3Okay, in order to prevent me from getting writer's block on my story, Forgotten Memories: A P3P and P4 Story, I decided to write a one-shot taking place two years prior to Persona 3's events. I'm sure that once you read this, you'll know what this event is about.
I don't know...I think I had an epiphany or something, cause I woke up this morning and suddenly I wanted to write on this event...
Well, I hope you like it! Oh, and I haven't played The Answer yet in P3 FES (I'm still playing The Journey), I've only seen videos of it on Youtube, so if certain events in this story don't add up to what was stated in The Answer, please don't hesitate to let me know (you'll know what I'm talking about once you read).
Disclaimer: I do not own Persona or its characters
Regrets, Remorse, and Redemption
A boxing match had just ended. It's champion, a young boy with silver hair and a bandage over his nose, walked out carrying his jacket over his shoulder. As the fangirls were squealing his name, the coach for the boy's rivaling school approached him.
"Hey, you! Sanada-kun, right?" The coach asked.
The student stopped and looked back at the coach. "...That's right."
"That was an amazing bout! I've never seen a junior high fighter deliver a K.O like that! I'm with the school you were up against in the finals. What do you say about enrolling with us?" The coach asked. "We'll give you a fat scholarship- - You'd only have to pay half your tuition!"
One of the student boxers got angry. "You're from another school? That's against the rules and you know it!"
Akihiko turned around to face the coach. "Sorry, but I don't see any reason to join a school that places second...get outta here."
The coach looked shocked. The fangirls started squealing Akihiko's name even louder.
"Squeeee! Akihiko-kun is so cool!"
"You here that? He'd never go to your loser school!"
"Come on already, go home!" The student boxer yelled. The coach looked angry and walked off.
Akihiko sighed as the student boxer and the fangirls walked off as well.
"*chuckle* Couldn't you have handled that a little more politely?" A female voice said to him.
Akihiko looked up and saw a girl walking towards him. She had curly red hair, with a smug-like smile on her face.
"I heard it gets crowded after practice, so I waited here instead." The girl explained. "Third year, Class C...Akihiko Sanada."
Akihiko walked over to the wall and leaned against it. "Whaddaya want?"
The girl turned to look at him. "...Aren't you going to ask who I am?"
"No need." Akihiko stated bluntly. "Whatever you've come for, I don't wanna get involved. All I want is to train and get stronger."
"It's nothing troublesome. I have a very simple request." The girl explained.
"A request...?" Akihiko looked surprised.
The girl nodded. "I have enemies that need defeating." Seeing the look on Akihiko's face, the girl told him, "They're not people, I assure you. You wouldn't be bound by the rules of boxing. No, the enemies I speak of...they're related to what you've recently been experiencing each midnight.
"...?" Akihiko looked even more surprised. 'How did she know...?'
"You see, I'm in the same situation. I experience the same situation you do." The girl said. The difference is, I know what it means. If you come with me, I'll share what I know with you."
Akihiko leaned off the wall. "Who are you?"
The girl looked at him once again. "Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm a third year, like yourself."
"Kirijo...? I've heard that name before." Akihiko said.
"You said you wanted to build your strength. What you really need is a riskier challenge." Mitsuru reached into her pocket, and pulled out what looked like a silver gun. Akihiko's eyes widened. "...And with this, you can challenge them.
"..." Akihiko remained silent, thinking things over.
Mitsuru smirked. "You don't have to decide right away...but I'll give you this just in case. Think of it as a lucky charm..." She winked.
Akihiko stared at the gun before taking it from her and putting it in his pocket.
"Meet me outside the school in 30 minutes if you want to help me." Mitsuru walked off.
Akihiko was staring at Mitsuru as she walked off. Soon after, another student approached Akihiko. He had shaggy brown hair, and his face wore a bored scowl.
"...Aki, who was that you were talking to...?" The kid asked.
Akihiko turned around. "...Nobody, Shinji...sorry, I gotta go." Akihiko turned and ran off. The other kid grunted and walked in the opposite direction.
