~X~
~ May 8 - Emiya Residence - Morning ~
"Haah," I stretched out my body, getting some nice pops from my bones as I woke up.
Rei and I stayed up late playing games since I had no school today. We ended up camping out in the living room, falling asleep while watching Star Wars movies. I looked to the side to see Rei asleep. Ralts and Morgana were sleeping next to her. Zacian was already awake and staring at me.
I gave her a pat on the head, got up, and made my way to the bathroom close by to wash my face. Then I made my way to the kitchen to cook some breakfast, but Sebas was already there, and it looked like he was just about to finish cooking.
"Good morning, Lady Elysia," Sebas greeted.
"Morning, Sebas," I responded. "Where's Artoria?"
"I believe she is walking around the neighborhood."
Hmm, she was probably looking for a job. She did say she felt bad just sitting around.
At this moment, Rei walked into the kitchen with Morgana in her arms. She covered a yawn and sat at the table. "Morning," she said sleepily. Sebas and I greeted her in return.
Sebas served us a traditional Japanese breakfast. Rice, miso soup, rolled omelets, boiled vegetables, and grilled fish. Thankfully, Sebas didn't make natto. It's one of my least favorite dishes, and I doubt Rei will like it.
"So, Rei, I got the day off. Want to explore Tokyo today?" I asked.
"Sure!" she said, excited, and I nodded.
We finished breakfast and dressed in our usual casual clothes to head out. I would like to say that I finally got my red leather jacket repaired after it got damaged back in Singularity F. Morgana decided to stay behind and relax at the house for today.
"Have a nice day, my lady," Sebas bid farewell from the door.
"Thanks, Sebas. We'll be back just before dinner," I said.
"Bye, Mister Sebas," Rei waved as we left.
~ Big Bang Burger, Shibuya Central Stree - Afternoon ~
After we left the house, I took her to the Ueno Zoo. It seemed like a good place to take a kid. I wasn't too sure because I was new to this whole parent thing. We had a small problem: before we bought tickets to enter, I realized that I was only 15 and Rei was 10, so we needed an adult with us, at least at the entrance, to buy our way in.
So, I hid in a secluded place and summoned Aphrodite. In hindsight, I should have chosen someone else because Aphrodite was a Goddess of Beauty, so her appearance drew attention to us. But Dite was Rei's caretaker, so it seemed obvious to pick her. Rei was surprised to see her but was happy. Dite didn't stay very long as she knew I wanted to spend time with Rei by myself and so returned to the Sea.
Rei looked very happy to see all the different kinds of animals. She was always pointing out each one and explaining each of them. She really likes animals and took the time to study them in school when she had the chance. After the zoo, I took her to a Big Bang Burger in Shibuya to eat lunch.
"You looked like you had fun at the zoo," I commented.
"Yeah, I like animals a lot," Rei responded. "But I only ever I to look them up at school. The Dursleys never let me do… anything really."
"Well, it's good you had fun," I said.
"Yeah," Rei took a bite out of her burger. "Thanks for today."
[Death Confidant (Rei Emiya) has reached Rank 2.]
Hmm, things seem to have gone fine. But I still feel a little awkward about the whole parent thing, and I think Rei doesn't know how to act as a kid. But, at least she has some interests, so I can work with that.
We finished our food and headed home for the day.
"Are you going to sleep at the house tonight?" Rei asked.
"No, I got work tonight, and then I'm going to sleep at Leblanc," I answered.
"Oh," Rei sounded disappointed.
…
…
…
~ 5 Hours Later ~
Quest Complete
[Part-Time Job: Beef Bowl Diner]
Objective: Complete your shift. [x]
Bonus Objective: Make no mistakes during the dinner rush. [x]
Rewards: 3600 yen, +1 DEX.
Bonus Rewards: [Crafting] Skill EXP, 4800 yen, +2 DEX.
~X~
~ May 9 - Shujin Academy 1st Floor Hallway - After School ~
That's another day of school finished. As I walked out of my classroom, I ran into Ryuji.
"Oh, hey there, Yuki," Ryuji greeted. "You doin' anything today?"
"Yeah, I'm going to the airsoft shop. I want to sell some of the stuff we got from… well, you know the place," I answered.
"You mean Mementos?" he asked.
"Ugh, yes. But I was trying to be discreet. We're in public, after all," I frowned at him.
"What? Not like anyone could put the two together," he said.
"Maybe, but I'd rather not take the chance of someone overhearing the wrong thing," I whispered while looking around to see if Makoto was nearby. Fortunately, she wasn't. "So please try to be discreet when people are around."
"Alright then," he agreed, but I knew his big mouth would get us in trouble eventually. "So, you're headin' to the airsoft shop, right?"
"Yeah."
"That's perfect. Remember we talked about a place to train some days ago?" he asked, and I nodded. "I found a good place, and it happens to be close to the shop. Want to head over there with me when you're done?"
"Sure thing."
The two of us left the school and went off to Shibuya.
