AN: Nearly at the end of this arc. A long chapter, yes, but like I said last time, things are going to get more intense now. And we get to see some new Personas...
Chapter 14: Zero Factor
|April 10th, Monday|Ginumi-Grand Laguna Hotel|15:45 pm|
The group had been asked to arrive at the hotel after school today, having received a summons from Novalie. Thus, immediately after their last class, they headed out. Luckily, they didn't have to worry about Akari asking about where they were going in such a hurry, as she had already made plans with Suzu. Even so, Shintaro and the others were worried about just what they might be up against.
"Good afternoon, everyone." Novalie greeted everyone warmly. She seemed to be in high spirits, as she prepared some tea for her guests.
"You're looking well, it seems. Good, I won't have to look after you too much." Hiroyuki said, sipping on a cup of black tea. "Shigeru's still at work, so for now, it'll just be the two of us."
The team took their seats, and as they enjoyed their cup of coffee, Novalie pulled up a map of Shinshuto's Mizuho Ward, as well as charts dictating 'Bythos Support' in other areas of the city. It seemed, however, that Mizuho's was drastically higher than the other five Wards.
"...What the hell?"
"Yes, it's been troubling us greatly," Novalie said. "From what we've gathered, inhabitants of Mizuho support Bythos far more than the other six. There, the percentage is over 50%, whereas other districts are around 15-20%."
"That's unsettling..." Kei said, leaning in closer.
"It gets worse, Kakusa. In the Theio Kosmos, Hanashima Hospital has now changed completely. Before today, it was more or less the exact same as the original building. Now, it's a fortress on an actual island. For such a drastic change to have taken place, there can only be one explanation." Hiroyuki said.
"A Cognition Core..." Shintaro mused. "Of course! That was the device Shigeru used for manipulating this hotel!"
Kohaku looked at him, with deep confusion. "That's not possible, is it? Those Cores were only able to manipulate one building..."
"To be honest, we're still researching their full potential," Novalie said. "but the only one we've been able to manifest indeed controls this building. The hypothetical Core in Mizuho not only influences Hanashima Hospital, rather, the entire ward."
Masato gulped, biting his lip. "That's pretty scary."
"You could say that," Hiroyuki said, frowning. "And if the situation doesn't change, Bythos will only be able to recruit more soldiers, giving us even more trouble. We need to do something about that Core, and fast."
"Then we have to go to Mizuho immediately!" Shintaro said, eagerly. "I don't want there to be any more Claret Squads!"
"If only it were that simple..." Novalie said, sadly. "Yet the new Fortress is out of our reach. Two of our agents have already tried to get through, yet the 'water' surrounding makes it difficult."
Kohaku, uncertain, looked up. "Surely we could acquire a boat of some description..."
"Unfortunately, that's not possible. All the boats we tried sank almost immediately." Hiroyuki admitted.
"It's quite the dilemma..." Novalie said, nervously. "Not only that, the water is highly toxic. Shadows and Persona have the ability to infect targets with 'Poison'. That water matches the same miasma that creates the Poison effect. Therefore, trying to swim through it would only hinder us."
"Then we've got to find another way in..." Kohaku said, deep in thought. "That would be the Aeon Pathway code."
"Exactly. And we've got an idea," Hiroyuki said. "The busiest area of Mizuho would be Kita Crossing. We've found evidence that members of Bythos congregate there, particularly around nightlife spots."
"What kind of evidence?" Shintaro asked.
"Their Gnosis devices are inferior to ours. They leave traces of their presence, sort of like footprints. For example, in Sogen Park, a faint red mist appeared after you defeated the Crimson Squad." Novalie said. "Kita Crossing became especially thick with red mist recently..."
Kei looked up, resolved. "Then we should go to Kita Crossing and find a way to reach Hanashima. Once we do that, we'll seize that core and free Mizuho from the clutches of Bythos!"
"Yeah!" Masato cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "We'll show Keiya and his buddies not to screw with us!"
"Y-Yeah..." Shintaro mumbled. He looked to the ground, trying to hide his fear.
"Fighting a genuine Persona user will be dangerous, but don't worry. I'll be using my healing power for all of you." Kohaku said. She seemed to have sensed her friend's inner feelings. It almost was like a sixth sense.
"Thanks, Kohaku. And as always, I've got your back." Shintaro said.
"Then let's be on our way!" Novalie said, smiling. "This time, you'll get to see Hiroyuki's Persona! Trust me, it's amazing!"
"I don't like to toot my own horn, but..." The Colonel said as he smirked. "My Persona hasn't failed to cut down a Shadow yet."
Really? Don't some Shadows resist physical attacks? Well, I'll let him boast for a little bit longer.
The six of them left for Mizuho's Sogen Park, preparing to reach the busy Kita Crossing. Yet in the ordinary version, strange events were unfolding as well.
|Mizuho – Kita Crossing|16:21 pm|
Although it wasn't too hectic during the daylight, Kita Crossing truly was a den of madness during the dark hours of the night. Neon lights shone throughout the entire area, and crowds of excited youths partied into the night, seemingly without end. It was almost like a miniature Shibuya. Today, after finishing their classes at Chieki, Asami had practically dragged Natsumi here.
She looks serious. I really hope she doesn't do anything crazy. How far is she willing to go for her revenge? If I ask her that, though, she might get annoyed. Relax, just play it by ear.
"Asami, I still don't get it. Why are we here?" Natsumi asked. "I mean, we've shopped around Mizuho many times. What's so urgent that we had to come here now?"
"Hey, be patient! You'll find out soon enough." Asami said, happily, with a spring in her step. The two girls weaved past the people walking by, but as they did, Natsumi shuddered. Some of them had oddly vacant looks. Not only that, she had seen more and more Bythos posters all over Mizuho. She glared at one rather odious one, which was simply a black background with the group's name in white 'bleeding' letters.
"Ugh, these posters are as ugly as sin. What's with the Bythos mania today?" Natsumi asked, disgusted.
"It's nothing to worry about. Like I said, be patient!" Asami said, finally coming to a stop. "Here we go! The club Kaleidoscope!"
True to its name, it was a colourful, and slightly tacky looking nightclub, dark red in colour. The windows were a lurid mess of colours, as if looking through the club's namesake. Above the double fuschia doors was a neon sign bearing the club's name, written in both katakana and Roman letters. Staring at it almost gave Natsumi a headache.
"...Huh? This place isn't even open yet." Natsumi said, confused. This was getting rather odd, she thought. That sensation of strangeness was only heightened, however, by what happened next. A crowd of twenty teenage girls suddenly appeared, crowding around Asami.
"Hama-sama!" They cried in unison. The more they chanted, the more unnerved Natsumi felt. Should they really be so in sync? They all looked different, but they didn't seem to be moving as individuals.
"Hello, my beautiful ladies!" Asami bellowed. "This is my friend Natsumi! She's going to join us for today!"
"Natsumi-chan!" They all cried. The young Yoshinaga waved shyly, but the crowd didn't seem to pick up on her growing unease.
"What's wrong? You don't like my fans?" Asami asked.
I don't think I should answer that honestly right now...
"No, they seem really cool! But are we really going into a place like this?" The fiery redhead asked. "We're all underage, remember?"
