Hello there everyone! Some of you may know me, some of you may not. For those of you who do, you know that I am the author of Spirit of Rebellion, a P5 story that will be on hiatus until P5R comes out. Well…during that time, I decided to write my prequel P2 novelization while I wait, so I'm not out of my universe entirely for a year.
For those of you unaware, this will be a novelization of P2 IS and EP and then go beyond that to connect this story to my story SoR, as they are the same universe. If you haven't read SoR, that's okay, this story won't spoil stuff for it. If you have read SoR (and gotten past chapter 33), then a lot of this chapter will be familiar to you, as I've already written these scenes and simply copy and pasted them over and then edited them where it was needed (mostly grammar, adding a few words or taking out a transition, stuff like that).
Even still, I think this will be a fun (and long) ride for all of us! Now, I'll stop talking and let you all enjoy the chapter now! Oh! Also, all Persona summonings in this are based on the openings of IS and EP (the PSP versions). Okay, that's all, now enjoy!
There is a story very few people in the world know, despite the magnitude of this story's effects. It is a story of friendship, dreams, sacrifice and growing up, a story that spans two lifetimes and follows the Trickster, the Joker and the Moon, with the aid of the Lovers, the Death, the Empress, the Star, the Justice, the Hanged Man, the Hierophant and the Judgement. It is a story so few know because of their actions, actions that have allowed the world to exist as it does today. They have suffered for this outcome, so much, but I believe they are happy today, despite all the pain.
Do you wish to hear it? Then gather around now. And listen carefully. It all began near the end of July in 1999 in Sumaru City…
Tatsuya skillfully and carefully repaired his motorcycle. He wasn't surprised it wasn't starting, it often needed a tune up or two before he left school every day.
Still, today seemed to be taking longer than usual.
Thinking he'd fixed it, Tatsuya stood and turned on the bike, only for the engine to cut. Tatsuya shook his head with a sigh, his hand unconsciously reaching into his pocket to pull out the lighter he always carried and he habitually began to open and close it when his eye caught something.
"Hey…where's…?" He muttered.
"Yo…goin' somewhere?" A male voice sneered.
Tatsuya turned, only to find two thuggish looking students, a third year and a second year, standing behind them. He didn't know the thuggish third year at all, so he was probably in a different class then him. That meant they usually didn't interact with him at all. And, considering the situation, that probably meant…
"Heheh! That piece of crap ain't gonna start without this." The second year student, and the less thuggish of the two, laughed.
Tatsuya mentally sighed. He knew it. They stole the exact part he needed. He turned away from them and stared at his motorcycle, weighing what he should do in this situation.
"Nothin' to say, huh?" The third year student, the thuggish one, growled. "I don't like that prissy face of yours. You think you're hot shit, don't you?"
Tatsuya looked down at his lighter, flipped it open and closed one last time before he turned to the two students.
Before he could say or do anything, however, a strange sensation washed over him.
"What the-!?" Tatsuya whispered as he fell to his knees, clutching his head as pain stabbed into his skull.
He couldn't see anything, his vision swimming from the pain in his head, but he could hear clearly.
"D-dude…what's wrong with you!?" The thuggish student asked, his voice freaked out.
Tatsuya couldn't answer as the pain suddenly increased and he curled in on himself as a voice rang in his mind.
"Take…my…hand…"
"S-somethin's wrong here…this guy's sweating bullets…" The less thuggish student said.
Really? Tatsuya didn't feel sweat rolling down his face, all he felt was the stabbing pain as the voice spoke again.
"Do not fear me…I am thou…thou art I…"
Tatsuya gasped in pain, unable to form words to speak with.
The sound of a door opening and closing cut through the fog of pain clouding the brunette's mind and a voice spoke to match it.
"Alright, you three! What are you chuckleheads still doing here? The last bell rang a while ago." The voice, Principal Hanya's, said.
"P-Principal Hanya!? O-okay, sir! We'll go straight home and do our schoolwork! C'mon, man, let's go!" The thuggish student said before he presumably ran off.
Carefully, Tatsuya blinked and slowly stood up. The voice and pain had faded and his vision no longer swam, thankfully enough. Not that he'd thank Hanya for that. No way in hell.
The less thuggish student approached Tatsuya, who turned to face the second year with a cold expression.
"H-here, we're done borrowing this! Seeya!" The less thuggish student said before he too ran off.