"Ah, I see you made it...does that mean you wish to help?" Mitsuru asked.
Akihiko looked at her. "...Yes, I want to become stronger..."
Mitsuru nodded. "Alright, but first I want to ask you something...what is it that you are fighting for? Why do you want to become stronger...?"
Akihiko tensed up. "...I...I failed to protect someone dear to me...I want to become stronger so that I can protect people...I don't want to live through another experience like that again..."
"I understand...very well, then follow me." Mitsuru led Akihiko to a black car. It looked like it belonged to the government...or at least, a very wealthy family. "This is my family's car. I will show you the new dorm you will be staying in."
Akihiko nodded and got in the car.
The dorm looked huge. Mitsuru and Akihiko got out of the car and went inside the dorm.
"This is the dorm we will be living in, and where we will be conducting our operations at midnight..." Mitsuru explained. "Right now, it's just the two of us. I hope that in due time we will be able to recruit new members with our power."
Akihiko removed the gun from his pocket. "I have one question...why do I need this...?"
Mitsuru looked at him. "That weapon is called an 'Evoker'...you use it to summon a power I like to call, Persona."
"P-Persona?" Akihiko asked.
Mitsuru nodded. "Your Persona is like your other self. When forming bonds with others, your Persona becomes stronger. We can only summon our Personas during the Dark Hour...a period of time between this day and the next...that's what you have been experiencing every midnight, correct?"
Akihiko nodded. He was beginning to grasp the situation.
"I'll make sure to fulfill my duties, Kirijo-san..." Akihiko said.
"No need to be so formal, just call me Mitsuru." Mitsuru told him.
And so, that's how Akihiko joined Mitsuru in fighting against them. Little did he know, that things would only get worse from there...
Gekkoukan High School
Akihiko walked inside the school building. '...My first year in high school...'
As he was walking towards the bulletin board, a red-haired girl caught his eye.
"Mitsuru...you're here too, I see..." Akihiko greeted the girl.
"Yes...I am the same age as you, aren't I?" Mitsuru said. "I assume you're planning on joining the boxing team?"
Akihiko nodded. "Sure am. What about you?"
"I am planning on joining Student Council. I hope to become Student Council President my senior year. Until then, I'm going to run for Secretary." Mitsuru smirked.
"Ah, I see..."
"Well, I should get going to my class...see you back at the dorm." Mitsuru said and walked up the stairs.
Akihiko looked at the bulletin board.
Akihiko Sanada, Class 2-C
As he looked farther down the list, he noticed another name that caught his eye.
Shinjiro Aragaki, Class 2-C
"...Shinji's in my class this year, huh?" Akihiko smiled.
*Ring Ring* As the bell rang, Akihiko darted to his homeroom class.
He walked in the door, and saw a teacher wearing huge glasses and a white labcoat. As Akihiko looked around the classroom, he spotted a certain person sleeping at his desk at the very back of the class.
"Hey, Shinji."
The kid lifted his head. "..."
"Didn't mean to wake you up, but class is about to start...you should pay attention more." Akihiko explained. Shinjiro grunted slightly.
"I don't see what the point in school is...it's just a waste of time." Shinjiro said in a quiet tone.
"Alright, class...Ah-la-lo-la-bah..." The teacher began. All the students looked at him as if he was high. "My name is Mr. Edogawa...I'll be both your homeroom teacher, and your Black Magic teacher as well." He grinned.
Akihiko's eyes widened. '...Black...Magic...?' He turned around to face Shinjiro, but Shinjiro had fallen asleep...again. Akihiko sighed.
After School
Akihiko began packing up his school books. Mitsuru walked in the classroom.
"Mind if I speak with you?" She asked.
Akihiko shook his head.
"I wanted to let you know that someone is visiting us at the dorm tonight, and I would very well like you to meet him." Mitsuru explained.
"...Alright." Akihiko said.
"...Ugh."