"I didn't take us all here so we could get drunk. Besides, it's not 'this' version of the place we're going to."
Asami reached into her pocket, and slowly pulled out a black mobile phone. Natsumi gasped. It was the exact same kind her brother had mysteriously received. He had kept quiet about it the past few days, however, and she was wondering what he had done with it.
"Isn't that a Gnosis?"
"Exactly!" Asami said. "This may look like an ordinary phone, and to the untrained eye, it can act like one. But there's a lot more power to this device than you realise. Watch and be amazed! Everyone, come together, as we travel to the world of our dreams!"
Asami opened an app and rapidly trapped an icon, and the phone produced a harp-like sound effect. Immediately, everything went hazy, and Natsumi almost fainted. Her head was spinning, and she couldn't see anything. All she heard was a roaring wind. She fell to her knees, everyone around her becoming blurry shapes.
"What the hell is going on? Asami, help!"
|Theio Kosmos – Kita Crossing|16:30 pm|
"Here we are. Kita Crossing." Novalie said, looking around the area. "I'm detecting Shadows. They could appear at any moment. You'd best be prepared."
"We know the risks," Masato said, cracking his knuckles. "So don't worry about a thing. We're the greatest risk for the Shadows, after all."
Kei smirked, amused by his confidence.
"How should we do this? There's a lot of ground to cover here. Do we have anywhere specific to check?"
"My advice is to split us into two teams." Hiroyuki said. "Masato, Shintaro, you two boys are with me."
"...Oh. Okay." Shintaro said, visibly disappointed. Masato likewise seemed hesitant, but remained silent.
This man seems stricter than any teacher I've ever had. I can't really impress him with my studies, either. As long as I follow his orders correctly, I can get through this. Still, I think Kohaku's team will probably have more fun.
"Then Kei and I should accompany Novalie?" Kohaku asked.
"Exactly! We'll take the left side and explore the streets. You boys take the right." Novalie said, gesturing to each side of the area as she spoke. "We'll rendezvous back here at 17:30. That's if we can't find anything, of course. If we do, we'll call the other team immediately and regroup."
"Best of luck, Shintaro-kun." Kei said, giving him an earnest smile, and warmly grabbed his shoulder.
"Thanks...Kei-chan." Shintaro said, blushing slightly.
The girls left, leaving the men to themselves.
"Let's begin. We'll take the Umeda Underground Mall. Better not get scared..."
The boys headed out, wary of the foes ahead.
|Umeda Underground Mall|16:56 pm|
This mall was simplistic, with plain white walls and chequered floors, but there was still a huge array of independent stores. There was no food court like in Bella Donna, however there were some coffee shops and cafes. Shintaro didn't come to this mall that often, but he had just spotted a used book shop. Perhaps if he found the time in the real world, he'd come down and see if they had any old novels he had yet to discover. While the boys looked around, Hiroyuki keep his head facing forward, ready to fire on anything that came to attack.
"Wait a moment. Isn't that an Arms Race?" Shintaro said, pointing to a store further down. From behind the closed glass doors, he could hear the same rock music.
"Yeah, and there's a RainBow..." Masato said, enticed by the sweet shop's smells. "Anyone else hungry?"
Hiroyuki coughed, and frowned at the boys. "The Bella Donna isn't the only place you can go shopping in the Theio Kosmos, you know. From what we've noticed, there's at least one in every district. In fact, from my recon, each 'Arms Race' is actually the exact same shop you can access. So think of these doors like teleporters."
"Neat! Wish those worked in real life!" Masato said, his imagination seemingly running wild. "Then I can finally meet Dorothy..."
"Who's Dorothy now?" Hiroyuki asked, curious.
Great, you had to ask him about that. Although it might put some Shadows nearby to sleep. A cunning plan, Hiroyuki Kita.
"Uh..."
Masato froze, nervous. Normally, he'd divulge all sorts of trivia about Dorothy, including her favourite brand of shampoo. However, with the fearsome soldier in front of him, his confidence was waning.
"She's my girlfriend, from New York. We've never met in real life, but she's really beautiful. And we're both in love with baseball. Someday, I want to go to a game with her."
"Ah, young love. You sound like me when I first met Miori." Hiroyuki said, fondly. His voice was far gentler now, and thus Masato could let down his guard. "I was new to the military back then, and I hated being apart from her so often. Still, being a soldier was always in my mind, and Miori knew that in her heart. Not that she likes me handling guns. Just as well our army focuses on defence."
"I don't think I'd ever make it as a soldier..." Shintaro said, sheepishly. Even after losing a lot of weight, he knew his body would never cope with the rigours of military life.
"Hey, some people are born to be soldiers, some aren't," Hiroyuki said. "But with me, I knew I wanted to protect my country from when I was a little kid. Didn't have the brains to do much else, really. But it paid off. All that matters is keeping Japan safe."
Masato looked at the soldier with admiration. A distant memory suddenly came back to Shintaro, them playing an army board game of some type. It may have been originally Hideki's. Perhaps the game was still around.
"Your wife must be proud of you, Kita-san."
"She is. So's my little girl. Kaori, we called her." Hiroyuki said, fondly. "She's a little younger than you two, turned thirteen back in February, but she's a smart girl – she takes after her mother in that regard. I'm sure she'll make it to either Chieki or Kansei."
"Well, purple uniforms are the way to go..." Shintaro said, winking.
"No way dude! Green is in!" Masato said, smirking.
"Her favourite colour is blue, actually. Guess she'll end up in Aoi Mirai."
The boys looked at each other, dismayed. Aoi Mirai, or 'Blue Future', was the high school in the Ginumi Ward, and the school closest to the shore. However, it was the lowest ranking school in the city in many areas. It had sometimes been nicknamed the 'No Future' school. Shintaro hated the garish sky-blue uniform with a passion, and from the appalled look on Masato's face, he felt the same way.
"No! You can't do that to her!" Shintaro begged.
"Exactly! That's a fate worse than death!" Masato said. "That's the place kids go when they can't get into anywhere else!"
"I'm kidding. In all honesty, I'd be happy for her to end up in either of your schools - Wait, hang on." Hiroyuki said. He used his Gnosis to summon his weapon – a rifle.
"...What's the matter, Kita-san?" Shintaro asked, reaching for his Gnosis.
"Shadows?" Masato asked, warily grabbing his own phone.
"Probably. We should be cautious -"
Appearing out of the fountain, with a huge splash, were two watery maidens. One was a blue-skinned beauty with a Hindu-vibe, which the Gnosis immediately identified as 'Asparas'. The other was a Napaea, a Greek fairy.
"Wow! Humans are here again!" The Napaea said. "There's a lot of people coming to Mizuho today. My friend Oread told me all about it! Some really popular girl is holding a big event here!"
"As far as I was aware, all the attendees are girls. I doubt these boys would be welcome. Perhaps we should drown them with our fury!" The Apsaras said.
"Not gonna happen! I'll zap you to a million pieces!" Masato said, his bat at the ready.
"Prepare yourselves!" Shintaro shouted, rapier at the ready.
"Stand back. I'll take care of them." Hiroyuki said. "Appear! Masamune!"
