P3: Turmoil of the Soul
I jiggled the door's handle and made a run for it.
The building shook again and I fell backwards. "Oof! Damn…"
Just then, Yukari showed up. "Minako-chan!" She helped me up.
"Thanks." I said afterwards.
"I don't have time to explain, but we have to get out of here, now!" She sounded panicked.
I nodded.
Yukari handed me something that looked like a rod with a blade attached to it. A naginata.
"Hurry, downstairs! We'll leave through the back door!"
We ran down. I was about to open the door when I heard something beep.
Yukari placed a hand to her ear- "Y-yes, I hear you! … What?!"
Something banged against the door, almost tearing it off its hinges.
I stepped backward.
"Let's pull back!" Yukari dragged me to the second floor.
We heard something shatter.
Yukari stopped in horror. "What was that?!"
Then there was stomping.
I grabbed her arm. "Just go!"
She began running again.
We were at the rooftop. Yukari had locked the door. She sighed.
"I think we're safe now."
Sure…
The building shook once more. I saw two hands grab the edge of the roof and there was a growl. Another hand shot up, it was holding a mask.
The mask looked around and spotted us. More hands shot up, each one holding a huge sword.
I'mgonnadie. I'mgonnadie. I'MGONNAFUCKINGDIE!
WhatdoIdo, whatdoIdo, whatdoIdo?!
"That's the thing that attacked this place…"Yukari started. "We call them Shadows!"
Dammit, Yukari! This is no fucking time to explain! Unlock the bloody door so we can get out of here!
Instead, Yukari put her gun to her head.
Yeah, leave me behind to die, why don't you?
The Shadow blasted something at Yukari that made her crash to the ground, stopping her suicide attempt.
I felt something land by my feet. It was her gun. I stepped away from it.
That creepy kid was in front of me again. He put a finger to the side of his head. "Go on."
I glanced at the gun again and picked it up before looking back at him. He nodded.
I took a deep breath and put it to the side of my head.
"Per… so… na…"With my eyes shut tight, I pulled the trigger.
SMASH!
A humanoid figure carrying a lyre surfaced. He had short silver hair, a red scarf and a blue torso.
"Thou art I… and I art thou… I am Orpheus, master of strings…"
My head started to throb until I felt like my head was about to be split in half. "ARGH!"
I fell to my knees, panting before spinning around just in time to see something rip itself out of Orpheus.
Just by looking at it, I felt fear from the dark sense of Death that it emitted.
It roared and slashed its sword at the Shadow. Then, it just started beating it to shreds, even eating it.
I just watched in awe-struck horror as the creature that had instilled fear in us not five minutes ago got massacred just like that.
It roared again, and under the light of the full moon, almost seemed majestic.
It disappeared and once again, Orpheus was there, who too vanished.
"I-is it over?" I heard Yukari ask.
I turned to her to help her up, but then another sound was heard. I spoke instead. "No."
She looked completely frightened.
I spun back and saw three blobs with the same mask as the other one had. They were unarmed though, so that was slightly better.
I glanced back at Yukari. She didn't look like she wanted to help me at all. I sighed.
Okay, then…
I shot myself with the gun again and Orpheus came forth to Bash one of the Shadows with his lyre. Then, I charged for the very same one and slashed at it twice with my naginata.
The mask was shattered and it disappeared.
Yukari shrieked. "No! G-get away from me!" She got up and began running away only to fall back down.
I swung my naginata at the Shadow that was chasing her to swat it aside, but its claws had held onto it so I swung again, this time to the ground in order to get it off and then kicked at it, finishing it by leaping into the air and slashing my naginata downwards.
I spun around to look for the last one, but I couldn't spot it.
Yukari gasped. "Minako-chan! Look out!"
I didn't get to spin around to look out because my back got clawed at. I fell forwards and coughed out some blood.
Once again, I put the gun to my head and pulled the trigger. I did that repeatedly until the Shadow was crushed completely.
I felt dizzy and weak.
Apparently, I collapsed. I could still see Yukari, but I couldn't hear what she said. I closed my eyes since they hurt.