Akihiko turned around. Shinjiro was rubbing his eyes.
"Finally awake, huh Shinji?" Akihiko said, smirking.
Shinjiro looked at him. "Shut up..."
Mitsuru glared at Shinjiro. "...It's not good for you to sleep during class. I will see to it that you are severely punished for your actions..."
Shinjiro looked up at Mitsuru. "...You're not the boss of me. I can do whatever the hell I want to, got it?"
Mitsuru looked appalled. "Don't you dare use that language with me!"
Before Shinjiro could say anything else, Akihiko intervened. "Mitsuru, Shinji is my best friend. I'll make sure he pays attention in class. Is that fair?"
Mitsuru glared at Akihiko, but sighed. "...Fine."
Shinjiro got up from his desk and walked past Akihiko.
"Eh, Shinji! Where you headed?" Akihiko asked.
"...None of your damn business..." Shinjiro said. However, as he walked past Mitsuru, she sensed something ominous.
"Wait!" Mitsuru yelled. Shinjiro turned to look at her.
"...Whaddaya want?"
Mitsuru began examining him. "Do you experience something at midnight, just like Akihiko and I do?"
"...!" Shinjiro maintained his unreadable expression.
"Shinji and I awoke to our...abilities...at around the same time." Akihiko explained.
Mitsuru looked at Akihiko. "Then how come you never told me? You know we need more members..."
Shinjiro didn't know what they were talking about.
"Well...I didn't tell you because..." Akihiko bit his lip.
"Because what?" Mitsuru asked.
"...Cause I can't control my power, is that what you want to say, Aki?" Shinjiro said. Akihiko looked at him, before looking at the ground.
"...I didn't tell Mitsuru that you have the power of Persona because I didn't want you to get hurt." Akihiko told him.
Mitsuru looked at Shinjiro. "...Do you want to fight what you have been experiencing every midnight? If you do, you should join us..." Mitsuru discreetly handed him a silver gun.
"M-Mitsuru!" Akihiko yelled.
Shinjiro took the gun without hesitation. "I'll help." He looked at Akihiko. "I can control my power if I train hard enough. Don't worry about me."
Akihiko had a pained look on his face, but he couldn't say no. "...Just answer me this: What is your reason for fighting...?"
Mitsuru smirked at the question. Shinjiro stared into Akihiko's eyes.
"...For the same reason you want to fight: to protect others." Shinjiro said. Akihiko's eyes widened, but smiled and shook his best friend's hand.
"...Glad you're on the team, Shinji..."
Once the three of them arrived at the dorm, they were greeted by a man with glasses and long wavy hair.
"Ahh, Mitsuru." The man greeted her.
"Mr. Chairman, I'm glad to meet you." Mitsuru bowed. "Akihiko, Aragaki...this is Shuji Ikutsuki...he's the Chairman of the dorm in charge of all our activities. He can't summon a Persona, but is fully aware of the Dark Hour and what's happening."
Ikutsuki bowed. "Nice to meet you all. You may call me Mr. Chairman...my name is a little hard for people to pronounce." He smiled.
Akihiko shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"...Tch." Shinjiro just grunted.
"I have been told by your father, Mitsuru, that since there are now three people with the ability to summon the power of Persona, that we will now be able to conduct operations every night...kind of like a secret club, if you wish to call it that." Ikutsuki explained.
Mitsuru nodded. "I understand, my father already informed me." She looked at Akihiko and Shinjiro. "From this day forth, we shall be known as S.E.E.S...the Specialized Extra-curricular Execution Sector."
Akihiko smirked. "...That's got a nice right to it..."
"Hmph..." A faint smile appeared on Shinjiro's face.
And that was how S.E.E.S was created...and how the regrets within each of their hearts grew larger...
A few months passed...
...
...
*Beep Beep*
"Looks like there's a big shadow loose on Tatsumi Port Island..." Ikutsuki explained.
"B-But, how did it escape from Tartarus...?" Akihiko asked.
