Wild Update appear! With comedy, references and more importantly... Plot. I'll take this opportunity to answer some questions in the Reviews.
dangstaboy: Actually Kotone is Minako, but I give her the name that was used in the stage play, Persona 3: the Weird Masquerade. I didn't want to use Minako Arisato like everyone does because I wanted to try something different. And because is a little overused. And yes, I'll bring the entire Persona series cast. Including some of the Social Links.
RosyMiranto18: The reason I go with the Trinity Souls "rule" is to add conflict. It won't appear now, but it will build up. Keep in mind this is an AU, kind of. And YES, my OC will appear! Azami and Kagura will be in the story, but not yet. Still, they will be mentioned in this chapter, specially Azami.
ReallyLazyReader: I did steal the script for PQ2 :D It wasn't easy though.
GummyDuckie: Grammar mistakes are my thing. I'm from Argentina and I'm better speaking English than writing. I kinda suck, to be honest.
Leave me a Review :D See you later. (Some grammar fixed... I think. The chapter takes place after the Prologue if you are confused)
Chapter 2: A typical day in High School
4/6 Thursday (Jung High School, Special Classroom)
The classroom was in silence. The teacher, Igor, was writing something in the blackboard while Elizabeth sits at the back of the classroom reading a blue book. Kotone was staring at Tatsuya and he was staring back at her. Makoto was sleeping with his face buried in his arms. Naoya and Yu were looking at Igor, waiting for him to begin the lecture and Akira making something under his desk. Naoya could get a glimpse of what he was doing... a Smoke bomb. Naoya decided to remain quiet, just in case. The first impression Akira gives him was one of a crazy person. He starts to wonder what waits for him in this class and what, or more importantly when, is shit going to hit the fan. He could sense it already. Igor stops writing and turns around to look at his students. Everyone stares at him and meet that insanely, huge and creepy smile.
"Good, now we can get started" He said and place his hand on his own desk. A bright blue light came out of it and a deck of card appears. "First of all, I want you to tell me if you know what a Persona User is"
"... Where are we? In Kindergarten?" Tatsuya asks. "Everyone knows what a Persona User is"
"Is that so? Then explain it to me, Suou" Igor stare at Tatsuya and everyone present, even Akira who wasn't paying any attention, look at him. "I'm waiting"
"Tch..." Tatsuya stands up. "A Persona User is... a person that can summon a Persona" He says and Igor keep smiling.
"Well, no shit, Sherlock" Said Kotone.
"Are you pick a fight already?! Then bring it!" Tatsuya yell.
"Calm down" Said Igor with a calm demeanor. "You are correct, Tatsuya. Although that was a very vague explanation. A Persona User is a person... Or being... That can summon, by one mean or other, a Persona. A Persona is a manifestation of a Persona User's personality, referred to as a "mask" for an individual to use to face hardship" Igor explains. "To put it simply, a Persona is similar to a Shadow. Shadows are malevolent manifestations of one's inner thoughts, while a Persona is a manifestation of the same feelings but tamed and trained. You all, either consciously or unconsciously, tame your inner Shadows to gain the power... And by answering that question, here's another... What's a Wild Card?"
"Oh! Me! I know the answer" Akira raise his hand and stand up. Igor allows him to answer. "A Wild Card is a Persona User that born with the Fool Arcana, that allows him or her use multiple Personas. Still, that power doesn't make us all-powerful, we still need the bonds for our power to grow"
"Exactly, nicely explained, Akira" Igor sit down. "You all are here because you have the Wild Card, you have unlocked the power that surpasses every Persona User and is even a power that rivals the Devil Summoners" At the mention of the Devil Summoners, Yu raise his hand.
"I do have a question that no one actually answers before" Said Yu. "We do know that an average Persona User loses his power between the age of 26 and 30... Is it true that a Persona User with the Power of the Wild Card break that limitation?"
"Yes... It does" Said Igor and entwines his fingers. "A Wild Card can use his or her power until the day of their death... Still, there some exceptions. There a normal Persona Users that still have their powers and they even reach an advanced age"
"What about those who lost their Personas? What awaits them?" Kotone asks, concerned.
"It's not the end of the world for them. Once they graduate, they are sent to a certain area to defend humanity against both Shadows and Demons. When they start to show signs of losing their powers, they are taken out of the battlefield and they get to choose their jobs. Of course, in the last year of High School, you all learn the basics of any job you want and plan ahead when that times come. Think of it as planning for your retirement. In your case, however, that won't happen"
"So... We're stuck in this for the rest of our lives?" Makoto asks and Igor chuckle.
