...11/09/2009 Friday; Dawn...
Ken's footsteps echoed like nervous hammers through the dormitory hallway.
He kept pacing in circles, again and again, as if every turn around the command room would push the fear away — but he knew it wouldn't.
It only made him more anxious.
The faint glow of the computer monitor cast a dim light over the couch, where Fuuka still lay unconscious.
Koromaru sat beside her, muzzle resting on his paws, crimson eyes fixed on Fuuka's sleeping face.
Ken clenched his teeth, glancing at the door every time he heard the faintest sound.
"It's been twenty minutes already…" he muttered, biting his finger hard. "Why aren't they back yet…?"
The room was silent, broken only by Ken's anxious steps and the occasional soft whine from Koromaru.
Guilt hammered inside him, hot like a glowing nail.
He should've done something. Should've used Nemesis earlier, should've stopped Fuuka from pushing herself so far.
But instead… he just stood there, trying to force open a sealed door.
"Screw it!" he yelled, turning sharply. "I'm going after them!"
He marched to the wall where his spear rested.
The metal tip gleamed under the monitor's pale light.
He grabbed it firmly.
But just as his fingers touched the weapon, a different sound cut through the silence.
Koromaru jumped to his feet instantly, ears perked up.
A groan. Low, weak — from the couch.
The dog barked, wagging his tail, his body shifting excitedly.
Ken spun around, heart leaping.
"Yamagishi-senpai!" He tossed the spear aside and rushed to her.
Fuuka blinked slowly. The ceiling was a white blur, the monitor's glow reflecting dizzily in her eyes.
Voices sounded muffled, like she was underwater.
She turned her head with effort, blinking until things came into focus.
Koromaru was there, barking, his eyes filled with worry.
And Ken — kneeling beside her, his face a mix of relief and panic.
"Ken… are you okay?" Her voice came out faint, scratchy, as if her throat was lined with dust.
Ken blinked, incredulous.
"Me?! I should be asking you that!" he said, pointing to himself, nearly laughing from the nerves. "You passed out for almost fifty minutes! You used Theurgy and… and you've been out cold this whole time!"
Fuuka tried to sit up, but pain slammed into the back of her skull.
She reached up, fingers finding the bandage already soaked through.
The cut from Noir was still there.
And now it burned more than ever.
"Ahh…" she bit her lip, dizziness spreading like hot smoke behind her eyes.
Koromaru couldn't help himself — he jumped onto the couch, climbed into her lap, and started licking her frantically like he could heal her with his tongue alone.
"Hey, Koro-chan…" Fuuka let out a breathy laugh, tired, trying to push him away. But he was stubborn.
She ended up cradling his paws, pulling him gently against her chest and stroking his head.
"I'm okay, Koro-chan…" she whispered with a soft smile, even though the pain didn't ease. "Thank you…"
Koromaru let out a low whine and lay down on her, as if to say he wouldn't let her put herself at risk again.
Fuuka's head still pounded, but she forced her eyes to stay open.
Her gaze swept across the room — and it was quiet. Too quiet.
She frowned.
The Dark Hour was over.
But… where were the others?
Koromaru, sitting beside her, seemed to be the only one who'd returned from the fight.
"Ken…" she turned to him, worry rising in her voice. "Where are the others? Koromaru… didn't he go with them?"
Ken looked away, scratching his head nervously.
"Well… about that…" he mumbled. "Mikoshi-senpai told Koromaru to come back and help me."
"What?" Fuuka leaned forward, the world spinning a bit as she moved. "They haven't come back yet?"
Ken shook his head, his expression darkening.
"No… After you passed out, the telepathy cut off. I haven't been able to contact anyone."
Fuuka gently pushed Koromaru from her lap and forced herself to stand, even as her body screamed to stay still.
"I need to go after them. They could be unconscious out there…"
But just as she lifted her torso, Ken lunged forward and held her by the shoulders, pushing her firmly back against the couch.
"No!" he shouted, his voice cracking with frustration. "You're not going!"
Fuuka stared at him, stunned. His grip wasn't aggressive, but it was firm.
"Ken…" she placed her hands on his arms, shocked. "What…"
"Will you listen to me?! You're not going!" he cut her off, his voice trembling between anger and fear.
"But… I have to go after them," Fuuka murmured. "I saw them through Lucia… they were—"
"Yes!" Ken squeezed her shoulders tighter. "Of course they were hurt! But both Mikoshi-senpai and Kirijo-senpai told you not to push Lucia anymore. And you still forced yourself until you passed out!"
She blinked. Memories of their voices shouting for her to stop came back in flashes.
The pain. The blurred image of the Shadow.
The distant echo of Hiro's scream.
The sharp pain in her skull returned...
But so did the image of her teammates — wounded, exhausted.
"I…" she murmured, her eyes trembling.
"You nearly killed yourself trying to help them!" Ken pressed her back against the couch, his voice softer now, filled with desperation. "Do you want me to watch that again?"
Fuuka stayed silent.
She could feel the pain in her body, the uneven heartbeat, her pale skin. But...
She was the S.E.E.S navigator. Even if she couldn't fight, she had to support them.
"I know," Fuuka whispered, her voice steady.
Ken blinked, confused by her tone. "Huh?"
Fuuka placed a hand over her chest, feeling her heart still racing. Her voice came stronger now.
"Maybe I pushed myself too far," she said, meeting his gaze seriously. "But that's the role we've all chosen."
With gentle force, she pushed his arms away.
She didn't shove him — just moved him aside.
Ken stepped back, eyes fixed on her.
