Fandom: Shin Megami Tensei's Persona Series
Written By: TFSW (Who is wondering if a name change would save her from death by embarassment)
Pairings: Multiple, both Homosexual and Heterosexual
Tags/Warnings: Future AU, impending Violence, eventual death, Junpei, Older!Ken, Mentions of Slavery/Magical bonding
Projected length: Hell if I know!
Um. Yeah. Before you maul me to the point of no return, I'm just putting this out as a test into the world of Persona. I got it when I found two people speculating about reincarnation and the like in the Persona series. So this is based off of Persona 3, with the rare reference to Persona 1, 2, and 4 (none of which I own, unfortunately).
P.S. Anyone who can tell me the signifigance of the year gets a cookie!
"Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn."
― Mathama Ghandi
April 6th, 2218
Akihiko's fingers carded their way through his hair as he searched for two free seats for himself and Shinjiro. With a frustrated huff, he shoved Shinjiro into the first available seat and sat on the arm of the seat, scowling even as Shinjiro chuckled at his obvious frustration.
"Relax," Shinjiro drew out the word, just to see his best friend and bonded twitch, one leather-covered hand clenching tight before loosening and spreading flat against a cotton-covered thigh. Reluctantly, Akihiko complied, lips pursed into a faint, unnoticeable frown before he relaxed properly, sliding off the arm to rest on Shinjiro's lap, lean legs curving over the arm.
"Think we can stay like this?" Akihiko mumbled into his shoulder as girls squealed in the background. A small laugh burst from Shinjiro's throat at the unexpected comment.
"I doubt it Aki." Shinjiro chuckled, but compliantly wrapped his arms around Akihiko's waist. The squeals grew louder and he smirked at Akihiko's twitch.
Across the auditorium, Junpei was holding onto Chidori's hand, humming as he played with her fingers. His girlfriend shook her head, too used to his antics to do anything but smile fondly. Takaya and Jin quirked an eyebrow at their antics, but merely left it at that, letting them do as they want, leaving the auditorium to get a room for the three of them.
"Good luck on team selections," Chidori's soft voice told him finally. He pouted.
"Can't you stay?" Junpei whined softly, even as she chuckled at him
"I'm sorry. Not today." She kissed his head. "I'll see you after team selections." Junpei whined a little louder, but let his girlfriend go, relucantly.
Makoto leaned against the closed exit door quietly, humming along to a simple, lonely song that rang in the silence around him. He watched as eyes slid over him in a determined effort to ignore the quiet teenager, though a pair of eyes would occasionally flick to his side now and then, to which he'd deliver a satirical smile at them. By his side, his Compendium floated, the ancient book occasionally opening and ruffling delightedly, whispers of laughter echoing from page to page.
At the top of the stage, Elizabeth's eyes widened, seeing them there, split and lonely. Her fingers roughly grasped Igor's arm and turned his attention to the four in turn. Over his long nose, the Master of the Velvet Room raised an eyebrow in silent disbelief.
"Are you sure that he's the one?" Igor asked calmly. "It's possible it is not. The fifth is not here." Elizabeth then drew his attention to the list of students in the Potentials section. His black eyes grew narrow as he frowned at the name that was on the list. "Philemon, what are you planning?" Igor muttered quietly. "Call them now and assign them together." Elizabeth nodded, her heart lighter than it had been in years. He was free! Finally free of the terrible burden Erebus had cast upon him. Her amber eyes cut towards her younger brother, who nodded firmly, pushing her forwards.
"It is him," Theodore confirmed softly, as Margret gave her sister a bittersweet smile. Elizabeth smiled widely, holding the contract to her chest as she almost raced down the steps. Near the bottom, she tripped, directly in front of her one and only love.
Makoto's hand reached out and grabbed the young woman before she could fall, steadying her.
"Are you alright?" Makoto asked the strange woman, wary of her amber eyes. The woman paused, before beaming at him as if he had appeared just for her.
"Perfectly! In fact, I was about to start looking for you! My name is Elizabeth! I have a task of most urgency, but to complete your team assignments, I must first collect your teammates!" Makoto's eyes widened fractionally in shocked surprise, and he allowed her to drag him off. He was actually getting a team? After the Tokyo Fiasco, he hadn't expected to ever gain another team again!
Shinjiro looked up, startled at the sight of a Velvet Room attendant dragging the most infamous student 'Bad Luck' Makoto and one flustered looking Junpei behind her like little puppies. He had to cough at the analogy, deciding he really was too tired to deal with shit like this.
"We have found them!" Elizabeth declared happily, drawing both a confused Akihiko and Shinjiro up to stand, dragging them to the front steps, already moving forward towards one of the few unused doors of the Velvet Hall as passerby stared. It pulsed black and blue, and they were rather happily escorted in by the bubbly amber-eyed albino.
"You know, normally we're given polite dismissals," Makoto said wryly, his Compendium fluttering around his head and occasionally bumping into the back of his skull. "This is the first time I've ever been dragged out during an assembly."
"Mm. This is definitely new," Junpei agreed, blissfully ignoring the panicky feel of sitting next to 'Bad Luck' Makoto, instead focusing on the comical sight of his Compendium trying to thwack him while the teenager ducked.
"Greetings." The four spun around and eyed Igor as he entered. They all glanced at one another in worry. Anything that warranted a persona visit from the Master of the Velvet Room was definitely serious stuff. "I do apologize for such an abrupt maneuver on behalf of Elizabeth, there are times she gets . . ." Igor glanced sidelong at his assistant, who beamed merrily at him. Igor sighed. ". . . Enthusiastic . . . about her job." They blinked as one. "She's a Diviner as well as a Compendium Holder." Their baffled expressions all lightened somewhat. "Elizabeth has currently decided that you four, with the inclusion of one potential at the end of this summer will be a perfect team, comparable to the first Persona teams of legend." That little tidbit made all of them look at one another in surprise and even more confusion.
"I . . . beg your pardon?" Akihiko said finally. Igor smiled, handing them each a pair of Arcana Cards.
"I apologize, but I cannot say any more to you. I will give you an answer. Metempsychosis." Igor ignored their blank stares, smiling thinly. "Allow me to escort you to your team rooms. As a team, you will attend classes separate from that of your normal classmates . . ."
Arisu clung to her big brother's arm as the Persona Military and Medical Academy. In the Dark Hour, the school glowed faintly, towering well above their heads. Alice's brother smiled down at her, lips brushing the top of her head affectionately.
"Don't worry Sis," Ken Amada said cheerfully. "I've got a feeling that this year is going to be a lot better than the last."
Metempsychosis - the passing of the soul at death into another body either human or animal. Of late Latin origin, adapted from Greek.
I also wish to apologize for any grammar errors, if I have any. I don't have a beta, and any sane one wouldn't take me on.
PS. I am looking for names to add to my story! They can be any nationality, but remember this is taking place mostly in Japan, so keep that in mind.