Piecing The Fragments

Chapter 1: Reasons

Original Concept: Persona 3 Portable

..

..

Created by: Atlus

written by: wrathie

Author's Notes: Game Spoilers galore, Readers beware.

Author's Notes: Thank you Kaiser dude for the beta-edit, discussion and for his patience and hard work. This chapter wouldn't have came out if it's not thanks to you~

As of 24/03/13 the progress of re-uploading the edited chapters is at:

Chapter 27

..

Why was she trying so hard when it seemed to be inevitable? She really did not know why she was doing so in the end. However it was true that like everyone else, she was entitled to the one thing that all of human kind was allowed to have: hope.

Igor had told her it was impossible to break the bonds of fate that had been tied around her. He had told her, Arisato Minako that the very first time that she was released from the seal that she herself was part of and returned to the Velvet Room.

She had not wanted to given up then and the same stubborn personality told her that she could not give up now, not after trying and learning so many things.

Elizabeth had been the one who had released her from the seal temporarily and with the powers that she had boundled together from the Shadows and Nyx, sent her back in time to try and find an answer. As the Velvet Room was a place that was cut off from time and Tartarus in the same time, it was possible for the powerful woman to do so.

But her task of finding a different way out was nearly impossible as the being that she was trying to save the world from is the embodiment of humanity's negativity taken shape and form. But that did not mean she could not try and could not hope that something would change.

As in the worst scenario, the world would end in the Fall... and she would die along with it.

And in the best scenario... she would stop the Fall and... she would die as well.

..

There were no positives in either the best or the worst... but if she had to admit to herself, it would be that the worst scenario would be her being all alone, ignored by the S.E.E.S members due to her personal pleas and refusal to defeat the 12 Shadows.

Fate and the world decreed that they would continue their mission with or without her and it would only be a matter of time before either S.E.E.S themselves or someone else destroy those 12 shadows that would awaken Nyx.

Was she willing to watch her friends die trying to do what they thought was right to them?

Was she so selfish as to watch them all die, trying their very best even if it's hopeless while she alone survived?

Minako did not know what would happen if they did not destroy all the 12 shadows andshe simply died of natural causes if that was the case as she did not hang around to find out. Just thinking of sacrifcing all of her friends to live was unbearable and she took her own life when she found out that Yukari and Junpei had died in that first Full Moon all because she was not there to help them.

They had died because she valued her own life before theirs and had died before finding the answer that would not only allow them to live the rest of their lives with no regrets, but to actually help them through the darkest part of their lives.

..

If her sacrifice was enough to save all of humanity... no, that was not right. What was most importantly for her, was how she was able to save them from themselves, from their darkest hours and give them the light to move on.

That was enough by itself.

She told herself as she returned to the Velvet Room for the umpteeth time again to speak with Igor and Theodore.

The former was powerful, as shown when he created the Persona or being that would enable her to challenge Nyx in that final fateful battle... but even his hands were tied about her fate and truthfully, she was here only to calm herself down.

Their endless patience and tolerance with her had always been a relief as this was the few places where she could be herself, truly herself as the stress had etched lines on her flawless face, making her look years older in the process.

'Good evening, my dear.'

Igor smiled again and invited Minao to sit down per the norm. The two of them knew everything as she herself had lost track of how many times she had restarted the journey and Theodore, Elizabeth's sister had all but given up on giving her new quests to do as she would have no trouble gaining the materials that he needed.

There was no Persona that was unavailable to her, or so she imagined as Igor had mentioned that she had completed the Compendium in one of her earlier attempts.

..

'What shall I try this time? Should I tell them the truth again?'

Minako asked the two in front of her and of course she answered her own question with a high pitch laugher that would make anyone else wince.

'And have them laugh at me and call me a coward?! I'm just a transfer student... who would ever believe that he was betraying them?!'

The stress was showing itself and it was apparent to the inhabitants of the Velvet Room that this could indeed be her last journey. No matter how talented or how powerful or... how empty the Fool could be in it's potential and personaliy, there were only so much a human can tolerate and carry mentally by herself.

Arisato Minako was nearing the end of her line, this endless cycle that was created was inititally meant to allow her to fulfill her last regrets, to relive the moments that she had lost forever and perhaps... to rest in peace to function better for the Seal.

But it seems that it had only awakened false hope in her and Igor looked to the side towards his assistant, Theodore.

The blue clad man looked down while apologizing to his master. His sister, Elizabeth had meant well, but meaning well doesn't solve everything after all.

..

'What can we do for you today.'

Igor tried again to ask their guest and Minako looked up with a tired smile.

'Would you please tell my fortune again... give me some direction... even though it is a one way road for me.'

