Chapter Text
On the 20th of July, SEES, alongside Ann, Lavenza, and Ken, met up in the docks to board the ship that'll take them to Yakushima. It was grand and luxurious, as expected of the Kirijo group.
The seaside view of the ship was breathtaking, and the scorching sun shining down upon them made it all the better. The salty air was intense but not to the point it caused nausea.
Speaking of, no one seemed to suffer from motion sickness on the boat.
When the island came into view, Junpei put his hands on the railing and leaned forward to get a better view. "There it is!" He yelled in delight before saying, "YA–KU–SHI–MA!"
Yukari sighed with a soft smile on her face, unable to blame his excitement but feeling a bit annoyed. Before she could tone it down a notch, she noticed Ann running up and standing next to him.
"Y-A-K-U-S-H-I-M-A," Ann spelled out, acting like a cheerleader. "That's where we'll go to have fun! Go, Yakushima!"
Junpei's head leaned back, roaring with laughter before saying, "That's what I'm talking about!" He raises his hand for a high-five, and Ann reciprocates.
Yukari blinked in confusion while Minato put his headphones on and turned on his MP3, drowning out the noises. Mitsuru was noticeably distant, which didn't go unnoticed by both Ann and Yukari.
Fuuka had a curious face and said, "I wonder what kind of flora and fauna are there."
That statement piqued Lavenza's interest, her eyes gleaming with wonder. "Oh, I hope they have Venus flytraps! I've researched all about them, and I think they would go great with my collection." She got closer to the railing as a result.
Ken sighed, expecting her to say something like, but his breath stilled when he heard the last part. "C-Collection of what?"
Lavenza merely looked at him, a big smile on her face, and just blinked. She refused to elaborate, and now Ken is afraid of what could happen in the next hour.
He likes Lavenza; he really does. But she scares him.
Sometimes...
Akihiko was thinking of many ways to train on the island, but his thoughts came to a stop when he noticed Lavenza being a bit too close to the railing. He walked closer, squatting down to her height and holding her shoulder, gripping tight so he could pull her back in if she accidentally fell.
He already lost his sister from one of the elements, so he was making sure that Lavenza didn't meet a similar fate by drowning.
Pretty soon, the ship came to a halt near the docks, and they all exited. Mitsuru said someone would take care of their luggage and gestured for them to follow her inside the manor.
It was huge. Ann stared in wonder and in awe, impressed by the architecture but also scared to accidentally damage something ultra-expensive.
To her, it looked more like a palace than a manor. The good kind, not the ones from the metaverse. Especially Kamoshidas.
That made her have Vietnam flashbacks.
Junpei had a look of shock on his face and said, "It's like we're in an episode of 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Fabulous.'"
Ann nodded in agreement. "Totally! This is the kind of place to film dramas or reality TV shows. Like 'Real Housewives.'"
Before the two dumbest people in the room could go on a tangent about numerous shows, Maids appeared.
They were real formal maids, not the ones you'd see at cafés or in cringy manga. Speaking of, Ann could've sworn that she saw Ren, Ryuji, and Mishima look at some maid poster back in her time.
Weird.
Junpei nudged Minato and whispered to him. Lavenza could only make out the words 'Real' and 'Maid.'.
They made their introductions and said that they'll take care of them. Fuuka looked at Mitsuru and murmured, "I knew she was from an important family, but this definitely proves it."
Suddenly, an intimidating man came up to them. His short black hair, eyepatch, and serious demeanor scared the majority of the SEES members. Ann was reminded of Okumura, while Ken placed his hands behind his back, attempting to hide the fact they were shaking.
Lavenza just thought he was a pirate from Spongebob.
He quietly observed each and every one of them before Mitsuru said, "It's good to see you."
The man didn't reciprocate her greetings and said, "I heard the news." He then eyed the others and said, "There's not much, but make yourselves comfortable." With that done, he took his leave.
That short interaction was extremely intense, to the point many let out a breath of relief when he left.
"Is that your father?" Lavenza asked Mitsuru, unfazed by the man.
At Mitsurus's nod, many jaws dropped. It explained a lot and so little at the same time. "Huh. I see no resemblance physically."
Also, why is he wearing a suit in this kind of heat?
The waves of the refreshing, cold water and the warm sand were all one could see when entering the beach. The air was crisp, and the sun was perfect for sunbathing.
