Shin Megami Tensei Fan Fiction ❯ Dear Diary ❯ April 21st, 2009 ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: gamergirllive 
Non Anime: Shin Megami Tensei Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Shoujo-ai | Uploaded On: 09.30.2010 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 423 | Status: Work In Progress
Non Anime: Shin Megami Tensei Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Shoujo-ai | Uploaded On: 09.30.2010 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 423 | Status: Work In Progress
’s Note: Welcome to Chapter Two! Thank you AmbieBambie85 who‘s continued to read and review!! (Come on guys, I don’t bite. And I know you’re out there… I can hear you clicking your subscribe buttons.) The length of the chapters is going to vary, I’ve found already, so this one’s slightly longer. I hope you enjoy it!
Music Suggestions: Velvet Room: www . youtube . com/watch?v=lkh-ZehNibg
Most of the rest: www . youtube . com/watch?v=yDEQMPM6gd0
Dear Diary,
It’s been awhile… a lot has happened. I finally understand my dreams, but I fear for writing the meanings down in case someone finds this and thinks me mad. I woke up in the hospital the other day and Takeba-san explained what these strange occurrences are and why they must fight them… why I must fight them. I wonder what use I can be to them.
It was nice being back at school. Even stupid Junpei’s funny face was a warm welcome for me…
Calmly, as if entranced, she lifted the fallen gun from the ground and raised it to the side of her head. She held her breath, closing her eyes as she clutched at her chest. As her finger began to squeeze the trigger, a tiny voice in her head shouted,
‘Don’t do it! You are going to die!’
…But whatever consciousness had washed over her did not listen. Instead, she murmured sluggishly in a dream-like voice,
“Per…so…na…”
…and pulled the trigger.
Blackness… with nothing but the sound of shattering glass… and a strong, echoing voice booming in her mind:
“Thou art I… and I am thou….”
She shifted, twisting and turning in the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice… then suddenly, she was hurtling towards a light. A light that she, as she drew near, realized was in fact a door- a door that she recognized somehow.
With a flash of blinding light, Haruhi found herself in a low-lit room, a soft, unseen piano decorating the atmosphere with its soothing lullaby. She took a tentative step forward, hearing her shoe clack against the floor as her eyes explored the room, finally falling upon a man seated behind a table. Her heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with him… she knew that face. She had been here before- she was sure of it!
“This room…” She took another careful step forward, never taking her eyes away from the man with the long nose, “the… ‘Velvet Room,’ wasn’t it…? I’ve been here before… Haven’t I?”
The eerie old man smiled politely, his eyes bulging abnormally,
“Yes… It’s so nice to see you again. Please, have a seat. Don’t be shy.”
It was then that she noticed a younger man standing closely behind the older one… still equally eerie looking in his own sense. She eyed him cautiously as she padded up to the empty chair on the opposite side of the table. As she seated herself, the old man grinned.
“My name is Igor… and to my left here, is my associate, Theodore.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Theodore bowed slightly, his dainty hand laid upon his chest in a very polite manner. Haruhi bowed her head in a rigid, unsure reply. Theodore only smiled in return, keeping his eyes on her as did Igor. Haruhi swallowed hard, feeling rather uncomfortable. She glanced back to the old man and cleared her throat to find her voice.
“What… what exactly happened?”
Igor smiled, tapping his fingertips lightly against each other.
“You became unconscious after awakening to your ‘power.’”
“My ‘power?’”
“Yes… The power called Persona… a manifestation of your Psyche. And I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling.”
“Orpheus…?” She murmured, glancing down at the table, her eyebrows knotted together in confusion momentarily. Suddenly, she remembered the voice.
‘Thou art I, and I am Thou.’
“Was that the voice that spoke to me?” She asked, her gaze snapping back up to Igor’s. His smile grew, making him seem even more strange.
“Yes. Now that your power has awakened, you’ll more than likely be able to actually stay conscious when using your Persona… and you have the ability to control more than one… It only depends on your ability to channel your inner strength… which evolves as you develop your ‘Social Links.’”
“‘Social Links?’” She blinked, tilting her head to the side.
“‘Social Links’ are your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that.”
“I’m not sure I understand…” Her eyebrows knit together, concerned that she was failing to comprehend something important. Igor merely grinned, his grayish teeth showing.
“Do not worry. It will all come in time… as long as you let it. Now, then… Time marches on in your world… I’m afraid I shouldn’t keep you here any longer.” He lifted a hand, gesturing to the door behind her. With a sharp gasp, her eyes widened at the sensation of being yanked backward in her chair by the naval. The room shrank as she was pulled away from in back into the darkness from whence she came, hearing his voice echo eerily into her mind.
“The next time we meet… you will come here of your own accord. Until then, Haruhi…
…Farewell.”
With a soft gasp, Haruhi’s eyes shot open. Red irises focused on the white ceiling above her, slowly realizing that it was unrecognizable. As she groaned with a flinch, moving to sit up, she heard movement beside her.