Minako was resigned to fate but she at least wanted to humor Igor a little for being so welcoming to her and she was right when Igor started to shuffle the cards in front of him without hesitation.

'The Fool represents you... and so does Death.'

Pharos, the childish aspect of Death was the boy that was sealed with her and shared her destiny. If Minako had known who he was the first time, would it have changed anything? She had tried that just once, trying to throttle the startled boy who had appeared before her but all that had done was for her to suffer a bruise as the boy was as surprised as a newborn but hard as a rock. He had and would stay with her till the end of the Shadow Hunt and unless she killed herself, there was no way to get rid of him.

This was even so as Aegis had taken the liberty to seal him in her. So if she was the one who did it, could she blame Aegis then? No, of course not... if Aegis had not done so then, the Fall would have happened then and there... better to delay and prepare for the inevitable then to let it happen in front of her eyes.

..

It was not Pharos's fault that she had to die. He shared her fate after all... the fault laid on the members of the Kirijo Group who had started the experiment in the first place. Or perhaps the combined will of the World and humanity that wanted the Fall to happen could be blamed instead.

She could not undo or challenge either of that and so...

'The Tower, great disaster will befall you.'

Igor spoke softly, almost comfortingly and Minako blinked in surprise. That was a new card, what could possibly go wrong, again? But hey, there was probably nothing worse than her dying...

Except your friends dying for you.

An inner voice coldly reminded her and she lowered her eyes sadly to try and stop thinking about it. Crying always seemed to help.

There had been the one time that her friends had tried to intervene, managing to free themselves from the bonds that Nyx held them with and journeyed with her to the Moon to her final battle.

It had worked... soft of... and they managed to defeat her... only for them to die instead of her.

She had told herself that she would never allow it to happen again and she held back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her once again as she remembered what their final words were.

Was that how they all felt when she sacrificed herself for them? It was like her heart was ripped to shreds and someone was stomping on them while all she could was to cry and beg them not to leave her behind.

If that was how it felt like... perhaps it was a good thing that she did not see her friends faces in the first time that she had triumphed over their final enemy.

..

'The Moon, a period of uncertainty... and of the past haunting you.'

Igor spoke again while flipping another card and Minako gave a choked laugh while muttering about the story of her life.

'...?'

Igor started and for the first time in what seems like forever, Minako felt surprised as well as uncertainty appear on his odd face. The look of confusion in Igor's eyes made her afraid and at the same time, hopeful at what might be different.

There had been nothing that she should not know but this was certainly new as the third and final card that Igor flipped up had no image on it and there was only a number marking XXI.

The number was a surprise to Minako as she wore a hair accessory of the same number and she looked at Igor with anticipation as he furrowed his eyebrows.

'This... is unexpected... I did not recall having a card like this in the deck... most astonishing and... revealing.'

His bloodshot eyes seemed to even open up a little wider as he looked at her with amusement, as if appraising something new as he remarked.

'As you would know now, you are able to call upon a Persona of the Universe Arcana, a persona that is normally unavailable through normal means... but your unique destiny and will allowed you to create it. That would be an exception, but this would be the second exception... your final card is The World.'

The World Arcana? Why had she not seen this before and she reached out to try and touch the card when Igor pulled it out of her reach.

'It symbolizes the end of a journey, the end of the Fool's Journey to be exact... whether the result, it will be fulfilling... Perhaps this would be the last few times we would welcome you into the Velvet Room, honored guest. Of course, we would not turn you down till your final hours.'

Igor smiled but Minako could tell that despite all of that, he was a little sad at the revelation as well. Her journey was one that he had been overseeing for so long and perhaps he too had gotten a little attached to her as well?

'I've been in your care too long; Igor... and Theodore... let us go on a date again this time.'

She smiled at the man and the pale faced man nodded with a smile after pausing for a moment.

'I guess there really is only one thing left to do... the most painful route... but it will have to suffice.'

Looking up, Minako spoke briefly to Theodore to choose the Persona's that she would be taking with her in her newest journey.

..

'Memento no Mori.'

She told herself again as she returned to the dorm with a small smile, even if it was only Junpei playing his game in the lounge. Even if everything was fated, she did not wish to lose her last chance...

No, their last chances to be together.

There were times in Tatarus, the residential dungeon for shadows that things got a little too hot to handle. The most frequent examples where when the group met with the Residential Guardian of that floor, the stronger Shadows that guarded a whole level by themselves.

One of the most memorable ones were the first ever guardians that the 'rookie' group of S.E.E.S members were forced to battle, the trio of Venus Eagles.

Looking back at that time, all of them made many mistakes that day and the injuries that they sustained then made them grow and mature faster than they would have without them. So perhaps it really was better that they struggled.

