MAY 2, 2020
SATURDAY
NOON
Kaneko wishes time would just stop sometimes. He wishes that the time he spent with his Father could've lasted longer, just a bit longer…
The classroom was silent as Sadayo Kawakami's homeroom students stared at the transfer student with a mixture of pity and excitement. It had not even been a month into the new school year and already a fresh face had arrived. The majority of the decently-sized room gazed upon the second year as the boy in question began shifting uncomfortably, waiting for his mentor to introduce him.
"Everyone, I'd like for you to meet our new student," She stated, her voice monotone and tired as she gripped the corner of her desk. She bore a striped yellow long-sleeved shirt and black slacks, her hair frizzy and messy as the wrinkles in her face scrunched up every time her mouth moved to spit out another word. "Introduce yourself," Kawakami nodded to the new student.
"I'm Kaneko Hatano," He mumbled, not meeting the eyes of his new schoolmates as he embarrassingly clenched one of the suspenders that hung off the sides of his hips with his free hand. He looked down, half because he wanted to avoid eye contact with everyone, and half to see his new uniform once more. He wore the school's white turtleneck and red and black pants. Deciding the blazer had been too much and made him look far more uptight than he was, he shoved it into his school-issued bag on his walk from the train station to the academy. His footwear, white running shoes with red accents, were slightly green on and near the soles from a race he had with his former best friend back in his hometown; a distant memory now.
Without waiting for a response from the teacher nor the students, he casually walked over to the only empty seat; a desk that sat near the window, directly behind and in front of the most faceless people he had ever seen. Pondering if the two classmates he was so close to even had a personality, he plopped his bag next to his chair and sat, immediately pulling out an empty notebook from the main pocket of his satchel.
Kawakami sighed, but she let it go, turning to the majority of the class. "No rumors or bad-talking about Hatano-chan will be tolerated," She snarled. "If I catch a single word about his situation, I will not hesitate to send you directly to the Principal's office," She stared into the eyes of a few kids, before turning around and grabbing a book with a purple cover off her desk, walking briskly over to where Kaneko was seated, dropping the thick material onto his table. The title mentioned something about language arts and the like. Without a word, she made her way back to the front of the room, brows furrowed as she resumed the lesson. "Now, tomorrow marks the start of Golden Week, remember not to come to school, I know I won't be here."
Tokyo was nothing but a prison, Kaneko thought as he turned his body to look out the window and onto the grass field below. He spotted the gym class, led by a defined blonde man running in place as they held out their arms in front of them, their knees hitting their hands with every step. The teacher looked happy as he gleefully encouraged his class through the workout, doing it along with a particularly struggling overweight boy as he smiled down at him, showing him proper form; he was the ideal gym teacher.
Looking away and out towards the horizon, the transfer student gazed at the shimmer of the distant glass of skyscrapers, reflecting the light of the sun. He had to squint a bit to make out the nearby train running along its tracks, heading towards Shibuya.
He remembered the day he had gotten the call; about two weeks ago. Kaneko was seated at his desk in the corner of his room; where he usually was on a Saturday night. He was home alone due to his Father, who was a banker, having to take a business trip overseas to go to a meeting. Not that he minded, though; they had been doing that since he was in middle school.
He was working on a particularly difficult pre-calculus problem when he felt his phone in his pocket vibrate very softly; as he turned his ringer off when doing homework. His yellow-pupiled eyes drifted to the unknown number that was calling him as he dug his device from his back pocket. Answering it and holding it up to his right ear, he spun his pencil in his left hand as he greeted with a small 'Hello?'
"Yes, hello. Is this Hatano-san's son?" A man's voice shook on the other end of the line. As the teen boy gave a quick confirmation, the man continued. "It's about your Father…"
"Pssst!" Someone next to him calls, snapping him out of his trance. As Kaneko slowly turns his head to answer the call, he sees a girl looking at him eagerly in the seat to his right. She wore the traditional Shujin uniform with no alterations other than the addition of a razzberry berret slightly slanted atop her head. Her long, black hair waved as she looked at him with a bright smile and brown eyes. She threw up a peace sign with one hand, before whispering, "You okay?"
Kaneko answered with no words, just a small nod as he stared at the student with a straight face, his slightly fluffy short-medium length black hair with a strand of natural white obscuring his view a bit. He was very talented at reading people and, looking at her, he noted several small things that interested him. For one, even though the pants and long-sleeved shirt hid her body fairly well, he noticed a few creases in the fabric that suggested the girl was fairly toned, most likely due to partaking in sports or other physical activities. Kaneko also glanced at her notebook, which was filled to the brim with neat handwriting, but also small personal notes about eating habits and new workout regimens, which in turn added to his first observation. She also spoke with a friendly tone; so either she was excellent at hiding her true intentions, or she was your average, partially tomboy-ish girl.