Junpei let out a sigh of satisfaction, feeling like he had entered Heaven. With his cap being backwards, swim trunks, and sandals, he is ready to enjoy the beach day to its fullest.
Minato and Akihiko were behind him, each taking in the view. While the former had a similar blue swim trunk, the latter opted for a speedo and a shirt, which is a choice that Junpei is judging extremely.
"Seriously, dude? Nobody wants to see your junk."
Akihiko cocked a brow. "But they reduce water resistance. It's perfect for training."
Junpei rolled his eyes, not understanding Akihiko's hyperfixation towards his training at all. Before he could comment any further, the sound of the girls voices made him stop, and his annoyed expression was quickly replaced by one of excitement.
"Contestant number one, Yukari Takeba!" He said it like a host in a TV show, ogling her up and down in her pink bikini and shorts. She rolled her eyes and put her black sunglasses on.
In the background, Fuuka was seeing whether she was allowed to take the seats with umbrellas. When Junpei came unexpectedly close to her, she shrieked and hid behind Yukari, who in response smacked Junpei in the arm.
Rubbing the spot where she hit, he looked around and saw Mitsuru in her white bikini that seemed to have a slit skirt. Her pale skin contrasted beautifully, showing off her distinct features.
"Oh, this is paradise, dudes!" Junpei yelled and looked back at the boys. Akihiko seemed to look at the girls, too, silently giving a nod of approval. And Minato...
...was admiring a crab that was slowly walking on the sand.
"C'mon, dude!"
"Wait," Mitsuru's voice made everyone pause and focus their attention onto her. She did a quick headcount and said, "Aren't we missing someone?"
Fuuka's eyes widened, and she said, "Oh! Ann, Lavenza, and Amada-San are absent. Did they get lost?"
"The manor may be huge, but the way to the beach is clear. What are they—? Junpei couldn't finish his sentence as he was shot in the neck by something wet.
He jumped and shrieked at its cold temperature. He looked back, and all he saw was Lavenza in her one-piece child swimsuit and a large sunhat. She was also holding a water gun.
"Direct hit!" She cheered and waved it around in the air, carrying around a small backpack. Ken, who was next to her, gave her a thumbs up for effort.
"Sorry for being late!" The sound of Ann's voice made them all turn in her direction. She was wearing her red bikini with floral patterns, her hair in a bun with red sunglasses resting on her head.
Junpei was admiring all her features and assets, his nose bleeding as he let out a happy squeal. "We got a winner, folks!"
Ann pointed at Junpei and laughed at him, "Oh, this is Ryuji all over again!"
Minato noticed that Ann was holding something and leaned to the right to get a closer look. "Is that a portable cooler?"
Ann nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! I asked the maids if they had a few good drinks we could take with us, and they even gave me this cooler. It's not a beach day without refreshing drinks!"
She sets the box underneath the beach chair for the time being. With the umbrella as an extra support and the cold sand underneath the shade, the ice should stay intact longer and won't go hot as quickly.
"Good thinking. It's very hot out here." Minato says. His visible eye noticeably wanders, looking Ann up and down properly.
His face was as deadpan as ever, but he kept it civil. 'She looks good.' He thought to himself before hearing Junpei and Akihiko running to the water, calling after him.
One by one, they all ran towards it. Ken was excited but tried to mask it behind a mature facade. Lavenza saw right through it like always and grabbed him by the wrist, causing the young boy to let out a high-pitched squeal.
Ann chuckled and yelled, "Don't go too deep! I know you got floaties, but don't wander too far off." She relaxed a bit when she heard Lavenza yell back with an affirming tone.
Ann was about to go in, thinking she was the only one who wasn't swimming. Turns out, she was wrong. Mitsuru was sitting on the beach chair, her legs crossed as she watched anyone.
"Is something wrong, Mitsuru?" Ann asks as she sits beside her.
Her senpai merely shook her head. "It's nothing. I was merely reminiscing about the times I used to come here as a child. Of course, those visits got less and less due to... well..."
Ann let out an understanding hum, realizing what she meant by the end. The shadows and Tartarus. "Yeah, that had to be tough. At least you can enjoy yourself for a while here."
"I'm not sure if that's possible." Mitsuru said, looking away from Ann.
Confused, she asked, "Why? What happened?"