~X~
~ Kamurocho - Evening ~
[Chariot Confidant (Ryuji Sakamoto) has reached Rank 5.]
After hanging out with Ryuji, I went to the batting cages in Kamurocho. I wanted to finish off the quests I had there. After completing the advanced courses, Yoshida, the general manager of this place, approached me. He saw my batting and wanted me to try to beat his Devil Courses. Obviously, I accepted. They were… well… See for yourself.
.
Quest Complete
[Batting Center: Devil's Course]
Objective:
Beat the Home Run Hell Course. [x]
Beat the Chaotic Challenge Course. [x]
Bonus Objective:
Hit a perfect score on both courses. [x]
Rewards: 1 Gacha Ticket, +5 STR, END, and DEX, Perk: [Devil of the Baseball Bat].
Bonus Rewards: 3 Gacha Tickets, +5 STR, END, and DEX, Golden Baseball Bat.
.
[Devil of the Baseball Bat]
You were able to complete Yoshida's Devil Course. Your skill with a baseball bat is unmatched.
…You do plan on using bats for baseballs, right?
- Baseball bats do double damage.
.
"Amazing… You completed both courses so easily. You would make it very far if you decide to join the pro leagues," Yoshida complimented. There was a look of awe at what he witnessed.
Yeah, I was able to beat the courses very easily.
"Thanks. Those courses were a lot of fun," I complimented.
I left the batting center and started heading home. Those baseball quests gave me a lot of stats and Gacha Tickets. I'm going to use those when I get back-
"Oof!" I stumped as I felt someone bump into me.
"Woaaaahhh! Kch- Owwww," I heard someone scream.
I saw a guy in a leather jacket in front of me, cradling his shoulder like it was in immense pain. There were two other people to either side of him, who looked to be his friends, who looked at the guy in pain, surprise, and concern.
…Or this would be their real emotions if everything they were doing didn't look so fake.
"Yo, asshole! Watch where you're going!" a guy wearing a puffer vest yelled at me.
"Hey! You alright, man?" the third guy, wearing a hoodie, asked the leather jacket man.
"M-My shoulder got wrecked. I think it's totally destroyed!" Leather Jacket cried out. His head was drooping like he was fighting to stay conscious.
Quest Added
"C'mon, man! Pull yourself together!" Puffer Vest tried to encourage his friend. Leather Jacket's head fell, looking like he was unconscious. However, his body was still standing. "Damn, he's totally out of it!" Puffer Vest shouted in alarm.
"Ugh…" I cringed at the display of their bad acting.
"Oi, you!" Hoodie Man caught my attention. "How are you gonna make this up to my brother here, eh!? You gonna man- uh?" He stopped and finally took a good look at me. He seemed unsure what to do, but he shook his head and continued. "You gonna take responsibility or what!?"
"Responsibility?" I asked in disbelief, then shook my head. "Look, I don't have time for this game. You're all horrible actors." I tried to leave past them since it was the way I needed to go.
"Oh, hold up!" Hoodie Man stepped in my way. "Did you honestly think you could just hurt people and walk away without making up for it?"
"We're a friendly peace-loving group who means no one harm," Puffer Vest said, and I snorted at that. "So, we'll call it all forgiven for 10,000 yen."
"Not happening," I glared at the three. "You really trying to scam a teenager?"
"Heh, you really should've just paid up," Puffer Vest said.
"You're gonna regret making us pacifists angry," Hoodie Man threatened.
With that said, the three men got ready for a fight. I stood there looking relaxed but had my guard up. I used my Mystic Eyes to see what I was dealing with.
HP: 800/800
STR: 18
END: 16
DEX: 13
.
Oh my God, they're weak as hell. I'll have to hold back by so much so I don't accidentally kill them.
"Wait, you're really going to fight them?" Morgana cried out in alarm.
"I don't have a choice," I responded. I tossed my backpack to the side, so it didn't get in the way and to keep Morgana out of it.
Leather Jacket 'recovered' from his state of unconsciousness and charged at me, winding up for a big overhand right. I slipped to the left, dodging it easily. I grabbed his extended arm with my left, swept his legs, grabbed his neck with my right, and choke-slammed him to the ground. It'll take him a while to get up from that.
His other two friends were startled by that, and I used their hesitation to my advantage. I ran at Hoodie Man, grabbed his right wrist, and pulled him toward me. Then, I twisted clockwise while still pulling him past me and hit him with a spinning heel kick to the back. He went flying face-first into the ground.
Puffer Vest, the last one standing, got his wits together and threw a right. I used my right arm to parry it, moved to the side, and pushed his back into the direction of his punch to get him stumbling off balance. Now behind him, I grabbed his left arm, hooked my right under his armpit, and stepped through his legs. Then, using my whole body, I tossed him over my head and quickly crouched down to deliver a sweeping left kick to his head as he completed his flip and landed on his back.
And with that, the three thugs were defeated.
"Over already?" I taunted.
"Ugh… Why don't we just end the fighting? Live more peacefully?" Hoodie Man strained to say as he and his friends painfully got up.