He cursed in his mind as he realized what he was doing. One of the last things his Father had told him was to try and stop scanning and assessing people so much, but it was incredibly difficult to stop something like that so suddenly. As someone who hardly spent time with friends or loved ones when he was young, Kaneko had a bad habit of coming up with conclusions about people, and judging them before uttering a single word.
"You're staying in one of the school's dorms, right?" The girl continued, ignoring Kaneko's half-assed answer as she continued, eyeing Kawakami, who was currently too absorbed in another student. Another nod from the transfer student. "Well, your dorm's the one with me and Fumihino-Senpai!"
"…Boys and girls are sharing a dorm?" He deadpanned, not having enough energy to put much effort into this conversation. The girl didn't mind, though.
"Shujin only has like, three dorms, and since there's an equal amount of boys and girls who need them, the girls take the second-floor bedrooms and the boys take the third, while the first and fourth are just used for like, hang out spots, I guess," She shrugged. "Anyway, I used to have our dorm all to myself, and it was fun for a while, but it got lonely. I've been super excited when I heard you were joining me! Fumihino-Senpai doesn't need a dorm, but the school made him join us, 'cus apparently, it's not smart to have two irresponsible teenagers in the same building alone."
"You… haven't told me your name yet," Kaneko sweatdropped. It seemed like if he didn't say something, the girl next to him would talk his ear off.
"Oh, yeah!" She stuck out her palm. "I'm Aki Morine, but you can call me Aki!"
"…I'll just call you Morine-san," He gave a quick handshake before letting his arm drop limply to his side.
"Oh, that's cold," Aki teased, before being startled by a woman's voice, who was standing over her. The entire class was silent as they looked on at the tense scene.
Kawakami stared down at her with piercing eyes. "Morine-chan, you seem to know the material. So tell me, what does the literal translation of 'femme fatale' mean?"
"Oh crap, she caught us!" Aki whispered to her new dorm mate, before looking up at her teacher. "It means 'fatal woman,' right? A woman whose charms can be harmful to others?"
"Yes, that's… correct, as always," The expression on Kawakami's face was unreadable, but Kaneko got the impression that his Sensei was partly embarrassed and partly frustrated as the class around them started talking among themselves regarding Aki's small victory, the girl in question smirking to herself at the outcome as she folded her hands on her desk in front of her as if to further mock the teacher. Kaneko felt a bit of respect toward his classmate before his thoughts were quickly interrupted.
The opening of the classroom door stopped all conversations as another woman entered, her face slim and her jet-black hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a slightly flowing white T-shirt with black leggings and sports shoes. She nodded at Kawakami before scanning the room, her eyes finally landing on Kaneko. As the ends of her lips twitched a bit into a small smile, she spoke up.
"Hatano-san, please gather your things and follow me," The newcomer ordered, before walking back out of the room and letting the door close behind her. Kaneko hesitated for a couple of moments, thinking what this might be about, before shoving his notebook and textbook into his bag and strapping it around his shoulder. He jogged towards the exit as he shared a glance with Aki on the way out.
"…Yes?" Kaneko asked as he left the room, his eyes spotting the woman from before. She shoved her phone into her leggings pocket and turned her slightly pale face to the teen with a smile.
"Nice to meet you," She held out her hand for a shake, which he took. "I'm the girl's gym teacher and volleyball coach, Shiho Suzui. I'm here to take you to your dorm," She let go of his hand, and walked down the hall. "I know you just got to school, but unfortunately we've been incredibly busy with the new school year. Usually our school counselor, Dr. Maruki would do this, but he's on a sick day right now."
"Why was I introduced to the class just now, then?" He questioned in a deadpan tone.
"Well, I was supposed to take you to the dorm during lunch, but it was my free period, and I figured you were tired," She smiled and threw a wink his way as if she was doing him a favor.
"…Right," Was all Kaneko responded with. He practically dragged his feet as he followed the woman towards the exit of the school, his mind empty, void of any emotions.
The pair approached a large brick building not far from Shujin on one of the streets of Aoyama-Itchome. As Kaneko gripped the strap of his bag while stepping up the small set of stairs, Suzui unlocked the big wooden doors, and with a shove of her shoulder, the right-hand entrance gave in and swung into the large first floor. As the two stepped into the room, the teen took a moment to gaze around. He noticed a large dining table in the far right corner, its dark wood giving off a gleam in the soft light of the weak fixtures. The floor material was a mahogany wood as well, smooth enough that if one was wearing their socks, it'd be akin to skating on an ice rink.