Mitsuru was contemplating whether to tell her what happened. She sighed and decided to get it over with. She proceeded to tell Ann about when Yukari snapped at her when she found out about the origins of Tartarus and the dark hour.
As she did, Mitsuru also explained the origins to her, sparing no details. At the end, Ann was concerned, turning around to see Yukari splashing water at Fuuka before turning back to Mitsuru.
"Poor Yukari...losing a dad so young is terrible." Her voice was empathetic, even when she turned to Mitsuru. "But you should've told her sooner. Still, don't let your grandpa's actions get the best of you. Besides, you already made an effort to get rid of the problem."
She felt terrible for saying, due to the circumstances. But she wonders how they came to the conclusion that killing the full moon shadows would erase the dark hour in the first place.
With the new information she was given, her suspicion of the Kirijo group as a whole has risen. Luckily for her, it seems Mitsuru's father would know something about it.
But for the time being, she'll enjoy the beach. She attempted to distract Mitsuru from thinking about Tartarus's dark origin and started talking about miscellaneous things. For example, the fact their hair and bikini colors are swapped. That did get a small laugh out of her senpai.
Using that as motivation, Ann dug through Lavenzss's backpack, digging out a DS and some games, handing it to Mitsuru. She didn't forget the time they went to the karaoke and how Mitsuru said that she didn't experience a lot of regular teenage stuff.
"Here. These are some of my sister's video games she brought to entertain herself." Ann said, setting it down on the chair.
Blinking, Mitsuru asked, "Ok, but what do you want me to do with these?"
"Don't think I forgot about what you said. C'mon, just try them! There's a first time for everything." Ann said.
"Aren't they addictive? I wouldn't want this to get in the way of my duties and studies." Mitsuru eyed Junpei from afar, knowing he's a hardcore gamer.
Ann nodded and said, "Well, yeah. But you seem like someone who has a lot of self-restraint, so I think you'll be fine." Hearing Lavenza calling for her, she added, "Just try it. Pop a game in and enjoy."
Before she went to the water, she asked, "By the way, have you seen my sunglasses? I don't know where I put them."
Mitsuru said nothing but gave Ann a deadpan stare, which confused the latter. The heiress lifted her hand over Ann's head and pulled out the red sunglasses.
Seeing them in her hand causes Ann to blush in embarrassment. "Ohhh...look, it happens!" She then dashes to the water, trying to forget this moment as fast as possible.
Mitsuru let out a small chuckle and looked at the selection, her hand hovering at what seemed more appealing. Eventually, she picked one and murmured, "Mario Kart DS? Well, I do know how to drive a motorcycle, so I suppose I'll do fine."
She had a bit of difficulty figuring out how the handheld console worked, but once she got the hang of it, she was hooked. She won race after race, enjoying the sensation of winning and shooting people with shells.
She almost threw the DS into the sea because she got hit by a blue shell before crossing the finish line in the third round.
Multiple things happened while on the beach.
For one, after swimming a couple of rounds, Minato ended up admiring the crab again like it held all the secrets of the universe. To his surprise, it seems Lavenza shared the same interest because she too watched the little creature with fascination.
Ken didn't see what the big deal was, saying that it'll end up getting eaten anyway. This caused Minato to do an 'X' sign with his arms, while Lavenza took it into her palm and gently patted its head.
Then, she saw a king crab and wrestled it to death, dragging it to show the others. Ann facepalmed while Akihiko was impressed. Minato was disturbed and had a small look of fear in his eyes, which was quickly hidden afterwards. The staff took the king crab, planning to cook it for dinner.
Back in the water, Ann and Junpei decided to play a little game with Ken and Lavenza. One would sit on the other's shoulder, trying to knock the other down into the water.
As expected, the sisterly duo won every time. Ken could never keep up with Lavenza's strength, and so, he was pushed off often, and sometimes, Junpei would fall back too.
After that whole game, Ann went back to the shore, opening the cooler to get herself a cold water bottle. Minato was sitting on the chair next to hers, looking at her drink option. "Just plain water?"
Ann let out a satisfied sigh as she took a couple of sips before answering, "Yeah. Most of the options were either alcohol, carbonated drinks, or water. I don't like carbonated stuff, so this will have to do."
Minato looked down at his own drink. A nice, cool Coke, and he looked back at Ann with the most judgmental face he could muster. Before he could say anything else, he stopped when she removed her hair tie.