Minako was the exception to that rule but she had learnt to hide her carried-over ability after perhaps months and years of practice at trying to be weak. Well, she too was caught off guard when their battle plan was disrupted due to their over reliance on Junpei.

With the three of them flanked and caught wide open at the back, Minako's leadership skills were not a full replacement for a pair of strong hands to beat back a rouge Shadow that managed to outstep them after they went in for an all-out attack.

This was especially so when Minako herself was dizzy after being struck by a vicious dive that slammed her against the walls of Tartarus. She heard bones cracking and it was difficult for her to wield her naginata properly as she groggily looked up to find herself cornered by the shadows.

..

'Minako!'

It was the first time in this world that Junpei was able to call her by her name and despite herself, she blushed. True, it was only Junpei but the boy had always been full of surprises and Minako called out to him for help.

'H-Help, Junpei!'

She swore that the boy's determination got stronger with her begging for help as he managed to, without assistance of course, strike the 3 Shadows away with a strike that was surely a game-winning and deciding blow before pulling Minako to her feet and out of danger.

'Honestly, do I have to get you out of everything?'

Minako knew that right now Junpei was unhappy and upset that she was chosen as the leader of the field team. Perhaps this time she was given a chance to mend that unhappiness and resentment he felt as she hugged him suddenly, sobbing and telling him that she was terrified. Minako was making such a scene that Yukari had intervene to get their attention, reminding them that they were still in Tartarus or at the minimum in a very dangerous place, with shadows and all that.

Of course, the emotions of unhappiness from Yukari and accomplishment from Junpei were replaced by awe after a few moments when Minako saved Junpei from an early meeting with death. She did that simply by vaulting into the air and slamming her naginata into a shadow that was reaching towards him with it's many arms to pull him away. That particular situation had developed after Junpei accidentally overused his physical skills, bringing him near to exhaustion.

With surprising agility and upper body strength, Minako was able to slash the shadow repeatedly and relentlessly even as it tried to counter-attack. At the end of her combination of slashes, Minako performed a picture perfect split while she brought her entire body weight down along with her naginata, destroying the shadow with that final attack without breaking much of a sweat.

..

The other two present, Yukari and Junpei's jaws dropped in shock in witnessing that she had performed the feat without being fazed by it. It told them that she was a very experienced and confident user of her naginata and it was something Minako noticed too late to do address any misconceptions from the two of them. Even as she brushed her messed up hair back in position while being pulled up by a blabbering Junpei, she could sense his unease.

'Ah, about that... I've been working out and I'm good in Wushu.'

Minako tried to salvage the situation by lying to the two of them but it was a lost cause as even while they continued on, Junpei merely seemed lost in thought and was not as enthusiastic as before. She had just made the situation worse, hadn't she?

..

Of course when it rain it pours and the situation was a little more direr than she imagined as Minako found herself having to use more of her hidden strength that she would normally not have to during her other alternate time-lines. In hindsight, perhaps the other two were a lot weaker than usual as she had been in a rush to get through the first block. Either that or... this was a morbid thought, but the shadows could be distinctively tougher than before.

It seemed to be the latter but still she barely broke a sweat after vaulting into the air and drop kicking one shadow to the ground for Junpei to bash at it till it stopped moving.

Junpei will later confess to Akihiko that he caught a glimpse of orange as the high school teenager was too solely focused on saving Yukari, a person that only met a few weeks ago.

Of course, those feats were made even more remarkable when one considered how she had to use her evoker as well to summon Orpheus behind her to bash another Eagle to the ground that was trying to attack the three of them.

..

The two of them were not just amazed at what the brunette could do but it was also the look of confidence that she carried with her while wielding her naginata, slashing and attacking the Shadows that dared approached her.

It was similar to a deadly dance and the girl seemed to be at home in combat, controlling and using her weapon like it was a part of her and not simply an extension.

Nothing seemed to be able to touch her as she swung her weapon in arcs and slashes, letting nothing leave and nothing get close to her either. It was suffice to say that the two of them were attracted as well as disturbed at the calm exterior she possessed while cutting the Shadows down to her size. It was like Mitsuru had mentioned before, she had no fear while using her Persona or fighting shadows. That was why she was chosen but it scared them as well to see someone so at home in battle.

..

The final thought and sentiment from Yukari and Junpei was that perhaps there was no need for them there at all. Simply within a few minutes, without invoking her Persona as well, Minako had finished the three shadows that had given them so much trouble.

The truth was simply that they were disturbed, very much so as Minako blinked momentarily before looking away. She was hiding something from the two of them and it made the two of them uncomfortable just thinking about what it might be.

That night was the start of their journey but to them, it seemed like it was just another usual day for Arisato Minako.

..

