Hi there readers.
So you must wonder why did it took me almost a year to put up a new chapter, and well that because I feel Sora is really OC in this fic. I don't think I have characterize him good enough, so I tried to better that during this chapter, I don't know if I manage it but I felt bad I haven't put a new chapter in a year so… here it is.
Anyway, hope you enjoy it and sorry for my bad English, if you wish leave a review
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Persona series they both belong to Square Enix, Disney and Atlus
Chapter 10: Peaceful days and a new threat
4/27 Monday:
Daytime\ Gekkukan high school rooftop
"Wow, you guys got beaten up yesterday" I say in a joking manner
"That's not true, things... Only got a little out of control" Minako replies
"Yeah, just joking. You guys did great and who would have thought you could summon two personas at the same time?"
"It was a surprise for all of us but thanks to that we manage to survive" Yukari says with relief in her voice
The three of us are currently sitting in the rooftop talking about what happened yesterday at Tartarus granted I still haven't said anything about my little escapade
"So, what did you do yesterday?" Yukari ask changing the topic
"Oh, me? Nothing really..." I reply nervously
Suddenly the door to the rooftop is suddenly open by a rather startled Junpei, for a few seconds he says or does nothing but stare directly at me
"Sora…" He starts dramatically pointing his finger at me "Is it true? Did you really receive a love letter today?!" He finishes
"Huh?" Is my answer
"WHAT?!" Is Yukari and Minako answer
"Is it true?!" the three of them ask at the same time staring directly at me
"Well… oh, right! You mean this?" I say taking a white envelop out of my blazer pocket
"So it was true!" Junpei says excitedly
"Who?" Minako ask "When?" Yukari continue both of then just as excitedly
"Well, I receive it today and I don't know from whom… but there is something I know, and that is this is not a love letter"
"Huh?" Junpei says disappointedly
"Why would you say that?" Yukari asks
"Yeah, you should have more confidence in yourself" Minako says in a tone that suggests she's trying to cheer me up for some reason
"Confidence…? No, well you see this letter is way too simple for it to be a love letter, I mean it doesn't have a pink envelope there is no way this is a love letter if it doesn't even have a pink envelope" I reply with confidence
"Oh, really? How come you know so much about love letters?" Junpei replies skeptically
"Well, back in my last school, my friend, Riku used to receive tons of love letters almost every day and I used to help him carry them to his home" I reply with a bit of nostalgia in my voice "Anyway, how come you knew about this letter, Junpei?"
"Huh? Well…haha, you see…" He says a bit nervous
"Oh, that's right yesterday I did get the feeling you did something you shouldn't have done, I wonder why?" I say making it sound almost like a threat
"*gulp*" Suddenly the bell sound "Oh?! You head that? Let's return you don't want to be late for classes right?!" He says as he sprints out of the roof
"*sigh*" He got saved by the bell; I do wonder what did he do yesterday though? Anyway since the lunch break already ended we should return to the classroom…
The rest of the day passes without any event; I'll just have to meet with that mysterious person after school is over…
4/27 Monday:
After school\Persimmon tree hallway
Finally, let's see what this whole letter thing was about… and I should really talk to Kenji about privacy, I bet he was the one who told Junpei about this after all he was the only one with me when I received the letter, seriously that guy…
"All right I'm just on time" A feminine voice says
Oh, I see her... huh? Who's that? A girl with black hair, and dark skin... I don't think I have met her before. I wonder what she wants.
"Um... hello" I greet her
"Oh, you came earlier" She says with a small smile
"So, what's it?"
"*giggle* I know your secret" W-what?! No way...Does she know I'm a keyblade wielder… just, who is she?
"S-secret? W-what secret?" I answer as composed as I can
"Oh don't play dumb with me; I know you beat those three guys right here on Friday"
"H-huh… O-oh that..." *phew* I must stop being so suspicious, this is not god for my health
"What were you thinking about?"