Tatsuya simply grasped the part and returned to working on his motorcycle. It was his ride home, after all, he kinda needed it to work.
"Just so long as you understand, hahaha! Ahhh, what a delight children are!" Hanya laughed.
It sent chills down Tatsuya's spine and he refused to look up from his work to see the creepy smile he just knew was on the principal's face. He couldn't honestly understand why so many people liked him.
Suddenly, however, Hanya was right in front of Tatsuya's motorcycle and he had to force himself not to jump. He got lost in his own head as he was working, again.
"That goes for you too! Didn't you hear what I said!?" Hanya demanded. Tatsuya remained silent and just continued working on his motorcycle. Not like Hanya would understand, anyway. "Why won't you obey me!? This is unacceptable! You! Who are you and what class are you in!? State your name! C'mon, spit it out already!"
Sighing, Tatsuya stood up, unconsciously taking out his lighter to flip it open and closed once again.
"Tatsuya Suou." He stated, his face and voice carefully stoic.
"Ah, I should have known…you're that Tatsuya Suou I've heard rumors about." Hanya nodded to himself.
Tatsuya rolled his eyes as he turned away. Rumors were always spreading about him, it's not like they meant anything in the end, after all only a grain of every rumor is true.
"If that nasty resonance I sensed from the hall was you, it makes sense…looks like you're as much trouble as the rumors say." Hanya continued.
Resonance? Tatsuya thought to himself, confused, even as he stayed silent, his thumb subconsciously running across the inscription on his lighter.
"Hahah…well, I'll let you alone. He'll be along to guide you soon enough. Enjoy what few moments are left of your youth." Hanya smirked before he finally turned and left Tatsuya alone.
The cool sweat on the back of Tatsuya's neck was the only evidence of his unease with those last words.
His musing, however, was cut short as another student, a third year boy, approached.
"Yo, looks like you got a raw deal. Then again, Principal Hanya's a great man, so I suggest you do what he says." The boy said.
"Yeah, whatever." Tatsuya stated, crossing his arms to try and hide his unease.
Apparently, the guy took his words the wrong way, considering he raised his hands up in surrender.
"Hey, no need to glare like that. I just came to say that Ms. Saeko is looking for you." He said.
"Guidance counseling…" Tatsuya muttered under his breath, realizing why his homeroom teacher was hunting him down. Damn, he forgot about that. What was the point of it anyway? All guidance counseling was, was another chance for him to awkwardly hold a conversation when he'd much rather be…anywhere else.
"You've been dodging guidance counseling, eh? She looked ready to chase you all the way to your house. Better go see her." The boy recommended.
Tatsuya silently nodded, sighing mentally. Now he had to hunt down his homeroom teacher. Great.
It took Tatsuya a lot longer than he would've liked to hunt down Ms. Saeko. Usually, she was pretty easy to find, but apparently today she wasn't. He ended up having to walk through most of the school to find her, talking to every student he came across, which wasn't fun in the first place, but nobody seemed to notice his discomfort.
Hanya even had more strange words for him when Tatsuya ran into him in the courtyard.
Honestly, Tatsuya didn't know what 'the one under the star of stolen dreams has no right to have his ideals realized' meant and he really didn't think he wanted to find out considering Hanya said those words to him.
In the end, Tatsuya did find Ms. Saeko…right at the bike rack where he started, making his whole trip through the school a complete waste due to messages not being delivered on time.
"Ms. Saeko?" Tatsuya quietly called, getting the teacher's attention as he reached his bike. Hearing his voice, Ms. Saeko turned around with a smile.
"Aha, I thought you'd be here, Tatsuya. I figured it would be easier to wait for you by your baby here." She explained as she greeted him.
"I guess…" Tatsuya sighed as he turned away and leaned against his motorcycle. He had nothing against Ms. Saeko, but…guidance counseling…how was he supposed to do that when he didn't even know what he wanted to do with his life anymore?
"Don't worry, guidance counseling is a pretty informal process." Ms. Saeko reassured.
Tatsuya appreciated her reassurance, he really did, but…that wasn't the problem, and he was pretty sure nobody could understand his problem. Even so, he looked up to the sky, took a deep breath and turned to face his teacher.
"Good, good." Ms. Saeko smiled brightly. "Well then! Have you decided what you want to do after graduation?"
"I guess." Tatsuya looked down to avoid her eyes as he answered.
