Chapter 7: The Jester's Shadow
After talking with Kanji for a while, Azami go back home to read the book she bought. Nanako greet her and she went to Yu's room to read. She could use her room but for some reason she feel it more comfortable in his room. She spend almost all the day reading, she like it a lot. The Call of Cthulhu was her favorite from all the short stories that were in the book and still she didn't finish it. She was in the half of the book when Yu enter the room. He look a little tired. Azami get up of the sofa and hug him.
"Woah, that was unexpected" Said Yu
"You come back, that's good"
"Yeah... but it didn't go as we expected"
"What happen?"
"Chie's Shadow, that happend"
"Oh... Is she okay?"
"She is now. That Shadow was strong... really strong. I don't know how we are going to deal with Yukiko's Shadow if we bearly made it out alive from that battle"
"Take it easy and focus" Said Azami "You can do it if you believe it... and if you have the power. If you don't you are done for"
"Thanks... That helped a lot" Yu said sarcastically
"You are welcome" Azami go to the door "I'm going to help Nanako with Dinner"
Dojima came today to have dinner. They were eating Sushi, in the end Nanako and Azami didn't cook, Dojima called and say he was bringing the food. Everyone were eating, Dojima was quiet, really quiet.
"That's all for world news tonight" The news were on "Coming up next, the local news" Dojima turn to Yu
"Hey. Mind if i ask something?" He ask "You aren't getting involved with any strange business, are you...?" He ask, Yu got a little nervious and Azami almost spit the water. "What happened at the station this afternoon... it's still bothering me. If Azami hasn't called me back there, you probably end up in prison for at least two days. Is there... anything you're not telling me?" Azami laugh a little and Dojima look at her "You know something?"
"A-Actually..." Azami take out her found and show the video to Dojima. It show Yosuke playing around with the swords and Yu only looking at him, then the police shows up. It was pretty fun to watch
"What was he thinking bringing swords to the food court?" Dojima ask
"Yosuke is the son of the manager. He found those sword in a closet of his home and he wanted to show them to us" Azami explain "In one word... his an idiot"
"Y-yes, he is..." Said Yu
"And you just walk away and film them"
"I didn't know he was bringing swords" Said Azami "Anyway, it was just a misunderstanding. Wasn't it Yu?"
"Yes, it was"
"..." Dojima look at them for a moment "Alright, i believe you. Just keep an eye in that boy. I don't want him making something stupid again"
"We'll make sure of it, uncle" Said Azami
"Anyway, i thought that Azami would be the one ending up in the police station" He said "I remember your mom telling me that you once hit a bully and you break his nose"
"Yeah... i was really angry that day" Azami smile "I'm kinda proud, he was bigger than me. Almost three head taller"
"Just... don't do that here. In a small town rumors go quickly and i don't want to heard that you go around sending kids to the hospital"
"It's okay. I won't do anything at all, trust me" She said and continue eating dinner
"And now, our weather forecast" The TV announcer said "Due to high-pressure fronts from the west, that sunny spring-like weather will stay with us for a while longer"
"Is this lady the one who decides the weather?" Nanako ask "'Cause when she says that it'll be sunny, it always is"
"...N-Not really, Nanako... How should i explain this?" Azami ask herself
"Well, actually she-" Yu was about to explain when the phone ringed. Yu get up and answer it.
"Hello, Dojima residence..." Yu's expression change. It look like someone really annoying call "Okay...? Where are you?... Alright, but it's lat- Okay... Bye..." He hang up and sigh
"Who was it?" Dojima ask
"My teacher, Morooka" Yu say with a tired face "He say he have something for me and he want me to go and pick it up"
"Now?"
"I told him the same thing but..."
"Poor Yu... Good luck" Said Azami and she keep eating
"Azami, go with him" Dojima said and Azami almost spit all the food in her mouth "It's late and i don't want him roaming in the night alone"
"B-But..." Azami wanted to make an excuse but she didn't have any "... Alright" Azami get up, go to change her clothes and go with Yu against her will. Once they were walking to see Morooka, Azami hit Yu in the arm
"What was that for!?"