"In a way..."
"Ugh, what a pain" Makoto hit his head against his desk. "Just kill me already..."
"Anyway, now that we have that out of the way, I'll teach you what are the benefits of a Wild Card" Igor move his hand over the table and the cards move forming a circle. Igor's smile grew wider and that freak everyone out, even Elizabeth. "First, let's read everyone's future"
"Oh! Mine first!" Said Akira excitedly.
(Jung High School, 2nd Floor Hallway)
Walking down the hallway was a third-year student, Makoto Niijima. She was walking with her hand behind her back, watching outside the window at the courtyard. She feels peace walking down the hallway in silence like she was the last person walking on earth. The silence was destroyed by a student yelling. Makoto runs toward the source of the noise and found it, it was her classmate Labrys Taketatsu. She was yelling at a first-year student, Kanji Tatsumi.
"What do you think you are doing?!" She yells. "You shouldn't skip class and wander around"
"What about you?" Kanji asks. "Looks like you are skipping class too"
"I have permission to be here. Go back to your classroom, Tatsumi" Labrys point at the stairs and Kanji walk away. Once Kanji leave, Makoto walks to Labrys.
"What happen?" Makoto asks, a little worried that Labrys might yell at her. Labrys is known to be a very strict person.
"I found him wandering around the hallway. He was skipping class" Said Labrys and cross her arms. "What about you, Niijima?"
"I went to the bathroom" She answered. "I was going back already"
"I see... Then see you later" Labrys move and let Makoto go. "Before I forget... Good luck in the elections. For Student Council President, I mean"
"Thanks... This year might be a little tough. I'm against you, Kirijo and Nanjo. I think those last two are trying to destroy each other and I'll rather be as far away as possible if they decided to fight" The Kirijo Group used to be part of the Nanjo Group, but it separate to form their own company. They have been rival until recently when they start to collab with each other. But Kei Nanjo and Mitsuru Kirijo are declared rivals.
"Those two are like water and oil... They can't get along and that's kinda worrying for the future of both Groups"
"We'll see how things go in the future. In the meantime, I should get going" Makoto leave and Labrys was left alone in the hallway. She looks at her watch for a moment and then felt someone presence around the corner. It felt really familiar. So familiar that it makes her ask herself what will she do now, leave it be or simply attack? She decided to simply walk toward this presence with her arms crossed and confront what she sees as her mortal enemy... Ryoji Mochizuki.
"The hell are you doing here, Ryoji?" She asks with a fierce tone.
"I was... trying to find a way to avoid you" He said, smiling at her. "But I couldn't do it. You are so beautiful that it makes me want to break the rules only to see your cute little face"
"Oh, so you want to see me angry"
"That's one of your best qualities. You are like a magnet and I get pulled by your beauty" At this point, Labrys was disgusted by how much he flirts. She wanted to summon her Persona and beat him to death, but something, or rather someone, stop her.
"Ryoji! I told you to go to your class, or are you deaf?" A young, although mature woman, appears. She had dark blue hair tied into a ponytail. She wears a yellow collared shirt with a red ribbon and a white lab coat, gray skirt and slippers. She looks at Ryoji with a kind smile, it looked like the smile of an angel. She then turns to Labrys and bows at her. "I'm so sorry. He said he was feeling sick, but he lied. I send back to class, but now he's skipping them... again"
"I-It's nothing to worry about, Mochizuki-sensei," Said Labrys. Mari Mochizuki, Ryoji's older sister, nurse of the school and medical teacher. "I was about to punish him and send him back to class"
"To be clear, when you say punish..." Mari made a pause and gasped. "Don't tell you were about to kill him"
... If you didn't show up I might beat him to death, but we'll never know for sure" Labrys stare at Ryoji. "Maybe a Persona User of the Death Arcana is more resistant to death"
"Let's not test that today" Said Mari. "I need him today" Mari grab Ryoji by the arm. "Apologies with her, Ryo. Please"
"I didn't do anything wrong. I was just... praising her beauty" Ryoji wink at Labrys
"Oh... Are you two in love?" Mari teases them.
"Yes!" "NO!"
(Jung High School, Cafeteria)
It was lunchtime and everyone gathered in the Cafeteria. The place was as big as the school gym, big enough to let every student have a place to sit and have lunch. Naoya Toudou grabs a silver tray and goes for his lunch. He takes a bottle of water and a hamburger. He walks toward the tables and tries to find Maki, but it was impossible with so many students around. He didn't even find Kei Nanjo anywhere, but he stumbles with a certain group that for now, he wanted to avoid. His classmates in the Special classroom. He found Kotone and Makoto sitting at the same table and Akira Kurusu joining them. Akira looks at me and smile.