"Huh? M-My shoulder… It's better!" Leather Jacket acted surprised and rolled his shoulder around. "The impact must've popped it back into place!"
"Whoa, no kidding?" Puffer Vest played along. "Good stuff, good stuff."
"Well then, since we're a friendly and peace-loving group, we'll be on our way now." Hoodie Man's voice was still laced with pain. The three of them hobbled away.
Quest Complete
[Bump and Scam]
Objective: Defeat the scammers. [x]
Rewards: 10,000 yen, 1000 EXP.
.
[Due to certain actions, a new skill has been acquired.]
[Kamurocho Style: Snake] Level 4 [37%]
A fighting style based heavily on Wing Chun and Aikido and was refined on the streets of Kamurocho. Yuki picked up this fighting style when she was a kid after watching a lawyer use it.
.
I sighed, completely done with this. Now my day was soured. I walked back over to where I threw my backpack. Morgana was partly out of it.
"Are you okay, Yuki?" Morgana asked, concerned.
"I'm fine. Those guys were way weaker than Shadows," I said.
"I guess so. I mean, you beat them so quickly," he said.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and was about to walk away when someone stopped me.
"Hey there, wait a sec," a male voice called out.
I turned around to see a guy with a slim build and messy black hair. His standard outfit is a black asymmetrical zip-up leather moto jacket over a fitted white tee-shirt, a pair of blue washed-out skinny jeans, and a pair of white low-top sneakers. He has a chain on his jeans, which I assume attaches to his wallet.
"I saw what happened. Are you okay?" he asked.
"Heh, I'm fine. You should see the other guys," I said.
"I saw. I'm surprised they walked away, acting like they were fine. Sorry, I would've helped you out, but by the time I noticed the fight to the time I got here, you already took care of it," he explained.
"It's fine," I waved his concerns away. "I used to live in Kamurocho. So, I know what this place can be like."
"Well, yeah. Kamurocho is its own kind of place."
"So… Who are you?" I asked. He seemed familiar, and this was a good time to ask since the small talk was over.
"Oh, right, sorry. I'm Takayuki Yagami. I'm a private investigator," he answered.
I blinked. The main character of Judgement? I actually forgot him. I guess I shouldn't be surprised I ran into him here.
"I'm Yuki Emiya, a student at Shujin Academy," I introduced myself.
"Shujin, huh?" Yagami developed a thinking look on his face.
"What's up?" I asked, curious why he was interested in my school.
"I think it goes without saying that you know the crimes of one Suguru Kamoshida, right?" he asked, and I nodded. "I'm working on a case a friend of mine asked me to look into."
"Something to do with Kamoshida?" I asked.
"Yes. I'm wondering if you can answer some questions,"
Haah. So Yagami is investigating Kamoshida. Why though? He already confessed to his crimes. Unless… Is he investigating the Phantom Thieves? Why? We've barely made a name for ourselves. It's too early to be taken seriously. We haven't gone after any big names yet. He said a friend asked him to look into this. Which friend would that be?
"Hey, uh, If you can't, then it's alright," Yagami spoke up since I was silent for a while.
"No, it's fine. I was just thinking if I had enough time today," I responded. "I can answer your questions."
"Okay then."
So, he asked his questions. He asked about Kamoshida, and I explained what I knew of him, that I hadn't known him long since I was a transfer student, yet he creeped me out. It then turned to the Phantom Thieves calling card and what I thought about that. I told him I didn't know what to think about it.
"Well, that's all the questions I have," he said. "Have a good night, Emiya-san, and try to stay out of trouble."
"Hey, they bumped into me." I retorted.
~X~
~ May 10 - Kamurocho - Evening ~
"Hah! I told you I'm the best," Morgana gloated.
"I still can't believe you got a 95 in Karaoke," I grumbled.
Morgana and I were in Shinjuku again. I hung out with Ryuji earlier today and ranked up his Social Link to Rank 6 now. Afterward, I was in the mood for Karaoke, and, as usual, I took Morgana along with me. Now that we're done, I decided to cut through Nakamichi Alley to get to the train station.
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
"Huh?" I looked around for the sound. "What is that?"
"I don't know," Morgana said. "Is it an alarm or something?"
I kept looking around, and the beeping got faster. That did not sound good. I looked around a bit more, and there was something by those garbage bags off to the side. It was-
"Is that a bomb!?" Morgana shouted.
"Shit!"
I jumped down another path in the alley, allowing me to hide behind a wall.
*BOOM*
"AHHH! Run for it!
"RUN!"
"Call the police!"
I took a peek around the corner to see people in the alley shouting and running away. I didn't see anyone injured, so we got really lucky there.
"Yuki, what the heck is going on?" Morgana asked.
"Hell, if I know," I replied, cautiously looking around.
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," I said in exasperation.
"There's another bomb!?" Morgana shouted in alarm.
I started walking toward the sound and looked all around for it.
"What are you doing?" Morgana asked, looking worried.
"Looking for the bomb," I replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"That's dangerous. We should get out of the area," he stated.