"First, i had to lie for you. You know that i don't lie!. Second... I'm not ready to see Morooka. I was going to mess with him a little more, play some jokes on him, maybe throwing eggs to his door..."
"Take it easy. Just wait in a corner while i go and see what he want for me"
"Perfect!" When they arrive to the gas station, Azami hide in a corner while Yu talked with him. Turns out he only wanted to give him the school Jersey and tell him to leave. Yu go back with Azami "So he only wanted to give you THAT!? What an asshole. Why he couldn't give it to you tomorrow?"
"Who knows... i don't understand him" They arrive home quickly
"You're home. So, what was it?" Dojima ask and Yu show him the school jersey "That's it? He could've just given you that at school... Well, i'm sure telling you that isn't helping. School's tough enough as it is. With these incidents going on, everyone's on edge..."
"Yeah, but that teacher is crazy" Said Azami "I'm going to bed"
4/18 Monday
Today school finish quickly, or so Azami thought. Turns out the time go faster when you sleep in class. Azami exit the classroom and went to find Yu and the others. She went to their classroom and find them, they were leaving.
"Are you going today too?" Azami ask
"Yes, Yukiko really needs our help" Said Chie
"Alright. I'll go to Junes with you and i'll wait for you there" She said
"Alright, let's go" Said Yosuke and the went to Junes. It was really fast actually. Azami go with them to the Electronics Department and watch them go through the TV. Azami decide to just look around the place, she really wanted that laptop but now she look at the others. The weren't cheap but they also weren't expensive... Azami was thinking in the posibility of starting to work here so she could buy. Her parents send her and Yu, money so they can buy whatever they want but it's not that much. It was for basic stuff.
Azami look everything there and in every little store in Junes, she go back to the Electronics Department and stay near the TVs. She was surprise that there wasn't anyone around and there wasn't cameras here at all "What's wrong with this place? Someone could easily steal anything from here..." Said Azami to no one... but what she wasn't expecting was that someone actually answer her
"I know, right? They are such an idiots" The voice strangely sound like her but Azami didn't mind it so she continue talking
"Well, there are a lot of idiots in this world"
"Including you" Said the voice with a little laugh
"Yeah, you're right. Including me"
"And Yu-chan"
"And Yu- Wait, What? What the fuck!?" Azami turn around and a hand came out of the TV and start to pull her in. Azami try to resist but it was really strong, to the point where Azami start to scream for help but it was no use. No one was around. In the end, the person in the other side win and drag her inside the TV...
Yu, Yosuke, Chie and Teddie were now in front of the door of the last floor. They went all they way up, sometimes ignoring some shadows and other times just beat them up. They weren't tired from climbing the castle, now there were preparing to face the shadow. Yu was about to open the door but Teddie sense something.
"W-Wait! I sense something!" He said
"What is it?" Yu ask
"I sense someone... someone enter to this world"
"What!? Where?" Yosuke ask and Teddie snuff the air
"From where you guys come from... I think i know this smell though... Could be that girl?"
"Who?" Chie ask
"When you came here for the first time, there was another girl... i think that this is her smell"
"Azami!? How?"
"Let's finish here first quickly" Said Chie "Then we can check on her"
"You are right, but..." Said Yosuke "She can't enter by herself"
"It's true, something happen" Said Yu, he was getting nervious "Let's finish this now. I don't want to leave Azami alone in this world for to long" They open the door and Yukiko was there. Her Shadow was sitting in a throne, smiling viciously...
Azami open her eyes and find herself in the TV world again. Exactly in the same place as before, the fog make it difficult to see, not only that, she lost her glasses. Azami start to search for her glasses but they weren't here. Then Someone put the glasses in her hands...
"Oh... Thank you...?" Azami put her glasses on and saw something she wasn't expecting at all... herself, her Shadow was looking at her with a creepy smile in her face
"You are welcome, Me" She said and put her hands in her pockets
"...You drag me here didn't you?"