"Nothing... Nothing... So what's this all about?" I say putting my hands behind my head, completely relaxed
"Oh, that's right I was going to ask you to join the kendo team, after all you beat them with a wooden sword, right?" she says with a wide smile.
"Hum... Yeah, sure, I'll join" I reply with another smile
"..." she looks dumbfounded
"What? Is there a reason I shouldn't join?" I ask
"No no, it's just I thought you'll be harder to convince, but since you accepted so fast let's begin right away" as she says that, she starts dragging me by the arm towards the club building... but I stop her before entering the club
"Hey, aren't you forgetting something?" I say smiling a bit at her enthusiasm
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"*chuckle* Presentations… I'm Sora; it's a pleasure to meet you"
"O-oh! Right, I'm Yuko Nishiwaki, the club manager, and it's a pleasure to meet you as well" After a quick handshake we head into the club room…hum… how weird, I feel like someone was spying on me... Nah, I must be starting to become paranoiac.
Minako POV: Back in the first floor corridor…
"Well that went better than expected" Junpei says almost surprised
"I can't believe you convince us to do this…" Yukari says with a sigh
"Hey, you guy came on your own free will" He replies
He is right but I can't believe we were seriously spying on Sora during his possible confession, it wasn't right…
"Well, at least he seemed happy…" I say with a little smile
"You know, I thought you guy would get jealous or something… guess I made a mistake" Junpei says with a shrug
"Of course not, Junpei. Sora is only our friend, right Yukari?" But Yukari doesn't answer and only stares into the floor
"I knew at least one of you would get jealous" Junpei says
"Shut up, Stupei" She replies with a glare "Of course I'm happy about him… it's just I'm also kind of sad… you know when we went to visit Minako-chan to the hospital he would come with me and try to cheer me up each time he saw me sad even if he is rather clumsy, and it was really fun to just talk to him…" When she says that I also recall the times we have talk to each other and I get what she's trying to say
"Yeah, I get it… when you are around him it feels like you can be completely yourself because no matter what he will accept you, right?" I say
"Yeah, exactly… I guess I'll simply miss to hang out with him as much but it's not like we'll never see him again" Yukari finish and I simply nod at what she says
After that we part ways Junpei is returning to the dorm, Yukari's going to the archery club and I must finish the paperwork to join the student council, there is still a long way to go until the day is over…
After school\ Gekoukan High Gym
The sound of wooden swords clashing against each other filled the room.
"All right everybody, listen to me" the sound suddenly stops and everyone turn to look towards the teacher "I want you to welcome our newest member, Sora Sakuraba, from class 2-E"
"It's pleasure to meet everybody" I say making a slight bow
The rest of the team greets me and the teacher in charge of the team decides that it would be better if I only watch the practice for today, seeing how I just joined. I'm a bit reluctant since I would like to have some sparring matches but in the end I accept.
After the practice restarts a guy with black spiky hair approaches us
"So, he's the guy you talk to me about?" He says to Yuko
"Yep, he's the one"
"Hum… he doesn't look all that amazing but I guess looks can decive"
"Hey, I resent that" I say in a joking manner after all people tend to think I'm not really strong until I show them otherwise
"Heh, Nice to meet you, I'm Kazushi Miyamoto"
"Sora-kun, this guy here is our future captain and he'll be keeping an eye out for you since you are the new guy, he may be a blockhead but please be his friend" Yuko tells me
"Then I'll be in your care from now on, Kazushi" I say with a smile and as we shake hands…
I art thou
And thou art I
Thou hast form a new social link of the Chariot arcana
These bonds shall guide you in your path
You have obtain the persona
Goofy, the loyal royal guard
Time resumes itself…
"Well we gotta return to practice, see you around"
"Yeah, I'll have your uniform ready for the next practice"
Both Kazushi and Yuko go back to the team as I sit in the gallery watching them practice… I think this will be fun; I can't wait until next time…
After practice is over…
Since I really didn't do much during practice, I guess I should do something for the team so I offer to clean up the gym but this place is way larger than you'll think… oh, well no use complaining now after all I'm almost finished…
Some minutes after that…
Finished!