"This is where you'll be staying until you graduate. Your aunt and uncle have already made all the arrangements, so unless you want to visit them, you won't have to leave the city," She dug out a small metal object from the pockets of her leggings, tossing it to the student. "This is your key. Fumihino-san will be moving in in a couple of days, so stay out of trouble until then," Kaneko gave a small nod. "Your stuff's already in your room; third floor, door closest to the stairway. Don't hesitate to come to the faculty office if you have any questions for me. You have the rest of the day off to settle in, Aki-san will bring you your homework."
"Yeah, thanks," He grumbled, looking down at his feet as he shifted his stance uncomfortably.
"Of course!"
After the woman left, Kaneko spent about two hours unboxing his things, playing his favorite jazz playlist on his portable speaker as he worked; folding clothes, sorting mementos, plugging in electronics, and many, many other chores he had the pleasure of doing. As the sun drifted across the sky, he set his favorite book; a deep study into each of Saturn's moons onto his nightstand. The teen took a second to look around and admire his work; his room looked like home, now it just needed to feel like it.
Figuring that sense of familiarity would come in due time, he exited his room as he switched off his music, gripping his phone while walking down the stairs to the living room/dining room/kitchen. Reaching the refrigerator, he wasn't surprised to find very few rations inside as he opened the door. All there was was a ceramic bowl of half-eaten ramen with clear foil covering it, and a couple of cans of colorful soda laying around. Closing the fridge, he walked slowly over to the couch, plopping down with a sigh. School should have gotten out five minutes ago, Kaneko realized as he pulled out his phone. He already had his stuff ready for next week's classes, as Golden Week gave him the next several days off. Now he had to wait for Aki to arrive and do his homework, so he could laze the holidays by himself.
The girl in question seemed… loud. Slightly annoying, possibly, but was just the kind of person he would've been friends with a couple weeks ago. It was amazing how a single event could break a person into millions of pieces, leaving them with no one. Aki could damn well be his new best friend if Kaneko felt like being attached to anyone, but everyone knows it isn't that easy. To lose your Dad; the one who cared for you all your life in a plane crash…
He had never known his Mother, not that he wanted to. He never discussed the woman; at least around Kaneko. It was enough for the teen to know he had a Father; a person who provided for him. His Dad was funny and always made time to help him when he wasn't away.
They didn't even find his body in peace. His corpse was charred and beaten to a point where identifying it proved difficult. The police had shown Kaneko a series of different dead individuals until he spotted him; his face scrunched in pain and worry. Seeing all of those lost lives would've been traumatizing to a weaker teenager, but he was strong… wasn't he?
Letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, he looked up to the front door, where the girl in the beret entered, two white plastic bags in her arms as she closed the entrance with a shove of her shoulder, waddling over to the dining table and setting down the mysterious groceries. Aki turned her head, face plastered with a beaming smile as she opened her arms wide. "Dinner!" She exclaimed, turning back to the table and pulling familiar take-out boxes out of the bags.
"…How much was it?" Kaneko asked, walking over next to his dorm mate.
"If you're thinking of paying me back, forget about it," She rolled her eyes playfully, opening one of the containers to reveal a decently sized cheeseburger, with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and a signature sauce. Aki sat down in one of the wooden chairs at the head of the table, gripping the sides of her burger over a paper towel, glaring at her meal in anticipation, before looking back up at Kaneko, who followed her lead, having his own food in front of him as he sat across from Aki. "Consider this a welcome celebration!"
"…I appreciate it," He muttered before chomping into his burger, his classmate following suit. After a couple of moments, it was apparent something was wrong.
"Does… does this taste weird to you?" Aki asked. Indeed it did. The sauce in between the lettuce and top bun was the obvious offender, the smooth tan secret ingredient started a fire in his gut, making it grumble loudly. "Nnghh…" Clenching it, he overheard a similar noise as both his and Aki's faces scrunched up in pain. The fact that a singular bite could make them suffer like this was certainly extraordinary, but now wasn't the time for that. It felt like they were dying.
And as a soft foam began to form from Aki's mouth after she fell from the chair to the floor with a loud crash, groaning, Kaneko realized that they were dying.
Akira Kurusu stood in the center of the attic of Leblanc, his loyal feline perched atop his shoulder as he clenched his phone with anticipation. The young man paced around his former room in worry, waiting for the group call to commence, at Makoto's request. Sojiro had closed up shop for this call specifically, but even he shouldn't know what was going on, he didn't want anyone to panic without need to.
The old man Akira once called his caretaker and left to purchase cigarettes while he took his phone call, therefore the former Phantom Thief of Hearts was all alone, apart from Morgana. Feeling the item in his hand vibrate, he quickly answered the incoming call and pressed the speaker button, so both he and his friend could hear the fresh news.
"I'm sorry," Was the first thing Makoto stated, voice slightly distorted due to his aged device. "All I could confirm for sure was the fact they all suffered strokes. at a similar date and time; the fifth of each month at three p.m."