With a strong burst of blue light, his Persona appeared. Sitting in mid-air in the lotus position, it wore black robes with a green flame pattern covering it. Its feet and hands seemed to be made out of steel, shining brightly under the lights of the mall. While its head seemed to be of flesh, the skin was a dark green, with a singular bright blue eye, and he had a helmet bearing a crescent moon that seemed to be glowing a similar azure hue. Floating behind him was a katana in a white sheath, rotating slowly.
I am thou. Thou art I. From thy sea of thy soul, I cometh. I art Masamune, and I pledge my blade to the righteous, to cut down all invaders!
Incredible. Is this Goro Nyudo Masamune the swordsmith? Or Date Masamune, the daimyo? Either way, I can sense immense strength in him.
"Argh! That Persona is hideous!" The Napaea shrieked.
"It's painful looking at that thing." The Apsaras said.
"Silence!" Hiroyuki shouted. "Fudo!"
Masamune waved his arms outward, and from within his sleeves, dozens of small swords, or tanto, were flung at the two Shadows. The resulting bloodbath killed them instantly, but Masamune remained on the battlefield.
"That was great!"
Shintaro was in awe, and almost wanted to clap.
"Quiet!" Hiroyuki snapped. "It's not over yet. Don't ever let your guard down!"
A burst of black smoke appeared, and another Shadow appeared. A vicious looking beast on all fours, which the Gnosis had registered as a Shiisa – something of a cross between a dog and a lion.
"BAD OLD MAN SMELL WORSE THAN MOTHER. BUT ME NO SCARED OF YOU. ME KILL YOU!"
Masato almost burst out laughing. Shintaro, however, wasn't quite as relaxed. He stepped back, wary.
"Bad, old man..." Hiroyuki said, amused. "That's a new one. I've had a lot of nicknames during my years in the Ground Forces, but that might be the dumbest I've heard."
"ME NOT CARE! ME NOT LIKE YOU!"
"Articulate little buddy, isn't he? Wonder if he'd make a good pet for Kaori?" Hiroyuki asked. No one answered. "Nah. She prefers her mech toys anyway. Raijinken!"
Masamune complied, and the katana hovering behind him glided into his hand. He grabbed the hilt and prepared to draw the mighty sword. The Shiisa was also preparing an attack, most likely one of immense heat. Before it could breathe the flames of Maragi, however, there was a massive flash – Masamune had struck with his sword, charged with electricity.
The beastly Shadow was cut in two and dissolved without another word. Shintaro and Masato stared at each other, with both fright and horror.
"There," Hiroyuki said. "That was shockingly easy."
"Do you use those kinds of puns with your family?" Shintaro asked, raising an eyebrow derisively.
"Yes. To heavy groans." Hiroyuki said, smirking. "Being an embarrassing dad is another of my duties."
"Sounds like mine. But you're really something, Kita-san," Masato said. "...Wish I was more like you."
"Hey...lighten up," Hiroyuki said, smiling a little. "You're not bad, boy. You just need some experience."
"Trying to cheer me up?" Masato said. He managed a smile of his own, yet looked down at the floor, some "...I've been trying to do that for so long. But all I keep thinking about is how stupid I've been. All the friendships I've ruined. The amount of times I've let my family down. Hideki's been trying to keep me out of trouble since I was born, but I still keep screwing things up. I...I don't want to keep that happening."
"Masato..." Shintaro said. "You're no longer Rokurou's flunky. He's nothing to do with us anymore. You're stronger now."
"Huh?" Masato blinked, confused.
"Wasn't it Rokurou who kept saying that kind of crap about you? He made you feel so worthless. I've been thinking about it a lot since we met again." Shintaro said. "You don't screw everything up. Look at your life now. You're one of the best baseball players Chieki has ever seen. You've got a girlfriend in New York who loves you. And...your brother and sister have stuck by you all these years. And I don't think it's for any other reason than they love you."
There was a moment of silence, as the two boys looked at each other. Their 'commanding officer' smiled, seemingly proud of them.
"I don't ever want to end up as someone's minion again," Masato said. "Sure, I may be following orders still, but from the right people. If I ever got a command that was wrong, I'd follow my heart instead, But I'm definitely sticking by your side from now on, Shintaro."
"Same goes for me to you!" Shintaro said.
"You kids have history, huh?" Hiroyuki said.
"You can say that again..." Masato said, scratching his head.
"Brings back memories. I had some good friends back in my school days. They joined the military with me too. We stuck by each other, even when things got hairy." Hiroyuki said. "One of them even saved my life once. If it hadn't been for him, I'd never have gotten back home to see my baby girl..."
"Camaraderie is a beautiful thing," Shintaro said. "the one thing you can't learn through just reading books."
"Yeah. Hiroyuki, I'm gonna do my best to get stronger." Masato said. "I might make mistakes, but I want to reach your level. Maybe even surpass it."
"That'd be awesome..." Hiroyuki said, smiling, and he ruffled Masato's hair. "Spoken like a true cadet. Looking after you two should be fun."
"I hope so. But we shouldn't stay around here too long, though. I don't think Bythos come here that much."
"The bookworm's right. I'm confused by what one of those Shadows said before. An event a 'really popular' girl is holding?" Hiroyuki asked. "I never saw anything about that online or in the newspapers."
"Now that you mention it, sis mentioned something about a Q&A Asami Hamasaki was doing." Masato said. Then he looked up, having realised something. "Wait a minute. That's it!"
"What's 'it'?" Shintaro asked. "Is it about Hamasaki?"
"Yeah, and what that Shadow meant the other day! He said something about a 'moon guy'. That's got to be Keiya, right? And he brought up the 'video lady', too!" Masato said, disturbed.
"What are you trying to say?" Hiroyuki asked, concerned. "...That Asami Hamasaki is a member of Bythos?"
"Yeah!" Masato shouted, panicking. "This isn't good. My sis is in danger! And we still don't know where the hell to go!"
"Shit! I better call Novalie!"
Hiroyuki began calling her number via the Gnosis, tapping his foot impatiently for a response.
|Kita Crossing – Gilded Glass|17:01 pm|
The girls had been searching for quite some time and had arrived in the Gilded Glass area. It boasted many tacky bars and restaurants, usually with some kind of gimmick attached to them to entice customers. It was a miracle if one of these places were recommended online or in any sort of magazine.
"Ugh..." Kohaku said, staring at a rather run-down pub called 'Paddies', which seemed oddly familiar to one she had seen on TV. "These windows are filthy. Do people actually come here for a drink?"
"You'd be surprised. For some people, they find this atmosphere comforting, whereas a more upmarket place can be quite intimidating." Novalie said. "I must admit, I'm partial to izakaya, and there's a nice one here. Edamame has become quite a favourite food of mine since I moved here."
"How long have you lived in Shinshuto, Novalie?" Kei asked.
"Hmm, let me think... I've been a student here for about two years now. All of my studies up to that point were in Norway."
"That sounds like a beautiful country! I've never been anywhere in Europe, sadly..." Kohaku said.
Not that my parents would have time to travel anywhere in this country anyway.
"I think you'd like it there. Especially Oslo, where I'm from. Although it's second to Tokyo in terms of living expenses. Even so, it's a beautiful city, rich with culture. Once I've finished my degree, I'm going to go back there, and perhaps apply for a PhD."