Yukari gasped along with Haruhi as they made eye contact, each surprising the other.
“You’re awake…!” She paused, smiling with a relieved sigh, “I’m so glad… You’ve been out for so long!”
Haruhi winced, tilting her head from side to side to gingerly stretch her neck,
“What do you mean? How long have I been asleep?”
“About ten days, actually… The doctor’s couldn’t even find anything wrong with you… They just said you were exhausted… and who can blame you?”
Haruhi could only stare at her, her mind whirring and silently screaming.
‘Ten days?!’
“Um…” Yukari’s voice called her attention. She looked away as she spoke, ashamed. “I’m sorry… I couldn’t do anything to help you. I was supposed to be protecting you… and… well…”
She chuckled, shaking her head with a sigh.
“But your power… it was amazing, Haruhi!”
Haruhi blinked slowly, the word ‘power’ sparking the memory of her dream in her mind.
“What… exactly did I do…? I can’t remember anything after pulling the trigger.”
“The power you used… We call it ‘Persona.’ That’s the creature you called forth to defeat the Shadows-- those strange creatures… our enemy.”
Haruhi nodded, turning this information over in her head. Perhaps those dreams she’d been having really were real… Yukari smiled softly nodding as well.
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t tell you about all of this before… but don’t worry! We’ll be able to explain everything to you when you get back. But for now, just rest.”
As Yukari smiled once again and moved toward the door to leave, she paused.
“And… I, uh… I wanted to tell you that… I’m sort of like you.”
Haruhi blinked at her as Yukari turned her head slightly to glance over her shoulder.
“My dad died in an accident when I was little… and let’s just say that my mom and I aren’t exactly on good terms…” She turned to face her fully with a kind, shy smile on her face. “…You’re all alone too, right?”
Her eyebrows knit together as she listened to her speak, the weight of what her words meant sinking into her, causing her heart to flutter.
“Takeba-san…”
Yukari chuckled slightly, shaking her head.
“Call me Yukari.”
The next day, Haruhi was released from Tatsumi Memorial Hospital early in the morning. Her school uniform and bag had been delivered to her the day before, so she set out to school straight from the hospital. As she reached the school gates, she heard a familiar, chipper voice.
“Yo! Haru-chan!”
With an inward groan, she slowly turned her head to see Junpei approaching her at a jog. As he reached her, he gave her his usual grin.
“Long time no see! What’s up? Did you have an upset stomach or something?”
Haruhi gave him the grumpiest look that she could muster in return.
“Sure… something like that.”
Junpei merely smirked at her reaction and laughed.
“Well, it’s good to see our Haru-chan is all better now, right?”
He raised his hand in a familiar gesture, causing her eyes to widen. Her hands, still clutching her school bag, immediately flew up to shield her head from him.
“Don’t you dare!”
Junpei continued to laugh happily at the situation until they heard Yukari’s voice from behind Haruhi.
“Sheesh, someone’s full of energy today.” Her glare would have stung Junpei if it had the physical ability. “I could hear you from all the way over there!”
He immediately rounded on her, not missing a beat.
“Hey, it’s Yuka-tan!” Yukari grimaced at the nickname as Haruhi began to lower her book bag from over her head. “You two live in the same dorm, yet you came separately today? You still worried about those rumors?” He bent forward to poke Yukari in the forehead jokingly.
“Ugh… would you give it a rest?” Yukari snarled, swatting his hand away. “I just left a little late, that’s all… Anyways, I need to talk to Haruhi right now, Stu-pei, so you can leave .”
Her glare chased him away as he left with a sigh, hanging his head dejectedly. Haruhi couldn’t help but chuckle to herself at the exchange between the two. She was beginning to feel better already. After Yukari’s instructions to return to the dorm immediately after school, the two of them headed up to class.
Her first class was with Ms. Toriumi that day… and to no one’s surprise, seated next to Haruhi was Junpei… already dozing at the beginning of the lecture. Haruhi glanced at him with a quiet, exasperated sigh, listening to her teacher.
“Alright class! Take out your textbooks and open them to page fifty-seven. We’ll take a look at the first novel by… Ugh, Zenzou Kasai?” She sighed with a whine, “Why him? I’d rather teach Utsubo Kubota…”
Haruhi yawned lightly as Ms. Toriumi continued to complain about the school’s choice in material until she heard her voice raise sharply, jarring her from the beginnings of a daydream.
“Junpei!”
Hearing his name made him jolt awake with the sort of clever guise and finesse that could only have been practiced throughout the years. His widened eyes locked with the teachers as she frowned.
“Were you even listening? Who did I say was my favorite author?”
Knowing he was caught, he simply stammered, trying to think of a quick escape from Ms. Toriumi’s wrath. Not really knowing why she did it, Haruhi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, catching a moment of his panicked expression on his face before staring straight down at the surface of her own desk.
“Utsubo Kubota.” Her voice was barely a whisper, but he caught it. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch before he parroted the answer aloud, himself. Haruhi glanced up to see Ms. Toriumi’s shocked smile.