"Well, look harder!" He ordered, tightening his grip and ignoring the worried look from his cat. "What's happening… this isn't normal! There's no way this is just a coincidence!"
"Akira, calm down," Zenkichi snapped. "She never said it wasn't weird, she's just saying that whatever's happening can't be investigated in the real world."
"I've gotten the same results as Gramps and Mako," Futaba added, "Akira, have you been able to ask Lavenza anything?"
"What do you think?" He snarled. Of course he hadn't! It was always the Velvet Room attendants who called him there. As far as he knew, he'd have to wait until Igor or Lavenza contacted him.
"Joker…" Morgana whispered, trying to calm the Trickster down. "I get that they're your friends, and you're worried about them, but-"
"It's not just that!" He yelled, his face becoming red with anger. It had been weeks without new information, people were in danger, and it pained him. "I thought we were done with the Metaverse, Akechi's dead because of it! We've killed gods to get rid of the Shadow World, so why is it back?!"
"Akira-kun, If I may…" Maruki started, waiting a moment, before taking his friend's silence as an invitation to continue. "From what you've told me, and from my own experiences, the Metaverse, or at least, the one we know of, requires one to state a person's name into the Navigator to find where their Shadow is located in Mementos. If these happenings are, in fact, due to the Metaverse, one: why don't we have access to the app, and two: how does whoever doing this know who to target?"
"He's right," Makoto responded. "We know that the Metaverse is destroyed, the only reason Maruki was able to have a Palace was because Azathoth acted before Mementos was completely gone. After we returned to our reality, Mementos, and the Metaverse as a whole, was wiped off the earth. Either our change of the mass's hearts has been reversed somehow, therefore leading to the recreation of Yaldabaoth, or there's a whole new Demi-Urge."
"Exactly what I was thinking," Futaba replied. "We know that when the population wants something, a Demi-urge is spawned. Yaldabaoth and EMMA were the desires of the public to be controlled, and according to our leader, Caroline made an offhanded comment about another one of these false gods at one point."
"Alright… so what do you think it is this time?" Akira shakily asked, not that he needed to. He already knew no one had any idea.
"There's no telling," Maruki stated simply. "It pains me to say this, but we'll have to wait for more clues."
"We don't have that kind of time," he snarled into his phone. "The next hit's in three days, this time, it could be one of us!"
"This is scary…" Morgana mumbled under his breath. "Yoshida, Chihaya, and Ohya are all in comas… it's like the person going after them knew how useful they were, and purposely targeted them to blind us…"
"Right, there's no doubt that this is the work of someone who knows our identities," Akira responded, before talking back into his phone. "Just… I don't know, guys. We have to find out as much as we can while we have the time. If these comas are permanent… I don't even wanna think about it,"
"It's… upsetting we have another problem to face, but have we failed before?" Makoto professionally comforted him. "No, we have not. And I don't plan on letting this rest."
"Guys… about the thing Caroline said that one time? I was thinking… if there was one of those Demi-urge things, there must be people who stopped it, so… do you think there might be other Persona users out there?"
It was silent for a few moments, before…
"I was going to mention this some other time, but I suppose now's as good as any," Zenkichi stated."Couple days ago, I overheard two people talking in one of the Pubsec buildings just out of the city. One was a red-haired businesswoman and the other was a lady with blonde hair and blue eyes. I heard the blonde say something about Shadows, but I couldn't be sure 'cus I was just passing by. As they were leaving, I happened to catch one of the rookies saying the name of one of them; Mitsuru Kirijo."
"As in the Kirijo group?" Makoto inquired.
"Right. It might be nothing, but I was wondering if Futaba could work her magic… or whatever."
"I'll get on it ASAP, Gramps, good info!"
"I'm not even that old…"
"If this is true, and they were talking about Shadows, we need to get into contact with them, because this raises a lot of questions," Akira sternly ordered. "If they were at a Pubsec site, they must have connections to the police. Zenkichi, find out what you can. Futaba, search for everything about Mitsuru Kirijo and send me anything weird or out of place. Makoto, keep your eye on the comas, and Maruki… I don't know, stay out of trouble?"
"Ughh…" Kaneko groaned. His heavy eyelids resentfully opened, only to find the most peculiar sight. He found himself sitting on a seat of a soft, blue velvet seat behind a gray steel table across from a bald man in a dashing tuxedo. He had an extra long nose, a wide, toothy smile, and bulging bloodshot eyes that shook slightly as he stared into Kaneko's soul. Beside the man was a standing woman with long, straight white hair. She held a large leather-bound book underneath her left arm, and she wore a flight attendant's clothing, as its color scheme and theme was matching of their surroundings. The three of them sat in the hull of a small jet, dimly lit by dark blue overhead lights, with the one over their table, which was in the center of the cabin, being especially bright.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," The man greeted eerily with a higher voice than a man his age should have, his long eyebrows enhancing his creepiness. Soft piano music started to play as he continued. "Ah… It would appear we have a guest with an interesting situation," He chuckled.
