Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or any content from the Megami Tensei series as a whole. I do not claim to own anything. All contents' right belong to their respectful owners. Once again, I do not claim to own anything.
Going to start right away by saying this chapter is padding, can't really say filler because some important stuff does happen, like introduce a certain quartet of demons I personally added into the mix that Kandori uses mostly to guard shit that normally in the game isn't guarded at all or is not greatly guarded. Now, a little challenge for you if you read this is try to guess all nine party members Arcanas without looking them up, because they're revealed in this chapter. With that aside, welcome to Persona: Be Your True Mind Chapter Seven.
Chapter Seven: S.E.B.E.C. Building Part 1: Byakko
Naoya stood, the card reader a couple of feet in front of him, inside the abandoned factory. The lump of corroded sheet metal and loose roofing tile was five blocks away from the police station. The group of eight had evaded the oncoming demons to make it to the factory without expending time and energy. They would need their Personas to fight.
The inners of the factory were blank. There were packaging crates on a conveyer belt, no longer receiving electricity, it was dead-still. A generator was erected alongside the conveyer belt to power it. Cobwebs drifted, weaved in the corners of the ceilings, dust and dirt had covered every possible inch.
"From one dank hole into another." Naoya though, waving his hand forward to signal the others to his location in the factory.
They had split up to navigate passed the crates and the lengthy conveyer belts creating an "S" shaped maze to discover the card reader. Naoya had stumbled under the hackneyed crafted machinery to an approachable section. The reader was mounted on the back wall. The LEDs trailing the rim of the digital screen were flashing red. The flat surface screen displayed "INSERT KEYCARD FOR EMERGENCY ACCESS."
"I found the reader! Circle the generator to the back!" Naoya called, flailing his arm back and forth in the air to attract their attention if he was in their line of sight.
Maki and Masao joined him from the right, Kei and Yukino from the left, and Ayase and Brown from behind.
"Slide the card, Todo." Kei demanded, disquiet in staying put.
Naoya's rose the card to the reading slot, delaying the entrance. He couldn't bring himself to put it in. His stomach was churning, his head splitting, the familiar, nervous, cold sweat coating his body with it's discomforting sensation. "Why can't I put the card in? My hands are shaking? Come on, Naoya, you aren't afraid of what's in SEBEC, right? Everyone's watching. You're the leader, put the card in. We can do this. We can fix Mikage, put the damn card in the slot!"
"Nao-kun, are you all right?" Maki asked, regarding his well-being.
Eriko piped in. "Yes, brave leader, you surely aren't having trouble are you?" She accentuated "brave leader" aspiring to boost his newfound confidence.
Yukino jostled the cumbrous duffel bag of ammunition securely strapped across her chest. "Naoya, you are eminently different than the old Naoya. The old Naoya would've backed down back at the hospital. Would've never taken that pipe and tried to fight the zombies. If you can do that, I guarantee you can do this." Yukino realized her pep-talk didn't work if she didn't actually say it, but how would Naoya learn if she did it for him.
"Like, can we go! I'm bored!" Ayase complained, pouting.
Brown jittering, tapped his foot. He was shaky and impatient. "Man, N.T., do me a favor and PUT THE CARD IN! I want to get a morsel of pricy information or equipment from the building! Anything to land me cash!" Brown played off his fright by hiding behind his masquerade of lies.
Masao rolled his eyes at Brown, then fixed his gaze on Naoya. A customary feeling was resonating in Masao at looking at Naoya. "He's scared, huh? Used to that. I may be a superb artist, but my work, not gonna lie to myself, can land me in juve. Sure as hell don't wanna go there." Masao reached out touching the card, Naoya's muscles jerking. "Yo, Nao, it's cool. We all are scared. I gotcha." Masao slid the card out of Naoya's reluctant fingers to the slot.
"T-t-thanks…" Naoya's head fell. "You can't even put a stupid card in, huh?" Naoya thought to himself. "Maybe I am just my plain old self."
The LEDs became a solid green color, the digital screen writing: "I.D. CARD INSERTED! SETSUKO SONOMURA, EMERGENCY ACCESS GRANTED!"
A click, followed by an electronic hum was heard. The dust under Kei's feet was whipping up. The blackness under his feet was pulling him forward, catching him off guard. He fumbled forward, the slate of ground bottomward his feet, drooping farther down and slamming into a channel.
Kei made a small leap at the drooping, falling on Yukino's back, almost thumping her over because of the swaying weight of the duffel bag. "Are you trying to kill me Masao?" Kei exploded with rage, his fierce eyes glaring daggers at the hat-wearing Persona User.