“That’s right! So you were listening after all!”
Junpei chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck.
“Well… you know how I like to pay attention!”
As Ms. Toriumi beamed and returned to her rant about her favorite author, Haruhi could hear a few student around her whispering.
“Haruhi gave him the answer…!”
“She must pay attention in class!!!”
Junpei glanced out of the corner of his eye, catching her eye glancing back at him through the corner of her own. He gave her a covert, grateful smile which she returned with her own small, timid one. As she broke eye contact to stare back up at Ms. Toriumi who looked to be finally beginning the lecture on the material in the text, she felt her face grow warm.
After school, Haruhi collected her things and rose from her seat to leave when Junpei approached her.
“Hey, Haru-chan…” He smiled somewhat embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you earlier today… You really saved my ass.”
Haruhi smirked, slipping her last book into her bag before swinging it onto her shoulder.
“Well… That just shows you that you shouldn’t be falling asleep in class, doesn’t it?”
She moved forward to leave the classroom and Junpei followed, falling into step beside her with a chuckle.
“I guess it’s fair enough for you to say that… not that it’ll stop happening. Haven’t you ever noticed how refreshed you feel when you nap in class?”
“Like you couldn’t get enough sleep at night?” She glanced at him, an eyebrow cocked.
“Ha! There aren’t enough hours in the night for it!” He proclaimed, throwing his arms up.
“There might be if you went to bed at a decent hour…” She tossed her head in an almost convincing snooty attitude. “You’re probably out all night… or up playing video gamaes… and if that’s the case, then you’d best not count on me bailing you out again.”
Junpei placed his hand at his chest with an equally convincing wounded look.
“So heartless!”
She giggled, keeping her gaze ahead as they made their way to the front gates. He glanced at her with a grin, watching her a moment before speaking again.
“Anyways… I got something to tell ya.”
They both stopped as they reached the gate, Haruhi looking up at him puzzled.
“What is it…?”
He smirked proudly for a moment, folding his arms over his chest,
“Well… it’s like this-” But he stopped before he could continue, his eyes growing wide for a moment. He paused, clearing his throat.
“Actually, I’m not supposed to say anything about it…”
She blinked at him, her eyebrows knitting together in irritation.
“Wait- what…? Seriously?”
He nodded, chuckling,
“Yup. Sorry!”
And with that, he ran off.
“Hey! Where are you going?!” She called angrily after him.
He turned, still jogging backwards as he called back to her.
“I’ve got some stuff to take care of! See you later, Haru-chan!”
She watched him turn again and continue his mad dash away. With the shake of her head and an irked sigh, she turned and made her way towards the dorm in the opposite direction.
She met everyone up on the fourth floor of the dorm in a large, comfortable meeting room, furnished with soft, inviting furniture. There she met Yukari, Mitsuru, the Chairman- Ikutsuki and a new face, who was introduced as Akihiko, a boy in the same year as Mitsuru. He flashed her a charming smile as he greeted her,
“How ya doin’?”
Haruhi couldn’t help but blush slightly as she greeted him with a friendly smile before Ikutsuki started the orientation set up in honor of Haruhi. He patiently answered all of her questions, and as their conversation continued, she could feel a bond of trust growing towards him. He explained to her what The Dark Hour was and what happens during it, and that this is the hour where the Shadows appear.
With a smile, Ikutsuki handed her a red armband with the letters SEES embroidered around it, and to his right, Mitsuru opened a briefcase revealing her very own Evoker, a gun that released the hidden powr and potential of Personas. After another long explanation, Haruhi finally agreed to join SEES and was greeted with relieved smiles.
A faint buzzing could be heard, and Akihiko glanced up.
“Ah. That must be him. Finally.”
He left the room without another word, Yukari and Haruhi looked to Ikutsuki for an answer, but it was Mitsuru who spoke.
“Akihiko has found another candidate to join SEES.”
After a few short minutes, they soon heard fumbling and thumping coming up the stairs behind the door, along with Akihiko’s voice, and another that sounded… alarmingly familiar.
“Hey, hurry up!” Akihiko called behind him as he opened the door. The thumping sounds of what sounded like luggage were growing louder.
“Hold your horses… This is freakin’ heavy!!!”
Haruhi glanced at Yukari, who shrugged. The two of them bolted up from their seats in shock when Junpei heaved a heavy suitcase over the threshold of the doorway. He wiped the sweat from his brow and spotted the them, his face cracking into a wide grin as he chuckled.
“Wazzap?”
It was Yukari who found her voice first.
“Junpei!? …Why are you here?!”
Akihiko leaned against the wall next to the door with a smirk.
“Ah, good. You know each other.” He glanced at Mitsuru and Ikutsuki with a nod. “This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He’ll be staying here as of today.”
It was Haruhi’s turn to find her voice.
“Wh-what?! He’s staying here?!”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me!!” Yukari chimed in almost immediately after.
Akihiko merely shrugged.
“I bumped into him the other night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently. He’s agreed to help us.”
