10/5 Mon, Iwatodai Dormitory, Morning
I pushed opened the door to the dorm. I was walking with bandages under my shirt and on my arms. "Kei-kun, calm down," Yukari tried to calm me down. "No way!" "I know how you feel right now, but you need to settle down!" "No, you don't know how I feel! I need to rescue her, now!" I was on the second floor, near my room. "How are gonna do that, we don't even know where she is!" "I'll...figure it out." "Figure it out? How are gonna do that, by getting yourself hurt; or even killed!?" "I... If that's what it takes..." "No, Kei!" I opened the door to my room, closing the door behind me.
"Kei-kun... Shinjiro-senpai is dead, Minako is gone and so is Fuuka. I think her going missing is revolved around you guys; Shizuka and you. Am I right?" I didn't answer her question, I didn't want to reveal anything...
"Kei-kun... Shizuka gave Mitsuru-senpai something, but senpai told me to give this to you when you..." She slipped something through the bottom of my door. "And if you do somehow find her, please...just be careful; for...her." I picked it and I opened it up...
Pant* *Pant* *Pant* "Well, Masaru my boy, how do you feel?" "I feel...great; powerful even!" I felt a surge of power that I never felt before. ...Even awakening to my Persona didn't feel this good. "That's terrific." I looked back at the boss. "When do I get to test this power," I grinned. "Well, what if I tell you can very soon." "Heh, can't wait...!"
Iwatodai dormitory, evening
Swoosh* *Swoosh* I was practicing my fighting technique, without my weapon. I had been doing this for hours in preparation for my rescue mission. I would have been out of here by now if it wasn't for Shizuka's letter.
"Kazuki, if you are reading this that obviously means you are alive. However, it means something bad has fallen upon me. I want to tell you not to rush like I usually do, but I know that won't happen; you'll rush off to save Yamagishi. So, instead of slowing you down, I'll tell you where she is... Do you know about the SEBEC building in Mikage-cho? Well, in the basement level of the complex, there is a room with a large machine. Once you get there, there will be a control panel. The instructions for the controls will be on the back of this letter... But Kazuki, once you are in that place, it will be unlike any challenge you have ever faced. So, before you go, please get some training in, be prepared, and above all, don't die... Also, a very important thing: My spy told me what was in store for this plan. In three days, they will kill Yamagishi. So, don't rush off to your death, but yet, move fast to save her... I'll catch up to you when I made a recovery, but until then, go by yourself. And one last thing - I know that this will seem daunting, but I believe that you can do this by yourself; I have faith in you...
-Your mentor, Shizuka
I punched the air for one last time before stopping.
"Well, time to go..." I picked up the bag full of supplies and I put it on my back. I opened the door out of my room, closing it behind me.
I was on the lounge floor, nobody was here due to all that happened. I heard Shinjiro died the night of the operation. I didn't know how to feel about it at the time, but now, I feel a bit sad but I can't linger on it much longer. "Huh, hm..." I saw a notepad and a pen next to it on the kitchen table. I went over to it and I began to write a letter...
Gekkoukan high, Evening
I was standing in front of Shinjiro-senpais' memorial, prying for his soul. It was only yesterday that he was alive, now...
"Kei, what are you doing here?" I turned around to see who's here. "Kio, are you alright," I asked with concern. "Yeah, I'm fine now. What is that on your back?" He pointed to the bag on my back. "Oh, well... I'm leaving to go rescue Fuuka. And Nobody will stop me from doing so!" "I never said I was," Kio responded quickly. "You entitled to do what you want, and if you want to rescue her I won't stop you. I'm actually curious on where to search." "I...can't tell anyone, sorry." "...Shizuka is probably a reason why." "...!" "Mitsuru and I aren't stupid, we know that there's something with her, and whatever it is might be important for us to know."