Her wet blonde hair was cascading down her shoulders, reaching the middle of her back. Despite it looking a bit darker due to it being damp, it highlights her features perfectly. She looked a bit more mature that way, and his heart skipped a beat.
Minato was temporarily entranced, a slight blush creeping on his face. Ann seemed to notice and asked, "Hm? What's wrong? Wait, did you get sunburned?!"
In an action that was so out of character for him, Minato quickly shook his head and raised his hands. "I'm fine. Just the heat is getting to me."
Ann nodded in understanding. "Fair. It's a bit intense. Maybe I'll head back in with the kids."
She called Lavenza and Ken to come back, who, after a while of playing, came back exhausted. Well, Ken was exhausted. Lavenza wanted to stay longer, but she obeyed her and grabbed her stuff.
As he watched them walk back, Minato thought to himself, 'What was that?'
"No! Don't talk to me!" Yukari yelled as she ran out of the room.
"Takeba, wait!" Mitsuru's plea went on deaf ears as she watched the archer run.
Everyone was still processing what happened. The video of Yukari's father on the day of the accident shook them to the core. Nobody dared to say anything. Even the kids were there to watch it, unsure of what to feel.
Mitsuru looked at Minato and said, "Arisato-san, could you go make sure she is okay?" Her tone was that of concern and regret.
He nodded, putting his hands in his pockets as he went the same way she left.
Ann slowly made eye contact with Lavenza, both thinking the same thing. Earlier, they found out Ikutsuki was in possession of this recording all along, and the timing felt too perfect.
She remembered how Lavenza felt wary towards Ikutsuki since they first met. At first, Ann couldn't understand why, but after what she saw today and the fact that the attendant has never been wrong before, it raised her suspicions.
She couldn't rule out the possibility of Mitsuru's father being involved and knowing the truth about Apathy syndrome. Even if it seems unlikely given his personality, beliefs, and reaction, everyone is suspicious. Innocent until proven guilty.
Mitsuru's father sighed and said, "I do understand where she is coming from. That is a heavy burden to carry." He gave his daughter a silent look and said, "But there is good news to share. According to some intel that I recently received, three people have been miraculously healed from apathy syndrome."
This caught everyone's attention, especially Mitsuru's, her gaze that of hope. "Have they really?"
Her father nodded. "According to the information, one second they had it, and the next they screamed and clutched their hearts before returning to a normal state. I'm still waiting for more intel to come."
Many sighed in relief. While the tension wasn't completely gone, it lessened a bit. "Could it be her doing?"
Ann's gaze was fixed on Ikutsuki the entire time, inspecting him. She managed to see his expression turn into annoyance and dissatisfaction before returning to its usual cheerful facade.
'That's a bit too familiar.' She thought to herself. It could've been something else, and she shouldn't jump to conclusions.
Soon, everyone was dismissed and went back to their rooms. Junpei went to check on Minato and Yukari. Ann, alongside Fuuka, Lavenza, and Ken, walked together since their rooms are on the same hallway.
Ann could see Fuuka was not doing well with the information that was shared. She is happy about the healing of Apathy syndrome victims, but she is concerned for Yukari.
"You doing ok, Fuuka?" Ann softly asked.
Her friend nodded before adding, "I'll be fine. I'm just really concerned for Yukari-san. I do hope the leader cheers her up.
Ann nods with an understanding hum and asks, "Don't you think the footage was weird?"
"How so?"
"Apparently, that's footage from 10 years ago, so why did Ikutsuki keep it from us? I get Mitsuru was ashamed and all, but I don't think the truth should be kept from us." Ann says.
Fuuka was thinking about it for a while before answering, "I get what you mean. It was pretty weird since, from what I heard about him, Yukari's father was very kind. Actually, now that you mention it, I did notice something else about it."
Ann's ears perked up, and she said, "What is it?"
Fuuka said, "Maybe I misheard or misremembered, but I could've sworn that the audio felt... how should I put this, unfitting?" She waved her hands around, trying to find a good word to describe it.
When Ann tilted her head, she continued, "Some of the dialogue felt skipped or put together. It could be because the footage was damaged from the explosion and existing for a whole decade. Or..."
"Or?"