"Too late because I just found it," I said.
It wasn't hidden at all. It was simply up against the wall, out in the open. I crouched down and picked it up. Morgana hopped out of my bag and onto my shoulder to get a better look.
"20 seconds left," I noted.
"Do you know how to disarm a bomb?" Morgana asked.
"I usually learn new things as I go along," I replied.
"That's a no, isn't it?" Morgana glared at me. Most likely for putting myself in this kind of dangerous situation.
"I didn't say that," I replied. "Now, please be quiet. I have to look this over."
The bomb looks to be three sticks of some type of explosive. There was a digital countdown timer with two red and green wires connected to three white wires, which I assume are the fuses, that led to each explosive. All in all, this looked to be a relatively simple circuit. This means it doesn't matter if I cut the green or red wire; either one will do.
"10 seconds, Yuki!" Morgana warned me.
I took out a pocket knife and cut the red wire. The timer and beeping stopped.
"That was a close one," Morgana breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't do that again. That was way too dangerous, even for you."
"Emiya-san?" I heard a voice from behind me.
I turned around to see a familiar person. "Yagami-san. What are you doing here?"
"I heard the explosion from my office. So I came to check out what happened," he answered.
"It was a bomb," I held the one in my hand to him. "One exploded, and I just disarmed this one."
Yagami looked at it and grimaced. "Why did this happen? Terrorists? Or some sort of yakuza thing?" he thought out loud.
At this moment, my phone started ringing.
"Hello?" I answered my phone.
"There are bombs in Kamurocho," a distorted voice on the other end stated.
"Excuse me!?" I put my phone on speaker so Morgana and Yagami could hear this.
"I said I placed bombs in Kamurocho. Three in total," Morgana's eyes widened, and Yagami's narrowed at my phone. "The first one exploded, as you saw. The second, you have just disarmed. And that leaves one more."
"Who is this? How did you get my number?" I demanded.
"Is this really the time to be asking questions? You have 5 minutes before it explodes," the distorted voice gloated. "Hahaha… If you don't want anyone else to get hurt, I suggest you start looking."
"Argh… Where is it?" I growled. It looks like I'll have to play this bomber's game.
"Haha, I suppose it wouldn't be fair otherwise. I'll give you a hint," the distorted voice said in a superior tone. "You'll find it in the angel of the warrior's maze."
"..."
"Why so silent? Nothing to say," they asked in a smug tone.
I ended the call, not wanting to listen to them anymore.
I turned to Yagami. "Come on. We need to head to Earth Angel in the Champion District," I took off running, not waiting for his response. I took the bomb I disarmed with me to make sure no one else took it. It's evidence.
It took Yagami and me less than a minute to get there. And sure enough, there was a bomb right in front of Earth Angel. There were about 4 minutes left on the timer, more than enough time. So I picked it up and took out my pocket knife again.
"Do you know how to disarm a bomb?" Yagami asked.
"I disarmed the one earlier, and this one looks to be made the same way. So, the same method should work again,"
I cut the red wire, and sure enough, the timer stopped. All of us took a collective sigh of relief. My phone started ringing. I took it out and saw it was a blocked number. It was most likely the bomber, so I answered it and put it on speaker again.
"...Hello?"
"Haha… You've done well," the smug distorted voice said.
"What's the point of all of this!?" I demanded.
"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. You've been chosen, you see," the bomber said.
"Chosen for what?" I asked.
"Chosen to stop me. You either succeed, or Kamurocho will go up in flames," the voice declared.
"..."
"This isn't over. Now, be a good girl and wait… Hahaha…" the bomber hung up before I could get a word in.
"Tch," I glared at my phone, annoyed by all of this. Morgana looked worried, and Yagami had his arms crossed with a frown on his face. He looked to be thinking things over. "What now?" I asked.
"We call the police," Yagami said.
That's precisely what we did. Yagami called the police and told them where we were and about the bomb that was here. In a few minutes, they showed up. Yagami was taken somewhere else by a detective to give a statement. Some technicians were here, as well, studying the bomb. I gave them the other bomb I disarmed. Fortunately, I took multiple pictures of both bombs before the police arrived. I want to show them to someone I know. See if they can help me with this.
"Excuse me, Miss?" a uniformed officer came up to me.
"Yeah?"
"The detective would like to take your statement. Please follow me." the officer led me to someone very familiar to me.
"Date-san?" I asked, surprised to see him. Although, in hindsight, it shouldn't have been a surprise.
Makoto Date looked the same as ever, if a bit older with a couple more wrinkles.
"Yuki?" he looked surprised to see me. "I didn't know you were back in Tokyo."
"Yeah, I came back to go to school here," I answered. "Long time no see."
"Yes. So, how did you get involved in all of this?" he got to business.
So, I explained everything about how I witnessed the first bomb and disarmed the second and third. Also, that bomber contacted me.
"Wait, the bomber called you?" he asked, surprised. I nodded. "How did he get your number?"
I shrugged. "I have no idea."
