Minako and Koromaru have arrived from their evening walk, yet the whole gang (except Aigis who was still malfunctioning and Shinjiro who was still in a coma) seem to have gathered in the lounge area.
"What's wrong?" She asked as she led Koromaru to his water bowl.
Yukari glanced back at her, "Oh hey. We were just comparing what we found disturbing the most in Tartarus."
"Indeed." Agreed Mitsuru. "Takeba insisted we should share notes to see which detail of the tower surely gave the team a disadvantage."
"I don't know about you senpai but I'm pretty sure Yuka-tan just wanted something to talk about." Junpei retorted which made Yukari pinch his side.
Lovely evening at the dorm building wherein our heroes gather after a treacherous exam having the best time to ponder and relax. What discovery shall be made by the group tonight?
"Hmm.." Minako stared at them as she sat at a vacant spot next to Akihiko. "Alright, let's hear it."
"Well," Ken chimed in, raising his hand, "For once, I really find the splotches of blood on the walls nauseating. It reminds me of my mother's death." said Ken hugging his arms. Minako swore the child looked bleached while he elaborated on it.
"Ooh ooh ooh I have something!" Junpei added gleefully, "It bothers me how random civilians get trapped inside Tartarus. Some don't even go to Gekkoukan High, like...like those businessmen we rescued sometime last week."
The group fell silent staring at Junpei.
"What?" the boy pouted.
Yukari leaned over to touch his forehead then backed off to check her temperature, "Yup. He's fine."
Junpei glowered, "Hey, what does that supposed to mean? I make sense all the time."
"No, Iori is right." Mitsuru nodded, "Certainly there is a vein of mystery in that aspect. Good job Iori."
"Heh heh with pleasure Mitsuru-senpai. Yuka-tan just couldn't handle my awesome wits." He brushed his index finger across his nose.
"Oh shut up Stupei." Yukari rolled her eyes.
"How about you Takeba?" Mitsuru added. "Anything bothering you with Tartarus?"
"O-oh! Right..." She began examining her feet then she shot back up, "I think the fact that on our first visit to Tartarus, Minako mentioned seeing a glowing door right before the staircase, below the entrance of the dungeon."
A wave of nervousness shuddered Minako.
"You did?" said Akihiko turning towards his girlfriend.
"Oh yeah," said Junpei glancing up as if refreshing the memory of the old days, "Akihiko senpai wasn't present back then since he got injured and had to stay at the hospital for a while. But leader here sure mentioned something like that."
The whole crew turned towards Minako making her want to sink into the cushions.
"I-I did?" She stuttered.
She wasn't quite sure how to explain the existence of the Velvet room. On her first encounter of the said door, she too was confused being a newcomer of such an important mission. It hadn't mattered to her which one was visible to hers and theirs since the Dark Hour had already been a concealed truth only to those who weild a Persona. And yet here she is, placed on a hot seat for once again experiencing something out of the ordinary. As if ordinary had been an accurate description of their day to day life.
Nobody answered. They continued to stare at her until she broke silence.
"Fine. I did." She sighed. "But back then, I didn't know you guys couldn't see it."
Junpei raised his hands making pantomime actions that looked like: Don't look at me. I still have no idea what you're talking about.
"What exactly happened back then?" Akihiko probed.
Junpei, Yukari and Minako exchanged glances as if pushing each other to tell the tale.
"By the time Mitsuru senpai had gotten us inside the hall below," Yukari volunteered constantly looking back at Minako, "Minako blanked out for a few seconds and told us that she was inside a door talking to someone."
"As if the school turning into a tower wasn't creepy enough back then." shrugged Junpei.
Akihiko and Mitsuru exchanged looks. Surely the two had been using Personas longer than the rest of them, but never had they heard of a mysterious glowing door right before the entrance of Tartarus.
"Perhaps that too is one of our leader's sole ability." Fuuka explained.
"Right. Like how Yamagishi here has the ability to sense life." supplied Mitsuru. Although, she too sounded unconvinced of what she had said.
Akihiko turned to Minako, worry emanating in his eyes, as if seeing a non existent door was alarming enough than the shadows they've faced. "Do you still see it? The door?"
Minako frowned, "I do. And it's not a scary door Akihiko."
She didn't like him treating the door equal to a shadow. If it wasn't for that door, they wouldn't have gotten proper information of the shadows through the lost documents or clues on the missing people. Heck, without the Velvet room, she wouldn't have the ability to house several Personas on her own. Igor and Theodore guided her well up til now. They were her comrades too.
"Ooh, dropping the honorifics." Junpei sneered in a coquettish grin, "Careful with your girl senpai. She's feisty."
Akihiko scowled, holding back a blush. "I-I knew that!" He then turned to Minako who avoided his eyes, nose wrinkled and eyebrows crossed. "Sorry about that." He managed.
The girl didn't respond.
Yukari elbowed Junpei for causing the awkward atmosphere. They exchanged few angry whispers, when Koromaru walked over to Minako and whimpered as he rubbed his head against her thigh.
Minako's gaze softened. "What it boy?" She said endearingly. She lifted Koromaru to her lap and cradled the dog in her arms gaining several touched looks from her companions. Dogs sure know how to ease the tension.
"But if it isn't a dangerous door," interrupted Yukari, "What's inside it Minako?"
