Lesson 0 Igniting The Soul
(In the sea of souls Arsene)
It was almost surreal as it were for the persona known as Arsene, he looked at his claw while floating in the spacious environment that was his section of the sea of souls. He had uptaken the role model of the rebel soul that resided in a single child, and that one single spark of revolt gave rise to a blaze of breath-taking rebellion. Those short months of nurturing the child into a worthy opponent to the all oppressing world were all worth watching as he shattered the chains through the power of bonds forged in fire and, with them banished a false idol to a fate worse than any damnation...being forgotten.
Bonds were another thing that Arsene no matter how many executions, training sessions and even with his duty being done could ever forget. Sometimes he wondered if he could find any one of them among the grand expanse whether it be William, Carmine, Johannah, Milady, Zorro, Necro, Goemon maybe..., maybe even Robin Hood. Anyone of them would satiate the ever-growing need to see them once more and, deliver his want to thank them for what they've done for him. It was them, their wills, their dreams, and hopes for change that allowed him to break the shell he was confined so long too.
There would be no second comings, however, not unless "he" called for it so now he sat in waiting for the arrival for either the signal allowing him to return to his dear rebellious trickster or a new pupil to guide to freedom one way or another. It was then, just as Arsene was going to settle for a time and drift off into an idle slumber a voice weakly called to him. "I beg of you..."
It was a moment that truly surprised Arsene as he lifted himself back up trying to figure out if it was his own desires leaking out or if someone was attempting to summon his presence. Just as he was about to call it a bluff, the voice came again, and he could feel the agony dripping in every word "Dear servant that is out there in the universe..."
Any normal creature intelligent or not would have recoiled from the phrasing however Arsene wasn't something as such. He could feel the broken tone to every word, the absence of enjoyment or meaning, just simple conformity and within its company a plateau of despair. Arsene looked at the deep green portal that ripped open in his space, analyzing it he could feel through it that whoever created something of this caliber was hollow. She lived without a friend to rely on and family to support her, oppressed by cold metaphorical iron chains locked behind a single word, one he found meaning in at that!
Raising a black claw to just under his chin, he gave a small chuckle to himself he had called for a pupil and it seemed fate was hearing him out for once. (With Louise)
She was doomed, that was the best way Louise could describe herself as she woke up that morning, it was the day of the summoning exam. Sighing to herself Louise dressed quickly trying to get her mind off of the fact that she absolutely needed to make this happen. If she just made another explosion, it would be all over she'd be kicked out of school and, her family would turn her into a servant assuming Wardes dropped his marriage with her over her not being able to use magic.
Not to say, she would blame him for it even if it didn't come to that she was essentially broke, after all. She wanted to blame herself for her failings but, the mocking of her peers and the faculty's hesitance at doing anything about the insistent bullying even a few indulging in it themselves it all made her blame them. There wasn't a single person who threw their doubts on her, well barring Cattleya, she alone was spared from drawing her internal ire. All of that resentment from those she was supposed to feel some care from..it affected her, to say the least.
As she carried herself through the day she decided to be even more distant from her peers than normal, not even caring to eat lunch and instead waited for her judgment like a good doll. "Just how mother likes it no less," Louise bitterly thought doing her best to keep her thoughts off of her face, though for a moment she felt something click in her. After some time passed and it came to the defining moments Louise had to swallow some spit.
One name after another each one of the other students summoned a familiar without fail, Kirchie even gave one of those annoying smirks in her direction as she contracted her Salamander. Finally, it came to her and the looks of her peers daggered into her as they silenced themselves with only small chuckles and, quiet jeers with her nickname Zero weighing down her legs with every step. Louise felt something though as she began her summoning, she didn't want to do this and hell she didn't want everything to fall out from under her.
Therein lies her problem though she has to, they tell her to and so she does thinking about it like that made her want to grit her teeth, to say screw it but giving up is what "they" want. So she would give it all up to fate and at the very least hit these bastards with the biggest explosion she's ever made if it does fail. She'd pour all of her despair and hollowness into it just so she could go on without any form of regret about what was going to happen to her.
At first, it was going exactly as she figured it would the circle glowing normally, caustic energy building further and further up readying itself to detonate. Just as the explosion was about to come through she swore she saw blue flickering flames begin to appear and, then there was a large flash.
