PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...15/08/2009 Saturday; Dark Hour...

The group finally reached the 39th floor, its cold, industrial structure identical to the previous one.

However, as soon as they stepped through the passage, Koromaru began sniffing the air, letting out a sharp bark that caught everyone's attention.

"What is it, Koromaru?" Hiro asked, curiosity lighting up his eyes as he turned to the dog.

Mitsuru followed Koromaru's gaze and spotted something small lying on the floor.

As she approached, she realized it was a cloth doll with blonde hair and a pink dress.

When she picked it up, a painful tightness gripped her chest.

"A child..." she murmured, her voice barely audible as the reality sank in—one of the people trapped here was very young.

"Tartarus... is attracting children?" Mitsuru's voice trembled with anguish and anger, her fingers gripping the doll tightly.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." Shinjiro muttered in disbelief, his eyes narrowing at the thought.

Noticing Mitsuru's expression, Hiro placed a hand on her shoulder and gently took the doll from her hands. "We'll find her," he said with conviction, his tone steady as he tried to reassure her. "And I've got an idea."

Mitsuru nodded, grateful for Hiro's determination. Hiro crouched and whistled for Koromaru, motioning for the dog to come closer.

"Can you track her, boy?" Hiro held out the doll, allowing Koromaru to sniff it carefully.

The sweet scent emanating from the doll made the dog lower his nose to the ground, searching for a trail. Within moments, Koromaru barked confidently and darted off in the direction of the scent.

"Let's go! Koromaru must have found something!" Hiro called, already chasing after the dog and tucking the doll into his coat.

Mitsuru and Shinjiro followed close behind, their footsteps quick and purposeful as Koromaru led them with precision.

They encountered a few Shadows along the way, but the creatures weren't in their direct path. The group chose to evade them, prioritizing the mission to rescue the child.

Soon, the faint sound of soft sobbing echoed through the floor. The group came to a stop, their eyes landing on a small figure curled up on the ground, hugging her knees.

She had light brown hair styled in two braided buns and wore a navy-blue jacket over a pink shirt with a rainbow design, a matching skirt, and green shoes.

"Mommy... please..." the little girl whimpered, her voice shaking with fear and despair.

Koromaru barked again, drawing the girl's attention to the group.

As Hiro stepped forward, the girl gasped and scrambled behind a nearby pillar, her movements frantic and frightened.

"Stay away from me..." she stammered, her voice trembling as her small body shook with fear.

Hiro sheathed his kukri and knelt near the pillar, keeping his voice soft. "It's okay. We're here to rescue you," he said gently, trying to calm her down.

But her trauma ran deep. She retreated further, her words trembling with terror as she spoke. "You… you could be one of those monsters... I don't want to die..."

Hiro clenched his fists, a wave of frustration and sorrow washing over him at the sight of the child's anguish. "She saw one of the Shadows... damn it," he muttered under his breath.

"We're not like the monsters you saw," Mitsuru interjected, her voice firm yet soothing. "We're here to help you."

Shinjiro let out a heavy sigh, impatience flickering across his face. "Fuuka, where's the next person?"

"They're on this floor as well. Koro-chan, go with Aragaki-senpai to find them," Fuuka replied telepathically.

Koromaru barked once more before darting down one of the corridors, with Shinjiro following closely behind.

The group was now reduced to Hiro and Mitsuru, standing with the little girl, whose fear was still evident in her tear-streaked red eyes.

Mitsuru, standing beside Hiro, retrieved the doll from inside Hiro's coat. "Try showing this to her," she suggested, holding out the toy.

Hiro took the doll and looked at the child, who peeked hesitantly from behind the pillar. "Is this yours?" He held up the doll, his voice soft and reassuring. "Our dog found it on the floor."

The girl's eyes widened as she saw the doll. "Kimiko?" she whispered, stepping out from behind the pillar but hesitating before moving closer.

"Kimiko is the doll's name? That's a cute name," Mitsuru said with a gentle smile. "Your mother sent us to find you."

Hiro decided to try again, knowing he had to win the girl's trust. "My name is Hiro. We won't hurt you. What's your name?"

Finally, the girl moved closer, still reluctant, but the desire to hold her doll again was stronger than her fear.

When she grabbed Kimiko, she hugged the doll tightly, then suddenly ran toward Hiro, throwing herself into his arms in a desperate embrace.

"Maiko..." she murmured, her voice muffled against Hiro's chest. "Please, get me out of here..."

Hiro froze for a moment, completely caught off guard by Maiko's sudden hug.

He had never rescued a child before, and the girl's desperate gesture affected him more deeply than he expected.

Slowly, he relaxed, gently placing his hand on Maiko's head in a comforting gesture.

"It's okay," he said with a kind smile as he stood, holding Maiko securely in his arms. "You're safe now."

He glanced at Mitsuru. "Can you cover me?"

Mitsuru was already prepared, drawing her rapier and assuming a defensive stance. "Of course. Let's meet up with Aragaki and Koromaru. After that, Yamagishi will teleport us back to the entrance."