"Wh-where am I…?" Kaneko whispered, clenching his hands into fists in confusion.
"My name is Igor, It is a pleasure to meet you. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those bound by a 'contract' may enter," Snapping his fingers, a single piece of paper appeared on the table, facing Kaneo as a quill manifested beside it.
I hereby state that I, myself, and no others chooseth this fate of my own free will.
Whatever happens to those around me, whether harmed or helped, is purely my own doing.
By signing this contract, and agreeing to the statement above, I shall gain the ability to change destiny
and fight the public's subconscious desires with the power of the Wildcard.
"What does… this mean?" Kaneko blurted out, brows furrowed. "And… didn't I die?"
"Allow me to elaborate," The woman next to Igor butt in.
"Ah, yes… This is Agatha, she will help you on your journey, if you agree to my terms, of course."
"About your death, yes; you have died, but like the Death Tarot card, it marks the end of your old life and the beginning of your new one. I believe your guide should explain further once you wake up. This contract, as stated, gives you the power to change the course of the world's future. Several people have harbored this power in the past, standing up to wrong and saving humanity. These people no longer have the ability to do so, therefore, we have approached you. You are our first choice in standing up to the powers that be."
"Ruin is fast approaching," Igor continued. "We must beg you not to turn us away. You have the soul of a hero. Whether or not you choose to accept this burden could very well be a manner of life or death for humanity."
"Are you…" Kaneko swallowed. "…Kidding me? There's no one else who would be better at doing… whatever it is you want me to do?"
"Unfortunately, no. We tend to choose teenagers for their resolve and determination. Some may call it stupidity, but I see it as bravery. You especially can change the world for the better in ways you can't even imagine," Igor smiled coldly with dead eyes.
"If you do not believe us, sign the contract. If you're right in your thinking; that this is all a fever dream of some sort, then it wouldn't affect you at all," Agatha looked at him with a superior face.
He wanted to escape this place, he wanted this to end, and yet, he felt a strange determination to take them up on their offer. Hundreds of questions swirled through his head, but he wasn't thinking straight, anyway.
"No, I believe you… This dream feels too real," He picked up the quill, his hand shaking. "…All I have to do is sign this, do whatever it is you need me to do, and the human race has a chance of surviving this 'ruin?'
"Precisely, we will discuss the details another time. Now, if you would…" Igor nodded at the contract, and with a hesitant breath, Kaneko signed the paper. He had become a 'Wildcard.' …Whatever that was.
"Excellent!" Long nose exclaimed, handing his new guest a strange gleaming object, which Kaneko took without a second thought. Now in his palm was an oversized dark blue key with the letters 'VR' engraved on its side. "We will contact you shortly, and remember…
"Time waits for no one."
"Kaneko-kun!" A girl's voice yelled as his body shook from the hands rocking him back and forth to wake him. As his eyes slowly fluttered open to assess their situation, he quickly realized that wherever they were wasn't a place one would find in the real world. Quickly standing up, much to the surprise of Aki, he looked around worryingly. Yup, this wasn't normal.
The two Shujin students stood in the middle of a field of nothing. The terrain was perfectly flat and smooth, composed of a continuous slightly blurry mirror as far as the eye could see. A light grey fog lay on the floor, reaching their knees. The entire place was composed of nothing but them, the fog, and the nebula above, which was like an eternal night sky. Stars and cosmic dust littered all over to make it seem like they were staring into an infinitely beautiful galaxy. If they were in any other situation, they might take the time to look up in fascination.
"Where… are we?" Aki asked him, looking away from the sky and over to Kaneko. "The last thing I remember was…"
"Passing out from eating the burger?" He finished. "Even regular food poisoning wouldn't be that strong."
"Are we… dead?"
"I don't know," Kaneko shook his head, beginning to brush off his Shujin uniform subconsciously. "We should have a look around and see what we can find out about this place."
"How are you this calm, man…" Aki let out a nervous laugh. "But you're right, lead the way."
Without a word, he chose a direction and stuck with it as his classmate walked beside him.
"Do you feel… heavier?" She asked, and after she pointed it out, Kaneko did indeed feel weighed down a bit, but not much; just to the point where it was noticeable, and a long walk around could make him sore.
"A bit, can you walk?"
"Yeah, it's not too bad," Aki assured him, before changing the subject to keep her mind off the weight. "I don't think we really know each other, and if it turns out we really are dead, I don't wanna spend the rest of eternity with a stranger," She stated, a mere meter away from him as she leaned forward while walking to catch a glimpse of his face, which was currently resting with no signs of emotions. "Hmm… what do you do for fun?"