"Perhaps it could be edited." Fuuka's statement, albeit said in a skeptical tone, was an understandable conclusion, one that made a lightbulb appear above Ann's head. "But I doubt it. Why would Mr. Ikustuki ever do that?"
Ann shrugs and says, "Who knows? But if he really has nothing to hide, then he could give it to you to analyze it. You did say you're good at that."
Fuuka gasped and said, "I am. If I could, maybe we could prove that what Yukari's father did was a misunderstanding... I do hope if that is the case that it'll make her feel better."
Ann nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. Once they arrived at their rooms, they bid each other goodnight.
"I thought working with the Kirijo group would lead me to find some answers. But now... now I can see that was all for nothing." Yukari said to Minato, her tone broken and questioning.
For the past 5 minutes or so, she has been telling him everything. About her life after the accident, her mother, the letter she received last spring that was from her father.
When she first got it, she felt so much hope. The hope to find the truth about what happened. The hope to investigate the accident...
...only for it all to be shattered like glass falling on the floor. To Yukari, it felt like fate had given her a big slap on the face and branded her as a fool.
"That's not true, Yukari." Minato said, a clear attempt to cheer her up. Despite his demeanor, she could tell he meant it.
"You're just trying to cheer me up." She murmured. Yukari felt that the gesture was sweet but preferred to be alone at the moment.
Minato didn't know what else to say. Comforting others wasn't his strong suit at all, but he couldn't leave her alone like this. His soul wouldn't allow him.
So, he silently listened, trying to think of some comforting words.
"Reality is harsh, huh?" Yukari turns around and looks at the sky as if the crescent moon were her audience. "I tried so hard to face my fear, and this is what I get."
She sighed, turning back to him and adding, "Looking back...I was also jealous. I mean, after all that's happened, why does Kirijo-Senpai's father get to live?"
Minato's eyes widened at the statement before they relaxed and related to her. After the car crash happened, he also had the same thought process. Why could someone else live, and why did his family specifically have to die?
He couldn't judge her. He understood but didn't know how to say it.
Yukari took a deep breath and confessed, "Remember the day when Ann stormed into the faculty room and slapped Kirijo-senpai?"
Minato could never forget that day. The rage, surprise, and horror still fresh in his mind, so he nodded.
"Well, I felt some grim satisfaction at that moment. It's like an act of justice happened, and she did what I couldn't do." Yukari chuckled sadly before continuing. "Speaking of... I also feel jealous of Ann."
Minato raised a brow. "Why?"
Yukari sighed and explained, "This is gonna sound so childish and dumb, but... she has everything I wanted. I remember when she and I went swimsuit shopping for her sister and Ken. We chatted, and I found out some things about her life."
"Like?"
Yukari sighed. "Apparently, her parents are busy people working in the fashion industry and are away often. She never named them, so I'm not sure how busy they are. But one thing I remember is that whenever they were away, her parents would always make it up to her and her sister in some way, shape, or form. Whether it is by giving them gifts, spending time with them, or taking them with them on their business trips."
Minato let out a hum of understanding, starting to get how Yukari is feeling.
"My dad was away often too, and just like Ann's parents did, he'd make up for it." She paused and looked to the ground before adding, "After his death, my mother and I became distant. Sometimes when I look at Ann, I wonder what life would've looked like if Dad were alive. Maybe he could've seen me starting high school, or maybe I would also have a younger sister or brother."
There was a moment of silence, the small waves of the ocean being the only sound that could be heard.
Yukari groans and covers her face. "Ugh. Here I am complaining about her when she has been nothing but kind to me." Her hands left her face, and she added, "I guess I'm a bad person for thinking this way."
To her surprise, Minato shook his head and walked closer to her. "It doesn't. I think it's completely normal to feel this way. Honestly, I get how you're feeling. I sometimes have the same thoughts about other people."
Yukari scoffed and said, "I don't get it. How are you so calm all the time? Did you think this would cheer me up?" Her gaze sharpened, and she snapped, "You think you know me?! You know nothing!"
Minato's breath hitched, frozen in place by her sudden shift in tone. Those words felt familiar, almost as if he had said something similar.
That's right. He remembered when he unlocked Ann's social link, or in this case 'confidant,' she tried to lend a helping hand and attempt to get him to listen to his problem, where he snapped at her.
Now, he understands what Ann was thinking at that moment, feeling the urge to do the same thing she did.