"Hey, Toudou! Sit with us!" He invites Naoya to the table and he let out a sigh and finally decided to join them. It was faster than walking around and trying to find Maki. He sits down next to Makoto and facing Akira. Kotone was sitting next to Akira, facing Makoto. "Hey, isn't this kinda funny?"
"What?" Makoto asks, a little tired.
"We are having lunch together and we barely know each other"
"Speak for yourself, Kurusu" Said Kotone. "I know Naoya and... Tatsuya, and I live with Makoto. So I know most of you, except, of course, Narukami"
"Yeah..." Akira looks at Narukami walking toward them. "Well, speaking of the devil. Here, Yu, have a sit with us. Is not like you have a place to seat down anyways" Yu look around and find out that Makoto was right.
"Oh, thanks" Yu sit down and his cell phone ringing. He answers the call right away. "Hello? Oh, Azami... Yes... Yes, I know... Tonight?" Yu look at his classmates and start whispering. "Well... Curry, maybe... Hm... Yes, Nanako will love it. She like when you are the one cooking... Thanks. See you tonight then, Bye" He hangs up and Akira pat him on the back.
"Azami, huh? Who was that? Your girlfriend? Can we meet her?" Akira teases him.
"No, my sister" Yu answer with a straight face.
"Oh..." Akira stops smiling. "... So... you are dating your sister?" Akira joked and Yu wasn't laughing.
"You joke too much, did they tell you that?" Kotone asks.
"Too many times, yes" Akira take out a card from his pocket. "It's how I really am. Unpredictable... A real Wild Card" Akira leave the card on the table, showing a Joker. "My friends call me, Joker. And this is my presentation card"
"So... To you, everything is a joke?" Makoto asks.
"Not really. I try to be as positive as I can possibly be. Life sometimes strikes you so hard that you either fall to your knees and cry or stand up and keep going. I choose the second, with a little twist"
"Hmmm... Interesting" Makoto smile. "I like you already"
"To me, you are trying too much" Said Kotone. "But do whatever you want. As long you don't make any pervert joke, then we're cool"
"So, what? Are we friends already?" Akira asks, intrigued
"Only classmates" Kotone answers and look at Yu. "So... You were talking about dinner with your sister?"
"Yes. She will buy the ingredients for dinner and cook make curry" Yu explains. "I'll help her"
"Is she a Persona User too?" Makoto asks.
"Yes, but she's not in this High School... She goes... To the rival school" Yu said, a little bothered. He didn't like that his sister attends to other High School.
"Oh... Lovecraft High School?" Kotone asks. "Does that mean she lives in the dorms then?" Yu nodded.
"Yes, But she always goes back home to have dinner together. She leaves after that"
"It must be hard" Said Akira. "I hear rumors about that High School. The Persona Users there are a little... Psychopaths"
"That doesn't even describe then" Said Yu. "There are even Devil Summoners and some of them are really powerful" Yu get closer to the group and whisper at them, like he was sharing some kind of secret. "Especially one of them... a Blue haired boy capable of summoning demons without those weird computers"
"That has to be a rumor, Yu" Said Makoto. "There's no way a human can summon a demon without any external help... Unless he's one of them"
"I saw the guy once... Your eyes won't believe it once you see it"
"Whatever you say"
(Jung High School, Gym)
Makoto Yuki, and the rest of the students, from first to third-year, were sitting in the School Gym. In front of them the P.E. teacher, Lance Murdock, an ex-soldier and, at some point, Devil Summoner. Of course, he leaves all that behind to focus on simple jobs. How he ended up as a P.E. teacher in a school for Persona Users is unknown for everyone, even for most of the teachers. But Philemon saw something on him.
"Alright, some of you know me, some of you don't. My name is Lance Murdock. I'm your PE teacher and today, instead of making you run twenty laps, push-ups and all kind of things... We'll do something different" He points at the center of the Gym. "I'll call two of you and you'll summon your Personas to have a fight. Of course, it'll be a practice and if any of you try to go serious, I'll jump and hit both of you in the head. I'm authorized to kick you assess if something like that happens!" He yells and the students murmur
"... He's been always this scary?" Kotone asks. "I barely remember"
"I was thinking the same thing" Said Makoto.
"Alright, be quiet. I'll choose randomly so you better prepare. The rules are simple... Use your weakest abilities to hit the User or the Persona to make it disappear. Win the round the student who land the attack three times" Murdock look at the list. "Let's see... Ryoji Mochizuki!" He said and Ryoji stands up. He walks to the center of the Gym and waits for his opponent. "And... Yosuke Hanamura" Yosuke stand up from behind of the crowd of student and walk nervously to the improvise "arena". He then stands in front of Ryoji.