“Yeah, he found me cryin’ like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I… don’t really remember much, but man…” Junpei chuckled, his cheeks tinted a pinkish hue, “…that’s embarrassing! Though he said that’s all pretty normal, y’know? Like, bein’ confused… not remembering anything… Just in the beginnins though. Did you guys know that?”
Haruhi stared blankly at him. These were some symptoms that she had had… but they hadn’t really been explained like that to her before. Junpei smirked, catching Haruhi’s expression as he scanned the group, a somewhat prideful air washing over him.
“Didn’t he tell ya? Man, every Persona-user should know that.”
Her face darkened into a blushing scowl, immediately snapping back,
“Sounds like someone’s just trying to make himself feel better about being found bawling outside the Seven-Eleven!”
His face went pink for a moment before he cleared his throat and subconsciously brought his hand up to straighten his cap.
“Well… anyway… I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea! I‘m glad I‘m not the only one… it could get kinda lonely, y‘know?” His face suddenly split into his toothy grin once again, as he stepped foreward to poke Haruhi playfully in the forehead, causing her to wince, closing one eye. “I bet you’re stoked too, right? Havin’ me join… It’d be nice to have a guy around too, wouldn’t it?”
With an irritated growl, she smacked his hand away.
“Just don’t slow us down.”
Enjoying the rise he got out of her, he chuckled and continued with a smirk,
“No worries. Nothin’s gonna happen to you long as I’m around!”
As Haruhi opened her mouth, already wielding an angry retort, Akihiko cleared his throat, cutting her off.
“Well, enough with the introductions. I think we’re about ready… starting tonight, I’d like us to start exploring Tartarus.”
“Tartarus…?” Junpei tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. “What’s that? …Kinda sounds like toothpaste.”
“Think of it as a Shadow nest.” Akihiko smirked, cracking his knuckles, “It’s the perfect place for us to train.”
Mitsuru stepped forward, wearing a superior smirk of her own and placing a hand on Akihiko’s shoulder,
“Indeed… but since Akihiko hasn’t fully recovered yet, he’ll only be going as far as the entrance.”
Sighing, Akihiko shrugged her hand off, frustrated disappointment etching his face.
“Yeah, yeah, I know…”
“Relax, ladies! I’ve got your backs.” Junpei grinned with jovial arrogance, causing Yukari and Haruhi sighed in unison.
“Also, since Mitsuru and I won’t be joining you in the heat of battle just yet, we’ll be electing a leader.”
Junpei’s face lit up automatically as he began jumping on the spot like an excited first grader.
“Serious?! Oh! Oh, me! Me me me! Pick me!”
Akihiko raised an amused eyebrow at him for a moment before turning to Haruhi.
“You’re in charge.”
Haruhi blinked, glancing at Yukari, who wore an identical surprised look before smiling with a shrug. Junpei was not as calm.
“Wha…?! B-but she’s a girl!”
“Hey-!” Haruhi began to snarl back before Yukari cut her off.
“Well… she has fought them before.” She shrugged again, calmly.
“What… Seriously?!” He shot her a shocked look. It was Haruhi’s turn to smirk smugly at him, leaning forward with her hands neatly behind her back.
“What’s the matter Junpei…? Surely big and strong you have fought them before, haven’t you? Boy, I thought every Persona-user‘s fought them at least once.”
Instead of getting mad, Junpei grinned deviously at the blatant challenge.
“Hah! I bet once I get goin’, I can do it way better than you!”
Haruhi crowed with over-dramatic laughter, throwing a hand in front of her face and laughing into the back of it.
“Ohhh ho ho ho ho! I’d like to see you try! Just see if you can keep up, ‘Stu-pei!’”
Junpei stepped in front of her to get in her face, tipping his cap at a smug, jaunty angle.
“Oh just you wait, ‘Haru-tan!’”
Sparks seemed to fly between them as they smirked at one another, sizing each other up. Yukari sighed loudly in irritation while Mitsuru and Akihiko stared, confused. Chairman Ikutsuki only laughed at the exchange.
Late that night when all the inhabitants of the dorm were asleep, Haruhi stirred, hearing a voice.
“Haruhi-chan…”
Her eyes snapped open and she turned her head groggily to the side to see a young boy in striped pajamas. He gave her an eerie, but chipper smile.
“Hi, how are you?”
She bolted upright in her bed with a gasp.
“Who are you?!”
He giggled, tilting his head to the side as he studied her with his blue eyes… his endless, empty blue eyes.
“We’ve met before, don’t you remember…?”
He was right. As he stated it, she realized that he did in fact seem very familiar. The boy with the contract!
“I expect you to honor your commitment.” He spoke, keeping that same unnerving smile on his face, as if he knew what she was thinking. “Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you.”
Her eyebrows furrowed together, concerned. What a morbid thing for a child to say!“Wha… The end…? The end to what?!”
The boy merely looked over his shoulder as if he heard something. She watched him, straining her ears for some unknown sound… yet all was quiet save for her troubled breathing.