"Is that so! You seemed indecisive for long enough, but I'm glad you did give it some thought." Ms. Saeko smiled, her voice taking on a proud quality. "And? Will you go to college or go job hunting?"
Looking down, Tatsuya reached into his pocket and took out his lighter, flicking it open and closed as he recalled an old memory.
"I want to protect people, just like my dad!"
"I…want to go to college…" he spoke softly, not even realizing the words slipped past his lips, the faint memory slipping away like sand on a beach, and he was left wondering where the words had come from.
"Oh, really! Is there something in particular you want to study?" Ms. Saeko asked, curious and her eyes alight.
Tatsuya stayed silent, biting his lip as he pocketed his lighter once again.
"If you're just saying what you think I want to hear, think harder. Do you really want to go to college?" The teacher questioned as the silence went on for too long.
"No, I…seriously do." Tatsuya shook his head, running his thumb against his lighter in his pocket. Just touching it…made him feel braver, like there was someone out there, someone who believed in him even when he himself didn't.
"Is that so…! Well then, I'm sure you'll do just fine! Good luck! I'll be cheering for you!" Ms. Saeko smiled and it was like staring in the sun. She stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder.
Feeling uncomfortable, Tatsuya moved away from her touch and faced his motorcycle, just to avoid her eyes if nothing else.
"Tatsuya…why do you put up walls like that? You look like you're in so much pain that I can't bear to see it…" Ms. Saeko commented, her voice sympathetic.
Tatsuya flicked his lighter, his eyes staring at the inscription on it as he thought. For the past ten years, pushing people away, building up walls, it was just…natural. It kept him safe when his shyness made him clam up, when his awkwardness made him feel like he didn't belong, when his anger and shame and disappointment in his family made being at home awful…
He was better off alone, none the least of which because he was distinctly uncomfortable around people at times.
"Oh, there you are! Hey! Tatsuya! Hold up, Tatsuya!" A female voice called.
Tatsuya stiffened instantly, the familiar uncomfortable sensation he always had whenever people pushed into his personal bubble washing over him.
Quickly, Tatsuya turned away so his back was to the girl, none other than Lisa Silverman, a girl with a huge crush on him (why, Tatsuya had no idea, but her friends, Sheba and Mee-ho had already scared him enough to keep him from breaking her heart, even if his shyness didn't already prevent him from saying a word), and instead faced Ms. Saeko.
"Wait…aiyah!" Lisa cried as she noticed Tatsuya wasn't alone.
"Lisa! What's all this hubbub about?" Ms. Saeko asked.
"Sorry-ia, Ms. Saeko! I have important business with Tatsuya here! Can I borrow him?" Lisa nervously asked.
Tatsuya prayed Ms. Saeko wouldn't agree.
"Well, alright…" Ms. Saeko shook her head. Her words caused Tatsuya to look up with wide, anxiety filled eyes. He hated interacting with people, especially those who wanted to get close to him. It made him so uncomfortable. Ms. Saeko, however, ignored his look entirely. "See you, Tatsuya." With that, she went back into the school.
Tatsuya leaned against his motorcycle, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart by flicking his lighter a few times.
"We have a problem, Tatsuya!" Lisa said as she walked around the motorcycle so she could look Tatsuya in the eyes. "Wait a sec…aiyah!" Before Tatsuya could question what she was doing, Lisa ripped his school emblem off his uniform.
Tatsuya sighed under his breath. Great, Brother's gonna kill me now.
"I don't believe this! Why are you still wearing your emblem!? You DO know about the emblem curse, right?"
"Yeah, I just don't believe in rumors, especially ones like that." Tatsuya shrugged as he turned back to his motorcycle.
"Geez! I worry about you sometimes…" Lisa sighed, as if she was the long suffering one. "But oh yeah, that can wait! I got a challenge note for you! A guy from Cuss High told me to give it to you!"
Brow furrowed, Tatsuya turned around and took the letter Lisa held out. He opened it, allowing Lisa to read it over his shoulder as he did so.
Tatsuya Suou:
We're holding a girl from your school hostage. If you value her life, come to Sumaru Prison alone.
-Kasugayama High Boss
Michel Eikichi.
"Haime! Seriously!? Now that's old-school…I dunno, though, rumor has it this guy's really strong!" Lisa said as she backed away after she finished reading. "I also heard a rumor that it was a Cuss High jerk that cursed our emblem…I bet it was this same guy!"
Tatsuya said nothing as he pocketed the letter and straddled his motorcycle, helmet in hand.