"Have you noticed anyone strange around you lately?" he asked.
"None that I can think of."
"Hmm. Well, I have the address of where you're staying if I have more questions for you," Date-san thought things over. "Thank you for your time, Yuki. You're free to go. Actually, how about I drive you home? I do need to explain things to your guardian."
I thought it over. I was heading home anyway before all of this. "Sure, I'd like a lift home."
"Okay. I need to finish things here first. My car is by the district entrance if you want to wait there," he said.
"Thanks, Date-san," I said goodbye and walked away.
I walked out of the Champion District and saw Yagami approaching me.
"Hey, Emiya-san." he greeted.
"Yagami-san," I returned the greeting. "Something you need?"
"How would you like a part-time position at Yagami Detective Agency?" he got right to the point.
"Huh?" I blinked.
"You're great at critical thinking, thinking on the fly, and you keep cool under pressure. Those skills are great for an investigator," he listed his reasons.
"Uh-huh," I deadpanned at him. "And what else? You're holding something back."
"See, you're good at this already," he smiled, then got serious. "Alright, the biggest reason is because you've just become the target of a criminal's attention. One that somehow knows you're number."
"I've noticed," I plainly said. "You want to keep an eye on me; make sure that I'll be fine when the bomber strikes again."
"Pretty much, but this isn't just for your protection. This is a legitimate part-time job offer. Meaning you'll be helping me on cases," he confirmed. "What do you say?
"It's not a bad idea," Morgana whispered from inside my bag. "Training these skills could help when we're researching or investigating potential targets."
Morgana's not wrong. "Okay, I'll take you up on your offer."
Yagami smiled and nodded. "Alright then.
"I am thou… Thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow…
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Judgement Persona
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…"
[Judgement Confidant (Takayuki Yagami) has reached Rank 1.]
.
Huh, so the main character of a game titled Judgement is the Judgement Confidant. How ironic.
"Yuki, I finished up here. I can take you home now," Date-san called out. I acknowledged what he said and then turned back to Yagami.
"How do you want to touch base for my first day?" I asked.
"Can you swing by my office tomorrow?" he asked.
"I can't. I have exams starting tomorrow," I answered.
"Huh, well, here's my business card. Give me a call when you can," Yagami handed me the card.
"Okay. See you around, Yagami-san," I waved goodbye and made my way to Date-san.
We got in his car and made our way to Café Leblanc. I'm not looking forward to Sojiro's reaction.
~X~
~ Café Leblanc - Evening ~
Sojiro was not happy.
He was not happy there was a bomber out there in Tokyo.
He was not happy I almost got blown up because of this criminal.
He was not happy I risked my life to disarm two bombs.
He was not happy that the bomber had now taken an interest in me.
The one thing he was happy about was that I came back unharmed.
Date-san calmly spoke to him, ensuring Sojiro knew the police were doing everything they could to find his person. The detective was able to mollify Sojiro's concerns. One downside, though, is that for the next few days, Sojiro does not want me to stay outside longer than necessary. He was worried the bomber would try and do something.
"Thank you for your time, and the coffee, Sakura-san," Date-san stood up from his seat. "Yuki, here's my business card. If you need anything, please give me a call." he bowed and left the café.
"Haah, I'm going to crash into my bed," I stood up and went to my room to do just that. I've had a long day.
~X~
~ My Room - Night ~
Haah, I can't sleep. I've been tossing in and turning around in my bed. It felt like something refused to allow me to fall asleep.
"That would be my doing," Merlin spoke up.
"Huh, Merlin?"
"I must speak with you in person. Please summon me," Merlin spoke in a tone that left no room for argument. I was surprised by that.
I nodded, and I felt a mask appear on my face. Pulling it off, Merlin appeared, standing next to my bed. I slowly sat up and immediately noticed something off with her. Merlin's face looked very serious, which was strange for her. I always took her as a playful mentor, prioritizing having fun more than teaching. But now… Now she looks like a disappointed teacher because her student seriously screwed up.
"Elysia, what are you doing?" she asked severely.
"...Huh?" I dumbly said. Merlin called me by my Pendragon name. This is the first time she has ever done that.
"What. Are. You. Doing." her tone got even more serious, and I flinched a little. "Because to me, it looks like you are wasting your time." she hissed those last words.
She was fixing me with his hawk-like glare so intense that I had to turn away. I racked my brain to try and figure out what I did that made her so upset, but I couldn't come up with anything.
"It's not what you did that has me upset. It's what you didn't do, or rather haven't done." Merlin raised her voice. "What was your vow?"
"How-"
"What. Was. Your. Vow?" she punctuated each word. I had a feeling if I didn't answer right, she would move from upset to angry.
"To carve my own path. To defy Fate itself," I answered.
"Then why have you not done that?" she demanded. "You know what is to happen in the future. You know what the Phantom Thieves go through. You know of the group trying to unseal the Beast of 666. You know of these portals threatening to unravel the world.
And yet… You have not taken a single decisive action against any of them!" Merlin shouted.