"Wow, what sort of field are you studying?" Kei asked. "Is it Political Science?"
Novalie nodded, her face glowing. "Well remembered! And a few classes in psychology, and ethics. ...I hate fighting. Even when it's with Shadows. I can't stand it when people get into fights, instead of working together to build a better planet. We're supposed to be better than this in the 21st century."
"It's awful, fighting another human being." Kohaku said. "I don't want to see anyone die. Or have to kill just to stay alive. I don't care if that's how it is in the wild. We're human beings. We can choose to avoid bloodshed."
"But not everyone can be negotiated with..." Kei said, sadly.
"Even so, my intent is to work for the United Nations." Novalie said. "It's the best way I can help my home country. And the entire world. One step at a time..."
"Hold on!" Kohaku said, as they just reached the outside of an Irish pub called McSorleys. "Something's coming!"
A group of three identical Shadows appeared, all rather sinister-looking female bird creatures called 'Strix'.
"What are you girls doing here? The action's happening elsewhere tonight, hun!" The middle Strix, apparently the leader, said.
"What action?" Kei asked, katana already equipped.
"Huh? Those aren't the uniforms the peons wear! These guys are weird. Let's get them!"
"Wait! You didn't answer -"
"It looks like we're not getting an answer..." Novalie said. "Then it looks like it's time for me to reveal myself. Please, see us through! Sága!"
Emerging for a burst of blue smoke was the Persona that Kohaku had been waiting to see. A blue-skinned feminine goddess, with bright blonde wavy hair down to her knees. She was dressed in a bright green dress, with bare feet. In her hands was a large jug of an unknown alcohol. A Norse goddess, a fact she had learned from Shintaro after he had perused several texts on mythology.
"That's your idea of beauty? This lady with the blonde hair, she's not in high school! Where on earth did she come from?"
"I don't think you're polite enough to deserve an answer to that! Sága! Freezing Tonic!"
Sága flew over the three Shadows, and turned her urn upside down – and with her hand gestures, she turned the water pouring down extremely cold. When it touched the bodies of the winged heinous demons, it completely froze them solid, even their wings. Although somehow, they remained in mid-air.
"That was awesome, Novalie. But shouldn't they be falling to the ground and shattering?" Kei asked.
"Shadows don't always conform to the law of physics. Nor do our Personas, thankfully." Novalie said, happily.
"Take THIS!" Kohaku yelled. She ran forward and swung her naginata forcefully – shattering one Strix into shards of ice, that quickly melted into a black ooze.
"Begone!" Kei shouted, summoning a new Persona she had acquired – it was a Kobold, like the ones that had been killed by EX-NIHILO on the rooftop of Chieki. With a powerful swing of its club, it broke another of the Strix into pieces.
"Allow me," Novalie said. "Hiyah!" With great aplomb, she thrust forward into the heart of the last Strix – and her relief, it too shattered into a pile of ice.
"Were we too hasty?" Kei asked, worried. "They didn't tell us anything about this 'action'."
"Yes, you're right..." Novalie said. "Hang on! I hear voices! Hide in here!"
She opened the door to a rather foul-smelling wine bar and ushered the two girls to join her. They ran inside and slammed the door shut.
"I didn't hear anything..." Kohaku asked.
"I've got good ears, actually," Novalie said. "Helped a lot when playing hide and seek with my cousins."
Outside of the bar, after a few minutes, the team could hear voices.
"...Quit grumbling. Do you know how hard it was to break you two out of jail?"
That's Hisaya! But I thought Hiroyuki had arrested her?
"Yeah, but we have to go to work already?!" A boy – who Kohaku recognised was Fumihiro – said.
"Shouldn't we have some time to rest?" Another male, most likely Ryosei said.
"Look, if we do well tonight, Keiya will reward us!" Hisaya said. "You never know, we could end up part of the Aeon Administrators!"
"Oh my goodness, is that possible?" Ryosei asked.
"You never know! Maybe we can truly awaken ourselves! It's worth a shot!" Hisaya said. "Anyway, we've got to hurry up and find Kaleidoscope. It's to the north of Kita Crossing. Wish I'd never taken a shortcut through here..."
"Just hope we don't run into those kids again. Losing to them twice is such bullshit." Fumihiro said.
"I know, I know! That's why we can't make any more mistakes." Hisaya said. "Or we'll end up like Rokurou Iwasaki!"
"Oh yeah, forgot that was happening. I wish we could view the show. But we got to stand guard." Ryosei said. "Let's go. There's no one here except Shadows."
There was a rush of footsteps, and again, there was silence. The three girls left the dark, stinking pub and eagerly embraced the outdoor air.
"So that's where we need to go!" Novalie said. "A friend invited me for drinks at one of Kaleidoscope's student nights. It was awful. Overpriced, tacky, garish, and all of the hand dryers were broken."
"I feel we may be encroaching on First World Problems there, Novalie..." Kei said, amused.
"What are they planning at that dump?" Kohaku said. "Wait, she said...Rokurou Iwasaki! I remember that name now!"
"Who is that? A friend of yours?" Novalie asked, gently.
"Not even close. One of the worst people you could ever meet. He was the ringleader of a group of bullies at my middle school. Masato ended up his flunky, like so many other boys." Kohaku said. "...But what is Bythos going to do him?"
"We've got to find out – hmm?" Novalie saw her Gnosis was ringing and answered it. "Hi, Hiroyuki – what? It's her?!" Novalie shouted. "We've heard about some event too! It's at the Club Kaleidoscope! We'll meet you back at the intersection. Be safe." She hung up, and looked to the others, gravely.
"...Is everything okay?" Kohaku asked.
"Not exactly," Novalie said. "The person arranging this event...might just be Asami Hamasaki. And Masato's sister is attending."
Kohaku gasped. Was Natsumi in danger?
"Kohaku-chan. Let's go. We have to save Masato's sister no matter what." Kei said.
"R-Right!" Kohaku said. The group left for the central part of Kita Crossing, frantically.
|Club Kaleidoscope|17:01 pm|
It seemed like Natsumi had been unconscious for some time. But when she came too, the bizarre piercing sounds had been quietened, and her vision had returned to normal. She sat up, and rubbed her still sore forehead. The atmosphere had changed, and she felt a chill down her spine.
"...What happened?!" Natsumi asked, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She saw her friend walking over to her, concerned. Asami had changed outfits from her school uniform to an ensemble coloured with green and black stripes – a tank top, skirt, shoes, and fingerless gloves. She also had a silver chain belt around her waist, as well as her favourite pink earrings.
"Natsumi, you're not hurt, are you?" Asami asked, holding her hand and helping her to her feet. "You were out cold for a long time. Do we need to get you to the hospital?"
"No, there's no need for that. I'm okay now." Natsumi said. "...This is Kaleidoscope, right?"
The place was brightly coloured with strangely beautiful patterns. It really was like looking into a kaleidoscope no matter where you went. The tables and chairs were strangely designed, and the stage where a band would be performing had two circular platforms in the middle – almost like trapdoors.
