Kawakami High
Disclaimer: The Persona Series is all owned by Atlas and their associates. Also, For this story, I would like to keep it interactive too. If you have any suggestions for new personas, writing errors, etc. Lemme know in the review section! Finally, I actually have to study whatever lesson I have for classes in this chapter, so prepare to educate yourselves on history, math and whatever else happens!
Author's Note: So, I love the persona series. I think the universe is really ripe for new content. Also, the city of Kawakami can actually be found on the Island of Honshu in Japan.
Monday, March 1st 2015
Morning
The time was just now reaching eight A.M. Several boys and girls all rushed through the gates of Kawakami High to avoid being late. The bell sounded throughout the campus grounds as well as the halls.
"Attention Kawakami Students! The current time is Eight A.M. Please be in your classrooms within the next five minutes." roared the announcement overhead. It repeated to make sure the students understood what was going on.
Within the halls, several students gossiped about the latest happenings over the weeks after the National Foundation Day week. A group of students were standing around the doorway of homeroom 206.
"So, looks like we all got the same professor again this year." said the blonde-haired boy.
"Yeah. Hopefully, this won't be to much of a drag. At least we got some new students in this year too, even an exchange student." replied the dark-haired girl.
"What do you think about all of this, Yuuto?" asked the boy to the other boy named Yuuto, who was looking off in the distance.
"Ugh, don't mind him. He's probably thinking of ways to make the students feel welcome, even though we own this campus." said the girl.
Yuuto stopped staring into the distance and smiled at the two with him.
"Don't worry about it! I think they'll find a way to fit in just fine." said Yuuto, scratching his dark-brown, natural, bedhead.
The three continued talking until an older man walked in front of them. His formal attire pointed him out to be the professor.
"You three again? Yuuto, I hope you're keeping Karin and Shin out of trouble." said the professor, putting his hand on Yuuto's shoulder. Karin and Shin were clearly annoyed, but Yuuto sheepishly smiled at him.
"I try!" he replied. The other two students sighed it off.
"You know we aren't that much trouble Mr. Hiyo" said Shin.
"Yeah. I'm just hoping the new students don't try and start anything." chimed Karin.
"Yuuto is alright by me. But I'll be keeping an eye on the two of you." said Mr. Hiyo before walking past them. "Come on, find your seats."
The three, followed by the other remaining students all found their seats. Out of the twenty desks in the class, Yuuto sat in the middle. Karin and Shin sat on the left and right desks next to his. The other students just picked desks randomly, leaving a few in the back row open.
"Alright Class..." began Mr. Hiyo, writing his name on the big green chalkboard behind him. "...My name is Naro Hiyo. This year, I'll be your homeroom teacher. Also, we'll be learning about History in this class."
"Morning, Mr. Hiyo!" said the entire class. It was clear just how well-liked Naro was on campus.
"Good morning! It's a good thing you all are so full of energy! Cause, I would like for you all to spread that energy to the new transfer student!"
"We actually have a transfer student in the class?" asked Yuuto.
"We sure do, Yuu." replied Naro, calling him by his nickname. "Okay! You can come in now."
Everyone directed their attention to the door to the left of the chalkboard. The door opened slowly and in walked a girl.
Her jet-black hair was in a ponytail with a bang over her eye. She kept her hands in her white hoodie pockets that she wore over her black shirt, along with her blue jeans and white shoes.
As she stood next to Naro, everyone in the classroom stared into the myster of her hazel eyes, wanting to intentionally know more about her.
"Okay, why don't you introduce yourself?" said Naro.
"Yes sir..." she replied, before turning her attention to the class. "...My name is Saika. Saika Morita. I'm from the Capital city of Saga, from the Saga Prefecture in Kyushu."
"Ahh, That's just southeast of the island of Honshu." said Naro. "Why don't you go find a seat back there?"
He pointed to the back row of the classroom, noting how many empty seats there were. Saika nodded and made her way to the middle of the back row. Before she got there, she was stopped by Yuuto.
"Hey! Stick around after class, okay?" said Yuuto.
"Why?" she replied, startling him.
"Well...honestly, I just didn't want you to get lost. Kawakami High is large, so I wanted to show you around." he replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Thanks." she replied, heading to the back of the room.
"Yuuto, she seems weird. You should leave her alone." whispered Karin to him.
"You're crazy, Karin. She only seems that way cause no one hasn't really had time to know her." replied Yuuto.
"Alright you two, stay quiet now." said Naro, getting their attention. "Now, we're going to go over the classroom's housekeeping rules, as well as what's needed for the future. Pay attention and don't doze off. That means you, Shin."
"Duuuuuude!"
After School
Saika's POV:
The professor dismissed us and exited the classroom. Honestly, I was pretty glad. The people here kept staring at me and I hated it.
As I started to stand from my desk, I was greeted by that boy from earlier who offered to show me around campus.
"Hey. You still up for the grand tour?" asked the boy.
"Sure." I replied as I stood from my desk. I grabbed my backpack, and hoisted it to my back.
"Oh, by the way. My name is Yuuto. Yuuto Tanaka!" said Yuuto, offering his hand to shake mine.
"Saika Morita." I replied, not shaking his hand. He nervously laughed and withdrew his hand.
"Alright then. Shall we?" he said, leading the way.
He showed me all around campus. There were several other classrooms, clubs, sports rooms, the lunchroom (which I already knew), the theater, and the courtyard in the back field.
Him showing me around the whole campus took me at least half an hour to do. Luckily, I was within walking distance from my cousin's home.