“I’d better go… but I’ll be watching you, even if you forget about me…”
She took in a sharp breath as he faded from view, appearing again slightly farther away.
“Okay then, see you later.”
Haruhi reached out, stretching an hand toward him as he began to fade again.
“W-wait!”
But it was too late… the mysterious boy had disappeared before she had even begun to utter the word.
Music Suggestions: Velvet Room: www . youtube . com/watch?v=lkh-ZehNibg
Most of the rest: www . youtube . com/watch?v=yDEQMPM6gd0
.~*~.
April 21thDear Diary,
It’s been awhile… a lot has happened. I finally understand my dreams, but I fear for writing the meanings down in case someone finds this and thinks me mad. I woke up in the hospital the other day and Takeba-san explained what these strange occurrences are and why they must fight them… why I must fight them. I wonder what use I can be to them.
It was nice being back at school. Even stupid Junpei’s funny face was a warm welcome for me…
Calmly, as if entranced, she lifted the fallen gun from the ground and raised it to the side of her head. She held her breath, closing her eyes as she clutched at her chest. As her finger began to squeeze the trigger, a tiny voice in her head shouted,
‘Don’t do it! You are going to die!’
…But whatever consciousness had washed over her did not listen. Instead, she murmured sluggishly in a dream-like voice,
“Per…so…na…”
…and pulled the trigger.
Blackness… with nothing but the sound of shattering glass… and a strong, echoing voice booming in her mind:
“Thou art I… and I am thou….”
She shifted, twisting and turning in the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice… then suddenly, she was hurtling towards a light. A light that she, as she drew near, realized was in fact a door- a door that she recognized somehow.
With a flash of blinding light, Haruhi found herself in a low-lit room, a soft, unseen piano decorating the atmosphere with its soothing lullaby. She took a tentative step forward, hearing her shoe clack against the floor as her eyes explored the room, finally falling upon a man seated behind a table. Her heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with him… she knew that face. She had been here before- she was sure of it!
“This room…” She took another careful step forward, never taking her eyes away from the man with the long nose, “the… ‘Velvet Room,’ wasn’t it…? I’ve been here before… Haven’t I?”
The eerie old man smiled politely, his eyes bulging abnormally,
“Yes… It’s so nice to see you again. Please, have a seat. Don’t be shy.”
It was then that she noticed a younger man standing closely behind the older one… still equally eerie looking in his own sense. She eyed him cautiously as she padded up to the empty chair on the opposite side of the table. As she seated herself, the old man grinned.
“My name is Igor… and to my left here, is my associate, Theodore.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Theodore bowed slightly, his dainty hand laid upon his chest in a very polite manner. Haruhi bowed her head in a rigid, unsure reply. Theodore only smiled in return, keeping his eyes on her as did Igor. Haruhi swallowed hard, feeling rather uncomfortable. She glanced back to the old man and cleared her throat to find her voice.
“What… what exactly happened?”
Igor smiled, tapping his fingertips lightly against each other.
“You became unconscious after awakening to your ‘power.’”
“My ‘power?’”
“Yes… The power called Persona… a manifestation of your Psyche. And I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling.”
“Orpheus…?” She murmured, glancing down at the table, her eyebrows knotted together in confusion momentarily. Suddenly, she remembered the voice.
‘Thou art I, and I am Thou.’
“Was that the voice that spoke to me?” She asked, her gaze snapping back up to Igor’s. His smile grew, making him seem even more strange.
“Yes. Now that your power has awakened, you’ll more than likely be able to actually stay conscious when using your Persona… and you have the ability to control more than one… It only depends on your ability to channel your inner strength… which evolves as you develop your ‘Social Links.’”
“‘Social Links?’” She blinked, tilting her head to the side.
“‘Social Links’ are your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that.”
“I’m not sure I understand…” Her eyebrows knit together, concerned that she was failing to comprehend something important. Igor merely grinned, his grayish teeth showing.
“Do not worry. It will all come in time… as long as you let it. Now, then… Time marches on in your world… I’m afraid I shouldn’t keep you here any longer.” He lifted a hand, gesturing to the door behind her. With a sharp gasp, her eyes widened at the sensation of being yanked backward in her chair by the naval. The room shrank as she was pulled away from in back into the darkness from whence she came, hearing his voice echo eerily into her mind.
“The next time we meet… you will come here of your own accord. Until then, Haruhi…
…Farewell.”
With a soft gasp, Haruhi’s eyes shot open. Red irises focused on the white ceiling above her, slowly realizing that it was unrecognizable. As she groaned with a flinch, moving to sit up, she heard movement beside her.
Yukari gasped along with Haruhi as they made eye contact, each surprising the other.
“You’re awake…!” She paused, smiling with a relieved sigh, “I’m so glad… You’ve been out for so long!”
Haruhi winced, tilting her head from side to side to gingerly stretch her neck,
“What do you mean? How long have I been asleep?”
“About ten days, actually… The doctor’s couldn’t even find anything wrong with you… They just said you were exhausted… and who can blame you?”