Fuuka rose with effort, using the armrest to steady herself.
Even with the pain in her head, her eyes shone with determination.
"If all of you are risking your lives on the field…" She smiled, sweet and resolute. "Then that means I shouldn't do any less. I want to help… even if I don't know how to fight."
Koromaru walked up and nudged her leg, as if he agreed with her.
Ken stood frozen.
His wide eyes reflected more than just surprise — something deeper he couldn't quite name.
"Yamagishi-senpai…" he whispered, in quiet awe.
Hurried footsteps echoed loudly down the dormitory stairwell, boots clashing against the concrete, accompanied by muffled voices growing closer.
Koromaru perked up, ears alert, and let out a sharp bark, his eyes fixed on the command room door—or what was left of it.
The door had been blown open, the hinges barely hanging on, and splinters of wood were scattered across the floor.
"Ken! Where are you?!" — Junpei's voice rang out from below, laced with urgency and relief.
Ken rushed to the doorway, letting out a tired, ironic sigh.
"They're here. Took them long enough..." — he muttered before calling out louder, "I'm here! Yamagishi-senpai is with me!"
The footsteps quickened, and seconds later, the group appeared at the top of the stairs.
Junpei led, followed closely by Minato, Yukari, and Aigis. Their faces all wore the same expression: worry and fear.
"Ken!" Minato called, breathless, eyes scanning for any sign of injury.
Yukari went straight to the boy, cupping his face in both hands, her eyes checking every inch of him.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Ken flushed immediately, trying to pull back, his hands slightly trembling.
"No, no. I'm fine, really. Not a scratch..." — he replied, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Junpei and Aigis walked past him, only to stop when they saw the state of the door.
"Whoa..." — Junpei muttered, scratching his head at the mess. "What happened here?"
Aigis, however, headed straight for Fuuka. Her eyes gleamed with intense focus as she gripped her friend's shoulders, internal sensors already scanning her vitals.
"Ai... Aigis?" — Fuuka said, surprised by the sudden approach.
"Fuuka-san," Aigis replied, serious. "How are you feeling? Using your Persona may have worsened the injury to your head."
Fuuka quickly raised her hands, trying to ease Aigis's concern.
"N-no, I'm okay. I just... passed out for a moment. It was from using Lucia, but it's fine now."
Even as she let go of her shoulders, Aigis didn't break eye contact—her sensors still scanning, as if searching for a lie.
Junpei approached slowly, his expression heavy with concern.
When he looked at Fuuka's face and saw that the cut on her forehead was less visible, the tightness in his chest eased slightly... but not enough.
"Still... you could've passed out and not woken up again, you know? Fuuka... are you really okay?"
Fuuka nodded, offering a gentle, calm smile.
"Yes. Even if I took a risk... I had to help you guys fight that Shadow."
At that moment, the others reached the room. Yukari went straight to Fuuka and, without a word, pulled her into a tight hug.
"Yu... Yukari-chan?" — Fuuka whispered, surprised by the gesture.
Yukari pulled back just enough to look her friend in the eye.
"Fuuka, for God's sake... don't ever do that again." — her voice trembled, not with anger, but with fear. "Using Theurgy with that head injury... you were asking to pass out. Or worse."
Minato crossed his arms, serious. "But honestly, if Fuuka hadn't done it, Mitsuru wouldn't have been able to freeze that Shadow."
Yukari glanced at him, frustrated. "Even so... it was way too risky."
Fuuka smiled, but the edges of that smile quivered, laced with the relief of seeing her friends safe... or almost safe.
Her eyes traveled across each of them.
Aigis, though standing straight, had parts of her casing cracked, pieces exposed and bent in odd angles like they'd been crushed.
Yukari had a deep scratch on her cheek, still red, but otherwise looked physically unharmed — though the exhaustion in her eyes told another story.
Minato's face was stained with dried blood. A deep cut on his forehead had been partially cleaned in a rush.
The bleeding had stopped, but his gaze was that of someone who'd seen far too much that night.
Junpei didn't seem seriously injured, but his heavy breathing and slumped posture made it clear how much effort he'd put in.
And then, as if something finally clicked, Fuuka looked around again. She counted in her head.
Not everyone was there.
"Where's the rest of the team?" she asked, her voice hesitant, eyes wide.
Junpei scratched his head awkwardly, avoiding her gaze.
"Ah... yeah, right... I kinda forgot to mention that."
"What... what happened?" — Fuuka stepped forward, almost tripping over her own feet, desperate.
Minato ran a hand down his face, exhausted.
"Mitsuru froze the giant Shadow. But right after that... she passed out."
Aigis spoke with mechanical precision, but there was an unusual thread of emotion in her tone.
"Kirijo-senpai's condition is stable. However, her body has begun to freeze due to excessive use of her Persona. She must be kept warm immediately."
"What?!" — Fuuka's scream came out louder than expected, her heart racing.
"She'll be okay..." — Yukari said, trying to sound confident, though her voice was weak. "Hiro, Sanada-senpai, and Aragaki-senpai called the Kirijo Group. They're sending a team to pick her up."
Fuuka lowered her gaze, feeling the ground slip from under her.
She knew. Through Lucia, she had seen — even if only fragments — their condition.
Hiro's face had been covered in blood and soot. Akihiko could barely lift one of his arms.
And Shinjiro... that unstable glint in his eyes, the kind only seen in someone who had pushed far beyond their limit.
They were fighting with everything they had. The older ones, the most experienced... were paying the highest price.
Fuuka brought a hand to her chest, trying to take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside her.
There was nothing more she could do now.
But the weight of worry… it remained.