"I guess I usually read or sketch, I also was a part of my old school's Astrology Club" He gave in. "What about you?"
"Nice, that's pretty cool," Aki smiled warmly. "I'm the star hurdler on the Track Team!" She flipped her long, licorice hair teasingly. "I know, I'm awesome."
"That's pretty impressive, how many hurdlers are there?"
"Well… like, seven, but that means Sakamoto-san gets to focus on us even more, meaning I'm the best of the best! He's the only Track coach, but because our team's so small; like, twenty people, he tries his hardest."
"Does he have short, blonde hair?"
"Yeah, that's him! I guess you must've seen him in the field, huh? He's the PE teacher for the guys."
"He seems nice," Kaneko admits.
"Yeah… I kinda look up to him," Aki rubbed her neck bashfully. "Y'know, when he went to Shujin, he stood up to the PE teacher at the time and got his leg broken. The school of course sided with the teacher, but when the Phantom Thieves changed that bastard's heart, and he confessed to rape and abuse, he was arrested. Even after having his leg broken by such an asshole, Sakamato-san went to rehabilitation to fix his leg, and returned to take over the PE teacher's spot!"
"He told you that?"
"Yeah, he… he wanted to reward me after a Track meet last year, so he took me to a ramen shop since my parents are kinda neglectful. I sorta see him as a father figure, I guess…"
"He sounds nice, I bet he sees himself in you."
"Maybe, I'm nowhere near as brave or determined as him though…"
"That's not fair, obviously you're at least brave. We woke up in this place after supposedly dying. For all we know, this could be purgatory, and you're walking with me talking like it's normal."
"I… I guess…" She let out a sad smile. "That actually helps… you're pretty nice, y'know that?"
"Yeah, yeah," He sighed, but his lips curled into a small smirk; one Aki noticed.
I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast established a new bond
Another step in thy's journey hast been taken
Recall the promise thou made; their fate is in your hands
Thou shall be bestowed upon new power
when fusing Personas of the Chariot Arcana
What was that? Kaneko thought to himself. Time had suddenly stopped, and Igor's voice told him something about bonds and saying his new friend was of the Chariot Arcana. As one who loved fortune telling, he realized it was one of the Major Arcana in a tarot deck. Apparently, his friendship with Aki was now represented by this Arcana, the Chariot.
"Uhm… Do you see that?" Aki pointed to the horizon, breaking Kaneko out of his mind. Following her finger, he gazed as he saw a figure rushing towards them. As the man sprinted at the two, Kaneko could make out his general appearance; he had blue swooping hair and cracked black glasses with yellow tints, his face twisted in a scowl. They had a green and black turtleneck with the sleeves charred and ripped, as if he was from a fresh explosion, his navy-blue pants suffering the same fate. He had what looked like a gun in his left hand. As the man slowed to a stop a short run away from Aki and Kaneko, he snarled.
"Who are you twerps?" The man, who now looked a lot younger than before, possibly 18 or 19, snapped.
"We could ask the same of you," Kaneko responded harshly.
"Where are we?" Aki questioned, her voice becoming defensive, which only led to the newcomer scoffing.
"How the hell would I know?!" The man turned to her. "All I know is that I died in Tartarus, and woke up here a couple months ago!"
"…Tartarus?"
"Ugh, I don't wanna deal with this…" To prove his point, he raised his gun to his head slowly, eyes flaring with a burn of passion.
"No!" Kaneko yelled in retaliation.
"Don't do it!" His Chariot Arcana agreed.
Firing the gun with a nearly deafening noise of glass shattering, the air behind the teenager shimmered and glowed with blue light, before a sci-fi-type robot with thin metal legs appeared, its edges projecting soft green runes. Around its thinnest part, where its top connected to its middle part, an iron ring floated connected to a giant arm comprised of three white orbs with three flexible fingers at the end. "Moros!" The man called. "Rid me of these brats."
On command, the floating robot lunged at them, arm swinging around like a club right towards the girl.
"Aki-kun!" Kaneko yelled, lunging towards her and pushing her out of the way just in time. They both hit the floor with an 'oomph,' the robot readying for another attack. Scrambling back to their feet, Aki snickered.
"Hah, you called me 'Aki-kun.'"
"Not the time!" He responded, grabbing her arm and preparing to run away, dragging her along before he felt a force stop him in his tracks. Feeling his friend's arm yanked out of his grip, Kaneko turned around to see Aki struggling in the grip of the robot, which towered over him. Her face was scrunched up and her brow furrowed in pain as the green fingers started crushing her torso. "Shit, let her go!"
"Worried for your friend?" The man in the green coat inquired. "Shouldn't have come here, this place is only for the strong."
"…The strong?" Kaneko responded, staring into the eyes of Aki, who; while squirming in her attacker's grip, gave a small nod. That small nod was all he needed. "I think you're confused…"
"Oh, am I?"