Well, now I can head back home… though I guess I could stop by the strip mall, Kenji said they sell some really interesting manga there guess I could check it out…
But suddenly "Yuko, want to head back home together…" a female voice says from the door to the gym
"Sorry, practice ended up early today" I say as I turn around and see a girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail, pale skin and grey eyes
"I see… wait, if practice is over then what are you doing here?" she ask in a serious tone
"Cleaning"
"I see that but I was wondering why… actually, I don't think I have seen you in the club before… wait, they didn't make you clean just because you are the new guy, right?!" she says with an even more serious tone… and I gotta say is nice to meet someone who worries about other people even without knowing them…
"Of course not" I say with a small smile
"O-oh… is that so… sorry"
"You don't have to apologize, you were worrying about me I appreciate that… anyway I'm Sora, it's a pleasure to meet you" I say extending my hand
"Sora? Your name sound familiar, were have I heard it before… I guess it doesn't matter, I am Rio Iwasaki, nice to meet you Sora-kun" and as she takes my hand…
I art thou
And thou art I
Thou hast form a new social link of the Chariot arcana
These bonds shall guide you in your path
You have obtain the persona
Xaldin, the Whirlwind Lancer
"Well, see you around Sora-kun, don't stay until too late, ok?" Rio says as she goes out the door
"Ok, goodbye"
After that I pack my things and start heading towards the strip mall since I'm still not going to Tartarus I might as well get back to the dorm a bit late…
After school\ Iwatodai strip mall, Bookworms
Hum… Both Bunkichi and Mitsuko are out, they should be more careful with their merchandise someone could stole it, then again these are used book so I guess that's not really a worry for them, oh well guess I'll check out some of their manga while I'm here…
Some minutes after…
"Guh… a-almost there…" A female voice that sound more like a whisper says
I turn around and see a girl with long brown hair and my school uniform trying to reach for a book, she's standing on the tip of her toes so I decide to help her when suddenly she reaches and pull out the book but sadly with it a whole bunch of books that where pilled with it comes crashing down on her but I react faster and push her out of harm's way, but I'm not fast enough and the books fall on me instead… I end up in the floor covered with book and from there I see the girl, she wears glasses, but even through them I can see an expression of both embarrassment and… fear? And what is even weirder it seems the fear is directed to me, in any event she drops the book she had struggled so much to get and run out the door.
I get up from the floor and try to organize the fallen books as fast as I can and when I'm done I follow her outside the shop but I guess she's already gone since I don't find her, I search for a bit more since I would really like to know why she was scared of me but I finally give up and return to the dorm… after all she's from Gekoukan so chances are I might see her tomorrow. Nothing else happens that day, well except for me trying to clarify Junpei I don't have a girlfriend, seems like my friends were spying on me later… oh, well, it's not like I mind so guess I'll just forget about it…
Time unknown\ location unknown
Philemon is standing with his eyes closed in a whole white space; there is nothing around him but pure light…
"Huh… this is interesting, three Chariot social links, that's something I didn't expect and he's developing his powers in such short amount of time… that kid sure is full of surprise" he say with a small smile but without opening his eyes
"Hey there Philemon…" the voice surprises the masked man, but he doesn't show it as he turns around to face whoever is behind him
And there he sees him a man coated in black with a paper bag covering his head with a lone yellow eye to show "What are you doing here, Crawling chaos?"
"Aww, it's that a way to greet your ol' good buddy?" He say in an joking manner
"I won't repeat myself"
"Fine, well I just came here to congratulate you, it seem you finally learned from me, who would think you'll be the one to break our agreement? It really surprised me"
"Me? You were the one to lead the Organization here?"