He had me at a complete surprise here. It almost felt like I was talking to a different person here; it was almost overwhelming. Still, I couldn't let that stop me. I took steps forward and past Akihiko... "Hey, I want to check something." "What?" I saw Kio ball up his right fist. He quickly threw a punch towards me. And with quick instincts, I was able to raise a leg towards his head. "Why you stop," Akihiko asked. "Same reason you did." My foot was near his head and his fist was near my cheek. "Hm, I got what I needed." "Really?" "Yeah... One last thing, don't get killed. And get her back in one piece." "Got it!" I took my foot away from his head and I exited out of the auditorium but not before seeing Akihiko just looking at Shinjiro's memorial... He isn't crying, nor is he talking, he's just gazing... Is he over it?
Hours later
Mikage-cho, on route to the old SEBEC building, Dark Hour
I was driving past town with Mitsuru's bike. I stole the key from her room while she was at school. She'll be furious when I get back but I didn't have time to think about it, I needed to hurry and rescue her before the three-day deadline. I stopped when I was about to pass a playground. "..." I was gazing at it, replaying old childhood memories.
"No, can't get distracted now!" I shook my head and I began to drive off...
Mikage-cho, old SEBEC building, Basement level, Dark Hour
Thud* I kicked down the last door to the room Shizuka was talking about. "So, this is the basement floor." I saw a giant machine in the middle of the room. I went over to the console Shizuka mentioned. I followed the rest of the instructions that were on the back of the letter. Finally, I pressed the blue button, then, I heard a noise coming from the machine. "All right, looks like that did it." There was a white hole in the machine. I walked over to it, staring at it...
"*Breathing in and out* Here I come, Fu-chan!" I walked right into the white hole and into the depths of unknown territory.
Thud* "Oww!" I face-planted the floor. The floor felt a bit dry...? I got up immediately from the floor, dusting myself off.
"What in the hell?" When I looked at my surroundings, I was outside, but that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the fact that everything around me was destroyed... There was sand on the floor and moving around in the air. "Is this Mikage?"
I walked down a couple blocks of ruined buildings and sand hurling in my face, I was keeping my guard up at all times... I was still in disbelief that this is where this organization comes from...
"Huh, an enemy." I saw something coming from beyond all the dust. I drew my sword and I readied myself. "Face my power, he ho!" "Huh!?" I saw something in the air blocking the sun. It was about to descend right on top of me, so, I just sidestepped it. "HEE HOO!" As a result, the strange creature crashed to the floor. "How is this possible, ho!? You dodged my horios attack, Hee!" "It really wasn't that hard..." When I thought it couldn't get any stranger, it did. I felt something on my head. *Bite* "AHHHH! GET OFF ME!" "*Spit* You have too much hair." "I said...get off!" I threw off the thing that was bitting my head. "Aw, that hurts! You shouldn't throw people like!" "And you bite people!" "Heenough of this! Ko, let's destroy this fiend!" "Right!"
The infant climbed on top of the black Jack Frost and the two of them made a pose. "We are the keepers of peace in this barren world!" "All evil doers shall fear our awesome powers!"
This was a waste of time. I just walked past them without even taking a second glance at them.
"W-wait! Where are you going!?" "...To find someone." "Who," the kid probed. "A girl." "Ah... Do you need help?" "No." "Are you sure, because I-" "Listen..." I crouched down to the child's level. "I'm going to be doing something dangerous and you seem like an okay kid, so, I don't want you to get caught up in it." "But... Are you sure?" "I am."
I patted the blue haired kid. "Take care of yourself." I got up and I began to walk away to the giant tower.
"...Getting inside the tower isn't easy and it'll be even harder if you have to fight the other factions!" "Factions?" "Yeah, they all have scary men and leaders!" I couldn't believe that this wasteland had such things. "How come?" "Because anyone who isn't apart of a faction isn't a friend to them. Fortunately, I'm apart of a group." "Well then, can you take me to yours. I'll see if I can work out an understanding with them." Fighting right now would be bad. I need all the energy I got. "Mhm, follow me. Oh, goodbye Black Frost." "See you, he ho. Let's keep up the fight for peace!" "Okay, tell everyone I said hello.
