Some might wonder why I came back to the roof of this abandoned building, and I'm not really sure myself. Sure I wanted some place out of the way to practice, but I could have just went to our realm like when I decided to accept Gilgamesh's request or deal. Of course I'm not sure if would have if I knew what would occur. Still I suppose this is the place where I found my path. Even if I don't actually understand what to do yet. Well I did decide to do something as ridiculous as decide to become the Avatar of Nyx and to change what that means. Sure I don't want to reject either my human side or my shadow side, and Shadows are fragments of Nyx. However just because I look like an idiot doesn't make me one. This is almost certainly going to be a difficult task even if I ignore how arrogant the attempt is. Still worse case scenario I'm sure Sakura can stop me.
I took a moment to focus and held out my right hand. Right I came here to test my power, but figuring out where to start is tricky. Well I do remember something Izanami's reincarnation did, and I am trying to go down a similar path. So that's probably a good start. My decision made I raised my right arm so that my hand was pointing towards the sky. I reached into the Sea of my Soul to draw forth the power that was mine by right of my nature as a Shadow. No rather the power I was meant to embody.
A moment later and I smiled as electricity began to flow across my hand like miniature bolts of lightning. I then focused on directing the electricity I called forth. Soon after the electricity was launched into the sky like a bolt of lightning. Well a bolt of lightning that was defying how lightning usually works, but that tends to be the case with magic. That's one element tested. Now I just have to figure out what next. Well I should probably avoid stuff like nuclear or almighty. Well lightning usually shows up during storms. So I guess I'll try wind next.
I dismissed the electricity and lowered my arm. Once again I focused on the power within the Sea of my Soul. A moment later and my hair was pushed back as the wind began to blow. Right I probably should have focused on directing it instead of just seeing if I could manipulate it. I then focused on directing the wind I called forth. In response it began to move around me in a circular pattern with the force of a gentle breeze.
"Your holding back," a voice said from behind me.
Upon hearing those words I dismissed the wind spell. Once that was done I turned around to see who managed to sneak up on me. Which in hindsight was probably a bad idea. After all if it was someone normal the wind wasn't doing any harm yet. Meanwhile if it was Ayako or one of Sakura's friends they probably wouldn't care. Finally if it was a potential problem it meant having a defense or offense ready. Still I'm not sure what the red haired woman standing a few feet away counted as. I knew who she was, but she technically wasn't the same her that tried to break me.
"Why are you here Ishtar?" I asked.
"I get that response a lot. I guess it comes with being the troublemaker of the pantheon," Ishtar said.
"That isn't an answer," I said.
"True. Well I'm not really use to this, but basically I wanted to apologize for the trouble that aspect caused," Ishtar said.
"Are you apologizing because Gilgamesh didn't?" I asked.
I'm not really sure why she was apologizing. Sure I despise what that curse attempted to do to me. The crime of trying to forcibly reforge my true self isn't something I can forgive. However well that wasn't this Ishtar. Hell it technically wasn't even the local Ishtar. It was basically just a malfunctioning spell. Plus Gilgamesh was the reason it occurred, and instead of an apology their response was basically "I'm helping." In the stop helping sense of the term. Soon after Ishtar started to laugh.
"That does sound like them. However no. Although I'll have to admit I'm not sure if I feel bad about it, or embarrassed, or just worried about how my sister will react if I didn't. Probably a combination. It's kind of a shame how badly made that curse was. The three of us made a good team in that timeline. You know the one where almost everywhere and when was on fire," Ishtar said.
I nodded in response. That timeline where Goetia began their Human Order Incineration plan. Which now that I think about it has me wondering what the reaction would be over the effect I seem to have had on Ereshkigal. Although that did require us getting beat up first.
"We did. Although someone managed to cause us some problems as well. Seriously what was with that whole stealing the Bull of Heaven from another timeline nonsense?" I asked.
"Sorry but I have no clue either. The local one should have been easier to get to. Of course in the timeline on fire the two of us did decide to try to clone them by having people race. So the me from here might just be odd," Ishtar said.
"You know if someone else said that you would probably curse them," I said.
"Probably. I do have a worse temper then when I was Inanna. Well that's kind of complicated. Although some people like odd so it might have been a compliment," Ishtar said.
I couldn't help but laugh. However a moment later this topic about how well we could have worked together if that curse wasn't a jerk reminded me of something. However before that there was something odd.
"Hey Ishtar, how do you know about this stuff anyway?" I asked.