That thought jarred the two of them so much that they were afraid to report to Mitsuru-senpai on what happened. On how Minako managed to defeat the guardians single-handedly, dragged them up to the first barrier and wiped out the guardian there without breaking a sweat as well.

They were not quite terrified as disturbed but Minako did not blame them for feeling so. Even if she wanted to do nothing more than to hug them and to tell them everything... from what she had gone through, what they will go through and what will happen in the end.

And most importantly, that they could trust her; that they could believe in her and to allow her to be their friend yet again.

But she had slipped up by going overboard when she saw they were in danger and her body had moved without her thinking. There was no way that they would be able to believe so easily or simply.

The Venus Eagles were no match for her and there was no need to invoke her Persona besides Orpheus. Orpheus was there to keep up the facade but after that performance, she was sure that she should thank her lucky stars that they did not run away in fright till now.

..

Instead they were keeping a very big distance apart from her and the suspicious looks that they shoot at her every now and then were painfully obvious to her. Both literally and figuratively so.

Even as Minako clutched her arms awkwardly, she decided that there was nothing she could do about it now and she just looked at the ground till someone walked beside her and tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

'Arisato, what's wrong?'

It was Sanada Akihiko, their senior and one of her Social Links; the Star to be exact and Minako managed to muster a smile for him briefly before looking away awkwardly. His social link was one of the harder ones to achieve but she found that it was worth every minute of it. Of course, this Akihiko had no memories of the time they spent together and she tried to not be too familiar with him.

It was a difficult task as she already knew his deepest secrets, why he joined S.E.E.S and the regrets he had in life. How he felt about her and why he looked after her.

The latter was the most painful as she knew that he approached her initially not because he was attracted to her romantically but rather viewed himself as a brotherly figure due to her status as a senior.

'...'

Minako choose to keep quiet and she knew that he would try to rouse her out of her blue funk despite being bad with words, it was an aspect of him that she liked after all and she smiled after he told her that she should be proud of achieving so much in one day.

..

'... I'm a monster.'

Minako spoke up suddenly as she stopped walking. Although she did not know exactly why she decided to do just that, thankfully the others did not notice and continued on, leaving the two of them alone.

'No, of course you're not, Arisato, even if we can summon Personas, that doesn't meant we are monsters.'

Akihiko tried to reassure her even as the Dark Hour was ending but there was enough time for her to raise her evoker against her forehead, her other hand resting over her chest even as she pulled the trigger, summoning the Persona that rocked S.E.E.S to the core the first time it appeared.

It would have the same effect now as Thanatos, the god of eternal sleep appeared behind Minako, towering over the petite girl while Akihiko gasped in surprise and shock, almost falling to the ground in his surprise as he raised his fits up in reflex.

Thankfully they were too far away from the others for them to see the sight and Minako waited patiently as the Dark Hour ended just as Akihiko was about to question her about it, allowing Thanatos to fade away together with the end of the supernatural hour.

She was in full control of Thanatos now and it was in stark contrast to how it had gone out of control to consume the first Shadow on the day of her awakening.

In hindsight, if she had not joined the S.E.E.S, would the Fall have taken place? Of course it would... the betrayer would manage to destroy them somehow... no matter how she tried to stop him.

All that's left is to see whether she screwed up once again.

..

The Tower... there would be disaster befalling you.

..

Akihiko was shocked speechless at seeing the monster; yes, it was a monster staring down at him with it's mechanical jaws, the coffins floating around it's body. Most importantly however was that bloodthirsty expression on it's eyes as the Persona slowly faded away at the end of the Dark Hour.

'...'

The girl, the transfer student that Akihiko knew was surprising, he knew that she was full of surprises, potential and talent... could she really be called a monster like she called herself to be?

This was undoubtedly the Persona that they had witnessed tearing the larger shadow to bits a few weeks back and now it was summoned under her control!?

Who was she? No, what was she?

..

'Who, no... what have you done?'

Akihiko asked her and the girl simply looked away, keeping her evoker into her pocket as she hugged herself before replying.

'I told you... I am a monster, a witch... I... I do not deserve to be in S.E.E.S... and yet, I belong here... for S.E.E.S created me, turned me into what you see in front of you today.'

As she looked up, Akihiko could see the lines of age and stress showing on her face despite the make up that she had applied and she really did look years older while he digested the words.

'It can't be... We did this to you? Who would do such a thing? Tell me?'

Although he was afraid and he was injured, Sanada Akihiko was never one to back out of a fight and he looked at her with as much confidence as he could master.

..

'Ikutsuki Shuji.'

The girl answered with a resigned sigh and Akihiko felt his world fall apart.

Author's Notes: I did say spoilers. But do R&R. How do you feel about the re-write? Does it feel better now?