Chapter 6; About the shadows

...29/07/2009 Wednesday, Midday...

The city streets are busier than usual, a mass of people moving in every direction.

With the start of summer vacation, students, finally free from their school routines, are making the most of their free time.

Among them, Fuuka Yamagishi walks through the mall, a shopping basket in hand, picking up groceries for the dorm.

As she examines a product, her phone vibrates inside her bag.

She stops and quickly answers, lifting the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she says softly, her voice gentle, still a bit distracted.

"Yamagishi, it's Mitsuru." The familiar, firm voice of Mitsuru Kirijo responds on the other end.

"Kirijo-senpai, did something happen?" Fuuka asks, a knot of worry tightening in her chest.

"Yes, President Shuji has reported an important discovery. Do you remember the Arcana Shadows?"

Fuuka stops walking, trying to recall what Mitsuru just mentioned.

A flash of memory surfaces, bringing back an image of a Shadow they had faced before.

The Shadow's head was protected by a spiky, crown-like purple helmet, with protruding points that seemed to merge with its head.

Its massive body was covered in heavy, elaborate armor, primarily dark gray with red and gold accents.

In the center of its torso, a large red cross stood out, symbolizing authority.

Its arms were long and slender, covered by wide sleeves of armor that tapered into ornate cuffs.

A red cape draped over its shoulders, giving it an even more majestic and commanding presence.

"Oh, those powerful Shadows that can escape Tartarus? Yes, I remember. What about them?" Fuuka replies, pressing the phone closer to her ear, her heartbeat quickening with the memory.

"He's discovered they appear on specific dates," Mitsuru explains. "But he's asked everyone to gather at the dorm so he can explain in more detail."

"Understood. By the way, Kirijo-senpai..." Fuuka hesitates for a moment before continuing. "Could the recent homicide have any connection to an Arcana Shadow?"

The silence on the other end is heavy, until Mitsuru, after a moment of thought, responds in a cautious tone, "Yes, the computer detected that the man's soul was taken from his body."

Fuuka swallows hard, the worry tightening in her chest.

She remembers the other Arcana Shadows they had faced and how close they came to death, especially Minato.

"Got it. I'll head back to the dorm now," Fuuka says, trying to keep her voice steady.

"See you soon." Mitsuru replies before ending the call.

In another part of the city, Hiro Mikoshi exits the movie theater, scratching his head in visible disappointment.

"Jeez, what a terrible movie," he mutters to himself, glancing down the street in an attempt to shake off his frustration.

That's when he spots Akihiko Sanada speaking with a tall man, taller even than Akihiko, wearing a maroon trench coat and a gray beanie.

"Akihiko? Who's that guy?" Hiro wonders, curiosity piqued.

He moves closer but stops behind a nearby tree, choosing to observe and eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Listen closely, Shinjiro." Akihiko sounds a bit irritated. "Mitsuru and I need you. Even if SEES has more members now, you're still one of the strongest."

Shinjiro Aragaki, the man in the maroon coat, huffs, averting his gaze as he shoves his hands in his pockets. "Aki, I'm done with it. After what I did… it's all my fault."

Akihiko, eyes full of determination, replies, "You weren't to blame for what happened to her. The Persona lost control, and there was nothing you could've done."

Frustrated, Shinjiro pulls an Evoker from within his coat, displaying it in front of Akihiko.

"I swore I'd never use this again." Shinjiro's voice is weighed down by guilt.

Akihiko narrows his eyes, visibly disappointed but unyielding. "You never change. Even so..."

He looks directly into Shinjiro's eyes. "I'm not going to stop. I'll keep trying to bring you back."

Shinjiro turns his back to Akihiko. "Go ahead. I'm not changing my mind."

Akihiko sighs, resigned, and heads off toward the station. Shinjiro walks in the opposite direction, stopping beside the tree where Hiro is hiding.

"I noticed you. You know I don't appreciate being spied on," Shinjiro says, without turning to face him but fully aware of Hiro's presence.

Hiro startles, realizing he's been caught. "Ah. Guess there's no fooling you."

Shinjiro, hands still in his pockets, glances at Hiro. "You're one of the new SEES members, aren't you? And if I'm not mistaken, you're in the same class as Mitsuru."

"So that's why you looked familiar," Hiro comments, trying to recall. "What was your name again?"

"Shinjiro. Shinjiro Aragaki," he responds firmly. "And yours?"

"Hiro Mikoshi. So, Shinjiro, you were part of SEES. Why'd you leave?"

Shinjiro narrows his eyes, staring Hiro down. "Not your business."

They lock eyes in a tense moment before Hiro raises his hands in surrender.

"Alright, no need to get hostile. But, I can see it in your eyes. You're trying to end it all," Hiro remarks, his voice tinged with empathy.

Shinjiro is taken aback by Hiro's words. Rubbing the back of his neck, he sizes Hiro up, assessing him.

"And I can see someone who has no idea what he's doing," Shinjiro responds. "You don't have a reason to fight with SEES. No reason to risk your life fighting Shadows. So why keep going?"

Shinjiro's words echo in Hiro's mind, stirring memories of what Mitsuru had also questioned. Why do you fight? Do you even have a reason?

"I don't know," Hiro finally admits. "Maybe it's because it's… exciting? Part of me loves every time I summon my Persona. But another part… another part never wanted this power to begin with."

Shinjiro steps closer, pulling a syringe from his coat pocket. "If you don't want to use your Persona, use this. It temporarily suppresses your Persona."

Hiro looks at the syringe, then at Shinjiro, who's already walking away.

"How does it work, exactly?" Hiro asks, confused.

"Use it, and you'll see your Persona vanish for a while," Shinjiro explains without looking back. "See you around, Hiro."

Hiro gazes down at the syringe, containing a blue liquid. Before he can process everything, his phone vibrates again. He pulls it out and sees a message from Yukari.

Message: Hey, Hiro. So, the Chairman has some info to share with us. Also, our combat suits are ready. Hurry up and come back. - Yukari

Hiro simply replies with an "Okay, I'm heading back to the dorm." and begins walking toward the station.