I flinched when she shouted at me.
"I was content to let you do things at your own pace. We do have time, after all, and I don't mind having some fun from time to time. However, all you have done is follow the timeline and nothing else. Yes, you need to build up your social links, but you could be doing so much more. Especially with the kinds of threats, you will be facing.
You have an army of angels, demons, monsters, heroes, and even gods waiting to answer your call, and do not use them. You have Artoria and that girl, Rin Tohsaka, you can go to if you need help. Hell, even your butler, Sebas, could help you, but you do not ask them.
You could be doing so much! But you have done nothing!" she finished.
I clenched my fists and glared at Merlin. "I don't know what to do, okay!" I shouted. "I-I thought this was going to be something like a jump chain! That's why I started easy with Persona! But then so much stuff kept coming left and right! Persona, DxD, Grand Order, and now this whole Portal business! I-It's too much! I don't know what to do!" I threw my hands up in the air. I felt overwhelmed again, like back in Fuyuki when Rin revealed the Portal crisis. Then, I realized I was breathing hard.
Merlin studied me for a bit before she spoke. "I realize these situations and your future are a hefty burden for one person to carry. But, going back to what I was saying earlier, you do not have to do this alone. You have people and Personas who will help you."
My whole body slumped. I was already mentally tired from today's bomb scare, and this intervention was draining what was left of my energy. "Haah, then what do I do?"
"...I'm going to take a more active role in teaching you. This is the second time I had to remind you of your vow. I will make sure there is no third time," Merlin said. "I thought you could learn on your own with some input from myself, and perhaps you could have… if there weren't so many world issues."
I sat still and just listened. "I still don't know what to do," I whispered.
"I'll give you some hints," Merlin said. "There's a Palace you can resolve right now."
"What?"
"Well, not right at this moment, but if you spend the next few days going to this Palace and if you play your cards right, you could bring down the Palace without even fighting," Merlin said.
"Which Palace?" I asked, confused.
"Hm, you won't learn if I give you all the answers," Merlin smiled and tilted her head.
So, she wants me to figure it out. I'm guessing it's one of the Palaces I already know about. So, one of them could be solved without conflict. But which one?
…
…
…Oh.
"Do you mean Futaba?" I asked.
It made sense. Futaba may have a Palace, but having a Palace didn't automatically make her evil. All the other Palace rulers' distorted desires led them to do illegal or immoral things. Futaba's caused her to go into a suicidal depression.
"Yes," Merlin confirmed.
"And how do I do that?" I asked.
"May I see your phone?" she asked, and I gave it to her.
"What are you doing?" I saw going through it.
"Let's see… Here we are," it looks like she started an app. "Futaba Sakura."
Candidate Found.
I blinked. "What are you doing!?" I asked in alarm. My Persona is using the Metaverse App!
"Sojiro Sakura's house," Merlin ignored me and continued.
Candidate Found.
Wait… She's making me do this now!?
"Hold on a second!" I tried to stop her, but I wasn't in time.
"A tomb," Merlin finished.
Candidate Found. Beginning Navigation.
Reality rippled in that familiar black and red color I'd gotten used to.
~X~
~ Pyramid of Wrath ~
When my vision returned to normal, the first things I noticed were that it was bright and that it was hot! I was in the middle of a desert.
"What the hell, Merlin! At least let me change my clothes!" I shouted. I was still in my t-shirt and pajama shorts. Then I noticed something, or rather someone, missing. "Wait, where's Morgana? He was sleeping next to me. Actually, now that I think about it. Why didn't he wake up?"
"I cast a silencing ward around the two of us. So, no one heard us," Merlin spoke in my mind. "And I made sure only you were taken to the Metaverse."
"Where are you?" I asked.
"Back in the Sea," she answered. "You won't be leaving here until you resolve Futaba's distorted desires."
"What do you- Wait! Where's my phone!?" I yelled again. It was missing. Without it, I can't leave.
"I have it with me," Merlin said to my alarm. "As I said, you are not leaving until you deal with the Palace."
"But I have exams tomorrow!"
"Then you better work quickly," Merlin said with not a care. "I'm doing this for a reason, Elysia."
"Argh! Damn it!" I kicked the sand. Looking off in the distance, I saw the pyramid 10 kilometers away. I started walking my way there through the hot sand.
Haah, I have an idea why Merlin is doing this. Futaba's Palace could be solved peacefully. If I can do that, she could join the Phantom Thieves earlier. Her computer skills will be a great boon. But I'm sure there is more to Merlin's reasoning that I haven't worked out.
The one thing I don't understand is why I had to do it right this second. Is this Merlin's way of taking a more active role in teaching me, as she said earlier? If it is, then hopefully, I can learn the lesson.
Quest Added
[Pyramid of Wrath]
Merlin has trapped you inside Futaba Sakura's Palace. The only way out is to resolve her distorted desires.
Objective: Change the heart of Futaba Sakura. [ ]
Rewards: ?