Masao grinned. "Pay back for leaving me back at the police station!" He pointed at Kei accusingly.
Kei hunched forward, bending his back, his arms bent in midair (A/N). A partial expression of hurt and distress in his eyes and on his face. "It escaped my mind. My compromising actions. I'd made a pact with Masao and dishonored it." This came as a hard blow to Kei, because he honestly figured himself a man of his word. His opinions and words were ironclad. "This is the second time you've made me break my words and brought me to a realization, Masao Inaba."
"Like, can we go!"
Naoya moved to the entrance way in the floor. A diagonally slanted ramp of metal was the walkway to a twenty foot wide cavern, illuminated with sconces. Each sconce had spent candle wax, the solid substance congealed to a liquid slop, tarnishing the bronze crafted holders. The wicks were burnt out. The candles hadn't been lit in years. In contrast to the ominous medieval route, at the end were polished steel elevator doors, the call button besides it.
"Let's head to the elevator."
The doors parted ways for them. The interior was also steel with a maroon carpeting. The eight of them swamped in, each person taking any remaining free space. The floor button were replaced with a panel with an up arrow and down arrow. Naoya jammed his finger on the up arrow without hesitation, trying to put behind his previously actions.
"I'm this far in, I can't let my timid nature and fear of the unknown control me."
The elevator being an emergency escape and entrance route wasn't rigged to be called to each floor, it was linked to a semi-monorail track that carried it under a tunnel that traveled the blocks up the road to S.E.B.E.C. The students were juggled by the sudden speeding to the side and then proceeded with a sky rocketing up, ending with a casually ironic halt. The doors opened.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Reiji waltzed on the dead demons sprawled on the white-tiled floor. Blood, chips, and slash marks lined the white marble support beams and walls of the main entrance. The demons blood stained the white, Reiji was careful not to step in the puddles.
"Where are the damn stairs?" His ears perked. He heard footsteps. He cupped his ear. "Around the corner. Seven…no…eight. Kandori, you're S.P.s. can't do shit even if it's eight on one. I've faced worse odds."
Reiji sidled across the stone to the corner, counting the steps. He clenched his fist. "Punch out the initial two coming around. Take out the other six before they take aim."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
The atmosphere of S.E.B.E.C. was not fresh and lively. It was uncomfortable, stale, invidious. The air was thick, similar to the hospital. The group felt an evil presence combined with a pushing pressure, like invisible bags of bricks chained to their legs, keeping them down. White marble supporting columns with matching walls and tiled floors were the interior appearance of S.E.B.E.C. building. Generic potted plants were meticulously placed with trash cans respectively on opposite sides of the beams. No doors, no sounds, no shadows, pure white constructs and intense, burning light. The heat emanating from the lights were adding to the uneasiness. Hell as a office building, white and hot, missing the screams of the damned.
"White? Kinda eerie consider the shit going on here." Masao thought, pumping his shotgun.
Brown balanced the opposing heaviness of his spear. "Fancy. I'm sure I can find something to reimburse my spent efforts. Oh, shit, wait I just realized. It doesn't matter if I have money and Mikage is screwed up like this. Money's no good if I can't leave the city." Brown gently wept.
"Like, this place is totally spacious. Where are, like, the workers at? More importantly, where's the food court? I'm, like, starving!" Ayase's stomach growled, holding her coiled whip with her arms behind her head.
Yukino checked her Ithaca's slots. "Locked and loaded. This is gonna do me nicer than those razorblades. Problem is the capacity. Why'd Masao have to take the pump action?"
Eriko favoring her rapier assumed her standard stance. "A Remington M700 is accurate and easy to use, but I'm not too keen on bolt action. I'll wait for when WE'RE under a hail of bullets."
Maki knocked an arrow, preparing to pull the string back and fire at the mere sight of an enemy. "I can tell she was here. Takahisa Kandori, his name is. What does he have to do with that brat?"
Kei practiced swinging his two-handed sword, making swift slices. "Key to utilizing a broadsword to the fullest potential is the momentum added with the swings, slamming not only your force, but the force of the weapon as well."
Naoya check his clip. "30 bullets. Mark, said the clip would go dry in seconds. Of course, I'd have to not curl up in a ball and shoot."
The eight tenderly moved forward. They deduced the elevator had arrived on the ground floor, on presumably the right side. A set of mechanical doors were next to the emergency route elevator; the stairs. The main lobby was around the corner, they wanted to use the work elevator to speed up the process of exploration. Kei knew Kandori's office was on the fifth floor, the pinnacle of the S.E.B.E.C. building.