As we walked away, the Frost waved us goodbye. "Hey, is he apart of a group?" "Yep, it's called the Frost clan. Most of them are nice but the leader is a jerk!" "Ah, I'll make sure to remember that."
While we were walking, the kid climbed up my pants and into my hood. "H-hey, what are you doing, umm...?" "My name is Ko!" "Ko, right. Anyway, why are you chilling in my hood." "My feet hurt, so I thought it would be a lot more comfortable like this." "For you." "Yep," he exclaimed. Well, at least he's honest...
It's been a couple of hours now that I have been thrown into this cell. It was clear of any dust or cobwebs. "Okay, once again, Lucia." I tried to search my surroundings and as usual, I can't look past the cell door.
"Hello, check up time. How are we feeling today?" I wasn't going to answer his questions, so I only gave him silence. "Hey, do you hear me? It's me, the dude that was standing in the air like he owned the thing." "..." "Oh, come on! People usually go, 'Oh my god, you're that guy! How are you, how is life'?" "..." "Okay... Maybe you're shy, I get it; you're sweating buckets, you have no idea what to say and you don't know how to say it. Well, if you come over to the door and look at my charming good looks, it'll all be okay." "..." "Okay, I guess that came off as creepy. So you know what, I'll let you see a person that you might know...
He opened the cell door to only let someone in... "Now introducing the new (unofficial) blood: Minako Arisato!" Minako entered the room and looked down at me with a cold stare... 'Minako!?" "Hello, Yamagishi..."
Ruined Mikage-cho, Eastside faction base, underground, morning, 3 days left
"Ko." "Yeah?" "I thought you said you belonged here," I stated. "I do, but..." We had several weapons pointed at us. "Then why are they pointing weapons at us! "...I DON'T KNOW WHY!" "Huh!?"
"Ko, you ain't suppose to bring strangers to our base, you know better!" "Sorry, but he wants to get into the tower." "Then he might as well let us kill him here," one of the members said. "We sent men-good men, and so far, none of them came back at all; even our vice never came back...!" "And furthermore, who are you!?" I pointed my thumb to myself. "I'm Kei Kazuki, and I need to get into that tower. Even if you guys think I'll die, I need to get in there!"
I heard loud footsteps approaching us. "Oh no," Ko quivered. "What?" "...I know those footsteps! It's old man Tamotsu!" "What is he a jerk too?" "No, but he'll punish me for bringing a stranger in here. I can't let that happen to me again!" Ko jumped off of me and scurried off. A larger figure appeared in front of us, he was holding a sword that was just as long and just as big as he was. He was also wearing a large white jacket. "You want to scale the tower, boy?" "Yes!" It went dead silent until the giant elder began to laugh. "Bwahahaha! I like your spirit! However, spirit alone won't help you climb it. You need strength." "I have it," I confidently said. "Hm... maybe you do, however, actions speak louder than words. So, prove that it."
His words shock me like it was an earthquake. Nonetheless, I'm up for it! "Fine, I'll prove myself! But, how do I do that?" He cleared through the crowd of people. "Follow me..." As he instructed, I followed him to a room.
Ruined Mikage-cho, Eastside faction's debriefing room, morning, 3 days left
I took a seat on a chair facing the old who was sitting on an even bigger chair than me. "Are you comfortable?" "Yes." He coughed after I answered. "Great." "Um, are you okay," I asked. Yes, I'm fine. Now, on to more pressing matters. To prove you have the strength to pass the first floor, let alone survive in that place at all. Well, prove it right now. ...First! Be my servant for a year! Second: Defeat a god while blindfolded! Then, you might have a chance." "Hell no," I yelled. But he just laughed it off.
"Okay, um...Tamotsu, right?" "Yes, and now that you know that, let's move on."
He threw a map on the table...
"This is the map of the whole city. We have more maps but those are outdated versions. Anyway, what I'll have you be doing is very simple: we have been trying to find a certain treasure for a while now, however, we finally found it, but it's in the west side territory and if any of us go, they most certainly be tipped off to this treasure being right under there noses. So, I'll have you go, and if you are able to deliver the treasure, I'll get you into the tower."