"That's also something I'm not sure how to explain. Although part of it was echoes of your own memories the curse retrained when that aspect returned to me," Ishtar said
"What do you think would bother Sakura more Mara possessing her, or the fact that Mara was a complete embarrassment?" I asked
"That is a really tough question. On one hand Sakura hates being controlled. On the other Mara could turn off aspects of the laws of physics and create infinite clones, but lost to an anti one specific family weapon. A weapon made by a Servant who is so scared of dying I don't understand why they even agree to be summoned. Basically I have no clue," Ishtar said.
Actually now that Ishtar mentioned her I had to admit that Scheherazade is odd. As far as I know Servants have to be willing to be summoned. Yet she throws a temper tantrum over dying again despite this. Which is probably something the Black Pharaoh would probably claim is proof of humanity being self destructive.
"Is it odd that I find her fear of death odd despite what I decided to become?" I asked.
"My sister's probably more qualified for that question. Still you are aware of how difficult your plan is right?" Ishtar said.
"Well yeah. I'm planning on becoming the entity that is all Shadows while retaining my humanity and altering our nature so we don't kill everyone from waking up. Which I guess makes my current state sort of like sleep walking. Does that bother you?" I said.
"No. I would have done the same. Like I said we would have made a good team. Although the closest I got was trying to steal my sister's stuff, and well we both know how badly that went," Ishtar said.
"True. I have to admit there were some truth to those thoughts. Our arrogance lead us to the underworld where our sister killed us and gave us life again. Well in my case it was more metaphorical, and it was the arrogance of my human aspect, but close enough. Still I can appreciate that arrogance to be who you are even if the cosmos is telling you no. Sure it did lead to people saying you 'Destroy that which should not be destroyed' and 'Create that which should not be created'. However well if that's your nature too bad," I said.
"Of course. Although they did overlook that should not does depend on your point of view, and really they were probably just being a sore loser as well," Ishtar said.
I can't really argue with that. Sure Ishtar did steal some of their divine authority, or something like that. However I'm mad that I wasn't able to kill that shell of mine for being too scared of being human. Sure that's mostly instinct do to being a Shadow, but well she is a war goddess. So it's probably not that different. Still she's right that we would have made a good team, and I don't exactly know what to do yet to attempt my plan.
"Our spirits do reflect each other. However you do know I plan on surpassing you right?" I said.
"You can try. However I'd be disappointed if you weren't," Ishtar said.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. The Empress Arcana. Celebrate life's grandeur...its brilliance...its magnificence. The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. The Lovers Arcana. There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another. Although as Nyx my Arcana is Death, and as Rin I'm probably a Fool," I said.
"The two Arcana that can be used to summon me. Does that mean?" Ishtar said.
I smiled and nodded in response. I don't like what that Ishtar did, but I don't like what the less human-like human me did either, and that doesn't change the fact that she wasn't fully wrong. A part of me is Rin, and a part of me is a Shadow a fragment of Nyx. However to try to put those two together without obtaining a Persona? I'd say that was foolish, but that Acana require more respect than that.
"Thou art I," I said.
"I art thou," Ishtar said.
I smiled as I heard that sound like glass shattering. Soon after that wind from the depths of the soul that glows with that most sacred blue light began to flow from me, and another being emerged.
"Thou art I, I art thou. From the Sea of thy Soul I come. I am Ishtar. Let us ascend from the underworld," my Persona said.
"Huh so you summoned that aspect. Fitting. Well good luck with things," Ishtar said.
"Thanks," I said.
As I spoke the Persona Ishtar returned to my soul. After all it wasn't like I needed to have them summoned right now. So naturally since their a bunch of inconvenient jerks the Heavenly Host decides to launch an invasion. What is it with them and this kind of thing? It doesn't even make any sense either. How does making a giant mess help with fighting Chaos? At least the cosmic war us Shadows are involved in usually includes attempts to prove which side is right first.
"Well they picked a bad time. I recommend not going after your shell," Ishtar said.
"I'm not ready to fight her," I said.
Soon after I noticed a group of angels approaching. Angels that seemed to be clearly confused by the fact that I was here. It was rather obvious why that was the case.
"Saint of Jewels. What is the meaning of this?" an angel said.
"I see. So that is what that discarded piece of junk is called now. I'm not her. I am Rin. The heart of Rin Tohsaka you angels tore out. The cast off Shadow Self of Rin given life by the will of Black Pharaoh. The true Rin," I said.
Thanks to Cubia from Spacebattles for writing this!