"Of course i did it. And there is a reason behind it, like everything in this world"
"So... what is it?"
"Because i'm your Shadow... the moment i came out i needed to confront you"
"Wait... When did you came out?"
"Do you remember "that" room? when you first came here?"
"Oh right..."
"That chair, that rope, that nooze... the blood everywhere... didn't it remind you something?"
"... I don't know what are you talki-"
"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" The Shadow scream at her and then out of nowhere the light went off "Oh sorry, it was my fault. Let me fix it" The light went on again "Sorry but i really don't like when someone lie to me... and i clearly HATE to lie to someone... aren't you? you are such a hypocrite"
"What?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" The shadow approach to her. Azami move backwards but she fall and the Shadow was now on top of her. Invading her personal space "You know what i'm talking about... why do you lie to me? There's no one around, no one will look away, no one will feel ashame to know you, no one will hate you and no one will tell you... DROP FUCKING DEAD!" The shadow was only centimeters from her face "How does it feel to lie to your family? Betray their trust in you, tell them that you won't do it again but in the end you fall again and again. You seek easy exits but you are too coward to actually do it, don't you? If it wasn't for Yu then you wouldn't be here in the first place. He stop you... he makes you feel fear to death"
"N-No, he-"
"Yu-chan is my little brother and i love him. He needs me and i needs him... that's what you say before, didn't you? That's what you think of him and he thinks you are a good person, doesn't he?... WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT! YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT AZAMI, YOU ARE COMPLETELY USELESS! YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS LIVE. YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE ALIVE AT ALL!" The shadow stop screaming and kiss Azami in the forehead "And That is what everyone told us, didn't they?That's what everyone thought about you..."
"...Yes, they did" Said Azami "But..."
"Only your family accept you... but you still betray their trust, why? Because you became addicted to it" The shadow rise Azami sleeves and her arms were exposed. They were full of scars "You are a suicidal person... or at least you were" The shadow close her eyes "You feel bad for lying to them, to do this to yourself only to get placer from it, you were sick. Now look at you, trying to leave everything behind, moving on and pretending it never happen" The shadow grab her by the throat "But this happen... This scars are the proves of it. It happend, it's your past and pretending it never happen is lying, not only to the others... but to yourself. I don't like people that lie to me, Azami. And i don't like to lie... but looks like you've change... you are a liar now, aren't you... A BIG FAT LIAR!"
"I'm not a liar!"
"YES YOU ARE!" The shadow slap her "Don't you dare to do this to me again, NEVER!" The Shadow keep slaping at her "Not only that but you hate yourself, aren't you? You hate yourself for being a liar, you hate yourself for trying to commit suicide and you hate yourself because you wanted to change that attitude of yours... and failed, in the end you are a Jester... a joke and you can't change that at all"
"I don't hate myself!" Azami scream "Why did you bring me here!? What do you want from me!?"
"I WANT YOU TO ACCEPT ME!" The Shadow scream and let out the tears she was holding. The tears fall in Azami's face and her eyes widen
"W-What?" Azami ask but deep down she knows the answer and remember what Yu told her about the Shadows
"I want you to accept me... your past... your horrible past. Don't let me die in the oblivion, please... i'm scare... i don't want to be alone... i don't want to die alone... I want to be accepted by everyone, i'm tired of being the Jester, the clown... someone that others despise, they hate me for who i really am..." The Shadow make a pause. What she was saying was how Azami truly feels and she knew it "I am a Jester, Azami. I want them to accept me but they don't want a jester... they prefer a Fool... They prefer Yu... eventually i'll be leave behind to die alone..." The Shadow give space to Azami so she could stand up. She stand and the Shadow hug her "Please... i know is hurting you. If you pretend that your past never happend then you can't truly move on. You won't become the person you want to be... you'll be stuck and eventually you'll be left behind... don't do this to us. Be true to yourself, don't lie to yourself..."