Yukari's angry expression was replaced with that of regret. "I'm sorry. It's just... what am I supposed to do now?" She sounds like she is on the verge of tearing up, sounding desperate for any answer that could help, even if it was small.
Minato sighed, bracing himself. He tried his best and said, "Sometimes, it's ok not to know. We won't get all the answers, and maybe that's a good thing." He scratched his neck, knowing that his advice was terrible.
Yukari just blinked and chuckled. "You're just something else. Don't worry about me. I'm already used to stressful situations."
She came closer to him and asked, "Did Kirijo-senpai ask you to bring me back?"
At his nod, she let out another bitter chuckle. Despite that, Minato could see her eyes were red from crying. He closed the distance between them and hugged her.
Yukari gasped in surprise, hesitating for but a mere moment before relaxing and hugging back. In that moment, it felt like just the two of them.
In that moment, nothing mattered. Just the sound of their breaths, the feeling of their heartbeat, and the comforting warmth of each other's bodies was all that mattered...
...up until Junpei appeared and ruined the moment. For some reason, Minato felt like he was being watched.
The next day was an awkward affair. Despite what happened yesterday, the boys still went to the beach, trying to enjoy their time while they could.
The girls were nowhere to be seen. Junpei groaned at the fact he couldn't see them in bikinis again, and Minato rolled his eyes. But when Akihiko showed a letter he got from the maid, Junpei snatched it from his hands, expecting it to be a love letter.
It ended up being a letter from the girls, letting them know that they went out for a walk. Judging by how it was worded, everyone went. Even Mitsuru and Yukari.
"What the hell? We came all the way here to the beach to enjoy it, and they just decided to take a walk." Junpei complained before he grinned like a big perv.
Akihiko and Minato could already see it coming. "You noticed how there are so many fine babes on this beach? Well, maybe we should...talk to them." Junpei wiggling his eyebrows was all the implication they needed.
"You're a moron." Akihiko bluntly said with a hand on his hips.
"Oh, come on, Akihiko-senpai! Or are you afraid that you can't pick up hot chicks?" Junpie teased and taunted him to get a reaction.
Akihiko fell for it and yelled, "As if I would let myself get beaten by you."
When Junpei looked at Minato, he just shrugged and said, "Whatever."
He took that as a yes and announced, "Well, gentlemen. Let operation Babe hunt begin!"
They went at it for an hour, and yet, they didn't get a single number. They were either turned down instantly, called creeps, almost beaten up by the boyfriends of said girls, and creeped out by a few girls too.
After that was done, they were annoyed and felt like they wasted their time.
Junpei sighs in defeat and complains, "Man, how is this so hard?"
A sudden laugh snapped them all out of their annoyed state, and they looked at the source.
It was Ann, and she was laughing at them. "Oh god, you guys were hilarious!"
She was in the middle of building sandcastles with Lavenza and Ken. The latter was unwilling to do it at first but is now completely entranced by making a good castle.
Akihiko let out a confused noise and said, "What are you doing here? I thought all the girls went on a walk."
Ann nodded and confirmed, "Well, yeah. They are. But I decided to stay so that the kids can enjoy the beach and maybe forget about what happened yesterday."
The three boys let out a noise of understanding, seeing Ann's point. That must've been complicated to explain to the kids, no less understanding it.
Ann's smile turned into a cheeky grin as she looked at Junpei and said, "You know, most girls like a guy who is good with kids." She let out the bait, and just as she expected, Junpei took it without hesitation and started to join in making the sandcastles.
Akihiko sighed and looked at Minato, who just shrugged and joined them. Seeing as he probably had nothing better to do, Akihiko did the same.
They would fill buckets with sand and occasionally find seashells on the sand to decorate the castle. While doing so, Ken looked to the side and noticed a vacant ball. "Huh. Wonder who left that there."
Minato responded with, "It's been there since yesterday. Maybe someone forgot about it."
Lavenza hummed and suggested, "Ooh, how about you play some football, Ken?"
Ken was surprised and asked, "With who?"
Lavenza motioned at all of them. Ann then said, "Oh, yeah. Akihiko-Senpai does boxing, and Min-Min is in the track club, where I'll be cheering you on, by the way. And Junpei..."
"I did baseball as a kid."
Ann nodded. "Yeah, exactly. Oh, wait...I never did any real sports. Guess I'm out."