"Yeah! Isn't it the coolest club you've ever wanted to sneak into?" Asami said. The harsh pink light shone on her, but this soon rotated between other lurid hues. Natsumi's eyes began to hurt after a while. In fact, she was starting to get a headache. Something wasn't right about this place, she could tell.
"Hama-Sama!"
Natsumi looked around, and saw the other girls cheering. Now, more than ever, they seemed to be a singular entity. Something was affecting them, but what, Natsumi couldn't tell.
"Welcome to the Kaleidoscope!" Asami said. "Normally, we'd never get inside here at our age. But this isn't the same Kaleidoscope you've read about. This one belongs entirely to us! It exists in the same place, the same time, as the normal one. And for tonight, it's all yours!"
"Yay!" The girls cheered. The tables suddenly flashed, and various drinks were on all the tables. It didn't appear they were alcoholic, but Natsumi still looked at them with suspicion.
"Come here with me, Natsumi-chan. The moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived." Asami said, almost delighted. The two of them stepped onto the stage, to thunderous applause. The stage seemed almost hazy. Just then, another figure appeared, a man in a black suit and cape.
"It seems everything is in order, Hamasaki." The man said. He was handsome, but rather stoic. Natsumi stepped backwards, but Asami held her hand. "Who's she?"
"My friend. The one I asked you to find Rokurou for!" Asami said. "You've seen this man before, right?"
"Um...aren't you that new card magician that's been all over the city recently?" Natsumi asked.
"Correct. My name is Keiya Tsukino." He offered his hand to shake, and after Asami nodded, Natsumi slowly shook it. "Might I ask your name, madam?"
"It's Natsumi Yoshinaga."
"A fine name indeed. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Keiya said. "I've taken care of both matters you wanted me to attend to, Hamasaki-san. It was rather simple to arrange things to your specifications."
"Glad to hear it, Keiya-san. You've been a great help." Asami said. "You didn't hurt them too badly, did you?"
"They're practically untouched." Keiya said. "They were already in this world before I took them into custody. Oh. And the Claret Squad will safeguard the entrance. The prison had some safeguards to prevent break-ins, but if Hisaya was able to disable them, it doesn't say much for their security team."
"Ha... Maybe Hisaya has finally proven herself useful after all." Asami said, smiling. "I'm in a good mood now. We can enjoy ourselves a little before the main event. I'll play some music for the girls. When I give the command, bring them to me."
"Understood. I'll be waiting for your signal." Keiya said, as he sat in a booth and took a beer. "Don't worry. I don't plan to be intoxicated during the mission."
"Please...you're hardly Toki. You can handle at least one beer without turning your life into a car crash." Asami said. Keiya laughed, while Natsumi stared at them both in confusion.
"Hold on, back it up. Who are these people? And how do you two know each other?" Natsumi asked. "And what's this thing about your specifications?"
"It's all part of the plan, Natsumi! Just relax!" Asami said, smiling. "You don't have to worry about the details for now. When the time comes, I'll tell you everything."
"Oh... Okay." Natsumi said. Asami used her Gnosis to play some music, and a screen behind her played a visualiser of all kinds of special colourful effects. Natsumi had never seen anything like it before in her life. The girls were dancing, yes, but...to the exact same rhythm and beat of Asami. All Keiya did was watch, amused.
I don't have any clue what all this means. I've never even heard Asami mention 'Hisaya', 'Toki' or anything like this before. And why is she in league with a card magician? Sure, he's handsome, but why would he have ties to a high school girl? Please, tell me there's some kind of innocent explanation. I don't want anyone to get hurt...
|Kita Crossing|17:31 pm|
The two parties ran to each other, both looking worried. Once they were all assembled, Novalie and Hiroyuki took control.
"Everyone, here's the situation as far as we know it. A group of over 50 young girls are currently at Club Masquerade, to our north. As far as the citizens are concerned, it's just an occasion for fans of Asami Hamasaki to discuss her videos and ask her questions."
"We're still trying to figure out what the true purpose of this is." Hiroyuki said. "Did you hear anything, Teruya-san?"
"I heard the name Rokurou Iwasaki being mentioned by the Claret Squad..." Kohaku said. "Wait. How come Hisaya got free? She broke the other two out of jail!"
"Fuck! I knew something was wrong when I couldn't find her." Hiroyuki said. "I didn't have time to set up the full defence system. I thought the base level would be enough to deter most intruders."
"The Claret Squad are apparently heading to Masquerade too. If we want to go in, there's no choice but to battle them." Novalie said, bluntly. "What's inside may be even more dangerous..."
"Indeed. I think we'll need to contact Shigeru, and fast." Hiroyuki said. "...We'll meet up with him and come back here as soon as. Don't go anywhere until we return."
"That's an order, by the way." Novalie said sternly. "Let's go."
The two older Persona users left, leaving the four teenagers.
"We...have to stay here, right?" Masato said. "But Natsumi's in there, probably scared to death..."
"I know. I don't want us to be too late to stop whatever Asami is planning." Kohaku said.
"And it involves Rokurou too..." Shintaro said. He shuddered at the thought. That awful day at school, him yelling taunts, cheering as his grandfather's precious book was ripped apart. Ever since then, Shintaro had deeply wished that someone would inflict the same pain on Iwasaki. But not like this. Whatever Bythos had in store, it would be far more painful than what Shintaro went through.
"Whatever his character, we can't leave him at Bythos' mercy. Is that what you're thinking?" Kei asked, gently.
"...Exactly." Shintaro said. "I can't leave people to die, no matter what they did to me."
"...You're a real hero, aren't you?" Masato asked. This wasn't him teasing, Shintaro could tell. "Kaleidoscope isn't far. Let's get going. We'll apologise to Hiroyuki and Novalie later."
"Yeah. Let's GO!" Kohaku said. The four of them ran off, with the aim of saving Natsumi from peril.
|Club Kaleidoscope – Front Entrance|18:00 pm|
The front door to Kaleidoscope was relatively plain compared to the bizarre dream-like facade the club itself boasted, with only a neon sign and a few posters advertising special deals for students and the like. Standing around were none other than the Claret Squad, who had only seen a few stray Shadows.
"Why don't they use any other soldiers tonight?" Fumihiro asked.
"It must be to prove ourselves, like Hisaya said. Our last chance to prove our Squad can hold their own and prevail." Ryosei said.
"Exactly. I'm sick of losing to the Azure, Jade and Goldenrod Squads. They keep getting touted as super amazing fighters, but we get no respect." Hisaya said. "With the new Personas we were given, we can handle this just fine."
"...Is anyone even gonna try to get inside?" Fumihiro said. "I ain't seen anythin' worth fighting."
"You never know. Our 'friends' may try to show up..." Hisaya said. She looked ahead, and smirked evilly. "...Bingo."
Running up to the club were none other than Kei, Shintaro, Kohaku and Masato, all looking panicked.
"Well, look who decided to show up!" Hisaya said. "Alone and unprotected!"
"Who are you, Dan Backslide?" Shintaro asked.
"...Who the fuck is that?" Fumihiro asked, bewildered. Ryosei giggled, apparently the only one familiar with the 1942 short Shintaro knew.