"Y-You are right... I was suicidal" Said Azami and she return the hug "I always joke around and mess with people. That's why the adults never liked me, they either tell me to grow up or to just go away. Only my parents and Yu accept me for who i am. Then... it happend. I try to hang myself in my room because i was humillated by people i thought they were my friends. I almost break my neck but Yu saw me struggling and he cut the rope... he saves me. I promise them to never do it again... but it was a lie. I try it again but that time i cut myself, countless times... then i realize that i wasn't doing it to kill myself... i start to enjoy it. It took me a while to stop, my parents and Yu don't know about this cuts. Then i decide to pretend that none of this happend at all. It was all a bad dream, i told myself. But like you said... it will always be here. Everytime i see at my arms, the memories come back. I try so hard to forget about it, to erase it from my mind but was useless... i'm lying to myself and lying to everyone around me" Azami start to cry "I lie to myself. I try to change myself but in the end i'm still being the joke... the jester... I hate myself for doing this to myself... I'm a fucking mess..."
"... A mess that can be fixed" Said the Shadow and look at her in the eyes. She was smiling at her "You know how... just say the words and remember. Don't change yourself... Be true to yourself and believe in your family... they'll understand. Lies have short legs, you can't hide this forever"
"You are right..." Azami stop crying "I-It wasn't so bad actually... but i can't deny that hurts to accept it..."
"Sorry if i scared you" Said the Shadow "I just wanted to show you the truth"
"N-No... i'm sorry to try to forget you... You are me, you are my past"
"And your present"
"And our future..."
Yu was fighting with Yukiko's Shadow. He was tired, Chie and Yosuke were down. Chie couldn't summon her persona, she was dizzy and Yosuke couldn't stand. Teddie was hidding behind one of the pillars. Yu know that he need to use a Persona with ice skills but he didn't have one and Chie was the only one with ice skills and she couldn't move at all. The Shadow set on fire almost everything in the room...
"That's not how it's supposed to work..." Said the Shadow "You have to escort me!"
"S-Shut up!" Said Chie. She stand up and try to summon her persona but the Prince attack her and she had to dodge it, interrumpting the summoning "Shit... We can't go on like this!"
"I know!" Yosuke attack the Shadow but it barely did damage at all "Dammit. Yu, can you do something?"
"She got us cornered... I say we take Yukiko and get out" He said
"She is in the other side of the room and we can't reach her! What are we going to do!?" Chie yell. Everything look dark for a moment but Yu won't give up now
"I won't give up. We'll fight and win!"
"I'm glad that you say that, Yu-chan" Yu and the other turn around and saw Azami, but next to her was someone else... her Shadow, and she was the one who speak "But sometimes you really don't know when to quit and that's annoying" Said the Shadow. Azami walk to them and the Shadow follow her
"Just rest and let us handle this... now, that's one ugly bird" She said
"Imagine how ugly would be if it was yellow"
"or blue"
"or white"
"Now... what win against fire?" Azami ask
"Ice" The Shadow smile
"Good answer, Me. Let's hunt down a bird, shall we?" Said Azami while her Shadow start to fade away. She raise her hand and a card show up. It had the picture of a clown "Persona!" Azami scream and a figure appear behind her. It was a woman with a mask of a happy face on it, she have a long red messy hair, her clothes were the sames as a clown would wear. In her head rest an old crown with broken jewels. In her back there was a black trumpet and a gold Scythe. The Persona point at the shadow and sneered at her. "Sommers! Show her how we deal with the bad princess" Said Azami and Sommers grab her Trumpet and cast Ice skills...
Okay, i'll explain something here. Surely you'll look it up later, Sommers was the court jester of Henry VIII. He was a man but here i put the Persona as a woman, why? Because i wanted to... and there wasn't any female jesters... or at least i think. I search and i didn't find anything at all. Anyway, i'll leave it like that because i can make jokes about it later.
What do you think about the story so far? I may have some grammar errors, that's because i don't speak english :P Well, let me know if you like it, a review would be nice and thanks to all the people following the story :D