"Hmm... Do we really have to fight?" Yosuke asks. "I don't care to do pushups or running two kilometers"
"You won't get away with this, Hanamura. Don't this year. Now, stand up like a man" Murdock give the signal. "Ready? Fight!" Yosuke wasn't even prepared, but summon his Persona, Jiraiya, anyways. He attacks without a plan, he uses the wind skill, Garu, but Ryoji dodges it without any problem at all. Yosuke attack again, but Ryoji keeps dodging it and starts to make fun of Yosuke.
"What's wrong, Yosu? Can't hit me? I bet you can't hit on women either"
"Are you making fun of me?!"
"Yep" Ryoji chuckle.
"Then summon your Persona and let's see if you can land a hit, womanizer!"
"... Okay" Ryoji put his hand in his pocket and a blue aura surrounds him. Coffins materialize around him, followed by the silhouette of a black swordsman, his face was covered by a metal helmet that resembles the head of a monster. This was the first time Yosuke saw Ryoji's Persona, and scare him.
"Oh, shit"
"Thanatos" Ryoji whisper his Persona's name and a black mist surround Yosuke, making him more scared. Thanatos inflict fear on him. Jiraiya disappears and Yosuke falls to his knees. Ryoji didn't attack yet, but Yosuke was already out of the battle. Ryoji walks toward him and pokes him in the forehead, making him fall to the ground. Everyone present look with their eyes wide open how Ryoji win with moving a finger.
"Damn" Said Akira. "Isn't that cheating?"
"If you look at it from another perspective, Ryoji is not the type of guy that likes to fight. He wins without hitting Yosuke that is one of his friends, alongside Junpei Iori. So it's a win for him on a personal level" Kotone explains. Murdock grabs Yosuke and takes him away, he then walks to Ryoji.
"Well done, you ignore the rules, but you win without hurting him, so it still counts... Good job, kid. Now take Hanamura with the nurse, I think you mess with him"
"Right" Ryoji smile and take Yosuke to the infirmary.
"Next is... Let's see... One of the Wild Cards, Akira Kurusu!" Akira stands up, excited.
"Yes! I'll show you how awesome I can be" Akira yell.
"Good luck..." Said Makoto. Akira walk to the arena and wait for his opponent.
"Oh, another showoff, huh? If that's so then you'll have... Let's see... Hmm..." Murdock made a pause before yelling the name. "Mitsuru Kirijo" By the mention of that name everyone remains quiet.
"... He's going to be so crushed" Said Makoto
"He should've written his last will and testament," Said Yu. Mitsuru Kirijo walks toward the arena. Her head remains high, not walking down at any moment. She stands in front of Akira, almost emotionless. She didn't say a word and the teacher give them the signal to start the battle. Akira summons Arsene and runs toward Mitsuru with the intention of winning as soon as possible. Of course, he underestimates her. She closes her eyes and when Akira was at only inches from her, she takes a single step back and dodges both, the Persona and Akira's hit. She then summons Artemisia. She stares at Akira in the eyes, he looked surprised for a moment, but that face would quickly turn into fear when he saw Mitsuru's fearsome eyes. He felt like he was facing a monster now.
"Bufudyne" She simply says and Akira feel the ice blurring his vision...
(Jung High School, Infirmary)
"So, what do you say?" Makoto asks while staring at the bed. "I give him a day"
"I give him... A week" Said Kotone.
"An hour... An I'm being too generous" Said Naoya.
"... A month" Said Tatsuya. They all look down at the bed and saw Akira Kurusu, frozen to death by Mitsuru Kirijo. He's still alive of course, but unfreeze him will take some time. Mitsuru hit him with a Bufudyne, one of the strongest skills. He should be dead now, but no.
"She executes him" Said Yu. "Quite literally"
"No, she went and fucking destroys him without any fucking remorse," Said Tatsuya. "Now he's a frozen statue. We might as well us him for Halloween if he can't go back... Not that I care of course" From outside the Infirmary, Morgana was watching the whole scene.
"... Now he's sleeping with the Gods" Said Morgana and walks away. "Too bad I didn't scold him enough"
A/N: Mari Mochizuki appear in the first Devil Survivor as one of the main protagonists. I take advantage that she shares the same last name with Ryoji and made them siblings. The protagonist of Strange Journey doesn't have a canon name so I went with Lance Murdock.