Hiro followed Mitsuru down the corridors, carrying Maiko with care.

She clung tightly to him, still trembling with fear.

The metallic echoes of the Tartarus walls were suddenly interrupted by a loud crash, followed by a scream that pierced the air.

"Take them out, Kastor!" Shinjiro's voice boomed in the distance.

The sound of Kastor's neighing and the heavy impact of his strikes reverberated through the corridors, causing Maiko to cling even tighter to Hiro, shaking in terror.

Hiro responded by gently patting her back, whispering soothing words to reassure her that she was safe.

After a few minutes, Koromaru appeared, followed closely by Shinjiro, who was carrying an unconscious man in his arms.

The man, dressed in a suit, was deeply unconscious, his pale face resembling someone who had lost a battle against their own consciousness.

"We managed to save him, but Tartarus already drained his soul. We were too late," Shinjiro said, his voice laced with frustration.

Mitsuru closed her eyes for a moment, struggling to keep her composure. "Another person with Apathy Syndrome..."

Hiro kept his voice steady, though it was tinged with resignation. "We can't save everyone. At least he's still alive, even in this vegetative state."

Koromaru barked softly in agreement, though his expression reflected sadness for being unable to save the man completely.

Hiro looked at the dog and offered a faint smile. "You did your best, Koromaru. Don't be sad."

Mitsuru took a deep breath, refocusing on the task at hand. "Yamagishi, can you teleport us back?"

"Understood. I'll send Lucia to you," Fuuka replied telepathically.

A green light surrounded the group as Lucia's silhouette appeared above them.

Mitsuru was the first to leap into the light, followed by Koromaru and Shinjiro, still carrying the unconscious man.

As Hiro prepared to jump in with Maiko, a chill ran down his spine.

He felt a presence watching him. Slowly turning around, his gaze locked onto the Reaper.

There it was, standing in the corridor. Its face was obscured by a bloodstained burlap sack, with only one milky white eye visible, staring intently at Hiro.

The long chains draped over its shoulders formed a crude cross, rattling softly with every subtle movement.

The Reaper's gaze was cold and unnerving, as though it was studying him. It made no move to attack—just stared, emanating an aura of death.

Hiro swallowed hard, shaking his head to dispel the suffocating sense of dread.

With one last glance at the Reaper, he leapt into Lucia's light.

...16/08/2009 Sunday; Dawn...

The silent early morning blanketed the city as Hiro and Mitsuru walked through the residential area, holding Maiko's small hands.

The moon shone brightly in the sky, softly illuminating the deserted streets.

Walking between them, Maiko glanced up at them curiously, unable to grasp what had truly happened.

"I don't remember why I was with you," she said, confused. "I just woke up in this guy's arms. Are you magical?"

Mitsuru was slightly taken aback by the innocent question, while Hiro let out a quiet chuckle.

They both knew Maiko had no memory of Tartarus or the Dark Hour, as ordinary people always forgot everything upon returning to normalcy.

"No, we're not magical," Hiro replied, smiling down at Maiko. "We're just like you—regular people."

Maiko looked at the armband on Mitsuru's arm, her eyes lighting up with fascination. "Then you must be super spies, like in the movies!"

Mitsuru gave her a warm smile. "Something like that, but you have to promise not to tell anyone."

Maiko nodded confidently, puffing out her chest. "You can count on me!"

Hiro and Mitsuru laughed together, amused by the girl's serious promise.

They continued walking until they stopped in front of a simple house, with flower pots neatly arranged by the entrance.

"Is this it?" Hiro asked, studying the rustic facade.

Maiko smiled brightly. "Yes, that's my house! I think my mom must be worried."

Mitsuru knelt down to Maiko's eye level and looked her in the eyes. "She probably is. Now, go back to living your life as usual, okay?"

Maiko nodded eagerly, then wrapped her arms tightly around Hiro in a hug.

She followed it with a quick hug for Mitsuru before running toward the door, bursting with energy.

As Maiko ran off, Hiro placed a hand on Mitsuru's shoulder, watching the girl with a peaceful smile. "We saved her. We did a good job."

Mitsuru, exhausted but satisfied, smiled back. "Yes. Even though we lost a man to the Apathy Syndrome, at least we managed to save a child."

As they began to walk away, Maiko, now standing by the door, suddenly turned around, one last question lingering in her mind.

"What are your names?" she called out, her curiosity unrelenting.

Hiro and Mitsuru stopped in their tracks, exchanging glances.

Though they wanted to answer, they knew they couldn't reveal their identities for the safety of S.E.E.S.

Hiro waved back with a smile. "We can't tell you that. But remember one word: S.E.E.S!"

With those words, Hiro and Mitsuru disappeared into the darkness of the streets, leaving Maiko standing at her doorstep.

A gentle, relieved smile formed on her face, and tears of gratitude began to stream down her cheeks.

"Thank you for saving me!" she cried, bowing in a gesture of deep gratitude.