Haruhi could only stare at her, her mind whirring and silently screaming.
‘Ten days?!’
“Um…” Yukari’s voice called her attention. She looked away as she spoke, ashamed. “I’m sorry… I couldn’t do anything to help you. I was supposed to be protecting you… and… well…”
She chuckled, shaking her head with a sigh.
“But your power… it was amazing, Haruhi!”
Haruhi blinked slowly, the word ‘power’ sparking the memory of her dream in her mind.
“What… exactly did I do…? I can’t remember anything after pulling the trigger.”
“The power you used… We call it ‘Persona.’ That’s the creature you called forth to defeat the Shadows-- those strange creatures… our enemy.”
Haruhi nodded, turning this information over in her head. Perhaps those dreams she’d been having really were real… Yukari smiled softly nodding as well.
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t tell you about all of this before… but don’t worry! We’ll be able to explain everything to you when you get back. But for now, just rest.”
As Yukari smiled once again and moved toward the door to leave, she paused.
“And… I, uh… I wanted to tell you that… I’m sort of like you.”
Haruhi blinked at her as Yukari turned her head slightly to glance over her shoulder.
“My dad died in an accident when I was little… and let’s just say that my mom and I aren’t exactly on good terms…” She turned to face her fully with a kind, shy smile on her face. “…You’re all alone too, right?”
Her eyebrows knit together as she listened to her speak, the weight of what her words meant sinking into her, causing her heart to flutter.
“Takeba-san…”
Yukari chuckled slightly, shaking her head.
“Call me Yukari.”
The next day, Haruhi was released from Tatsumi Memorial Hospital early in the morning. Her school uniform and bag had been delivered to her the day before, so she set out to school straight from the hospital. As she reached the school gates, she heard a familiar, chipper voice.
“Yo! Haru-chan!”
With an inward groan, she slowly turned her head to see Junpei approaching her at a jog. As he reached her, he gave her his usual grin.
“Long time no see! What’s up? Did you have an upset stomach or something?”
Haruhi gave him the grumpiest look that she could muster in return.
“Sure… something like that.”
Junpei merely smirked at her reaction and laughed.
“Well, it’s good to see our Haru-chan is all better now, right?”
He raised his hand in a familiar gesture, causing her eyes to widen. Her hands, still clutching her school bag, immediately flew up to shield her head from him.
“Don’t you dare!”
Junpei continued to laugh happily at the situation until they heard Yukari’s voice from behind Haruhi.
“Sheesh, someone’s full of energy today.” Her glare would have stung Junpei if it had the physical ability. “I could hear you from all the way over there!”
He immediately rounded on her, not missing a beat.
“Hey, it’s Yuka-tan!” Yukari grimaced at the nickname as Haruhi began to lower her book bag from over her head. “You two live in the same dorm, yet you came separately today? You still worried about those rumors?” He bent forward to poke Yukari in the forehead jokingly.
“Ugh… would you give it a rest?” Yukari snarled, swatting his hand away. “I just left a little late, that’s all… Anyways, I need to talk to Haruhi right now, Stu-pei, so you can leave .”
Her glare chased him away as he left with a sigh, hanging his head dejectedly. Haruhi couldn’t help but chuckle to herself at the exchange between the two. She was beginning to feel better already. After Yukari’s instructions to return to the dorm immediately after school, the two of them headed up to class.
Her first class was with Ms. Toriumi that day… and to no one’s surprise, seated next to Haruhi was Junpei… already dozing at the beginning of the lecture. Haruhi glanced at him with a quiet, exasperated sigh, listening to her teacher.
“Alright class! Take out your textbooks and open them to page fifty-seven. We’ll take a look at the first novel by… Ugh, Zenzou Kasai?” She sighed with a whine, “Why him? I’d rather teach Utsubo Kubota…”
Haruhi yawned lightly as Ms. Toriumi continued to complain about the school’s choice in material until she heard her voice raise sharply, jarring her from the beginnings of a daydream.
“Junpei!”
Hearing his name made him jolt awake with the sort of clever guise and finesse that could only have been practiced throughout the years. His widened eyes locked with the teachers as she frowned.
“Were you even listening? Who did I say was my favorite author?”
Knowing he was caught, he simply stammered, trying to think of a quick escape from Ms. Toriumi’s wrath. Not really knowing why she did it, Haruhi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, catching a moment of his panicked expression on his face before staring straight down at the surface of her own desk.
“Utsubo Kubota.” Her voice was barely a whisper, but he caught it. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch before he parroted the answer aloud, himself. Haruhi glanced up to see Ms. Toriumi’s shocked smile.
“That’s right! So you were listening after all!”
Junpei chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck.
“Well… you know how I like to pay attention!”
As Ms. Toriumi beamed and returned to her rant about her favorite author, Haruhi could hear a few student around her whispering.
“Haruhi gave him the answer…!”
“She must pay attention in class!!!”
