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The air around the shrine is chilly, and Hamuko pulls her scarf tighter.
It’ll be the Dark Hour soon, and she… doesn’t know what to do about it.
Ikutski betrayed them, Mitsuru-senpai lost her father, and they’re no closer to figuring out how to destroy the Dark Hour and the threat of Shadows once and for all than they were when she first arrived at the dorm.
Instead of worrying about that, Hamuko does what she does best: find another problem to solve.
Shinjiro had mentioned some kids hanging around the back alleys alongside Strega, and now that Strega was gone, Hamuko could at least help them.
She’d spent the last few days asking around after school, and is fairly certain she’s tracked them down here.
Hamuko checks her phone. A few seconds to midnight.
She closes her eyes, and when she opens them the world is blanketed in green.
“Did you really come alone?”
Hamuko spins around, her hand going to her Evoker on instinct, but it’s just three kids.
The boy who spoke has brown hair, and looks to be around Ken’s age. Next to him is thinner boy with blue hair.
Finally, there’s a girl with orange hair and a laptop looking down on her from atop the jungle gym.
“Hi,” Hamuko says. “I’m–
“We know who you are.” The girl says. “Hamuko Arisato, Gekkoughan high school calls 2-F, top of your class, member of the volleyball team, the library club, student council, and of course the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad.”
“How did you know that?” Hamuko asks.
“Getting your transcript was way too easy,” the girl replies.
Her transcript. The one that mentions her parents.
“Well, it’s only fair I know your names, since you know mine, right?”
The three kids share a look, then the brown haired one shrugs. “Goro Akechi.”
“I’m Yusuke Kitagawa,” the thin boy says.
“Futaba Ishikki,” the girl says.
“It’s nice to meet all of you,” Hamuko says. “I want to help you, I can take you to see Chidori.”
Kitagwa-kun steps forward, but Akechi-kun puts out a hand.
“You don’t understand what’s going on here,” Akechi-kun says. “We’re making the demands. Let Chidori go, and stop trying to destroy the Dark Hour.”
“We won’t do that,” Hamuko says. “Not while Shadows are still a threat to humanity–”
“Humans are worse than any Shadow out there,” Kitagawa-kun snaps. “Just give us back Ms. Chidori!”
Hamuko represses a groan at the thought of Takaya saying pretty much the same thing. “Ok, yes people will still die and suffer without Shadows. But it will be fewer people, because we can’t just get rid of the things that make people hurt other people.”
“Says you,” Ishikki-kun says. “The Lost aren’t hurting anyone.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Then it seems we’re at an impasse,” Akechi-kun says. “We can't agree, so I guess we’ll have to talk to your friends and see what they think.”
“Yes!” Hamuko says. “Come back with me to the dorm, and we’ll talk to my friends!”
“You really don’t think much of us, do you?” Akechi-kun says. “Just because Takaya thinks you’re special doesn’t mean you can brush us off.”
“I really don’t care that Takaya thinks I’m special,” Hamuko says. “In fact, I kind of hate it.”
“Hey! Don’t talk about him like that! Takaya’s strong! And we’re just as strong as he is!” Hamuko just catches the glint of an Evoker as Akechi-kun pulls it out and points it to his head. “Minos!”
Hamuko dodges Akechi-kun’s Persona, and pulls out her own Evoker.
“Thanatos!” she cries out, absorbing the next Dark attack. “Kids, I really don’t want to fight you.”
“Too bad,” Akechi-kun says. He nods up at Ishikki.
“You can’t hide anything from Despoena,” the girl smirks, summoning her own Persona. It’s clear instantly that Hamuko’s being scanned.
Hamuko casts Tempest Slash towards Akechi-kun, but Kitagawa-kun gets in the way.
“Our turn!” Ishikki giggles.
“Tantalus,” Kitagawa-kun says, and suddenly there’s a chill in the night air. Then Kitagwa-kun’s Persona strikes her. It doesn’t hurt thanks to Thanatos, but suddenly Hamuko’s rocked by another kind of pain.
She’s unbearably hungry.
“Guess you really aren’t that special,” Akechi-kun says, and then his Persona changes . “Ikelos. Hamaon.”
Oh it is going to be a long night.