We finally stopped in front of the campus's gates. All of the other students had already gone home, barring the various sports teams.
"So, what do you think of our campus so far, Saika?" asked Yuuto.
"It's nice, I suppose." I replied, looking down.
Something gave me a nervous feeling, so I looked back at him.
"I'm sorry, Saika. I didn't mean to bore you." he said, reaching for my shoulder.
His hand touched me. Another man's hand was on my shoulder.
"Don't touch me." I said sharply, jerking away from him.
"I..."
"Sorry. It's...nothing." I replied, looking away from him.
"Yo, Yuuto!"
We were joined by two students. I recognized them as the two who sat next to Yuuto in class earlier today. Shin and Karin.
"Hey! What's up?" asked Yuuto.
"Yo man, why did you ditch practice? The coach isn't gonna be happy about this." asked Shin. He then looked at me and sneered. I don't think Yuuto noticed though.
"Don't worry about it! I'll explain it to him. He'll be fine without me for one day." Yuuto replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Yuuto, we should be going. We got more..." began Karin, looking straight at me for the next part. "...important people to be with."
"Whatever." I said, starting to walk away. I stopped and turned back around to look at Yuuto.
"...Thank you."
Evening
Saika's POV:
"Hey Cousin! How was your first day of Kawakami High?" asked Nanami while she was watching TV. I removed my shoes before walking on the floor.
"It wasn't...well...I don't particularly hate it. Not yet, anyways." I replied. My cousin visibly sighed before motioning for me to sit next to her, so I did.
"Saika, how are you feeling? Everything alright?" she asked me. She was able to read me like a book. Especially considering...
"Yuuto Tanaka. Who is he?" I replied.
"Ohh, Yuuto?" she began. "Well, he's the captain of Kawakami High's track team. He's also one of the nicest people on that campus. My friend's son is on the track team too. He says he's one hell of a guy to look up to."
I pondered her words.
"Why? Did he make a move on you?! Spill it!" she said, shaking my shoulders for extra effect. Lauhingly, I pushed her off.
"No, no, no. It's just...I kinda snapped at him when he touched me." I said. Her expression changed.
"Ohh...Saika, I'm sorry. I know how hard it must be for you to cope with that. Yuuto didn't mean anything by it. He's not that kind of boy."
I looked her straight in the eye.
"I'm sorry...I'm just having a hard time believing that."
"I understand. If you ever need me for anything, baby cousin, I'm right here for you." replied Nanami, bringing me in for a hug. I just laid in her arms for a while.
Some time passed and she let me go.
"Alright, cousin. You should go get relaxed. I'll have food made by the time you come back downstairs so you can eat and get some rest."
"Thank you, Nanami." I replied, standing up and heading upstairs.
"Saika." she said, stopping me at the foot of the stairs. "There are many people who don't wish to sleep. They are afraid of nightmares. Then...there's some who don't wanna wake up for the same reason. Those times are in the past for you now, Saika. I love you. Remember that."
"I will. I love you too, cousin."
Midnight
Saika's POV:
Everything is so hazy...what is this...I can only see blue...where am I? Is this a dream?
"Welcome. To the Velvet Room."
My vision is becoming less blurred. When did I get in this chair? Who is that man with the long nose across from me? Who is that woman standing next to him?
"Where am I? Who are you?"
"You needn't be alarmed. I have summoned you in your dreams. You are safely asleep in the real world."
"Huh? I don't understand..."
"I know there will be much you don't understand right now, but it will all make sense in the future. My name is Igor, and this is my assistant, Jasmine."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Saika."
"Wait, how do you know my name?"
"Like I said, there's a lot you won't understand. First, allow me to show you this."
Igor unfolds a closed book in front of me on the desk without touching it. The page it lands on contains a paragraph, along with a spot to sign underneath it. The paragraph reads...
"...I chooseth this faith of mine own free will..."
"Yes. This is a contract, if you will. By signing this, the residents of the Velvet room will assist you on your journey. You're currently facing a hardship from your past, aren't you?"
"Tch...how did you know about-"
"That's our job here. To assist all of our guests with their journey."
"...Okay."
I sign the contract with my name. As soon as I do and set the pen down, the book closes itself then vanishes.
"What now?"
"Excellent. Now, I can begin explaining some concepts to you. This, as you recall me saying earlier, is the velvet room. It's a place that exists between dream, and reality. Mind and matter."
I looked over the room closer. It was entirely a dark shade of blue, but I was able to make out some of the surroundings. It looked strangely familiar to something...I wanted to forget.
"The Velvet Room often takes the shape of our guest's psyche. Something about them that signifies an important moment of their journey. Exactly what part of it, however, is a mystery."
"Okay, that explains this feeling...so, you said you help your guests. How exactly do you do that?"
"I believe that, Saika, is a matter for another time. We're almost out of time tonight so we'll be returning you shortly to your world."
"What? How can you tell that?"
"Time here passes differently than the real world. Now, keep a hold of this."
Within a small blue flash of light, a velvet key appeared before me, hovering in the air. I slowly grabbed it and, as soon as I did, it vanished.
"For now, all I ask, is that you remember your contract. We'll reference it more later on. Once things start to not make sense in your world, we'll summon you again."
"Once things start to not make sense?"
"Yes. After that moment, we'll feel it easier to explain in greater detail to you. Until we meet again, Saika."
"Have a good night's sleep, Saika."
Fun fact: Yuuto Tanaka has been in track for the past 5 years of his life. See you all next time, as we dive deeper into the world!