Junpei glanced out of the corner of his eye, catching her eye glancing back at him through the corner of her own. He gave her a covert, grateful smile which she returned with her own small, timid one. As she broke eye contact to stare back up at Ms. Toriumi who looked to be finally beginning the lecture on the material in the text, she felt her face grow warm.
After school, Haruhi collected her things and rose from her seat to leave when Junpei approached her.
“Hey, Haru-chan…” He smiled somewhat embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you earlier today… You really saved my ass.”
Haruhi smirked, slipping her last book into her bag before swinging it onto her shoulder.
“Well… That just shows you that you shouldn’t be falling asleep in class, doesn’t it?”
She moved forward to leave the classroom and Junpei followed, falling into step beside her with a chuckle.
“I guess it’s fair enough for you to say that… not that it’ll stop happening. Haven’t you ever noticed how refreshed you feel when you nap in class?”
“Like you couldn’t get enough sleep at night?” She glanced at him, an eyebrow cocked.
“Ha! There aren’t enough hours in the night for it!” He proclaimed, throwing his arms up.
“There might be if you went to bed at a decent hour…” She tossed her head in an almost convincing snooty attitude. “You’re probably out all night… or up playing video gamaes… and if that’s the case, then you’d best not count on me bailing you out again.”
Junpei placed his hand at his chest with an equally convincing wounded look.
“So heartless!”
She giggled, keeping her gaze ahead as they made their way to the front gates. He glanced at her with a grin, watching her a moment before speaking again.
“Anyways… I got something to tell ya.”
They both stopped as they reached the gate, Haruhi looking up at him puzzled.
“What is it…?”
He smirked proudly for a moment, folding his arms over his chest,
“Well… it’s like this-” But he stopped before he could continue, his eyes growing wide for a moment. He paused, clearing his throat.
“Actually, I’m not supposed to say anything about it…”
She blinked at him, her eyebrows knitting together in irritation.
“Wait- what…? Seriously?”
He nodded, chuckling,
“Yup. Sorry!”
And with that, he ran off.
“Hey! Where are you going?!” She called angrily after him.
He turned, still jogging backwards as he called back to her.
“I’ve got some stuff to take care of! See you later, Haru-chan!”
She watched him turn again and continue his mad dash away. With the shake of her head and an irked sigh, she turned and made her way towards the dorm in the opposite direction.
She met everyone up on the fourth floor of the dorm in a large, comfortable meeting room, furnished with soft, inviting furniture. There she met Yukari, Mitsuru, the Chairman- Ikutsuki and a new face, who was introduced as Akihiko, a boy in the same year as Mitsuru. He flashed her a charming smile as he greeted her,
“How ya doin’?”
Haruhi couldn’t help but blush slightly as she greeted him with a friendly smile before Ikutsuki started the orientation set up in honor of Haruhi. He patiently answered all of her questions, and as their conversation continued, she could feel a bond of trust growing towards him. He explained to her what The Dark Hour was and what happens during it, and that this is the hour where the Shadows appear.
With a smile, Ikutsuki handed her a red armband with the letters SEES embroidered around it, and to his right, Mitsuru opened a briefcase revealing her very own Evoker, a gun that released the hidden powr and potential of Personas. After another long explanation, Haruhi finally agreed to join SEES and was greeted with relieved smiles.
A faint buzzing could be heard, and Akihiko glanced up.
“Ah. That must be him. Finally.”
He left the room without another word, Yukari and Haruhi looked to Ikutsuki for an answer, but it was Mitsuru who spoke.
“Akihiko has found another candidate to join SEES.”
After a few short minutes, they soon heard fumbling and thumping coming up the stairs behind the door, along with Akihiko’s voice, and another that sounded… alarmingly familiar.
“Hey, hurry up!” Akihiko called behind him as he opened the door. The thumping sounds of what sounded like luggage were growing louder.
“Hold your horses… This is freakin’ heavy!!!”
Haruhi glanced at Yukari, who shrugged. The two of them bolted up from their seats in shock when Junpei heaved a heavy suitcase over the threshold of the doorway. He wiped the sweat from his brow and spotted the them, his face cracking into a wide grin as he chuckled.
“Wazzap?”
It was Yukari who found her voice first.
“Junpei!? …Why are you here?!”
Akihiko leaned against the wall next to the door with a smirk.
“Ah, good. You know each other.” He glanced at Mitsuru and Ikutsuki with a nod. “This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He’ll be staying here as of today.”
It was Haruhi’s turn to find her voice.
“Wh-what?! He’s staying here?!”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me!!” Yukari chimed in almost immediately after.
Akihiko merely shrugged.
“I bumped into him the other night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently. He’s agreed to help us.”
“Yeah, he found me cryin’ like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I… don’t really remember much, but man…” Junpei chuckled, his cheeks tinted a pinkish hue, “…that’s embarrassing! Though he said that’s all pretty normal, y’know? Like, bein’ confused… not remembering anything… Just in the beginnins though. Did you guys know that?”