Huh, I thought this would be a lot more difficult, but this seems easy. "All right, I'll get this done and then I'll raid that tower!" "Heh, we'll see. For I need you to go here. He pointed to the x mark and handed me the map. "Okay, I'll get this treasure and you get me into that tower, right?" "Yes, like I said." "All righty then, I'll be right back."
I left the room with the map in hand and a little fetch quest to go along with it. ...I'll be there in no time at all to save you, Fuuka!
Ruined Mikage-cho, Westside, Evening
I was walking in the west side district heading to the place on the map. Along the way, I fought some other people along the way. I was nearing the area where the treasure is at. I found something glowing brighter than any street light underneath some rubble. I cleared the rubble with ease. "This must be it." He did on the back saying find glowy stones. (Who wrote this, a child?)
"Stop right there!" I turned around to see who was halting me from taking the stones. The person who told me looked like they were just as young as me. "Put your hands up slowly!" "Okay." I put up my hands to the air like I was told to. This kid was poking me with a staff. "Where's your faction" "Sorry, I'm new to the town. I don't belong to any." "D-don't play with me! What faction; Eastside, or westside, or maybe you're from bandit territory!?" He started poking me in the ribs. "Ow, can you stop that! I just need these stones and that's it!" "Well, I need them too. And I won't go back empty handed! So, if you want them too, I'll have to take them by force!"
He made a stance with the staff, readying himself for battle. "Here I go!" "W-wait!" He was going to slam the thing to my head, so I brought out my sword, trying to block the oncoming attack. Instead of hitting my sword, it swerved and went straight to my side. *Thump* "ARGGH!" After that, he hastily moved it back to his center and he aimed for my stomach next. I step to the side and I blocked the attack, having the staff slid horizontally on my blade. But the next move was an unexpected one. He flipped the staff around, making the part that already went past my sword land right behind my arms. He lowered them just so he can hit me in the chin. "ARGGHH!" Then, he hit my cheek. Finally, he hit the back of my leg, making me kneel to the ground. He put his staff to my head.
"I'll be taking the treasure now. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry... But, I-" "...Man, you hit hard. And also, I can see that you're desperate, and so am I. Skeith!" I summoned my persona just to scare him off. Despite his legs shaking, he was still holding his ground. "Damn, well, guess that won't work. If I have to fight for them, then I'll do just that!"
I put up my sword, readying myself for a dual... "Ready...GO!" The first chance he had, he thrust his staff towards me, but I blocked it. In response, I counterstrike. We exchanged one blow after the other, making loud crashing noises with each strike. When I swung my sword, the kid hit the blade with the butt of his staff. "Mabufula!" "Huh!?" Multiple blocks of ice hit me in my chest, sending me into the air. "Bufula!" A block of ice shot me in the sky... I sliced it in half and I landed back on the floor. But he quickly closed the gap between him and I. The moment his staff made contact with the floor, ice came launching up at me. "Whoa!"I jumped back to avoid the attack, but I think that was a bad idea. The kid was on my side with a giant icicle heading towards my side. It was out of instinct, but I launched an Ocean's stream attack at him. It went crashing through a couple buildings.
"Oh shit!" I ran over to where the kid had stopped at. "Hey, are you..." I stopped midsentence when I saw a little ice cocoon was protecting him. However, he was unconscious. "Thank goodness I didn't kill him!"
I looked at the corner of a store. "Yo, Ko, since you're here, can you help me here?" "Huh!? How did you know I was here?" "You aren't that sneaky. So, can you help me?" "Um, sure."