"Tatsuya…you're going alone, huh?" Lisa asked, her voice soft.
"I can't just leave someone in trouble like that." Tatsuya stated, putting his helmet on his head.
"Knew it…but do you even know how to get to Sumaru Prison?" Lisa questioned.
Tatsuya was silent. It felt awkward to admit that he had lived in Sumaru his entire life and didn't know where something was, even if it was the prison.
Thankfully, Lisa didn't push him to answer when his silence spoke for him.
"I can at least show you the way! I don't want to sit around until the curse gets me too. Please, take me along!" Lisa said.
"Alright, here." Tatsuya said, handing Lisa his spare helmet and allowing her to climb onto his motorcycle behind him. "Hold on tight, okay?"
"Right." Lisa nodded, her arms tightly wrapping around his middle. Thankfully, she didn't make any kind of romantic comment or swoon against him. She was focused on what they were doing.
Tatsuya was grateful for that.
Without another word, Tatsuya lowered his visor, started his motorcycle and they drove off towards Sumaru Prison.
Once they got to Sumaru Prison and made their way inside, Tatsuya and Lisa found that the hostage was none other than Miyabi Hanakouji, also known as Kozy, and she looked quite comfortable, sitting in the prison and eating.
"H-hey! Is this chica really one of my fans!? That ain't right!" The boy with blue hair cried as he held up one of the boys by the collar of his uniform.
"C-calm down, Michel-san!" One of the two free boys stuttered as he attempted to calm the blue haired one, apparently Michel Eikichi.
"Y-yeah, if we wait a little longer, I'm sure Tatsuya will show!" The other free boy said when he seemed to realize he said something he shouldn't. "Er…oh crud…!"
Eikichi dropped the boy he was holding and glared at the three boys.
"Hey…what's this about Tatsuya? What are you three scheming?" He demanded.
"Huh…so that's what this is about?" Lisa asked as she and Tatsuya approached finally, having assessed the situation more than enough.
"Tatsuya!?" Eikichi cried as his eyes landed on him.
"Yeah." Tatsuya nodded, though he felt a bit stiff. He was always uncomfortable with the popularity he had at Sevens. The fact that he was just as well-known even at Cuss High didn't make him feel any better. "I'm guessing you'r-"
"Michel Eikichi, I take it?" Lisa cut in, her eyes narrow.
"Yeah yeah yeah! Do I got you, babe?" Eikichi asked, his voice smooth as he stuck a pose. "Allow me to introduce myself as the genius artist Michel, spreading love to ladies around the world! Hooooooooo!"
"What…are you smoking?" Lisa deadpanned.
Tatsuya was grateful for how good he was at masking his emotions, considering he had to stifle a laugh at that. Especially when Eikichi's previously smoothly smiling face transformed with his anger.
"What was that, you little-!?" He cried.
"Um…please forgive us! We used Kozy-san to lure out Tatsuya-san!" One of the boys apologized, bowing his head to Eikichi.
"You know how you were pumped to start a band, Michel-san? We were looking for members. You were the only one, so…" Another boy explained, bowing his head as well.
"We thought Tatsuya-san would be a good fit. And he's reliable, so we thought you'd be happy to have him aboard…" The last added, bowing his head like his friends.
"Y-you guys…you knew what would happen if you violated Bro Code and you still…" Eikichi trailed off, sounding honestly touched.
"Yes, sir! 'Cowardice is unbefitting of a real man!' We'll take whatever punishment you have in store!" The three boys chorused.
Tatsuya stifled a chuckle. It seemed like the four of them were really close and they hadn't mistreated Kozy at all, if the fact that she was happily eating was any indication.
"Um…so that stuff about telling me the mystery of the emblem curse…was that all a lie? If so, then I'm going to go." Kozy said as she stood up and brushed off her skirt before she walked over to stand beside Lisa.
"We should go too, Tatsuya. This is so stupid I might cry." Lisa sighed as she shook her head.
"Hold it, Tatsuya!" Eikichi cut in before Tatsuya could even open his mouth. "I hate to stoop this low…but for the sake of my bros, I can't let you go that easily. For my honor as the Death Boss, I'm dragging you into my band!"
Tatsuya honestly did not know what to say in response to that. He had a guitar back home, sure, but he wasn't sure if he could work up the nerve to actually join a band.
Lisa, however, saved him from answering yet again.