"Exactly, I only guide them, I didn't recruit them personally, that was all you. I mean seriously you brought a keyblade wielder here, those guys could kill us, but… you know what I have realized that there is something he's missing as a keyblade wielder and that's… Heartless"
"You wouldn't dare to bring them here; they have left these worlds for more than 50 years and they are dangerous, they may not have as much conscience as the Shadows but they're far more dangerous, if they were to destroy this world you would also disappear" Philemon voice fills the space with a tone of rage and maybe even fear
"Well, I think I'll put my faith in that keyblade wielder of you… see you" The crawling chaos says with a tone of sarcasm as he disappears
Philemon was without words, while is true that a Keyblade master with proper training and years of experience would be able to defeat both him and the crawling chaos, the boy he had brought to his world was broken, his connection with the keyblade almost lost and to some extend he was innocent and naïve. To his credit he had deal with the Heartless before but… this was not good, he must tell Sora immediately…
5/8 Friday
After school\ Gekoukan High Second Floor Classroom Corridor
Sora POV:
Well it have been quite a fun filled days, I mean we still have to go to Tartarus everyone in a while but it's not so bad now that we have reach the limit of how much we can go on. So to give a brief resume of what have transpired during these few day I will start saying that my shoulder finally healed and I was able to return to the fight, another thing is that we have finally reach the top of Tartarus or at least what it seems to be the top since the next set of stair is blocked, granted we had to fight a guardian before reaching it but our teamwork have improved and we were able to beat him with little problem. Also both Theodore and Elizabeth have started preparing some kind of missions where we have to beat certain shadows in exchange for items, so that would be all that happened in Tartarus during this time.
Last week was Golden Week and I spent it playing a videogame Junpei lend me, called "Innocent Sin Online", a really fun game there is even a character there that reminds me of Philemon but that's not the important thing in the game I meet someone called *Maya* and established a Social Link with her, it was really surprising since I thought you needed to at least meet the person in the flesh to establish an S.L. but I guess they work in a different way than I thought. And talking about S.L. I found the girl I met at Bookworms, her name is Chihiro Fujisaki, the treasurer of the student council, she have a fear to men so it was reasonable she ran away that day but I have decided to help her, it took a bit of convincement but she finally agreed to hang out with me and the Justice S.L. was established. Also I have begun to sneak up in the Tennis club, for some reason the only members right now are Rio and Minako so they asked me for help and it seems that I'm actually good at tennis, it seems all those fights with heatless did wonders to my reflexes even without the keyblade and just yesterday both Minako and I established a S.L. of the Hanged Man Arcana with a girl called Maiko that spends her time in the Naganaki shrine.
So that was most of the things that have happened until now... Well, that and one more little thing that Minako told me in the beginning of the week and I can't still shake off. She said she had a bad feeling about this next Saturday and considering how things turned out last time she had a bad feeling I am quite worried then again it could be just us being paranoid since nothing have happen until now... At least not this week...
"Right... Everything will work I just know it..." I whisper to reassure myself
However as I'm thinking this I bump into a girl and she falls to the floor a bunch of papers flying out of her hands, I help her up and realize she's the same green haired girl I meet a while ago
"Sorry about that..." I say as I start lifting up the papers from the floor
"Ah! You don't have to do do that Sora-san!" She says surprised by my actions
"True, I don't have to do it. But I want to do it. I mean there is no reason to not help a friend" she seems a bit flustered by my words "So, what are these papers abut?"
"They are for the my c-cooking club, but since I'm the only menber it's going to close soon"
"You formed this club?"
"Y-yes... It's kinda sad it's going to close so soon"
I think for a few seconds, and then I take a pen out of my school bag and start writing my name in the paper with the names of the club members
"Sora-san, what are you doing?"