Runied Mikage-cho, the shopping district, Late night, 2 days left
"*Groaning*" "Rise and shine," I said with an energetic tune. "Y-you! That skill, what did you do to me!?" "...Sorry, my instincts kicked in and I sort of just used it on you by accident." "On accident? Oh, what about those either stones!? I presume you claimed them. And above all, why are you still here; also, why don't I feel like I got hit by an Agi spell?" "Whoa, one question at a time, man. I had this little guy heal you up, and I stayed because I didn't want a demon strolling on along while you were resting. And as for those stone, what are they for?" He had a baffled look on his face. "You don't know what they are for but you want them anyway?" "No, someone told me to get them." "I see..." The kid shook his head and looked at me with a serious expression. "Let's continue!" "No." "What? Why not?" "One, because I really don't have time for this. Two, because I won. Three, why do you need these." "Because I need to save my home!" "..."
Runied Mikage-cho, Northside, Late night, 2 days left
"Hm, fine ladies all around. But you, you are a fine lady. Hehehe." *Spit* The lady he was talking to spat on the bandit's face. "You little bitch! You better hope that brat brother of yours brings back those either!" "Sorry for you, but he knows better. Susumu is never coming back here!" "You damn dirty liar! I never liked hurting beautiful women, but now, for lying to me, I need to punish you."
He pushed the girl down to the ground and he raised his fist towards to her. "Sorry, love. But you really shouldn't lie to me! But I will say, you put up a good fight..." He was about to drive his fist towards the girl until I threw one of those either stones at him. *Thump* "ARGHH!" "Bufula!" "Magnara!" The two spells hit the bandit at the same time. "Sister!" "Susu!" They both ran towards each other and hugged. "This reminds me of Naoya and me." "Who's Naoya," Ko asked. "Oh, he's my cousin, but he feels like more of a brother to me than anything." "Brother..."
"You stupid children! Now he'll kill us all!" "You should've just given him what he wanted!" The citizens are getting out of control from this sudden turn of events. "Boy..." The ice and the earth skill broke at the same time. "You, right there," he pointed to me. "Yeah." 'You just threw that either stone at me?" "Yep." I think that response angered him because the gloves he had on were beginning to glow red. "I shall punish you as well." "Come and try it." "I--The king of bandits will punish you!"
This battle was about to get started with this bandit king, and I was looking to get done with this battle in a flash...
?,?, 2 days left
Minako looked different. Her hair was let down and she had glasses on. "Minako, where are we? And what happened to everyone else during the operation?" "..." I felt nothing coming from her, even using my abilities. It's almost like she...
"Rin Shizuka is in the hospital, she'll possibly die due to her injuries. And as for Kei Kazuki, he is here in this world, coming to save you. "...!" He's here...? "Does this news shock you? Are you excited that you get to be saved from this; you must feel really happy, huh?" "These people won't harm him, right? I said I would give my life for my friends, so you can't hurt him!" "I don't know the details about this deal you have conducted... Take it up with someone else."
She began to walk towards the prison door. "Minako..." "Hm?" "What about Makoto-kun... How would he feel about this." "He'll understand why I'm doing this; it's all for him..." She exited out of the cell, leaving me by myself. "Kei, you shouldn't have come... Not for me."
Sorry for the wait, but here it is. We're almost to 40 chapters too, hooray! Also, I hope you guys are ready for this because this'll get really awesome. (While being consistent, hopefully.) So anyway, please follow the story so you can know when this series gets updated, and also, leave a review in the review box because feedback does help. Without anything else to say, I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this chap and until the next chapter: see ya.
A Kei Kazuki special
Kazuki: Hey, Fu-chan, did you order something?
Fuuka: Yes, I actually bought some new clothes.
Kazuki: Cool.
Fuuka: I need to see if it looks good on me.
Kazuki: Want me to tell you if it is?
Fuuka: Sure, but I need to change first.
Kazuki: Gotcha.
A minute later
Fuuka: You can come in now
Kazuki: Let's see what we...
Fuuka: I think the "Flash" on the jacket is a bit too much, and the mismatch tights are also strange too. Um, Kazuki-kun?
Kazuki: What? Oh, right, umm...
Fuuka: Are you okay?
Kazuki: Absolutely!
Fuuka: Kazuki-kun, blood is coming from your nose!
Kazuki: Worth it. I will die a happy dude...
*Thud*
Fuuka: KAZUKI-KUN!