"'Death Boss'!? More like Undie Boss!" She scoffed. Eikichi tensed as she continued. "I heard the rumors! You became Boss by pantsing people, didn't you?"
Lisa giggled and Tatsuya swore he heard the moment Eikichi snapped.
"U-uh-oh…Michel-san!" One of the boys cried as the three attempted to hold Eikichi back.
"Undie…" Eikichi whispered.
Suddenly, the same feeling from the bike rake washed over Tatsuya again and he stiffened as the pain returned.
"What is this!?" He asked aloud.
"Wh-what's happening…!?" Lisa cried, appearing to be in a similar situation.
Eikichi suddenly threw off his friends holding him back and blue light surrounded him.
"Don't! Call! Me! Undie! My name is Eikichi Mishina! EIKICHI! MISHINAAAAAAA!" He shouted. He then bent forward and flexed his arms down and cried at the top of his lungs, "Come, Deathbringer!"
Suddenly, a figure morphed out of Eikichi's body in the exact same pose and floated behind him. Then it spoke in a voice heavily similar to Eikichi's own.
"I am Rhadamanthus…the judge of the netherworld. I shall sever your foes' sins with my blade of judgement!"
Water suddenly fell over Lisa's head, soaking her and forcing her to her knees with the strength of it.
"Aaaaaaaaaagh…!" Lisa screamed just as the same blue light surrounded her and, as if on instinct, she raised her left arm up so it was diagonal to her side, her hand up towards the sky. In the same way as with Eikichi, a figure morphed out of her body in the same pose and floated behind her. "Haime…seriously!?"
The figure then spoke in a voice heavily similar to Lisa's own.
"I am Eros…my golden arrow's kindle love's flames…I shall be your strength, my other self…"
The figure faded from sight and Lisa slumped on the ground, unconscious.
"H-h-how can you use it too!?" Eikichi cried, eyes wide in shock.
Suddenly, a voice rang in Tatsuya's mind, the same voice from earlier, only now it was exceptionally clear.
"Fear not…take my hand…"
On instinct, Tatsuya raised his left arm to the side so it was parallel to the ground.
"Come!" Tatsuya cried. He could feel a figure morphing out of him and, as it began to float above him, he fell to his knees, already feeling the exertion taking a toll on him.
The figure spoke then, its voice heavily similar to Tatsuya's own.
"I am thou…thou art I…from the sea of thy soul I cometh…the bearer of the inferno that burns away impurity, Vulcanus!"
The figure, Vulcanus, raised its arm and fire suddenly struck Eikichi, causing him to crumble to the ground. As soon as Vulcanus vanished, Tatsuya followed the two to unconsciousness.
He didn't, however, actually fall unconscious. Or at least, it didn't feel like that. Instead, Tatsuya felt like he was flying as images flashed through his mind.
Images of a group of children, a shrine and a girl…
The next thing Tatsuya knew, he was standing in what appeared to be a gazebo like structure alongside an awake Lisa and Eikichi. In the center of the gazebo, a gold butterfly flew in a column of gold light that seemed to originate from the green tile with a butterfly symbol on it.
In a flash of light, however, the butterfly was replaced by a man with brown hair in a ponytail wearing a black turtleneck, black pants, black shoes and a white mask that covered three fourths of the man's face with a 3D orange butterfly over his left eye.
"Welcome to the gulf between consciousness and unconsciousness…my name is Philemon. Have you forgotten?" The man, Philemon, greeted them.
"Phile…mon…?" Lisa repeated, as if testing the syllables or making sure she said it correctly.
"Is this…about what just happened…?" Tatsuya hesitantly asked.
"The power you hold is called Persona." Philemon nodded in confirmation. "It is the power to summon the selves within you, the gods and demons you harbor. The self suffused with divine love…the self capable of demonic cruelty…people live by wearing different masks. Your current self is only one of these innumerable masks. Your Persona is also among your countless selves."
"That's…me…?" Eikichi asked. "What are you…?"
"From here on, you will face a fearsome entity which threatens your existence." Philemon continued. "From time out of mind, beyond oblivion…the land of Sumaru is now a netherworld where rumors are reality. The battle is begun…"
Shocked at the words, Tatsuya looked first at Lisa and then at Eikichi, seeing the same confusion reflected in their eyes.
"I summoned you here to tell you this. Now go, and with your Personas break the chains of karma laid against you…" Philemon said.
With that, everything faded to darkness.
When Tatsuya came to, he barely let out a groan before he heard Eikichi speak.