Masao extended the barrel of his shotgun ahead. Naoya stood with his MP5 cocked and aim. He stuck close to the left wall, planning to back up Masao when he sprung around the corner. They would reach the turn in, three steps, two steps, one step. In a sudden burst of speed, Mark sprinted, spinning inward to the lobby.
SMACK!
A gloved fist connected a strong jab to Masao forehead. The hat-wearing teen fell backwards, dropping his shotgun. The combatant rushed to the right hall, a sound of a jangling chain echoing in the acoustic space, his left fist balled, ready to hook the next contestant in the nose, but was greeted with Naoya's submachine gun.
Naoya firmly held his weapon, steadily aiming it at Reiji's face, apprehensive to fire.
Kei grabbed Naoya's arm. "Todo, it's Kido!" Kei exclaimed. "Lower the weapon!"
Brown snapped his fingers. "We saw him leave the school the night we went to the police station."
"That was the night, he stormed out of the cafeteria." Eriko added.
Naoya exhaled a deep breath, the MP5 hanging by his thigh. Reiji hooked his fingers in his pockets. "What the hell are you assholes doing here?" He asked, scrutinizing each of them, taking mental notes of their weaponry. "MP5, Springfield, Remington, Ithaca, Browning, TMP, VP70. A grip is sticking out of the bag the mannish chick has. It's a M4. I could use a assault rifle."
Masao grunted, regaining his footing. "I was bout' to ask you the same goddamn question? What the hell, dude?"
"Thought you were Kandori's S.P.s."
"Least you can do is apologize for decking me in the face!"
Reiji scowled. "You're lucking you ain't dead-on-the-floor. I calculated the height of a S.P. to where my jab would go. Since your shorter my punch didn't put your nose in your brains."
"The fuck is wrong with this guy?" Masao thought, scowling back.
"Seriously, Reiji, what are you doing here?" Naoya asked, taking charge.
"I don't have to explain anything to you. Just, piss off and let me take care of my business." Reiji directed his upright thump at himself. "Though I could use the M4."
"We have are own matters. Why don't we work together? We might have the same intentions." Naoya suggested.
Reiji snarled, his lip twitching. He peered into Naoya's wholesome eyes with his foul copper irises. "Listen, pretty boy, my intentions are to kill a sadistic bastard named Takahisa Kandori. I can hardly believe you punks share my intentions."
"We're here to stop him." Naoya shot back, trying to keep his audacity.
Reiji looked Naoya up and down. "I eat fuckin' high-and-mighty chumps like you for breakfast. You're a timid ass. I starred a devil in the face in this very building and told him to go fuck himself. Do you think you stand a chance against the shit Kandori has guarding this building. You're better off going home and crying to your mother, because here YOU," Reiji prodded Naoya roughly with his index finger. "ARE useless."
Naoya gritted his teeth, chucking the MP5 to the side. He pulled Reiji closer by grabbing his collar. Naoya locked his fierce eyes with Reiji's amused eyes upward. Naoya was a foot shorter than Reiji. His mouth opened; no words came. "Who does this asshole think he is? We've fought demons to make it here. Where does he get off on telling me he's looked a demon in the eye and told him to go fuck himself."
"You gonna say something?" Reiji asked, his face never faltering.
Masao was about to step in. "Watching, Nao's back is my day-by-day job."
"Fuck you." Naoya said to Reiji's face, his voice edged and firm.
Masao raised an eyebrow. "Nao…he would never look somebody in the eye and say that to their face."
Reiji nudged Naoya back, chuckling hysterical. "I will admit, maybe you have some balls, kid!"
"I have more than balls." Naoya's right hand hovered over his face.
Reiji looked unfazed, throwing an uppercut into the air. "What else ya got?"
Eriko, Ayase, Brown, and Kei had slipped passed Reiji, Naoya, and Masao into the lobby when they were having their argument.
"Like, who did this?" Ayase's jaw hit the floor. The pure white was a tainted crimson, demon blood and slime in puddles and splatters. Some demon corpses were brutally hacked and slash and others appeared unharmed yet dead.
Brown harshly grabbed the sides of his head. "JESUS!"
"Try not to piss your pants, Brown." Yukino teased in a reprimanding tone.
"See you noticed my handiwork." Reiji bragged, returning his hands to his pockets, ignorant to Naoya still standing there.
Naoya lowered his hand, disappointed and enraged.
"Yo, Nao, it's okay, man. Reiji's just a prick." Masao said, putting away his shotgun, retrieving his axe.