"We still don't know the answer to that question..." Mitsuru sighed, clutching her arm.
"Regardless, if we don't destroy the shadow, it could wreak havoc in the city..." Ikutsuki said.
"Right. Mitsuru and I will- - " But before Akihiko could finish his sentence, Shinjiro cut in.
"I want to fight, too." Shinjiro said.
Akihiko and Mitsuru looked at each other, then back at Shinjiro.
"Aragaki, you still haven't learned to fully control your Persona. I suggest you train more..." Mitsuru told him.
Akihiko nodded. "She's right, Shinji...maybe next time..."
Shinjiro glared at them. "I've trained enough! There's no way in hell I'm staying here, watching you two fight a big shadow that could kill the two of you!"
"...What do you think, Mr. Chairman...?" Mitsuru asked.
Ikutsuki began thinking. "...I say, let's give him a chance to show what he's learned."
Mitsuru and Akihiko sighed, but they agreed to take Shinjiro along.
Port Island Station
"There it is!" Akihiko yelled. A huge shadow was tearing up the streets of the station.
"Right...Penthesilea!" Mitsuru summoned her Persona, and ordered it to attack. "Bufu!"
The shadow lost its balance, but recovered quickly. It tried to strike back, but Mitsuru barely dodged the blow.
"You alright, Mitsuru?" Akihiko asked.
"I'm fine!"
"Polydeuces!" Akihiko punched at the Shadow, his Persona following suit. By that time, the shadow had taken massive amounts of damage.
"Shinji, hurry and defeat it!" Akihiko yelled.
"Got it..." Shinjiro readied his Evoker firmly in hand, aiming it at his temple. "Castor!" A huge shining horse emerged from his body. "Fatal End!" Castor rammed the shadow, instantly destroying it.
"Whew..." Akihiko sighed.
"Good job, Aragaki...Aragaki...?" Mitsuru looked at Shinjiro. He was clutching his head, and looked like he was in pain.
"...Nngh..." Shinjiro cringed.
"Shinji...what's wrong?" Akihiko rushed to his best friend's side.
"No...get away from me...!" Shinjiro pushed Akihiko away and ran off in towards a few houses close to Port Island Station.
"Akihiko, we need to get him back to the dorm!" Mitsuru yelled. "He's losing control of his Persona!"
"!" Akihiko bit his lip. "...Dammit, Shinji...!"
They both ran after Shinjiro.
...
Shinjiro kept running, until he came up to a house closest to Port Island Station.
Without thinking, he banged on the door.
"Alright, Ken...you go to bed, alright?" A woman smiled gently at her son.
"Mom, I want to stay up longer...I have to study for a test..." Ken told her.
She continued to smile. "Haha, you're the only boy I know that would want to stay up later just to study..." She stroked Ken's hair gently.
"I'm not a kid!" Ken yelled.
"...Of course you're not, sweetie...you're my little young man..."
*Bang Bang*
"Hmm...?" The woman looked up. "Now who could that be at this hour...?" She looked back at Ken, who was still lying in his bed. "You stay here...I'll be right back."
She got up and went downstairs. However, Ken decided to follow her. He stood by the top of the stairs as she opened the door.
"H-Hello?"
"...Nngh..." Shinjiro clutched his head in pain.
"Oh my gosh, a-are you alright?" The woman asked. "Hold on, let me call 911!" She reached for a phone on the wall.
"...My head..." Shinjiro felt as if his head was splitting in half.
"Hang on, I'm calling right now!"
"ARRRRRGH!" Shinjiro let out a piercing yell. Then, something emerged from Shinjiro's body: Castor.
"Wh-What the...?" The woman stared in horror. "Wh-What is that?" She tried to approach Shinjiro. "C-Calm down...!"
Shinjiro looked at her with sadness filled eyes. "N-No...Get away from me...!" However, in trying to push the woman back, it signified Castor to attack. With his body, Castor rammed into the house...