Minako's eyes lowered. She thought of how to say it in simple terms, but the Velvet room seemed so complex that even her vocabulary was failing her. Then a feeling hit making her smile. She looked up to her friends and said, "A friend. Two friends to be exact. They taught me how to handle my ability when I was terribly lost of who I was. Having multiple Personas is more taxing in your ability to think. Especially when several personalities try to shape who you are."
An assortment of expressions flashed before her. Junpei and Ken had a look of excitement, Yukari looked apalled, Mitsuru and Fuuka looked like they had acquired a generous amount of data, and Akihiko held her hand that was resting on her lap.
Koromaru nuzzled her neck which made her chuckle, "And of course," She added, "I have you guys which makes fighting worthwhile."
Everybody smiled.
"At least now that's been cleared out." said Junpei throwing his head back to the sofa.
Ken and Fuuka let out a small laugh.
"Oh, but we haven't heard from Minako." snapped Fuuka.
"Oh yeah." Junpei shot back up.
Minako flinched, "What, me? But Akihiko―"
"Nah, I already told them way before you got back. I told them about the Dark Hour." He said caressing Koromaru's fur.
Minako's eyes creased. "Oh. That one." She said weakly.
"So what do you find disturbing in Tartarus Minako-san?" Ken urged.
Minako swallowed, "Rather than disturbing..."
Akihiko noticed her turning pale and realized what she was dreading about. "Oh I see." He grinned mischievously, "I think I know this one."
Minako's shoulder tensed.
"Eh? Eh? What is it senpai?" said Yukari sitting forward.
Akihiko glanced at Minako, "I think she mentioned this to me once before. She―" his girlfriend's hand covered his mouth.
Minako exhaled, "I hate the New Moon."
Everyone except Akihiko and Minako exchanged confused glances.
Yukari raised a brow, "That's...not something to be ashamed of."
Akihiko being stronger than Minako, managed to pull her hand down from his face, "Oh that's not all. She hates how Tartarus is during the New Moon."
"What exactly happens to Tartarus in the New Moon? Ain't it the same as the other phases except the Full Moon?" said Junpei.
Fuuka began thinking deeply, "I guess the tower is more unstable during the said phase."
"Yes!" Minako exclaimed pointing at Fuuka which stunned the rest of them. Akihiko began shaking, holding back his laugh. "That's exactly it Fuuka! End of story." She nodded ferociously.
"Of course it is." snickered Akihiko who got an elbow from Minako for being too loud.
"Hold on," Junpei grimaced, "I don't believe you."
"What?" Minako's eyes drooped.
"I mean, we all hate Tartarus for being unstable, but doesn't it always happen?"
Yukari hummed. "I suppose he has a point."
"But what's in the New Moon?" Ken added innocently.
Minako began sweating hoping her silent prayers could stop her friends from digging deeper than it already is.
"Come on guys," Minako smiled nervously, "There's really nothing to it."
"Wait.." Fuuka snapped, making heads turn toward her. "The New Moon causes frequent blackouts."
Minako froze with her mouth set on a hard line. Akihiko bursts out laughing.
"That's it isn't it?" Fuuka inquired.
"Uhh..yeah." Minako looked away.
"D-Do you" ―snicker― "Do you know why?" said Akihiko, recovering from his laugh.
Minako glowered at the boy, but he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her left temple, "She's scared of the dark."
His voice was so calm that it was hard to figure out whether he was still teasing or comforting her.
"What?" they chorused in shock.
"Fine!" Minako stomped making Koromaru jolt up, "I admit but there is a lacking detail from that. I'm only scared of Tartarus's darkness. In my defense, once I've been in that tower all alone and it just so happened that it was a New Moon and when I was in one of the floors it blacked out and then Fuuka said she sensed death."
"Yikes, talk about bad timing," Junpei commented, "Is that why you don't go in there alone anymore?"
She nodded, "I had to that one time since all of you guys were busy with your homework and Mitsuru senpai was still away."
Fuuka gasped finally remembering the incident, "It was THAT time?"
"Yes Fuuka, THAT time." Minako sighed, "The one when that stupid monk got lost inside Tartarus."
"You barely escaped Death back then." Fuuka recalled.
"Until I rescued her." Akihiko added. "When I got to where she was, she was shaking like an earthquake."
"Hey, that's too much."
"Haha, sorry."
"Okay lovebirds cut that out," Junpei chided, "You're starting to make me itch."
Yukari scoffed, "Oh I remember now. That was the night when our class had multitude of assignments but Minako finished hers earlier saying she had to do something. I thought it was suspicious she did it so fast. You wanted to explore Tartarus on your own did you?"
Minako scratched her head, "Yeah. Sorry about that. Theodore gave me the missing person mission quite abruptly. I wasn't prepared."
"And I assume Theodore is that friend of yours from the door you mentioned?" Mitsuru interrupted.
"Yes!" Minako beamed. "In fact, he gives me all kinds of quests in exchange of items I need for my Persona."
"Why do I have a sudden desire to meet Theodore?" Junpei mused.
"Oh please, you just want someone to fulfill your gaming needs in real life." Yukari grumbled and they exploded into laughter as Junpei sank into his knees.
It was just another night in the SEES dorm building. No shadows or lost ones on sight. However, they always seem to discover new things when unplanned meetings such as this happen to occur. Bonds are sure interesting, especially when brewed between talented young beings from different ways of life.