"Oh, fuck off!" Hisaya yelled. "...This is the third time I've had the misfortune of meeting all of you. And it's getting on my nerves. So if you don't turn back right now, and run home to your idyllic family lives, your bodies are going to win the record for the most stab wounds in history."
"How scary." Kei said, unimpressed.
"You think you're so tough cause you can change Persona, don't you?" Hisaya yelled. "I hate you! I hate all of you! Always getting in our way, making our Squad a total joke. It has to stop!"
"Perhaps you should be the ones running." Shintaro said. "With the information you have on Bythos and their leaders, the police might go easier on you."
"Are you for real?" Fumihiro asked. "I broke out of juvenile hall! I'm not going back to the cops, begging for mercy!"
"The police are full of corrupt cops, anyway. After all, one of them let their son harass a trio of girls into committing suicide." Ryosei said. "That same son shall suffer dearly today. In the name of justice."
"You're not scaring us off. Not until I find my sister!" Masato yelled. "Get out of the way! We want a word with Asami Hamasaki! And Keiya Tsukino!"
The three Squad members looked at each other, shocked.
"...They know?!" Hisaya said, aghast. "But we haven't leaked any information about our Admins?!"
"They must be smarter than I thought." Ryosei said. "We can't let them interfere."
"Right. Now's our time to wipe the floor with them anyway!" Fumihiro said.
"Then our only choice is to battle, once more." Kohaku said.
"Right!" Hisaya said. "My new Persona is far stronger than the last two! I hope you like her! Come, Lilim!"
Appearing from the red mist was a very scantily clad female, with a sinister expression. She wore only a white top that left little to the imagination, a pair of white shorts with a belt, a pair of devil-like wings and a pointed tail.
"Damn girl, your Persona is sexy!" Fumihiro said, happily. Hisaya glared at him, and clicked her fingers. "Oh. Yeah. Here we go...Gozuki!"
He summoned a blue-skinned being with an ox-like head, that wore green clothes and was equipped with a heavy axe. Shintaro couldn't help but think this felt the most appropriate, for someone of Fumihiro's looks and intellect.
"I won't lose again." Ryosei said. "I will atone for my failures. Come! Omoikane!"
The being that appeared was rather unwholesome – a huge floating brain with purple, pupil-less eyes, and with countless 'tentacles' protruding from underneath the 'body', some of which had more eyes attached.
"...Nice Personas, actually." Kei said. "Let's see how well you're improved."
"Oh, we WILL!" Hisaya said. The three of them charged into battle, unaware of the chaos that was about to erupt from inside the club.
|Inside Club Kaleidoscope|18:00 pm|
While the girls had been dancing, Natsumi couldn't get into it at all. She was still struggling to understand any of what had just happened. Even worse, there was a constant pounding pain in her head, and it wouldn't go away, no matter how many drinks Asami summoned.
This isn't making sense. How exactly did we make it into this club? Even the air feels weird. I hate this club. I want to go home. Asami, please, tell me what's going on...
"Woo!" Asami said, finishing the last song by doing a somersault. "Keiya, get up here and dance!"
"And be forced to take countless selfies?" Keiya said, rolling his eyes. "I think I'll preserve my dignity. Besides, we've been playing music for nearly an hour now. Shouldn't we move onto the main event?"
"Oh...alright. I've been waiting for this day long enough as it is." Asami said. She clicked her fingers, and there was a huge whirring sound beneath their feet.
The two trapdoors opened, and two strange purple cages rose up. Trapped within were two bewildered teenagers. One, Natsumi had never seen before, but from the look of him, she could tell straight away he was a problem. The other was none other than Rokurou, the toughest boy in middle school. Whether or not that reputation still held up in High School, Natsumi didn't know. She'd never mistake that crop of bleached blonde hair, or his angry brown eyes.
"What the fuck are we doing here?" Ryosuke, the other boy, said. His locks were black and curly, and he wore an immaculate grey shirt and black trousers.
"Yeah, and who the hell are you guys?" Rokurou said. "Hang on...you're Natsumi! Fucking hell, what are you trying to do?"
"I'm not..." Natsumi mumbled, terrified. She ran behind Asami, hands covering her mouth.
"Don't you dare try to scare her! She's my friend!" Asami said, stomping the ground. "You're in our world now, remember. But we'll get to you in just a second. Ryosuke Kinoshita, we meet again. How long has it been...?"
"Fuck you, lady! Get us out of here, or I'll call the police!" Ryosuke said, desperately trying to break through the bars.
"Problem is, you're not in the 'real' world. Your phones aren't going to be able to reach any emergency services. Ironic, considering your peril." Keiya said. "Let me ask you a question. Did you honestly expect you could murder three young girls, with no consequences whatsoever?"
"What? I never killed anybody!" Ryosuke shouted.
Asami, apoplectic, pressed a button on her phone. The giant display from before was now displaying images of Asami's friend late friends. The boys looked around, and while Rokurou simply scoffed in frustration at his situation, Ryosuke seemed shocked.
"Those...those girls?!" Ryosuke said.
"Remember them now?" Asami said. "They were the best friends I ever knew. We fought a lot, but that's what friends do. You tore them all from me, Ryosuke. You wouldn't leave them alone. You hounded them, bullied them, made them afraid to even leave the house! And now they're all gone. They died, and all because of you!"
"You escaped punishment due to family connections. Despicable, and cowardly. Your father must be truly repugnant to allow you to continue existing, let alone allow you to live in his house." Keiya said. "Your conscience, if it even exists, must be completely beyond all hope."
"That's why we've set all of this up." Asami said. "I've decided to take matters into our own hands! Nisa Liat showed me the way!"
"Nisa Liat! Pleroma Princess!" The girls said, in a dream-like state of delight.
"...What?!" Natsumi said. "Nisa Liat? I've heard that name before. Who is she?"
"Yeah, what the hell is a Nisa Liat?" Rokurou said. "And what the hell have we gotten ourselves into?" He tried to kick and punch the cage bars, but only succeeded in hurting his hands and feet. "This is false imprisonment, you know!"
"Natsumi-chan, I wanted to tell you from the start, but I was sworn to secrecy." Asami said, nervously. "This Gnosis allows me to go between our world and a hidden world known as the Theio Kosmos. In that world, there are no humans, only monsters called Shadows. But, if a human makes it to the Theio Kosmos, they can...use a power far greater than anything possible in the normal world, or Akartharto Kosmos."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Natsumi asked, distressed.
"It may be easier to show her, Hamasaki." Keiya said. "You two should sit still for a while. No one here is particularly willing to help free you."
"Yeah!" The brainwashed girls said. "You're never going to escape from Hama-Sama!"
"Here goes." Asami said. She held out her hand – and in it, appeared a large spear-like weapon, or a partisan, that had a light lavender hue to the blade.
"What?! Where did you get that from?" Natsumi said. She shrieked loudly, however, as she felt a savage blue wind around her. It circled around Asami, who shut her eyes in deep concentration.
"This is all part of my power. The strength to bring justice to my friends. And you, Natsumi-chan." Asami said. "Words can't get through to these mindless thugs. We're not going to become murderers like them, though. Instead, we're going to hurt them straight where it hurts, so they never stop hurting. Only then will they understand what it's like to be me. Come forth! Kaihime!"