'...What in the...?' Ken witnessed in horror as his house began crumbling.
"Oh my god..." The woman ran upstairs and saw Ken standing there. "Ken...listen to me: run out of the house as quickly as you can, and don't come near the house under any circumstances, do you hear me?" The woman told her son.
"Wh-What about you...?" Ken asked.
The woman smiled. "I'll be fine...worry about yourself for now, Ken..." She grabbed Ken's arm and pushed him out the door. "Run!"
Ken looked scared, but did what he was told and ran as far as he could. He stopped about 20 feet from his house. It came crashing down, taking his mom with it.
"Mom!" Ken screamed.
"Shinji!" Akihiko arrived at the scene shortly after the house collapsed. He saw Shinjiro lying face down on the ground. "Shinji, hang in there!"
Mitsuru arrived on the scene shortly afterward. She looked around. "What happened...?" There was nothing left of the house but a pile of rubble and some wood panels.
"Shinji lost control of his Persona...it destroyed the house before he regained control of it..." Akihiko said, punching the ground. "I knew it was a bad idea for him to join us!"
Mitsuru frowned. "Come on...we should get him to a hospital..." Mitsuru contacted Ikutsuki.
"Yes? How did the mission go...?" Ikutsuki asked.
"...Not good, I'm afraid, Mr. Chairman..." Mitsuru's voice was sullen.
"What? So, you didn't defeat the shadow?"
"No...we defeated it, but..." Mitsuru briefly paused. "...Aragaki lost control of his Persona...it destroyed a house not far from Port Island Station..."
"...I see...very well, I'll take care of the circumstances..." Ikutsuki replied and hung up.
"...?"
"..." Ikutsuki reached for a phone. "Hello, Kirijo...? This is Shuji Ikutsuki. I need you to take care of something..."
...
Tatsumi Port Island Memorial Hospital
"...Ugh." Shinjiro regained consciousness. He opened his eyes to find Akihiko and Mitsuru with him.
"Shinji, glad to see you're finally awake." Akihiko said, smiling.
"Wh-Where..." Shinjiro began.
"You're inside Tatsumi Port Island Memorial Hospital..." Mitsuru explained. "...You've been unconscious for a few days...you should take it easy for now..."
It was then that Shinjiro remembered what he'd done.
"...Shit..." Shinjiro had a pained look on his face. "...I lost control of my Persona...didn't I...?" He asked, clutching his head.
"...Yes, you did..." Mitsuru frowned.
Akihiko frowned as well. Hoping to lighten up the mood, he noticed that there was a small TV in the room. "Let me see what's on..."
When he turned on the TV, he began flipping through the channels...one channel in particular caught Shinjiro's attention.
"Wait...go back!" Shinjiro grabbed the remote from him and clicked on a channel...the News Channel.
Mitsuru sighed.
"We're here live today in a small neighborhood not far from Port Island Station..." The reporter began. "Police informed us that a drunk driver lost control of his truck, and crashed into a small home. The house collapsed soon after. As the police began their investigation, they found the body of a young woman buried underneath the rubble. An autopsy is currently underway. Luckily, the police found a young boy not far from the accident. He told them that he was the woman's son, and that he had escaped the house, unharmed. After a thorough investigation, the police have concluded that this was the cause of an accident...and is not a homicide..."
Akihiko took the remote from Shinjiro and turned the TV off. Shinjiro just stared at his hands.
"I...I killed that woman..." He balled his hands into fists. "NOOOOOOO!"
"Shinji! It's not your fault!" Akihiko tried to calm Shinjiro down.
"I-It's all my fault...I shouldn't have gotten involved in all this...this shit..." Shinjiro looked down.
"...Akihiko...I suggest we leave Aragaki alone for a while..." Mitsuru told Akihiko.
"But..." Akihiko stared at his helpless friend. "...I can't leave him now...not when he needs me..."
Mitsuru looked at him. "...Alright. I'll meet you back at the dorm, then." Mitsuru told him, then walked out of the room.