"That…wasn't a dream, was it?" The blue haired boss hesitantly asked as he stood up.
"I knew it…! I saw it too. It called those things Personas…?" Lisa said as she stood, looking from Eikichi to Tatsuya for confirmation.
"Yeah…he said his name was…Philemon…?" Tatsuya nodded as he pushed himself to his feet, his hands in his pockets and his thumb rubbing against his lighter.
"Even the part about rumors coming true, and the stuff about the future…? That's too much for it to be a coincidence." Eikichi said, his eyes widening as they all confirmed that they had the exact same dream.
Tatsuya imagined they looked quite strange to Kozy and Eikichi's friends, but that wasn't important right now. Figuring out what the hell just happened was.
"But how can we believe it…?" Tatsuya hesitantly voiced. His voice, in contrast, was steady, just another part of what everyone expected of him.
"Hey, I know…you wanna try the Joker Game?" Lisa suggested, bowing her head as she did so. She looked so sad…
"The thing where you call your own cell and it shows up? Why would I want to try that?" Eikichi asked, confused.
"To test if that was just a dream or something more. If the rumor really comes true, then it was all real…" Lisa explained.
"I'll pass. There's no way all that could be possible." Eikichi shook his head.
"That's why I'll prove it. Hey…are you scared or something…?" Lisa questioned.
"If you say so…it does feel like we should be doing something after a dream like that. Let's see if this is for real." Eikichi agreed.
"You in, Tatsuya?" Lisa asked. There were tears in her eyes. Tatsuya had no idea why and yet, at the same time, his heart seemed to reflect the exact pain Lisa felt.
"Yeah. Let's test this." Tatsuya nodded.
In a few minutes, they were ready to begin.
"Why are we the ones who have to do this…?" One of Eikichi's friends, Ken Tatsuya believed, sighed.
Without another word, Eikichi's three friends and Lisa began raising their arms up and down and spoke in unison.
"Well then, here goes…Joker, Joker, please come here." Lisa chanted.
The four then turned around and walked away from each other so they formed a square before they each took out their phones and called themselves.
"No way…" Lisa whispered, drawing Tatsuya's attention.
Without even thinking about it, Tatsuya shared a look with Eikichi. The same worry and fear that Tatsuya felt was reflected in his eyes.
"It just…" Eikichi's friends said at the same time.
"Um…hello…?" Lisa said.
Suddenly, a black sphere formed in the center of the square and Tatsuya's eyes widened as a figure appeared, along with several phantom like copies.
The boy wore all white with black accents, the most prominent of them being a black rose symbol, while on his face he wore a mask that showed a white face with a widely grinning mouth, one bright blue eyes and a black headdress with yellow accents and purple roses.
"Behind you…" The boy said.
As Eikichi's friends and Lisa turned around, Tatsuya felt his heart clench violently in pain. The boy's voice was young, probably close to Tatsuya's own age, and it was heavily distorted, why Tatsuya had no idea. Despite all that…the voice was familiar. So familiar that Tatsuya's heart began to ache with an almost unbearable pain. Yet, he had no way to explain it.
"I am Joker…the final trump card drawn by those anguished over their dreams…" The boy, Joker, proclaimed. "Tell me your ideal…"
Eikichi's friends backed up in fear and rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Lisa, however, fell to her knees and one look at Eikichi told Tatsuya that the boss was in a similar state to him and Lisa.
A strong familiarity and yet an unbearable pain they could not explain…
"No! You have to hurry and tell it your ideals! The rumor says that those who don't get turned into shadowmen!" Kozy cried, snapping Tatsuya out of his thoughts.
"Your trump cards have been spoiled…" Joker said. "The bet on the table was your inner, dreaming heart…" Joker held a silver, crystal skull in his hand and his copies held it out towards Eikichi's friends. "In accordance with the ritual, I will now claim the pot."
Suddenly, blue light shot out from each of Eikichi's friends and towards the skull, which absorbed the light even as Eikichi's friends screamed.
When it was done, the three boys looked darker than they had previously been, as if a shadow was covering them.
Joker's copies faded away and he turned to the remaining four.
"K-Ken! Shogo! Takeshi!" Eikichi cried before he turned to Joker. "You bastard…what did you do!?