Within the blue smoke was a strong force. There was a muscular woman clad in vivid green armour, her black hair accented with pink tips. Her fuchsia eyes twinkled. In her hand was a large spear with a corrugated blade, ready for warfare. And the spear seemed to have flames and sparks whirling around it.
I am thou. Thou art I. From thy sea of thy soul, I cometh. I art Kaihime, whose beauty is only surpassed by my boundless courage.
"Kaihime?!" Natsumi asked. Now, she was terrified. "This thing, can it..."
"Thing? Hardly a poetic term..." Keiya said, amused. "This being is called a Persona, Natsumi. And Asami is far from the only one who can conjure one."
"Is that true...?" Natsumi asked.
"Yes, it is. Nisa Liat gave me this Gnosis a long time ago." Asami said. "With it, I can protect myself in this world. Not only that, I can help shape it. Keiya can summon one, of course. His is called Sin. Not after the Biblical seven deadly sins, but some kind of moon god."
Natsumi gasped. So this is what Asami had truly been up to. Bythos weren't just some odd cult that had propped up. They were a group capable of strange powers. Did this mean she was in danger?
"You've got to be kidding me! This is real, isn't it?!" Rokurou screamed. "Do something, you dumbass!"
"Dude, I'm trying! I can't get out of this damn thing either!" Ryosuke said. "Dammit, you guys are seriously going to kill us with that thing?"
Asami shook her head. "I already told you. I don't want to kill you the same way you killed my friends. That's not justice. That just gives you an easy way out. The same goes for you, Rokurou."
"What's going to happen to us?!" Rokurou shouted, eyes wide with terror.
"I'm not sure words will do it justice. Not like you have any idea what the word 'justice' means, of course." Asami said. She turned to Keiya, who nodded. "It looks like everything's already been set up. I just need Kaihime to channel it properly. Go!"
The Persona twirled her spear, and suddenly bizarre looking black tentacle-like tubes attached to the cages, and began pulsing with eerie purple energy. Both of the boys became shrouded with a dark red aura, and fell to their knees, screaming with pain.
Natsumi couldn't believe what she was seeing. Was this real? Was Asami seriously torturing them with some sort of dark power?
"Hang on! Isn't this enough?" Natsumi asked.
"Not even close." Asami said. "This is what you wanted too, after all. Rokurou and Ryosuke will never be the same again...but the city will be better off this way."
Finally, it stopped. While the tentacles stayed in place, the influx of energy ceased, and there was a faint red fog lingering around the stage. The two boys finally got up, their eyes completely blank. They stared blankly, and their breathing was slow and quiet.
"So, how do you feel after all of that?" Keiya said. "You were subjugated to the sheer pain and sorrow that you both inflicted on other people. Right down to your core. Quite frankly, I doubt it will ever go away."
"I'm pathetic. I don't deserve to live." Rokurou said, without a hint of emotion in his voice. "I shouldn't even have been born..."
"I'm a murderer...I killed those girls...and I laughed about it..." Ryosuke said, equally toneless.
"This..." Natsumi said.
"Hail Hama-Sama!" The throng of girls screamed.
"There you have it. We can use this power, combined with the energies that compose this world, to finally reap vengeance that we deserve." Asami said. "Girls, thanks for watching. It's been a real blast. As a reward, you'll all get these!"
There was another flash, as in each of the girl's hands, a red Gnosis appeared. One appeared in Natsumi's hand as well, but while nothing happened for the other attendees, hers started to pulsate, flash, and then change colour – to black.
"Whoa!" Natsumi said, gazing at her own Gnosis. "It's just like Masato's! Then...he's got a Persona too!"
"...Yes, he does. And not just him. Shintaro, Kohaku, and that Kei girl, they all share the same power." Asami said. "But they're not on our side. They're siding against us. You'll help change their minds, won't you? Look what we were able to do to Rokurou. It's what he deserves. Shintaro will thank us!"
Are you sure about that? Rokurou has become a vegetable! And my brother's got the same kind of power? Surely he's not done anything this insane. No, he can't have -
Suddenly, the ground started to shake. A hole burst in the ceiling, and out came a black smoke. It phased into one set of the tentacles, the one leading to Rokurou, and caused them to start pulsing again.
"What's this?!" Natsumi yelled. "What else can you do to him?"
"I haven't done anything!" Asami said, flustered. "Keiya, what -"
"It's nothing to do with me, either." Keiya said, flatly. "Is it a byproduct of the energy with accumulated? None of the previous experiments had any of this."
"Nothingness..." Rokurou said, absolutely listless. "I am...zero. Emptiness. Take my body. I have no more will. Thus, I have no more use in this world..."
"Who is he talking to?" Keiya asked. "...Surely, he can't be-"
"I think it is!" Asami said. "This...isn't good! We've got to -"
There was a massive quake, as the building began to creak and shake. Natsumi fell to the ground, She looked up, and saw the tentacles break apart, dissolving into dark mist. Left behind was cage, which suddenly began glowing a bright red colour. Its captive was silent, while the prisoner in the other cage seemed to develop a small grin.
Huh? Ryosuke, what are you doing?
"Asami!" Keiya said. "I'm sending them back to Hanashima now!"
He pressed an icon on his phone, but nothing seemed to happen. Alarmed, he grabbed Asami's arm, but not before she helped Natsumi back on her feet. They tried to run past the brainwashed girls, but they heard a massive blast that cut off all the lights, leaving a massive red glow in the back.
"No!" Keiya said, turning around. The stage was completely wrecked, and the cages had disappeared entirely. Ryosuke was laughing like crazy, shrouded in dark energy, while Rokurou had a peculiar entity floating above his head. It was a transparent humanoid with a twisted mask on its head.
"This can't be happening!" Asami wailed.
"Assimilation complete. New host drastically inferior to previous body. Sustenance minimal. Destruction of human subjects will require a new host almost immediately. Will expend the lifeform's remaining willpower."
The creature formed a strange ball of energy, and fired it forward towards Natsumi. Asami, screaming, pushed her out of the way – and the energy blast went straight towards the front door...
|Club Kaleidoscope – Front Doors|18:30 pm|
"That's enough!" Hisaya shouted, frustrated. "Maeiha!"
A cursed volley of energy struck the team, who were weary from the fight. Shintaro glared at her, aggravated. Neither team seemed to have the edge at the moment, even though they had four members and the Claret Squad only had three.
"No way!" Shintaro said. "Jet Flash!"
With a quick blast of wind, plus a teleportation, Shintaro was right behind Hisaya. His blade slashed her painfully, and she fell briefly – only to swipe at him with her knives.
"Zio!" Masato shouted. Camulus sent a bolt of lighting at Ryosei, shocking him sharpy. However, he got hit in the face by Fumihiro's strong fists.
"Should pay more attention, kid!" He said, snarling. Gozuki, while not particularly wise, had some sheer strength. With a mighty Lunge, he hit Masto with his club.
"Petal Waltz!"
Kei sent petals flying all over the battlefield, delivered beautifully by Ostara. Their sharpness cut deep through the Claret Squad, giving Kohaku plenty of time to heal with Media.
"Thanks, Kohaku-chan." Shintaro said.