"I hope you don't have troubles with me being a man"
"O-of course not"
"Great" I say handing her the list of members with my name on it "Well, I'm not really a great cook, so let's learn together, ok?" I say with a bright smile
She only nods her head, bows and takes off running. She is without a doubt an interesting girl... And I forgot to ask her name again *sigh* well, maybe next time
With that I start heading to the dorm, but as I'm about to head out I'm stopped by Toriumi-sensei, who asks me to join another club apart from the kendo-club. I try to explain that I have already joined the cooking club but she doesn't believe me and I end up joining the health committee. And it seems I am not the only one in this situation, since Minako is also here, there we meet the other member of the committee, a girl called Saori Hasewaga, and she is of the Hermit arcana and seems to be rather friendly despite being older than us, so we should get along just fine. And after that Minako and I finally head home.
Nothing else happens in the rest of the day, and since I'm kind of tired I decide to take a little nap
Station of Awakening
"Hello, Sora" I hear Philemon voice before opening my eyes
"Philemon, long time no see" I gotta say I missed his voice this last few days
"I am glad to see you're safe and I hate to be the bringer of ill news but..." I frown at that "The crawling chaos is going to bring the Heatless to this world"
"W-what?!"
"I should be able to maintain their appearances only during the Dark hour but..."
"Wait a sec; I need more explanation than that!"
"Does an explanation really matter? You more than anyone should know how dangerous the Heartless are and it's a fact they are coming"
"O-okay, but... We could beat them with our Personas, right?"
"You could, but they wouldn't disappear permanently, only the Keyblade can do that"
"I thought both powers worked the same..."
"They have... Similarities but they are not the same. You, Sora, are a keyblade wielder but your connection with the keyblade is broken, what I did was to change the form of your power and make it so you could reestablish your connection with it via the Social Links in the end I would have return your power to its original form but this... Was unexpected"
"If what you say is true, then I see no reason why not to change it back now, I have gotten stronger since last time"
"That is true but you are nowhere your original level by this point using your keyblade would be like using your evoker to summon your Persona"
"Then... Then give me the ability to change at will between them. That way I could decide when to use my Persona or Keyblade"
"..." Silence, but I can tell he's considering it "Can you handle it?"
"Definitely"
"..." Silence, once again "Very well, then go to Igor"
I nod silently and close my eyes as I feel my consciousness return
"And Sora... Good luck" is the last thing I hear him say
Night time/ Almost midnight, Paulownia mall
After that dream I sneaked out of the dorm and went towards the mall, right now I'm in front of the ethereal blue door. I open it and the whole world starts spiraling downward...
Velvet Room
"Welcome, Master Sora" I'm greeted by Elizabeth
I let out a little groan of frustration since I haven't managed to make her greet me normally, let my mind wander for some seconds before I remember what I came to do here
"Igor..." I turn to him and he simply nods
The mirror from the first night appears once again and I stand in front of it, when suddenly the mirror broke and a powerful wind pushes me backwards
"Reach it..." I hear Igor say as my keyblade appear in front of me seemingly the reason of the wind
I extend my hand trying to reach it but the wind keeps pushing me backwards, but I eventually reach it after some minutes and grab the handle of the mitycal weapon...
"Until next time, Master Sora" I hear Elizabeth say as an even stronger wind drags me out of the Velvet Room forcefully
Night time/ Almost midnight, Paulownia mall
I wake up a few seconds after in the alley of the mall and check the hour... Some minutes before the Dark hour, better return to the dorm immediately... But before that, since there is no one here... I summon my Persona, the card appears floating above the palm of my hand as usual and then I close one eye and imaging the keyblade. The card is envelope in flames, that starts taking the form of the weapon when finally the fire disperses in a flash of light reveling the gold and silver sword that have been my companion since three years ago.
I let a big smile creep to my face as I swing the weapon around, fighting with a Persona was a great experience but nothing beats this feeling right now.
"I'm back..." I say with the biggest and silliest smile of all. When suddenly my happiness is turn into pain as my whole body is envelope in fire but only literally. My body plummets to the ground as I let go of the weapon and it disappears in a flash of light but the pain stay. It's worse than when I use the evoker and the worst part is my head, it feels as if it's going to break from the pressure on it, I finally give into the pain and lose consciousness...