"Ideals only cause pain to the powerless. I have freed them from that anguish…better not to yearn for impossible dreams." Joker answered. "They are lifeless shells of dreams. They can be seen, but are not. They will be forgotten and become true shadows. But enough chitchat. I have other business with you…"
Suddenly, the blue light that most likely told of a Persona user surrounded Joker as Tatsuya fell to his knees, Lisa tensed until she looked frozen and Eikichi trembled as if he was standing outside in the middle of winter.
"I can't move…! Is it the fear…!?" Lisa gasped.
Tatsuya couldn't speak, his eyes never leaving that masked face.
"It's been ages, Tatsuya Suou…I've been waiting…for the moment you would all summon me!" Joker said. "As a parting gift, I'll show you something interesting…not Personas, but true demons!"
Suddenly, a bird like creature was flying on Joker's right and another on his left.
"Wh-what are those things…!?" Lisa gasped.
At the same moment, the demons swooped down, trying to attack the three high schoolers. Quickly, Tatsuya, Lisa and Eikichi ducked, avoiding the long, deadly looking claws.
Somehow, in the midst of it, Tatsuya found the strength to stand. Something told him he couldn't give up, not yet.
Someone still needs you…
"I'm not giving up yet!" Tatsuya grunted as he raised his left arm once again, calling on Vulcanus with ease. Right away, the Persona casted a fire spell, Agi Tatsuya's mind helpfully supplied, and one of the bird demons vanished in a single blaze of fire.
"Fanna…! There's no way I'm letting those things kill me!" Lisa grunted as she raised her left arm diagonally once again, Eros appearing at once. The Persona aimed the bow it held at the remaining demon and when it let its arrow fly straight and true, a giant rock surrounded the demon, turning it to stone.
"You guys! Work with me here! If we all attack together, we just might pull this off!" Eikichi cried.
Nodding in agreement, Tatsuya and Lisa pushed themselves to their feet and the three called upon their Personas in unison.
The combined force of their spells caused a torrent of water, larger than the one Rhadamanthus had casted earlier, to fall onto Joker. Despite the water, however, he was entire unfazed.
"A Fusion Spell…a laudable idea, but it's much too weak. You'll never best me with such paltry offense." Joker stated as he summoned his own Persona by lifting his right arm forward so it was parallel to the ground. A white and black Persona morphed out of him and floated above him, looking like a mismatched patchwork rather than a Persona, like the others'.
Something about the sight of that Persona…put Tatsuya on edge.
"Eikichi Mishina…Lisa Silverman…and you, Tatsuya Suou, the Thief…it's time you died! You cannot escape the wheel of fortune!" Joker proclaimed.
Suddenly, a fierce wind blew, practically knocking the three high schoolers off their feet. Tatsuya was just regaining his bearings when a hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him off the ground. In the very corner of his eye, he could see Joker was standing on Eikichi's back with one foot while his hand held Tatsuya aloft.
"Those eyes…you've haven't changed. What kind of dreams did you build on the corpses of other people's ideals?" Joker demanded.
"What…are you…talking…about? How…do you…know…me…?" Tatsuya managed to gasp out. Though his face was carefully blank, inside he was shaking in confusion and his heart continued to ache.
"The poker face doesn't fool me. I know. You wanted to go to college…isn't that so?" Joker said.
Tatsuya's eyes widened. Nobody but Ms. Saeko should've known that. Not even his family knew that!
"Hahaha! Aaaaaaahahahaha! I'll never let your dreams come true!" Joker swore. "You should know by now…why I came to you all today!"
"What…?" Tatsuya gasped. It was getting harder and harder to breath with that hand clamped around his neck.
"What the hell are you talking about…?" Eikichi asked from his spot under Joker's foot.
"Wh-what? What did we ever do to you?" Lisa questioned, her face lost as she pushed herself up as much as she could.
Suddenly, Joker threw Tatsuya to the ground and stepped off Eikichi. Tatsuya grasped his throat, gasping for air, never appreciating it more than he did now.
His heart ached as his eyes returned to Joker's figure.
"No…do you not remember!?" Joker cried. He backed away from them, shaking his head frantically. "Impossible! This can't be…how could this happen!?" Joker suddenly fell to his knees, clutching his head as if he were suffering from mental torture. The position made Tatsuya's heart ache, even if he couldn't understand why, considering this was the same boy who almost killed him. "What meaning is there in killing you if you do not remember!?"
Slowly, carefully, Tatsuya, Lisa and Eikichi pushed themselves to their feet and shifted so they were standing in front of Kozy as Joker stood and faced them, any sign of his previous torture gone.