Haruhi stared blankly at him. These were some symptoms that she had had… but they hadn’t really been explained like that to her before. Junpei smirked, catching Haruhi’s expression as he scanned the group, a somewhat prideful air washing over him.
“Didn’t he tell ya? Man, every Persona-user should know that.”
Her face darkened into a blushing scowl, immediately snapping back,
“Sounds like someone’s just trying to make himself feel better about being found bawling outside the Seven-Eleven!”
His face went pink for a moment before he cleared his throat and subconsciously brought his hand up to straighten his cap.
“Well… anyway… I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea! I‘m glad I‘m not the only one… it could get kinda lonely, y‘know?” His face suddenly split into his toothy grin once again, as he stepped foreward to poke Haruhi playfully in the forehead, causing her to wince, closing one eye. “I bet you’re stoked too, right? Havin’ me join… It’d be nice to have a guy around too, wouldn’t it?”
With an irritated growl, she smacked his hand away.
“Just don’t slow us down.”
Enjoying the rise he got out of her, he chuckled and continued with a smirk,
“No worries. Nothin’s gonna happen to you long as I’m around!”
As Haruhi opened her mouth, already wielding an angry retort, Akihiko cleared his throat, cutting her off.
“Well, enough with the introductions. I think we’re about ready… starting tonight, I’d like us to start exploring Tartarus.”
“Tartarus…?” Junpei tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. “What’s that? …Kinda sounds like toothpaste.”
“Think of it as a Shadow nest.” Akihiko smirked, cracking his knuckles, “It’s the perfect place for us to train.”
Mitsuru stepped forward, wearing a superior smirk of her own and placing a hand on Akihiko’s shoulder,
“Indeed… but since Akihiko hasn’t fully recovered yet, he’ll only be going as far as the entrance.”
Sighing, Akihiko shrugged her hand off, frustrated disappointment etching his face.
“Yeah, yeah, I know…”
“Relax, ladies! I’ve got your backs.” Junpei grinned with jovial arrogance, causing Yukari and Haruhi sighed in unison.
“Also, since Mitsuru and I won’t be joining you in the heat of battle just yet, we’ll be electing a leader.”
Junpei’s face lit up automatically as he began jumping on the spot like an excited first grader.
“Serious?! Oh! Oh, me! Me me me! Pick me!”
Akihiko raised an amused eyebrow at him for a moment before turning to Haruhi.
“You’re in charge.”
Haruhi blinked, glancing at Yukari, who wore an identical surprised look before smiling with a shrug. Junpei was not as calm.
“Wha…?! B-but she’s a girl!”
“Hey-!” Haruhi began to snarl back before Yukari cut her off.
“Well… she has fought them before.” She shrugged again, calmly.
“What… Seriously?!” He shot her a shocked look. It was Haruhi’s turn to smirk smugly at him, leaning forward with her hands neatly behind her back.
“What’s the matter Junpei…? Surely big and strong you have fought them before, haven’t you? Boy, I thought every Persona-user‘s fought them at least once.”
Instead of getting mad, Junpei grinned deviously at the blatant challenge.
“Hah! I bet once I get goin’, I can do it way better than you!”
Haruhi crowed with over-dramatic laughter, throwing a hand in front of her face and laughing into the back of it.
“Ohhh ho ho ho ho! I’d like to see you try! Just see if you can keep up, ‘Stu-pei!’”
Junpei stepped in front of her to get in her face, tipping his cap at a smug, jaunty angle.
“Oh just you wait, ‘Haru-tan!’”
Sparks seemed to fly between them as they smirked at one another, sizing each other up. Yukari sighed loudly in irritation while Mitsuru and Akihiko stared, confused. Chairman Ikutsuki only laughed at the exchange.
Late that night when all the inhabitants of the dorm were asleep, Haruhi stirred, hearing a voice.
“Haruhi-chan…”
Her eyes snapped open and she turned her head groggily to the side to see a young boy in striped pajamas. He gave her an eerie, but chipper smile.
“Hi, how are you?”
She bolted upright in her bed with a gasp.
“Who are you?!”
He giggled, tilting his head to the side as he studied her with his blue eyes… his endless, empty blue eyes.
“We’ve met before, don’t you remember…?”
He was right. As he stated it, she realized that he did in fact seem very familiar. The boy with the contract!
“I expect you to honor your commitment.” He spoke, keeping that same unnerving smile on his face, as if he knew what she was thinking. “Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you.”
Her eyebrows furrowed together, concerned. What a morbid thing for a child to say!“Wha… The end…? The end to what?!”
The boy merely looked over his shoulder as if he heard something. She watched him, straining her ears for some unknown sound… yet all was quiet save for her troubled breathing.
“I’d better go… but I’ll be watching you, even if you forget about me…”
She took in a sharp breath as he faded from view, appearing again slightly farther away.
“Okay then, see you later.”
Haruhi reached out, stretching an hand toward him as he began to fade again.
“W-wait!”
But it was too late… the mysterious boy had disappeared before she had even begun to utter the word.