathed out slowly. Shakily. Her raw feelings were plain on her voice. "But it turns out… all of that was for nothing. I don't… I don't understand. Why does reality have to be so harsh…? I tried so hard to fight my fear, and this is what I get… I don't know what to do anymore… What should I do?"

They remained silent as she collected herself, her question floating out into the open, letting the cool night breeze wash over them to the tune of the tide.

And then Junpei, the wondrous Ace Defective, snorted. "We're just a regular bunch of misfits, aren't we?"

Yukari's head snapped up and she shot him a look like acid. "Who're you calling a misfit, Stupei!? And what the hell, I ask a serious question and that's all you can say!?"

"Well, it's not like I know how to answer something like that!" he countered. "Hell, I don't think anyone can but you!"

Yukari growled, about to volley another string of her indignation his way when Fuuka interjected, "I'm sorry, but… it's almost midnight. We should probably be getting back…? Our senpai must be worried…"

The fire seemed to rush out of the brunette, for she sagged, huffing. "I had a feeling they asked you guys to come bring me back. But why all of you?"

At that, Junpei and Fuuka blatantly looked in Minato's direction. He shrugged in response.

"Figures." She rolled her eyes, but a smile drifted onto her face. "Thanks, though. For listening."

Fuuka smiled. "It's nothing, Yukari-chan."

"Yeah," Junpei agreed. "It's not like we could've just left you feeling like crap. What sort of friends would we be if we did?"

"Eloquent as usual," Yukari said sarcastically.

Minato trailed behind them as they walked back to the mansion only to pause, something in his spine tingling. He turned around, staring warily about the empty beach before hurrying after the others.