Darkest Hour
A/N: This story is based off the game Persona 3. Some events ARE changed (for one I haven't finished the game yet, and two I wanted to change some things around). All the original characters are still used and one more is added. The main character (Minato) of the game is in this story, he is just not the focus of attention. Please leave feedback and constructive criticism. Also...I will just call this story a practice run. To be honest this didn't start out as a P3 fan fiction, but more of a story of my own mind. That is why there is an extra character added, it just sounded too much like P3 too me so I decided to make one. I might have a real P3 fan fiction on the way.
Chapter 1: Midnight
Imagine a place where nightmares become reality, where dreams are shattered and left for dead. Take apart in an adventure that would lead the deepest and most imaginable minds on a journey through an unfathomable hour. There's no place like home, and yet there is no place at all really. If only someone, and or others could make the sense of reality more understandable, then maybe, as dreamers we can finally wake up. I'll let you in on a little secret, dreamers are their worst nightmare, their worst fear, and even their worst enemy. It doesn't make sense as of now, but soon as they lay their heads down and slowly drift off to the sub consciousness' of their mind, the entire phenomenon will soon start to become clear, and finally will they understand what truly does make up this darkest hour.
The clock struck midnight, the chimes of the bells ringing vibrated off the walls of the empty room which held nothing but for a few beds, some small tables, and three lone figures all who seem to be staring at the small grandfather clock hanging on the wall above them. The lights flickered and the wind tapped it's cold hard fingers against the three large windows held up on the wall south of the old clock. Peering out the windows, the war zoned streets of Tokyo, Japan came to a sudden halt. Taxis, stoplights; which usually shined bright with colors, and the late night business men were frozen in their tracks. The title of one of the busiest cities could have been swiped away from it and given to another. It was quiet, and too quiet for that matter. The shifting eyes of one of the lone figures caught the glimpse of the sudden change. Something was wrong, Tokyo taxis has never stopped for anyone (in the sense of not giving them a ride), or Tokyo stoplights have never been completely shut down in the matter of seconds for anything, or above all, Tokyo business men were never in a standstill, they go from point A to point B, never stopping in between. At the perk of midnight, every human body had seemed to be morphed into a corpse, red fresh blood shinning bright underneath the bright full moon sky. Was it a dream? Or was it the point in their sub conscious mind where reality seems to hit a dead end, only viewable through the eyes of the one's mind. Or was it real? She gestured to her other companions to scan the outside world with a snap of the figures and a glance towards the windows. They seemed not to be alarmed, only shrugged and continued to proceed working on a small device which held a small LCD screen with many tiny buttons, all which was pure gibberish to one that didn't understand. She wasn't satisfied, didn't they even care what had just happened! Didn't they even worry why they seem to still be one with reality! It was taking too long, her tongue was feeling a bit numb after she had been told to not even open her mouth to say something. It was too much for someone who didn't get it to not ask questions, it was only time before something would slip up. After all, she wasn't a patient person.
"What the hell is going on here!" she screamed, letting her anxiety get the best of her, but one glance from the eyes of the oldest shot her hands over her mouth wishing she was able to keep quiet if only just for a little bit longer. Glancing up at the clock, it has seemed that even the time itself has stopped moving, five minutes and the hands still stood over the twelve. The oldest glanced up from the device and a smirked formed on his face as a glee of satisfaction sparkled in his eyes,
"It's done. " He spoke aloud to the trio (including himself in his speech), he held up to the device to the one next to him, letting her examine it as he did.
"Does it work though?" the other asked and started to tune into the buttons, turning it on but only to be greeted with large waves of static coming from the speaker. They both sighed, both of their efforts seemed to be shattered by the static. The silence had been broken, and it was now the right time to speak up. She took her hands slowly off of her mouth and began to crawl over to them.
"Hey…guys…can I ask a question now." she asked, speaking slowly and cautiously, lowering her voice down to a whisper. The oldest glanced up from the device and gave a soft smile.
"What?" He replied.
"What's going on here?" She spoke, stopping in her tracks as she reached about two feet away from the two, her voice quivering with fear as the outside world still stood at a standstill. "I mean, this isn't normal!".
As the beginning of a word began to escape the eldest's lips, a voice rang through the static of the handheld and the bright LCD screen shinned bright with big bold letters stating 'HELP'. The voice, however, was almost too overcome by the static to understand. Their eyes lit up in satisfaction of the device finally able to work, but they were soon set off into a panic as the two of them realized what the word meant and why.
"Please…they…here…help…Akihi…Mitsu…" The voice was cut off, the static had filled the room's air once again, and the words on the LCD screen disappeared. It was silent again.
"Shit! Mitsuru do you have the evoker ready for her?" he yelled. She nodded and pulled a handgun out of her bag that was lying next to her. The gun's design was simple for a handgun. Barrel, trigger, and the handle, it was all anyone needed to protect them selves from their worst nightmares. On the side of the gun it had imprinted the letters 'S.E.E.S', standing for the group that owned these guns and used them. The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad.
"Here. Take it." She gestured the gun towards the youngest, her eyes had grown bold and full of fear. She had been doing this for more than she can count, but tonight was somehow different. Shifting her eyes at the gun and then at the two in front of her and then back at the pistol was too much, her mind couldn't process what had just happened in the last few minutes. What's going on and why now? It was almost too much for her, she was only seventeen, why give her this gun now? Did they use the handgun to kill? Or did they use it as a threat. It didn't make sense to her, but without thinking her hand took grasp of the handle of the pistol, and without a word she declared herself a criminal. Even to a normal young adult, something like this didn't feel right.
"It's not what your thinking." She quickly replied, interrupting the thoughts of the youngest, putting her mind in a more mature state of what she had her hand around. She took a hold of the pistol, getting a feel for the weapon. It wasn't heavy, only about 2 pounds. She kept her fingers away from the trigger, worried that something could go wrong and possible claim a life that day. The oldest glanced at her, watching closely as she examined the gun.
"It's called an evoker." He spoke aloud, causing her examination to come to a halt. "It's not really a gun though, just think of it more as a lucky charm."
Her eyes caught his, a lucky charm? This was supposed to be lucky? How? Why? She forced herself to nod, not completely understanding what was going on.
"Akihiko! Mitsuru! Can you hear me!" a voice rang throughout the room, it was coming from the device. It had been activated automatically and this time the voice on the other side was coming in loud and clear.
"Yes! Fuuka! What is it!" The second oldest (or known as Mitsuru) spoke aloud into the small device. "Yukari and the others! Something isn't right!" the voice on the other end (or known as Fuuka) replied frantically back to the trio.
"Fuuka! Can you pinpoint their location?"
"Y-yes…I think I can…"
Mitsuru nodded. The oldest slipped on a pair of red bright boxing gloves over his two fists, securing them tightly. He was an excellent fighter after all.
"I got it! They're somewhere in downtown Tokyo! I'm sorry I can't provide any more information on their location."
The two nodded, standing up and ready to depart at any minute.
"Let's go." The oldest said aloud (or known as Akihiko), obstructing them to follow along.
She nodded, and that was all she could do in this situation. Something was very wrong, and for some reason no one was telling her anything.