Origins of Strega
2001
Subject 002: Haruto Riku, 16 years old- One of the first successful Persona experiments to be carried out. We shall now begin the first annual exploration of Tartarus. Haruto, monitored by some of the scientists will commence exploration of the first floor of Tartarus.
"What is this place?" Haruto exclaimed, his eyes widening at the clockwork cogs turning and the eerie green aura that shrouded the lobby.
"This," smiled Shuji Ikutsuki. "Is Tartarus, the home of the Shadows. This is where we shall carry out the tests, you, alongside your Persona are going to explore the first floor of Tartarus and send us feedback."L
Haruto nodded. Ikutsuki had that smile on his face, a smile that spelt danger. Years on the streets had taught Haruto not to trust people like Ikutsuki but he had, after all, given him the gift of a Persona. Without Ratatoskr he'd be a thug on the streets but now, now with his new Persona, he could be a hero.
The other scientists looked nervous, they had pale white faces and were casting guilty glances at Haruto. It was probably the weather, it was pretty cold in Tartarus.
"Go on," Ikutsuki urged, still smiling. He pointed at the staircase.
Ikutsuki had given him a gun, he said it wasn't to kill the Shadows but to force out Ratatoskr. When he had heard that, Haruto scoffed, only an idiot would point a gun at his head but Ikutsuki had seemed dead serious.
Nervously trotting up the stairs, he turned to face Ikutsuki. Ikutsuki gave him a comforting smile but Haruto could sense the eerie intentions behind that smile.
Gulping, he took a nervous step into Tartarus, the door seemed to swallow him whole.
Haruto opened his eyes. In front of him was a green hallway, he took his first steps and heard them echo through the empty hallway.
He turned around and noticed that the door had disappeared, leaving nothing but a green wall. Haruto turned and pounded his fists against it, desperately screaming "Let me out!"
A voice rang in his head. It was one of the scientists. "Calm dowm Haruto."
"But I'm trapped!" Haruto exclaimed. "Get me the hell out of here!"
"Deep breaths Haruto," the scientist said calmly. "Listen up, in Tartarus they are what we call access points, if you can find an access point it will immediately send you back to the entrance. You think you can do that for me."
Haruto nodded. "I can try." His feet were shaking and beads of sweat poured down his face.
"Remember, if you encounter any Shadows, be sure to summon your Persona," said Ikutsuki. "Make sure you show it how Persona-l it can get."
Spending months with him in the hospital taught Haruto how to survive his puns, however it had made him comfortable. This was easy, it was just like in the streets just this time, instead of hoodlums and druggies, he was dealing with monsters.
Ratatoskr would protect him, he knew that damned squirrel would.
Taking a tentative step, he observed the grey archways and the checkerboard floor.
That's when he heard the growls.
They were loud, they sounded like gargles and they vaguely reminded him of a voice, albeit a distorted one. But that wasn't the point, he could here them coming closer and closer. Haruto broke into a run, he had to get away from them. They were going to eat him.
He ran into a wall, Haruto turned and his eyes widened at the site of two large oozes of slime headed toward him, wearing nothing but a blue mask.
"Help!" he called out desperately. "Help me!"
He started pounding the walls, screaming, shouting. Clawing desperately for help.
"Calm down," Ikutsuki said. "Try summoning your Persona."
Haruto turned, the Shadows oozed toward him, they were hesitant to kill him, almost as if they were savoring his despair.
He heard Ratatoskr, calling to him. He pulled out the gun, answering the call.
"Get back you bastards!" Haruto screamed. "Get back or I'll shoot!"
The Shadows stopped, there was a horrible gurgling sound, almost like laughter that reverberated through his mind.
"Come," said a voice. "Call me."
A shadow leapt at him, Haruto placed the gun on his temple and shot in a desperate attempt to fight back.
There was a sound. "I am thou," said a squeaky voice. "And thou art I. From the sea of thy soul I emerge. I am Ratatoskr, messenger of Ragnarok."
Haruto dared to open his eyes, he saw a brown furry squirrel with huge teeth that reached up to it's chest. It held one of those Shadows in its claws. Letting out a horrendous screech that caused Haruto to plug his ears, it crushed the Shadow into a bloody ichor that splattered across the walls. The blood disappeared. The other Shadow keeled back, it looked fearful. Ratatoskr turned toward the Shadow, its eyes blood red. The Shadow leapt, Ratatoskr launched a ball of fire and the Shadow exploded.
The ichor disappeared almost as soon as it had appeared. Haruto peered behind Ratatoskr, making sure the Shadows had been killed. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that they had been killed.
"Good job Ratatoskr," Haruto said. He was expectant of Ratatoskr to disappear and was a little nervous when he didn't. "Ratatoskr?"
Ratatoskr turned to him, his blood red eyes seemed as if they were peering right into Haruto's soul. "Ratatoskr, return."
He tried willing it back but his head buzzed with pain when he did.
Ratatoskr floated toward him and loomed large above him. Haruto gulped. "Ratatoskr..."
But he didn't listen. Grabbing his throat with those clawed hands of his, he lifted Haruto above the ground. Haruto tried kicking but they did nothing against the enraged Ratatoskr.
He tossed Haruto to the ground and started pounding him with his muscular hands. Haruto couldn't resist his powerful punches, he felt his bones crack and blood pouring down from parts of his body.
"Help!" he screamed. "Help!"
But help never came. Down in the lobby, the desperate cries for help echoed in the scientists' headpieces. When they died out, Shuji Ikutsuki declared, his voice as cool as ice. "Experiment 002 is a failure."