"Yeah… I'm way stronger than you…" The teen smirked. "You may have your little robot, but I have… a friend. And I have my Father watching over me. If you go around attacking random people, I doubt someone supports you like he once did for me," Kaneko's golden eyes filled with rage. "Heh, you pretend you're strong, but all you are is a weak asshole. You're nothing compared to me."
It's about time.
"Au-aughh!" He reached for his head; the new pain pierced his skull and the voice rang in his ears as he almost fell to his knees, suddenly feeling very dizzy.
I see you have finally accepted the way things are, and resolve to make the most of your situation. I'm sure your Father would be proud…
"Wh-what the hell?!" Green-coat exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise and shock, making the grip around Aki loosen.
"Kaneko-kun!" She yelled, but he couldn't hear her.
You care about this girl, correct? Your first friend since moving here? If that is the case, call upon my name. Harness my power!
For I am thou and thou art I…
Make those who threaten you and your close ones tremble in fear.
He could feel it. Though he was undergoing the most pain in his life; he felt a single wooden match appear between the index and thumb in his left hand, with a singular white flame on the end, dancing spectacularly.
I ask you, how many lives are you willing to end for the safety of those with good morals?
Let us find out together…
I am the one who will bring death to those with evil intentions, I am the one who will protect what I love at all costs, I am-
"SIMUNA!" Kaneko called, dropping the ghastly match onto the floor, and as if the fog was flammable, a grand white fire erupted, and a large figure arose from the flames as they died out shortly after. The being joined its summoner, a flowing white snow coat that was ripped from the ends to the middle, swaying in an artificial wind. Its pants were also white; as were its boots, and its hood was up, the ends lined with fur. While a long, flowing scarf covered its mouth and nose, there was no face; merely a pair of glowing red eyes. Bullet holes riddled the fabric all over the figure, while a faint snowstorm swirled around him like a tornado. They wielded a long wooden bolt-action rifle; much more majestic looking than in real life; this one having beautiful carvings of elaborate animals and its metal glowing heat.
A simple falchion sword appeared in Kaneko's right hand, and suddenly, the teen felt free and powerful, like he now could take on the world.
"Kouha!" He called, not knowing what the word meant but raising his blade and pointing to the now scowling teen all the same, when suddenly a beam of light shot forth from Simuna's rifle, hitting his opponent square in the chest.
…But it did nothing.
All the man did was a quick wince in pain as the projectile turned to dust, before adjusting his glasses and smirking. "My turn, amateur. Moros, Fatal End!" He yelled. The robot dropped Aki onto the floor and spun its arm around while its body stayed in its position, a trail of black and red energy following its fingers.
"Run," Kaneko shot an order to his friend.
"But-"
"NOW!" He yelled, running in between Aki and the attacker. As his friend obliged and started to retreat, the giant robot lunged toward Kaneko. Summoning his match and dropping it again in a magnificent white firestorm, he manifested Simuna once more, who appeared in front of him and took the blunt of the blow. "Ughh…" Kaneko groaned as the hand impacted his protector's stomach. It seemed whatever blows Simuna took were also inflicted on him, albeit much less painful.
His knees buckled as he fell to the floor, having the wind knocked out of him while both Simuna and the robot turned to mist. The man in the green coat slowly walked over the Kaneko, who was groaning in pain as his free arm; the one without the sword, hugged his torso.
"Ah, there you are!" A new voice called from the side, and as Kaneko looked to his left, he noticed a newcomer that stood beside Aki. This man wore classic streetwear; a plain t-shirt and a tight windbreaker, with jeans and sneakers. The most noticeable aspect of him was his color palette; his entire outfit was dark blue with white compliments, his white hair slicked back and his yellow eyes looking from one teen to the other. "I was wondering where you went, didn't Igor tell you you'd have a guide?"
"Who are you?" Green-coat snapped, bringing his gun to his head once more.
"Oh, I see you've made a friend," The man in blue waved a hand, and the attacker disappeared into thin air with no showmanship. He didn't turn to mist, he didn't scream in pain, he was just… gone.
"Wh-what'd you do to him?" Aki interrogated, shifting into a defensive stance, ready to run.
"Don't fret, I merely transported him elsewhere, you aren't ready to face him at this moment," He smiled at Kaneko. "My former master wishes to thank you for signing the contract. I am Theodore, but you may call me Theo. Igor has sent me here to inform you about this world, as I owe him a favor."
"You look like…" Kaneko's eyes widened a bit, realization striking him.
"Agatha? Yes, she is my eldest sister," He waved his hand. "That's not important, though. I have been tasked with telling you the basics about this place; what you wish to do from there is none of my concern. As I have said, this is merely a favor."