~X~
Social Links:
? - -̴̢̾̅̚͜͝ͅ-̶̨̙͉̗̈̈́͐͝͝-̴̖͎̯̦̝͔̔͠-̵̡̈͋̓̓͒̕͝ (Phantom Thieves of Hearts) - Rank 1
0 - F̵͎̓ơ̷̥o̴̥̐l̸̫̍ (Igor) – Rank 3
I - Magician (Morgana) – Rank 2
V - Hierophant (Sojiro Sakura) – Rank 3
VI - Lovers (Ann Takamaki) – Rank 2
VII - Chariot (Ryuji Sakamoto) – Rank 5
XIII - Death (Rei Emiya) - Rank 2
XIV - Temperance (Artoria Pendragon) - Rank 2
XVII - Star (Issei Hyoudou) - Rank 3
XX - Judgement (Takayuki Yagami) - Rank 1
~X~
Author's Note:
That is Chapter 13.
The Christmas season is coming up, and my place of work will be starting mandatory overtime. Starting next week to the beginning of January, I'll be working 60 hours a week, which means very little time to work on this story. The next Chapter will probably come out in late January.
I have now reached the 1000-follower milestone on Fanfiction. So, to all my readers on Fanfiction and Wattpad, I want to thank you all for your compliments, encouragement, constructive criticism, etc.
As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.
(Preview)
"Huh, never thought I would be watching Naruto inside someone's mind.
(x)
"Did that help?"
"...I think I get what you were trying to say… But I don't think your charisma stat is high enough."
"Haah, why are motivational speeches so complicated."
(x)
"INTRUDER! YOU DARE DEFILE THE PHAROH'S TOMB!"
"Oh, shit…"
~X~
Omake: Rei's Multiverse Adventures Part: 1 (Non-Canon)
Harry James Potter was not happy. Actually, saying he was not happy is a massive understatement. He was startled awake by yet another nightmare about Voldemort in that graveyard and Cedric's death.
Last year was a disaster. Harry was hoping for a quiet, normal year, but for some reason, Fate did not want him to live normally. It started on Halloween (he swears that day is cursed) when his name came out of the Goblet of Fire, and the tournament organizers forced him to participate in a deadly tournament against his will. The entire school believed him to be some attention-seeking liar, even his so-called best friends.
Then there was the graveyard. Voldemort was resurrected, Cedric was murdered, Harry was tortured with the Cruciatus Curse, and he barely escaped with his life. And when all was said and done, did anyone talk to him about how he was doing? After all, he witnessed a murder and was tortured.
Nope. at the end of the year, he was simply sent back to Durzkaban and left alone.
That was the worst part. After everything he went through, he knew he needed to talk to someone, most likely a therapist. The nightmares would not stop. He tried the next best thing and sent letters to his friends and Dumbledore, but it has been radio silence from them.
And then, to make matters worse, a couple of dementors attacked him and Dudley in their neighborhood. Harry scared them away, but soon after, he got a letter saying he was being expelled from Hogwarts for Improper Use of Magic. He can no longer return to his haven away from the Dursleys.
Add that to the list of things to be depressed and angry over.
Harry's aunt and uncle had just left to take Dudley to the hospital, and he was now left alone. Now that he has woken up from his nightmare, he decided to head downstairs to get a glass of water and try and cool his nerves.
After he drank his glass, he sat at the table and closed his eyes to try and calm down. That was when the back door to the house was thrown open, and five people wearing hoodies entered.
"What?" Harry stumbled up from his chair and tried to pull his wand out. But then he remembered he had left it upstairs in his room.
The five people moved into the house. "Check the rest of the house," the one in the center order. Harry could tell from the voice that the person was female and assumed she was the leader.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
He saw two of the people enter the hallway and heard them go upstairs. One person went to the front window in the sitting room. The leader and one other person stayed with Harry.
"Harry Potter," the leader spoke. "You are in danger here. So we have come to take you someplace safe."
"What?" Harry was confused. He shook his head and looked back at the leader warily. "I don't know you. How can I trust you?"
The leader tilted her head, conceding that point. They were dressed in all-black and had hoods up. They looked very suspicious. She turned to face her companion behind her. That person nodded and stepped forward.
"Harry," another female voice said. "You can trust us," the person moved to lower their hood.
Harry took a step back, surprised to see a very familiar face. "Hermione?"
Hermione hummed like she was thinking about how to answer. "Yes, we've come to take you someplace safe."
"What is going on?" Harry asked.
"Not here, Potter," the leader spoke up. "We'll answer your questions when we get back to base."
Harry thought about asking another question, but the sound from the kitchen door drew his attention. The two who went upstairs came back down carrying a trunk. The one in the sitting room returned.
"Did you get everything?" the leader asked.
"Yup," a male voice said. "It took a while to get the owl. We had to bribe her with bacon,"
"Of course," the leader shook her in fond exasperation. That had Harry confused. It sounds like they were talking about Hedwig and the leader somehow knew his owl.
"Oh, also, here's your wand," the male handed Harry his wand. He then pulled his own wand, shrunk the trunk he assumed had his things in it and put it in his pocket.
