PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...30/07/2009 Thursday; Midday...

The black veins on Shinjiro's neck began to recede, the intense pulsing gradually diminishing.

Hiro, watching the scene with wide eyes, could barely contain his shock. "Shinjiro, what the hell was that?"

Shinjiro took a deep breath, wiping the blood from his nose with the back of his hand. "It's my Persona. He... gets 'agitated.'"

Hiro stared at the syringe Shinjiro had just used. "Is that one of those inhibitors you gave me?"

"Yeah." Shinjiro nodded, picking up his chopsticks again as if nothing had happened. "I have to use them to keep Kastor in check. Though this... this loss of control is on me."

He glanced at Hiro, who still looked perplexed. "Aren't you going to eat?"

Hiro blinked, as if just now remembering the bowl of ramen in front of him. "Oh. Yeah."

The two began eating in silence. As the flavor of the ramen spread through his mouth, Hiro couldn't shake the unease settling in his heart.

Do the others see me as just a weapon?

After a few minutes, Shinjiro finished drinking the ramen broth and let out a satisfied sigh, as though a weight had been lifted.

"Hiro."

Hiro, still finishing his meal, answered with a muffled, "Hmm?"

"About why I left SEES. It's because…" Shinjiro hesitated, as if the words themselves were a burden.

Hiro placed his bowl on the counter, sensing the seriousness of the moment. "Because you accidentally killed a woman, didn't you?"

Shinjiro nodded, his face unreadable. "Yeah, I did. My Persona went into a frenzy and ended up killing a woman nearby."

He picked up the syringe he'd used and placed it on the counter, as if the small object carried the weight of his past actions. "I don't want to use my Persona anymore, so I rely on these inhibitors. They temporarily suppress a Persona's power."

Hiro looked at the inhibitor with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Where'd you get something like that? Do Mitsuru and Akihiko know?"

Shinjiro grabbed the inhibitor and slipped it back into his coat pocket. "No, they don't know. And I get these from… certain connections."

Without saying anything more, Shinjiro pulled a 10,000-yen bill from his pocket and placed it on the counter.

"Don't tell Mitsuru or Akihiko about the inhibitors, okay?"

Hiro nodded, understanding the gravity of the request. "Got it. By the way, how did you meet Mitsuru and Akihiko?"

Shinjiro sighed, as if the memories weighed heavily on him. "Aki and I grew up in the same orphanage. Our whole childhood… Akihiko had a younger sister, by blood."

Hiro leaned on the counter, hanging onto every word. "When you say 'had,' you mean she's dead, don't you?"

Shinjiro nodded, his eyes darkening. "Yeah. The orphanage caught fire because of a short circuit. And his sister didn't make it out in time."

He let out a frustrated huff and rested his hand on his head, the weight of the memories pressing down on him. "I can still remember Akihiko's desperation, trying to break free from the firefighters while the orphanage burned… with Miki inside."

Hiro averted his gaze, feeling a knot in his stomach. "Jesus… I've never had a sister. But I can imagine the despair."

"Yeah, I saw it in his eyes."

Hiro's phone buzzed incessantly, cutting through the somber atmosphere. He pulled it from his pocket and saw several missed calls from Fuuka.

"Something's up…" Hiro murmured, narrowing his eyes.

"Go ahead," Shinjiro said, noticing Hiro's urgent expression. "I'll cover your meal."

Hiro stood up hastily but paused when Shinjiro called his name.

"Hiro, before you go."

Hiro turned to him, waiting for him to speak.

"Do you think I should go back to SEES? Even after abandoning Akihiko and Mitsuru?"

Hiro lowered his gaze, pondering the question.

After a few moments of silence, a rare, spirited smile spread across his face.

"Look, if I gave up on everything because of a mistake or an accident I made, I'd already be six feet under."

Hiro continued, his voice steady. "We all screw up, but that's what makes us human."

Hiro's phone buzzed again, this time showing a message from Fuuka.

Message: Hiro, help me. Some men are following me. I'm at Iwatodai Station.

As Shinjiro reflected on Hiro's words, a question began to echo in his mind. Should I really go back?

"I see…" Shinjiro said with a rare smile. "I'll think about it. And Hiro."

Hiro, sliding his phone back into his pocket, looked at him. "What?"

"Thanks. I think I needed to talk to someone about this."

Hiro smiled back, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "Don't mention it. I needed to talk about my past too."

With a wave, Hiro left the restaurant in a hurry, leaving Shinjiro alone.

Shinjiro signaled the chef.

"Another special, please," he said, placing another 10,000-yen bill on the counter.

...30/07/2009 Thursday; Afternoon...

Fuuka walked briskly through the streets, her heart pounding in her chest as she felt the presence of the two men trailing close behind.