"You escaped your fate this time…but you will get not rest. My demons will be your assassins." Joker stated. "Let this iris be my testament…now go, and remember the sins you have committed! Then will I claim my revenge!"
With that said, Joker threw the yellow iris to the ground and vanished just as he came, in a black sphere. As if in a trance, Tatsuya picked up the iris and stared at it.
"Revenge…" A voice in Tatsuya's mind supplied.
Without thinking, Tatsuya carefully slipped the flower into his pocket. His eyes then turned to Eikichi, who had moved to stand in front of one of his shadowed friends.
"I'm sorry, Ken…if I hadn't made you play the game…" Eikichi apologized, his voice full of pain and sorrow and blame for himself. Out of respect for him, Tatsuya turned away.
"Um…who is Eikichi-ku-I mean, Boss-san talking to?" Kozy asked. Lisa turned to Kozy in surprise before she sadly hung her head.
"They've really been forgotten…" She whispered.
Tatsuya reached into his pocket and clutched his lighter tightly before he began to head to the exit. What happened to those three was partly his fault too and it seemed that whatever was going on, Joker had the answers. So, Tatsuya resolved to find him, even if he was going alone.
"Hold on a sec, Tatsuya…you're going after that guy, right?" Eikichi asked, his voice soft and pained, yet it stopped Tatsuya instantly. "You should stay out of this. I'll deal with him."
Instead of answering, Tatsuya turned back and met Eikichi's eyes head on as the boss approached. Lisa was right on their tail and cut in before either could speak.
"Whoa there, both of you! You're up against a real monster here! If we don't stick together, you'll die!" Lisa argued. "Plus, we don't know where to start looking. Let's get someone else to do something about him-like the police!"
Tatsuya thought of his father, of Katsuya, and found himself frowning. They wouldn't believe him about something ordinary, why would they ever believe him about something extraordinary like this?
"Who'd believe us!? We gotta arm up and kill that guy, or we're all screwed." Eikichi argued.
Tatsuya remained silent, flicking his lighter open and closed pensively. Something about Eikichi's words bothered him…maybe it was the prospect of killing an actual human being? Tatsuya wasn't sure.
"If that's the case, maybe I can help…I'll go see what I can find out about Joker." Kozy offered as she approached the group. "While I do that, you should prepare to defend yourselves…"
The three high school Persona users shared a look before nodding in agreement. They were in this together now, for better or worse.
"That reminds me…rumor has it that the ramen shop in Kameya Alley sells weapons…" Kozy added thoughtfully. "Something about the owner being a former spy…with everything that's going on, why not start there?"
"If rumors are coming true, it's worth a shot…having just our Personas makes me nervous, so to the ramen shop it is!" Lisa stated.
"She's got a point…we don't stand a chance against him yet." Eikichi sighed in agreement, running a hand through his hair as he turned to Tatsuya. "We've both been called out on a grudge we know nothing about. Let's call a truce until that guy's out of the picture."
"Yeah…okay." Tatsuya nodded, feeling awkward and out of place, considering he didn't even consider Eikichi a rival. Or anyone really.
With that said, Eikichi began to make his way out of the prison, his emotions carefully hidden away (which impressed Tatsuya a bit considering he seemed like the type to wear his heart on his sleeve), and Lisa began to follow him out, her silence reflecting the solemn air that hovered over the prison.
"Suou-sempai…" Kozy called, attracting Tatsuya's attention before he could follow the other two. "Umm…about my real name…could you keep it a secret from Boss-san? Please…"
"Sure, but why?" Tatsuya questioned, not understanding the reason.
"Just…please…" Kozy repeated, hanging her head, as if to hide.
"Yeah, okay." Tatsuya nodded, feeling out of place without a proper answer. He quietly cleared his throat. "Thanks again for agreeing to help. Let us know what you find…okay?" He probably sounded so stupid.
"Of course. Thank you too." Kozy smiled the slightest bit, as if she didn't consider Tatsuya stupid and awkward.
Tatsuya smiled the slightest bit before he followed the other two as Eikichi began to lead them towards this ramen shop.
This was definitely going to be an interesting story to tell one day.
Well? What'd you guys think?
I can't promise a quick update, sadly, cause there's a lot of things demanding my attention (school, life and other stories included), but I will do my best cause I've got quite a bit of both P2 games already written.
Leave a review to let me know what you think! Bye!