The one who was in the sitting room came back. "We should get going. Dumbledore's spy down the street is starting to notice something is wrong."
"Then let's go." the leader started walking out the back.
"Come on, Harry," Hermione grabbed his hand and led him out. Harry blushed a little but fought that feeling down. The rest followed them out.
Once in the backyard, the leader pulled out a rope. "Grab on," and everyone did. Harry hesitated a bit before he did.
"What is this?" he asked.
"A portkey. It'll take us to where we need to go," the leader answered. "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat."
~X~
Those words activated the portkey, and that uncomfortable feeling Harry had experienced before the last time he used one came back. But, this time, he was able to land on his feet, and he looked around. In front of him was a manor that looked straight from the 19th century.
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
"Falkirk, Scotland." the leader answered. "Welcome to Potter Manor.
Harry blinked at that and gave the house a second look. So this was his family's home? He could have lived here instead of with the Dursleys? Why didn't Dumbledore tell him about this place?
"Harry?" Hermione's voice shook him out of his thoughts. She looked worried.
"I'm fine, Hermione. It's just…" his eyes trailed back to the manor. He also noticed the others were making their way in. "Let's head in. I still have questions.
Hermione nodded and led Harry in and toward the sitting room. They took a seat on one of the sofas.
"Hermione, what is going on? I've been writing you and Ron for the past month. So why didn't you two write back?" Harry asked, now that they were sitting.
"Sorry, Harry. I would like to explain, but I think it's better if Rei does it," Hermione apologized.
"Rei?"
"Our leader. The one you first spoke with back at your house," Hermione clarified.
Harry nodded, remembering her. At this moment, the other four entered and sat on the other seats. The leader, now known as Rei, took a seat across from him and lowered her hood. She was a girl who looked to be his age. She had blonde hair with a red streak and green eyes that looked just like his own.
"Sorry for the wait, Mister Potter. We had to get some things sorted," Rei said.
"It's okay. And just call me Harry," he said.
"Let me introduce the others of this group," Rei gestured to the person sitting off to the right. "The one over there is Neville Longbottom."
The person lowered his hood, and Harry was surprised to see it really was Neville. He seemed different too. It wasn't his physical appearance; he still looked the same. It was more like how he carried himself, like he was more sure of who he was. His face showed a lot more confidence than he had ever shown before.
"Hello, Harry," Neville said, and Harry nodded in return, still surprised to see him here.
"Sitting on my right is Daphane Greengrass," Rei gestured.
The person lowered her hood to show a beautiful girl with pale skin, long platinum-blonde hair, and icy blue eyes. Harry almost blushed but managed to keep it down.
"I think I remember you. We're in the same year, and you're in Slytherin," Harry said, remembering that they've had some classes together.
"Yes, that is correct, I admit; I am surprised you remember me," Daphne politely said.
"Well, you were one of the few Slytherins that didn't harass me during the Tri-Wizard Tournament," Harry said. "Thanks, I guess."
"Uh… I suppose I should say you're welcome," Daphne said.
Harry looked at her with a questioning gaze. That was an odd way to put it. He feels he's missing something as to why she said it that way.
"And over to your far left is… Heh," Rei chuckled. "Well, why don't you just take off the hood and surprise him," Rei spoke to the last person.
"Heh," the last hooded figure seemed amused and lowered his hood.
Harry blinked and looked at this person in surprise. "Malfoy!?"
"Haha, surprised to see me, Potter?" Malfoy smirked, having some fun with the look on Harry's face.
Harry was definitely shocked. What was Malfoy doing here, helping people that were apparently rescuing him? Harry remembers those 'Potter Sucks' badges that went around last school year. While there was no proof Malfoy made them, he certainly helped spread them around and taunted Harry with them. Remembering those things brought back the anger Harry felt from those.
Before he could yell at Malfoy, Rei spoke. "Now, before you get started, Harry… While this may be Draco Malfoy, he is not the one who has bullied you for four years."
"What?" Harry was bewildered. He had no idea what Rei was saying. "What do you mean?"
"It's the same with me," Hermione spoke up. "I'm Hermione Granger, but I'm not the Hermione Granger you know. It's why I can't answer why I didn't write to you. Because you write to me, specifically."
"I have no idea what you're all talking about," Harry was even more confused. So Malfoy is and isn't Malfoy? And it's the same with Hermione? …What?
"Maybe I should introduce myself," Rei said. "My name is Rei Emiya, but my original name…" Rei lifted some of her hair covering her forehead, and Harry's eyes widened "...is Rose Potter," Harry saw an all too familiar scar. The difference is hers is a lot more faded than his.
Harry was silent. He had no idea what was going on anymore.
"What do you know of The Multiverse Theory, Harry Potter?" Rei asked.
~X~
Author's Note:
This was a scenario that entered my head. What if Rei and her future Hogwarts friends accidentally got lost in the multiverse and were trying to find their way home while helping people along the way?
I had to write it down before I forgot.