"Who's Agatha?" Aki questioned, before looking at her friend. "And how do you know her?"
"I'm afraid that's only for him to know," Theo stepped in. "Let us walk together, come along," He started in a random direction, while the two teens looked at each other hesitantly, before following Theodore close behind.
"What… was that robot?" Kaneko asked, his brows furrowed. "And who's Simuna?"
"Simuna is your Persona; a personification of your drives and emotions that comes to fruition in this place, it's the form a person's Shadow takes once said person reaches a changing point in their life and personality; which must happen inside a Shadow World for a person's Persona to fully awaken, which, as you experienced, involves a lot of pain. They usually take the form and name of historical or mythological figures. Simuna is also known as Simo Häyhä, or the White Death; a Finnish sniper during World War ll. A Persona grants you powers that can help you battle Shadows, as well as other Persona users based on the form of the Persona. As your Persona fought for a good cause in life, and you realize this, your skills are composed of Bless, Ice, and Gun attacks, with no support skills. Moros; the robot, was that boy's Persona."
"That's… actually pretty cool."
"Okay, soo…" Aki took over. "What is this place, and what are Shadows?"
"Shadows are the equivalent of Personas to normal people; while your Personas represent your drives and personality, Shadows represent a person's misdeeds and dark side. They usually reside in places called 'Shadow Worlds.' Throughout history, there have been several Shadow Worlds, each made by a different powerful entity born of the population's collective unconscious. To combat these entities, my master has chosen people with the souls of heroes, and made them 'Wildcards.'
"Wait, Wildcards?" Kaneko asked, remembering his contract.
"Indeed. You are one of these heroes, Kaneko Hatano."
"Wait wait wait," Aki interrupted. "Okay, so I think I get the Shadow things now, but can you explain to us the rules of this… 'Shadow World,' you called it?"
"Of course, it's not too sophisticated," Theo smiled. "This place is called Hades. Unlike the other Shadow Worlds, this place seems to house Shadows of the deceased, as well as dead Persona users. That boy who attacked you two? His name is… was, Jin Shirato. He worked against the Wildcard ten years ago, that Wildcard was my guest, exactly like how you are Agatha's," He nodded to Kaneko. "The reason I cannot help you more is because my former guest's situation is… complicated, to say the least. They are in a state between life and death, and I am currently looking for a way to free them."
"They're special to you?"
"Very, just as every guest is special to their attendant, in time, of course," Theodore shook his head, moving the conversation along. "Anyway, this place is a vast plane with no end. You may run into other Persona users during your outings here, if they seem friendly, please do not hesitate to ally with them. However, If they attack you on sight, it may be best to run, as I won't be here to save you," Theodore stopped suddenly, turning to the two teens as he looked down on them, a small smile plastered onto his perfectly clear face. "For now, you should rest. Your exhaustion from awakening to your Persona has yet to set in. Next time you enter this place, simply wait at your position until I arrive, where I will finish my explanation," He snapped his fingers, and a luxurious mirror with a flowing gold frame manifested on the floor, more clearly reflecting the world than the reflections of the rest of Hades's surface. "Jump into this, and you will return to the real world."
"Th-this is insane!" Aki yelled. "Why hasn't anyone heard of the so-called 'Shadow World' before?!" The dam broke, unleashing all of her confusion and worry and fear into one angry rant. "If places like this have been here all along, then how has it been kept a secret? And if we didn't have a Persona before, how did we get here when we died?! What makes a Wildcard different from other Persona users!? Who's Agatha?! Who're you?! Who's this 'Master' you keep mentioning?! Why is this all so normal to you?!"
"Aki-kun!" Kaneko yelled, stepping in front of her to cut her off. "We're both confused, but don't take it out on him. He's trying to help us."
"Yeah, but he's being slippery with his answers, just tell it to us straight, you albino bastard!" She leaned over to look at Theo, who had covered his mouth with his hand in fear of letting out a snicker, before becoming serious once more.
"I promise you, I will explain everything once you return. All you have to do is kill yourself, and you'll wake up in Hades."
"Okay, I see what you're saying," Kaneko looked at his friend with a tired face, before looking back to Theodore. "Are you sure that dying is what we need to do?"
"Of course! Who do you think poisoned your meal?" The man replied as if he was perfectly innocent.
"…I hate this asshole," Aki grumbled.
"We'll see if we return, okay?" Kaneko told Theo. "No promises, just give us time to process what happened."
"Of course, please kill yourselves when you're ready!"
"I want to strangle him so bad…" Aki whispered once more.
I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast established a new bond
Another step in thy's journey hast been taken
Recall the promise thou made; their fate is in your hands
Thou shall be bestowed upon new power
when fusing Personas of the Faith Arcana
Bonds
Rank 1: Chariot (Aki Morine)
Rank 1: Faith (Theodore)