(With the class + Colbert)
The violent eruption sent some of the closer kids tumbling, Guiche barely catching Mortimoncy while Kirchie stumbled back slightly as Tabitha stood firm against the wild gale. As Colbert quickly tried to reign in the class who began making snide remarks about Louise trying to kill them or the more worrying statement that she was more than likely dead after that one, he went to blow the dust away in hopes for Louise's safety. He didn't have to do it though as the second blast of wind accompanied by a powerful, booming voice grabbed everyone's attention.
(Play WillPower)
"You are the one who has called upon my power,?!" the man-like monster Louise had summoned roared out as she responded just as loud, for some reason she was caught by its emotion "Y..yes I did! I..I am Louise De le Valliere the one who called upon you!" the monster nodded in acknowledgement continuing on his voice holding some sort of power over everyone's ears "I see, now then, to make a contract with me is no laughing matter, there is no turning back," his voice echoed in her head somehow making it more personal " I can grant you the power to shed the chains of misery that bind you, to melt the very iron will that crushes your defiant soul, however, to accept that would mean thou is will to damn thyself to hell!"
Louise gulped unsure what to say this being, this monster whatever he was, is willing to give her a chance to finally break free of all the pain that comes from her current situation even with such a steep cost. As she went to respond, Colbert who had awakened from the stupor caused by the monster's appearance called out to her "No Louise don't listen to..." Colbert's face was covered by a black wing and the monster kept his energy going. "Ignore the world and all it says in favor to what you desire to look on in thyself to find a path and if thou can't find one without restraints holding you back, rebel and create your own! That is what it means to wield the power I can give!"
"I...I accept I want your power!" The monster nodded his powerful voice echoing through the entire school "Then it's settled, I am Arsene the Pillager of Twilight, I will represent the very spark of your rebel soul and guide it and you to become an insubordinate Inferno!" Louise nodded before looking at Arsene, his power dying down his head turning towards the crowd of students and Colbert who was joined by teachers that had appeared during his speech.
He looked to the girl motioning her forward telling her with a calmer yet still persuasive tone "Now, prove your individuality among the mass of sheep, scream the very words of your soul the very same words that led me here to you and cry havoc against the wicked people who kicked and tormented your heart." Louise shook with each word tightening her fist she screamed out "I..I hate you all! You're all just rude snobby assholes and I can't believe for the longest time I wanted to use magic just to be on your low ass levels!" If Arsene could grin he would this was going perfectly "Now," he thought "for the kicker."
"That's right show them the truth about how you feel, about them, about this sickening excuse for a school and the system of pain placed upon you by both!" Arsene's voice had exploded out once more this time more viciously than the last "It feels great doesn't it to release your anger uncontrollably against the ones you hate! You want to hurt them as they did you don't you?!" that sentence made the students nervous it seemed Louise had been blindly going with this Arsene's rant and if she said yes they didn't know what could happen. (Music cut)
Louise faltered suddenly "hurt them,?" she looked at Arsene then to her classmates who had shrunk back in fear and, the teachers who mostly readied their wands to strike at the both of them. Taking a gulp her body suddenly shaking with anxiety, she knew Arsene was right she wanted them to suffer but, for some reason, she couldn't agree with him not yet anyway. "No..not yet," she told him and instead of a disappointed tone like she was expecting Arsene simply complied" As you wish."
Arsene could sense her surprise and he replied to it" You already have far surpassed my beginning test, it's better not rush things and allow you to develop at your own pace." that made her surprised as he swiped her into his arms blasting off into the sky with some of the teachers calling out her name in surprise, only to hear Arsene respond instead "Your cries of worry mean nothing except being a call back to her solitude, she isn't listening to that call any longer and is instead serenaded by the beat of freedom!"
Tabitha who was completely in shock woke up the moment her book threatened to leave her hands and, turning her eyes to Sylphid went to mount the dragon. In seconds, she was in the air, though, in that same amount of time Arsene had somehow disappeared from sight completely. Chapter 1 End
Author's note - So I have no idea if I did well or not, I hope I at least caught something close to Arsene's personality for what little he talked in Persona 5. Please comment or flame(constructively) I love seeing what people think.