Lavenza nodded and said, "Neither did I, but I watched Ken play football long enough to understand the rules. I could be the referee."
Junpei scratched his head and asked, "But wouldn't it be kind of unfair with three high school students and a kid?"
Ken didn't like that and snapped, "Well, I played soccer longer than any of you, so don't underestimate me."
Lavenza was about to correct him using 'soccer' instead of 'football' before a random foot stepped on the sandcastle, ruining their progress. "Hey!"
They looked up at the culprits and saw two guys their age. They had tanned skin, fit physiques, and cocky grins on their faces.
Ann stood up and yelled, "Hey, what gives?! You can't just destroy my sister's and her friend's sandcastle like that!"
One of the guys rolled his eyes and laughed, "Well, beautiful, it was going to be destroyed anyways."
The second guy looked at the others and said, "Why hang out with boring, ugly losers like them when you can come with us? I promise, you won't regret it. We know how to party."
Ann gasped in offense and slapped one of them. He didn't even flinch, and his eyes were filled with even more desire. "Mmm. I like it when they play hard to get."
He and the other guy reached out their hands, attempting to touch all parts of her body before Lavenza jumped in.
"Butterfly punch!" She yelled, making her hand into a fist and punching the guy in the crotch with all her strength.
The guy fell back and screamed in pain. The next moment, blood started to drip from his swim trunks, and he kept screaming.
Turns out, Lavenza punched him so hard that she managed to make his testicles rupture like an explosion. The bleeding didn't stop, and his friend got mad. "You little bitch!"
Before he could do anything to her, Akihino jumped in and easily beat the guy with a few precise punches, knocking the guy out.
Once that was done, Ken ran to Ann and asked, "Are you ok?!"
Ann sighed and nodded. "I'm fine. Promise me you'll never end up like them."
Ken nodded, and Junpei looks like he's questioning his life choices. "W-When we hit on girls, did I look like that?"
"Well, you were less gross and forceful, but yeah."
This was a much-needed wakeup call for Junpei, feeling ashamed at how he acted.
While that happened, Minato felt the same sensation he felt yesterday. Someone was staring at him, so he turned around and finally found the culprit.
He locked eyes with a girl that seemed to be his age. Her short hair was blonde, and her eyes were blue, similar to Ann's. Her blue dress blended beautifully with the scenery.
She came closer and said, "I finally found you, for I have been observing you from afar to make sure that it's really you." Her voice sounded unnatural and robotic. "I've been searching for you. My highest priority is to be at your side."
Out of nowhere, the strange girl hugged him, shocking everyone in the vicinity.
That same evening, they found out what was going on.
The strange girl that hugged Minato was not a normal human. Instead, she was an Anti-Shadow weapon, designed by the Kirijo group to destroy her targets.
Nobody expected technology to be this advanced, even Ann, who came from the future. She took the news well, considering she met a talking cat.
Nothing is out of the realm of possibilities.
The robot's name was Aigis. Nobody knows why she has an odd attachment to Minato, and not even she could tell why. Something in her heart (or whatever you call a robot's heart) told her that it is her duty to protect him.
And from now on, she would assist SEES with exploring Tartarus and fight in the dark hour alongside them. While good news for them, Ann felt anxious.
She may do the whole Dowager thing for good, but who knows what Aigis could do to her? She did fight robots back in Okumura's palace, but none seemed as intimidating as Aigis.
She can't place her finger on it, but she feels like things will get way harder from now on.
After that was done, she escorted Lavenza and Ken back into their shared room. They had separate beds that were very comfortable.
After she finished tucking in Lavenza, she moved on to Ken, who seemed to not want to. "I appreciate the gesture, but it's not needed."
Ann stopped and respected his decision. "Ok, I get it." Before she exited the room, she looked at him and said, "You look like you have a lot on your mind. What's wrong?"
He was surprised at her observation and said, "A lot of stuff happened on this trip. First Yukari-San's father and now a robot."
Ann nodded in understanding and said, "Yeah, that is a lot to take in. Especially at your age."
Ken groaned and said, "Can you not treat me like a kid? I don't need to be coddled."
Lavenza sat up on her bed and said, "Why not? She is just being nice. Besides, I heard you mumbling about how you understand Yukari with the whole dead parent thing."