Shinjiro stared at Akihiko. "...Just...leave me alone, Aki..."
Akihiko shook his head. "No way am I doing that..."
"What do you want from me? I KILLED someone! I don't deserve to be alive...!" Shinjiro yelled. Akihiko punched him in the jaw.
"Nngh..." Shinjiro rubbed his cheek.
"Don't you get it? I can't leave you alone...not now...not when you need me..." Akihiko's eyes began getting watery. "Don't you remember, back when we were at the orphanage...? I wanted to play outside, while Miki wanted to play inside with her stuffed animals...I told her that she was a big girl and she could play by herself. She looked sad, but told me 'okay...'" Akihiko bit his lip. "...And then look what happened when I left her by herself! The orphanage caught on fire, and they held me back while she was trying desperately to get out! And we both know what the results were...!"
"..." Shinjiro remained silent.
"I want to be with you, Shinji...you're my best friend...!" Akihiko began crying.
"...Aki...go home."
Akihiko was shocked by his friend's words.
"...You're a pain, Aki...look at you, you must be tired..." Shinjiro told him. "...Go get some rest. Don't stay here worrying about me..." A faint smile appeared on Shinjiro's face.
Akihiko stared at Shinjiro, before nodding. "...Alright...take care of yourself...Shinji..."
Shinjiro nodded, and Akihiko left the room. Shinjiro looked at his hands once more. "...I don't want something like that to happen ever again...I need to find a way to suppress my power...Tch, my power ain't worth shit, anymore..." He relaxed and lied down on the hospital bed. "...That kid...the one who ran out of that house...he's probably angry with me..."
'...When the time comes...I'll make it up to him, no matter what the cost is...'
...
...
Two years later: October 4, 2009
Shinjiro was kneeling in a pool of his own blood. He looked back as his assailant, Takaya, faded into the darkness of the Dark Hour.
The voices of his friends could be heard in the distance, as he stared up at a certain kid standing in front of him, his eyes wide.
"Shinji! Shinji, hey, hang in there!" Akihiko yelled.
"Shinjiro!" Mitsuru yelled.
"Senpai!" Yukari screamed.
"Shinjiro-senpai!" Junpei yelled.
"..." Minato remained silent. He knew that, in his current state, nothing could help Shinjiro now...
"No..." Fuuka said, kneeling beside Shinjiro. She could sense that his life was slowly fading away... She tried to help him, but Shinjiro pushed her away. He looked up at the kid once again.
"Ken..."
Ken stared at Shinjiro, speechless.
"Heh...why the long face...? Isn't this...what you wanted? Don't worry, give yourself time...let your anger...be your strength..." Shinjiro smiled. "Come on, Ken, your just a kid...ya got your whole life ahead of you...so don't waste it...make it your own...okay...?" Shinjiro's eyesight was getting blurry.
"But I...I...!" Ken began.
Shinjiro stood up, his eyesight beginning to fade. "Aki...take care of 'im..."
Tears began flowing from Akihiko's eyes. "...I will..."
Shinjiro began walking away. "...This is how it should be..."
However, he only managed to walk a few feet...before collapsing to the ground...lifeless.
Ken just stared in shock, before he collapsed as well. He began pounding his small fist into the ground, unleashing a piercing cry that shattered the soundless night...
Almost everyone was too preoccupied with Ken, however, to notice something that only Minato noticed right after Shinjiro collapsed: Shinjiro was smiling.
'...This is how it should be...Ken...and...I'm sorry...for everything...'
FIN
Alright, this one-shot is finished. Whew, I think that jumpstarted my brain a little bit. Don't worry, I was working on my next chapter for Forgotten Memories while working on this one. I'm not sure when it will be done, but I hope that I will upload it soon.
Now, onto this story...It made me cry so much, and I'm the one that wrote it! I hate writing stories based on these depressing events. Well, I hope you liked it, and that it didn't make you depressed, as well. Thank you so much for reading, and please review!