"Damn you!" Ryosei said. "Mapsi!"
Appropriately for a brain-like Persona, Omoikane used his mind to bombard its enemies with psychic blasts. Shintaro shuddered, stumbling – his sword just missing Hisaya's face.
"You're not so tough now, are you?" Hisaya said, laughing.
"Let's finish them all with one hit!" Fumihiro said.
"Yes. Our combined energy should be enough to establish our superiority." Ryosei said.
"Alright. On my mark! Lilim, use your -"
Before the Claret Squad could complete their unison, however, there was a sound of screaming from Kaleidoscope. The doors leading to the club started to shake, until they were blasted off the hinges and crashed onto the road with a heavy thud. Immediately afterwards, hordes of young girls ran outside screaming, somehow not noticing the group. They seemed to be fading away shortly afterwards, too.
Huh? Are they returning to the Akartharto Kosmos?
"What the hell just happened?!" Hisaya screamed.
"Damn..." Fumihiro said. "They're going to blame that on us, aren't they?"
"Natsumi!" Masato yelled. He shoved past the Claret Squad, and ran further into the chaos in the wrecked club. Shintaro, Kei and Kohaku followed, worried.
"...We should go too." Ryosei said. "Our dear Admins may need our help."
The Claret Squad ran inside – unprepared for what they were about to see.
|Club Kaleidoscope|18:40 pm|
Natsumi slowly got up to her feet. She, Keiya and Asami were the only ones left in the club, which looked as if a bomb had hit it. On the stage was Ryosuke, still laughing insanely, and the beast which had aimed its attack at them.
"Energy levels absent. Abandoning host."
The being disappeared, and a black fog left the body of Rokurou – who fell over unconscious. Just then, there was a rush of footsteps – and Natsumi's face lit up. Running straight towards her was her brother.
"Natsumi!" Masato screamed, grabbing her tightly in his arms. "...Are you alright?"
"I...I'm fine, now that you're here," Natsumi said, relieved.
"Thank goodness..." Kohaku said.
"When we heard you were here, we came running for you." Shintaro said.
"...Kohaku? Shintaro?!" Natsumi said, amazed. "Why are all of you together?"
"It was supposed to be a surprise..." Masato said, smirking. "But the three of us are sort of a team again."
Natsumi, tears dripping from her eyes, buried her head into Masato's chest. With all the fear and dread she had felt this evening, she finally felt safe now that he was here. And her old friends were there too.
"Thank you so much..." Natsumi said. "Please, let's go back home..."
"What the fuck?!"
The Claret Squad had arrived, and were staring at the dark mist floating around Rokurou's body. Asami and Keiya grimaced, and glared at their underlings.
"We told you never to let anyone else inside!" Keiya shouted.
"It's a bit hard to do that when the doors get blown off!" Fumihiro snapped. "Stop blaming us for everything!"
"We were keeping them at bay. We probably would have defeated them if we weren't interrupted. Weren't you supposed to be keeping everything under control?" Ryosei asked.
"How dare you?!" Asami shouted, slapping him hard across the face. "Taking control of your unit was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made. You're a disgrace to Bythos!"
"So you're really an Aeon Administrator..." Masato said, darkly. "And you really put my sister in danger."
"...I didn't mean any of this!" Asami shouted.
"Oh yeah?!" Masato said. "You were trying to get her to join you, right? No way that'll happen!"
"Silence, Masato Yoshinaga," Keiya said. "The Gnosis I gave you should have killed you, not let you survive."
Masato gasped. "So you're the one who's been trying to kill me?!"
"That's right. I was able to capture EX-NIHILO and download it to your Gnosis. It should have drained you as a host and left you brain dead – which is exactly what has happened to Rokurou over there."
"...That's him, alright." Kohaku said. "We were too late..."
"Damn!" Shintaro said. "There was so much I wanted to say to him. But now he can't even speak. He doesn't even know I'm there anymore."
"What reason do you have for killing Masato?!" Natsumi shouted.
"I'm tired of being bombarded with questions," Keiya said. "Asami. We can take them all out right here, right now."
"...Fine." Asami said. "Hisaya – huh? What are you doing?! Get back here!"
Hisaya stepped forward, transfixed at the laughing young man on the stage.
"...Ryosuke?" Hisaya uttered.
"What is going on?" Shintaro asked.
"Damn," Masato said. "Things are really messed up tonight."
"That boy..." Natsumi said. "His name is Ryosuke Kinoshita. He bullied three of Asami's friends so much, they killed themselves."
"Hehehehe..." Ryosuke said. "Hisaya already knows who I am, don't you?"
"Yes. Of course. You were my only friend back when we were young." Hisaya said. "The only one I could count on. My family were a joke. No one else would even talk to me. You were always there for me..." Hisaya said. She saw his wild expression, however, and shuddered. "...What have Bythos done to you? They never told me you were going under Grief Factor too!"
"Ha...!" Ryosuke laughed, somewhat manically. "I'm nothing like that dumbass over there. Sure, they tried to fill me with the same energy - but rather than lose myself to it, I've taken over it completely!"
"What?!" Asami shouted. "But..."
"I'm good at playing along," Ryosuke said. He clicked his fingers, as the cage around him shattered. "But this human body isn't any good anymore. I need something even better. Thanks to all the energy I was given, I've learned of a place where I can get even more power and transform. These Shadows I've heard about - I'm going to become the best one ever!"
"You must be joking. He's going to use Shadow Compression on himself?!" Keiya said.
"That's right! But this shitty club isn't any good anymore. The big fortress on the island should be good. I'm going to head there right now! This is the world I can finally be myself, where no one tries to tie me down...it's brilliant! I'll play here forever, and fuck up the human world from my new castle!"
With a dark laugh, Ryosuke vanished into a pillar of bright red energy – it sent the three Claret Squad members flying in different directions, and set off another earthquake. Hisaya laid just before the steps leading to the stage, while the two boys were stuck in the wreckage of the previous blast.
"This isn't good!" Keiya said. "We've got to get to the Fortress. Now!"
"But these guys -"
"They can wait, Asami! But if Ryosuke gets the Cognition Core, Mizuho is finished!" Keiya snapped. Reluctantly, they teleported out of the club, leaving Kei's team alone.
"Asami...why?!" Natsumi said.
"We've got to get to that Fortress too!" Shintaro said. "The only question is, how?"
Before the team could do anything, however, Natsumi suddenly doubled over in pain, as a red 'electricity' seemed to surround her.
"Argh!" She screamed. "Help me...! It hurts...! Something's inside me...!"
"What?!" Masato said. "No, not this thing again!"
There was a great flash of red light, and appearing out of the darkness was a familiar form. The bizarre, demonic being that seemed to be both Shadow and Persona. EX-NIHILO had returned, and it had taken a liking to his previous host's sister.
"Initializing. Host 'Natsumi Yoshinaga' very similar to Host No. 01. Plentiful energy to maintain form. Beginning BATTLE 02 procedure. Annihilation of human subjects must be fulfilled."
The EX-NIHILO summoned its sword in much the same manner and stood in the way of the four Persona users. Its mask betrayed no expression, yet it was clear it was determined to fulfil its macabre mission.