Ann shot her a look that told her that she went too far. Lavenza quickly covered her mouth, not meaning to say it like that.
Ken looked mad and said, "Yeah, my mom is gone, and it's been hard, okay?! Especially since her goddamn killer is still on the loose!"
Ann and Lavenza both became alarmed at that. The former closed the door and slowly walked closer to him. "She was murdered?"
She knew this was a sensitive subject to ask a child, but she was also aware that this might be the cause why he acts the way he does. Trying to act overly mature while hiding and neglecting his inner child.
Ken scoffed and looked at the wall next to him. "You wouldn't believe me. Not even the police did."
Ann and Lavenza exchanged looks. This started to sound very familiar. Of course the justice system failed.
"Ken, we all know about the dark hour, the creepy monsters called shadows, and the huge tower that comes every midnight. Believe us, after what we saw, anything is believable." Lavenza said as she got out of bed and placed a comforting shoulder on his arm.
Ken couldn't refute that claim as he knew all that was true. He couldn't get out of this, so he talked: "Two years ago, on October 4th, my mom and I walked in an alley when suddenly the dark hour happened and debris fell on her."
Ann gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "All I could remember seeing was a blue spirit riding some kind of horse and the silhouette of some guy...I couldn't see his face. After that, Mom was... gone."
Tears threatened to spill from his eyes, trying to keep it together. That event haunted him every single day and seemed to never stop.
"Was it a Persona?" Lavenza asked
"A what?" Ken responded with a confusing tone, continuously wiping his tears.
Lavenza demonstrated by summoning Yoshitsune. The swordsman's blue aura was something that scared the boy, to the point he scooched back.
"T-That's it! Is that what Ikutsuki meant by 'the Potential?'" Lavenza nodded, answering his question with ease. "I hate him! I hate the guy that took my mom from me! He deserves everything that happens to him!" Emotions make him act irrationally, his tears falling freely while he occasionally lets out a few chokes to get his breathing under control.
Meanwhile, Ann was having a deep realization. One that plagued her with guilt.
Ken and Akechi are really similar. They're probably around the same age, too.
Akechi had no support system, driven mad after his mother died. Ken seems to have a similar reaction to this.
She was never proud of her moment back in the boiler room at Shido's palace. Her emotions, worry and hatred, blinded her to what Akechi went through. A move that was totally out of character, even for her.
After the argument she had with Ren, she gave it more thought, and the two of them reconciled. She could sympathize with his past but could never forgive the fact that he took innocent lives. Thought most of that hate is directed at Shido.
Seeing the many similarities, Ann doesn't want Ken to end up exactly like that. One may not have had a support system, but the other will.
Slowly, Ann hugged Ken, telling him to not hold back and to just let it out. Lavenza did the same.
It was a waterfall, her shirt stained with teardrops, but Ken didn't care at the moment. He needed this.
Nobody from his family cared to check up on him. A relative may be paying his school expenses, but out of obligation, not that he actually cares.
Ann almost cried too but stayed strong. She and Lavenza will be there for him as much as they can.
The next day, Ann made good on her earlier promise, and when they headed out to the beach, she asked Ken if he wanted to play football like she offered yesterday.
The child's eyes were bloodshot from crying yesterday, but she seemed more at ease. She told him that it's fine if he didn't want to, but he insisted.
That is how the male member of SEES had a mini football tournament while the girls watched and cheered them on.
Aigis acted as a referee, shooting out bullets in place of red or yellow cards, which scared a few passersby.
But that didn't change the fact that Ken destroyed them with ease. At first, the guys went easy, but soon played seriously after seeing Ken's skill. He was the most experienced after all.
Big buckets would be their goals, and Ken managed to score the final goal by kicking the ball between Akihiko's legs. The boxer's pride was wounded.
Ann and Lavenza cheered and clapped, happy to see him have fun. Ken had a noticeable and real smile on his face, enjoying the moment and victory.
Pretty soon, the sun set, and they retired early.
The next day, they boarded the ship back to Tatsumi Port Island. Despite only a few days passing, Ann learned a lot.
Her suspicions towards Ikutsuki have risen. She hopes Fuuka finds a way to get that recording.
The whole Aigis thing was also concerning for both her and Lavenza. They needed to be much more careful from now on.
And most importantly...
She entered her soccer mom era. And yes, she will be annoying about it.