With every step, her fear and anxiety grew, making her breaths short and ragged.

Their eyes, filled with sinister intentions, felt like invisible claws trying to reach her.

"Please… where are you?" she thought, struggling to stay calm.

Desperate, Fuuka turned into a narrow alley in an attempt to lose them, only to realize she had made a terrible mistake.

The alley was a dead end. The wall in front of her seemed to loom taller, blocking any chance of escape.

"Oh no… Hiro, where are you?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Well, well, looks like you finally found a quiet spot," one of the men said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

A malicious grin spread across his face as he pulled out a knife, its blade glinting faintly in the dim light.

He gestured with his hand, beckoning Fuuka closer, like a predator cornering its prey.

"Come on, hand over the money. Or maybe you've got something else to offer?" the second man added, advancing slowly.

Fuuka backed away, trying to put distance between them, but her retreat was cut short by the cold wall at her back.

Panic gripped her as her eyes locked onto the knife, her mind racing for an escape.

But before she could think of anything, a figure appeared at the entrance of the alley, obscured by shadows.

"Hey, isn't this girl from Gekkoukan High?" the second man murmured, glancing curiously at his companion.

"You're right," the first man replied, spinning the knife between his fingers with a sinister smirk. "I've seen her in that uniform before."

He moved closer, grabbing Fuuka's uniform and examining her with a lecherous gaze. "How about… you cooperate, little girl?"

A sharp whistle pierced the air, echoing through the narrow alley.

The second man turned to see where it came from, but it was already too late.

A solid punch connected with his face, shattering his nose with a sickening crack. He cried out in pain, stumbling backward.

"What the…?" the first man stammered, confused.

"Sorry I'm late. You were harder to find than I thought," Hiro said, his voice cold as he grabbed the second man by the collar of his shirt.

With a swift and precise movement, Hiro locked the man's arm in a hold, eliciting an agonized scream as his shoulder popped out of place.

Without hesitation, Hiro slammed the man's head against a nearby trash can, blood splattering across the dirty metal.

"Shut up!" Hiro growled before smashing the man's head again, knocking him out instantly.

The first man, still clutching his knife, charged at Hiro with a furious shout. "You bastard, I'll kill you!"

Hiro sidestepped effortlessly, evading the attack, and delivered a sharp kick to the side of the man's knee, breaking it at an unnatural angle.

The man collapsed to the ground, screaming as tears of pain streamed down his face.

"Oh my god…" Fuuka murmured, horrified.

Hiro picked up the knife from the fallen man, examining it with disdain. "You were gonna kill me with this?"

With a simple motion, he snapped the blade in half, revealing it to be a fake knife, more of an intimidation tool than a real weapon.

"Don't insult me, you piece of shit," Hiro spat, his voice filled with disgust.

The man raised his hands in surrender, but Hiro didn't care.

With a vicious kick, Hiro struck the man's head, sending his teeth flying and knocking him unconscious.

Dropping the broken knife pieces, Hiro turned toward Fuuka, his expression softening as he saw the fear in her eyes.

"You okay?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Fuuka replied, still trembling. "But you didn't have to beat them like that."

Hiro blinked, confused. "What? They were going to rob you. Or worse."

Fuuka, still shaken, shook her head. "I know you saved me, Hiro. But you don't have to be so… brutal."

Her words hit Hiro like a bucket of cold water.

He glanced to the side, his thoughts churning as he tried to process what she'd said. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and met her gaze.

"I'll… try to remember that next time," he said hesitantly. "But that doesn't mean these two deserved any better."

"You're right," Fuuka admitted, her voice softer now.

Without warning, she threw herself into Hiro's arms, hugging him tightly.

Hiro was caught off guard, feeling his face heat up from the unexpected closeness.

"Thank you, Hiro," Fuuka said sincerely, her voice filled with relief and gratitude.

"Okay, okay," Hiro muttered, flustered, as he awkwardly patted her green hair. "You're welcome. Let's head back to the dorm. And… don't tell Mitsuru about this, okay?"

Fuuka pulled away from the hug, smiling at him. "Alright. But promise me you'll try not to beat everyone up. Deal?"

She raised her pinky finger, a sweet and innocent gesture that melted Hiro's heart.

The simple yet meaningful act stirred something deep within him.

He saw Fuuka not just as a friend, but as a younger sister who wanted to protect him from himself.

Hiro smiled, a genuine warmth lighting up his face as he linked his pinky with hers. "Deal."

"It's not a deal," Fuuka said with a small laugh. "It's a promise."

...A promise....

...I think that's what can make Hiro a better person. I'll help him!...

...Priestess Arcana; Fuuka Yamagishi...