The world turned black.
~ Memento Mori ~
When I opened my eyes, I was seated at the Velvet Room with Igor grinning at me.
Looks like I'm still alive…
"It's so nice to see you again." He greeted. "You became unconscious after awakening to your power…" His grin grew wider after a few seconds of just staring at me. "I see that it is Orpheus that heeded your calling."
I nodded, wondering my I'm not feeling pain anymore.
"That power is called a Persona…" Igor explained. "It is a manifestation of your psyche."
"My psyche?" Psyche means… soul, right?
"A persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli…"
"You mean, me shooting myself in the head?"
Igor nodded. "You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."
A mask? Why a mask?
"When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength." He continued. "The ability evolves as you develop your Social Links—your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona Ability. Please remember that."
So… I'm basically gonna use people for power? That's totally not gonna make me guilty later on.
Yeah, right.
Igor's grin seemed to grow wider still.
Did he just read my mind? That's… kinda creepy…
"Now, then… Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer…"
Dude, I just got here.
"Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord." His grin turned into a small smile. "Until then, farewell…"
~ Memento Mori ~
I rolled to my side and put the pillow on my head to block the blinding brightness.
What time is it anyway?
I sighed and sat up in defeat.
Blegh, this place smells like a hospital.
Wait, I'm in one…
I hate hospitals…
The door to the room slid open, I turned my head and saw Yukari.
"You're awake!"
No, I'm dead.
She sat down on the nearest chair. "Um… how do you feel?"
"Okay." I replied. "How long has it been?"
Yukari sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you finally came to… How much sleep do you need? You just kept sleeping and sleeping… It's been a week!"
A week?!
Now that she mentioned it, I feel kinda hungry…
Yukari smiled slightly. "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted from the blood loss."
Right, it clawed my back. That really hurt…
"Um… I'm sorry I didn't do anything… But, your power… It was amazing."
That's not an excuse for you to not help me.
"What was that?" I wasn't asking about the Shadow or the Persona thing, I was asking about everything else.
Yukari, however, didn't get what I meant. "That power you used, we call it 'Persona.'" Yes, yes. I know that already. "And those creatures you defeated are Shadows –our enemy." You've said that already, sheesh. Repetitive much? "We'll explain everything later."
I sighed to myself. Figures she won't explain what I need to know.
Yukari looked down. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before…"
She started fidgeting.
What's wrong now?
"I, uh… I wanted to tell you that… I'm… sorta like you."
I raised an eyebrow. Oh?
"My dad died in an accident when I was little and my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms…" She looked at me with a sad smile. "You're all alone too, right?"
I didn't say anything and instead looked down.
"To be honest, I already know about your past… But, it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine…"
I smiled at her. "That's okay Yukari. And you don't have to tell me if you don't want to…"
She shook her head. "It was back in '99… There was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened…" Yukari paused as if remembering her father.
"He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo group." She stated. "So, I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something." That explains the hostility… "That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you." She laughed humourlessly. "Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help… It was my first time fighting them, too."
That's understandable. I don't even remember half of what I did back there.
"I'm sorry… You wouldn't have gone through all this if I wasn't such a coward…"
I shook my head. "I was scared, too…"
"Really…? But still…" I acted and you didn't? That's fine.
She laughed again.. "And here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up…" Hey, at least you weren't telling me all that while I was unconscious. "While I was waiting, I thought to myself, 'I've been hiding so many things from her… As soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her the truth.'"
I snorted.
Yukari smiled. "So, thanks for listening. I've been waiting to share that story with somebody for a long time."
I can tell. "No prob."
"Alright, I'm going to get going." She stood up. "I'll let the others know you woke up."
"Okay."
She paused. "Oh, by the way, I packed you a change of clothes and your school things. They're in your bag."
I nodded. "Thanks."
Yukari began walking away, but she stopped at the door. " And, uh… You don't have to be formal around me or anything. Us second-year girls gotta stick up for each other, after all." She gave a shy smile. "Bye."
And she was gone.
~ Memento Mori ~
I looked out the window.
A blue butterfly fluttered by.