Masao and Naoya joined their friends. "Dude? How the fu-"
Reiji stepped close to the them, triggering a blinding flash of velvet blue to envelop the nine of them. Naoya shot his head back. A set of blue doors, not previously there, were thrust open, expelling the blinding blue light. Before Naoya and his companions entered their now-often state of comatose between consciousness and unconsciousness, the courageous leader saw on the blue doors in ivory letters forming two words stacked, one half of each on each door, read: VELVET ROOM.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Blue material mesmerized the nine of them. An lovely operatic vocalist voice filled their ears, her tone fitting the room perfectly. A beautiful piano piece accompanied her enchanting song. As the music developed more, the room became clearer and clearer. The piano music came from a blue painted baby grand piano. Sitting on the stool was a man in a navy blue tuxedo, his fingers playing away at the eighty-eight keys. The most perplexing thing was he was blindfolded. On a miniature stage next to the piano, standing tall and proud, elegantly dressed in azure and powder blue opera gown, was a woman, her eyes made-up with blue shading. Her hair was finely fixed, strands of white streaked back through the light lavender hair. Bizarrely enough for the opera singer, she covered her ears as she song. The last denizen of the labeled "Velvet Room" was a hunch-backed man, in a debonair black tux. His gloved hands clasped on each other. His elbows rested leisurely on the velvet blue, high back chair. His head was bald except for a curtain of straggling white hair. His black eyebrows were wicked, furrowed, and untamed. His eyes were the size of saucers, starring into the soul of whoever they glimpsed upon. With the theme of the members of the room, the man had a odd feature amongst his being. A hooked nose protruded off his face at the length of twelve inches (A/N).
The nine teenagers realized they were no longer in S.E.B.E.C. They were now standing in completely new territory. "Where are we now?" Naoya asked hesitantly.
The pianist and the opera singer continued their performance. The longed nose man grinned.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor. I'm delighted to make your acquaintance."
Reiji grew angry. "Where the hell are we you long-nosed bastard? And where every the hell it is, send me the fuck back! I have business to take care of!"
Igor spoke softly. "This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It's been quiet some time since we last had a guest. Then again, Master Philemon did say we would be receiving nine new ones soon. You are them, I am to presume? Never mind, no need to answer that. It's quite obvious."
Everyone's sweat dropped. "Where are we precisely?" Eriko asked, curious about the aspects of the blindfolded piano player and the self-deafening singer.
"The Velvet Room is a room that only those bound by a "contract" may enter. The nine of you knew your name in Master Philemon's presence. He gifted you with a Persona. That is your contract and from this day forth, you will be our guests in the Velvet Room."
"The design, like, is blah." Ayase bluntly stated, yawning.
"The performers are intriguing." Kei said, cupping his chin, the thoughts of vengeance suddenly absence from his mind.
"Seriously, you fuckin' long-nosed bastard, let me out!" Reiji strained his fists, trying to rush Igor, but found himself, held back. His muscles stressed attempting to move. "What the hell?" Reiji weakly grunted passed grinding teeth.
"Violence and aggression is not permit in the Velvet Room." Igor lectured. "The Velvet Room is enchanted. You can not disobey the spell."
"GRRH!" Reiji struggled in the air.
Masao tugged him back, loosening Reiji's muscles and ceasing his struggling. "Dude, cool your jets, relax. Don't pop a blood vessel."
"What is the purpose of this room, Igor?" Naoya asked, fiddling with his earring.
"In the words of Master Philemon, 'Your destiny will require you to hone your power and for that, you will inevitably require our help. The Velvet Room is also known as the Room of Personas. A Persona is a side of you that shows itself when you face the world. Think of it as a façade of protection you wear to face hardships in life.'"
Maki looked puzzled. "Uh, Nao-kun, what is he saying?"
"Hm…perhaps that may have been rather difficult to understand. Let me explain it in my own words. In life you all wear many masks to hide your true selves. You each harbor many selves within your selves. My Master has granted you the ability to unleash these selves and utilize them to fight. They are Personas. This is were I come in."
Igor waved his hand a round-table top magically appeared. A deck of cards was stacked, the backs of the cards designed with masks. Igor raised his other hand, a vast row of the same cards in his hand.
"Twenty two spell cards for each of you." The cards vanished, turning into blue sparks that shot into the nine of them.
"What are the cards for?" Yukino asked, tapping her sternum.
"The selves in yourselves are not the only Personas you can utilize in battle. When you call out to the demons you encounter in your journey and negotiating with them, you can propose for them to be your Persona. The Spell Cards allow this. The demons will enter the card, only by their free will, and become your Persona. You can then take this Persona to me and I can do special things with it."
"So, like, we can totally make an army of the like all the monsters we fought." Ayase features were earnest and excited.
"Unfortunately, the Spell Cards do not work as such. If the demon you are trying to call out to and negotiate with is the same Arcana as you, the chances of the demon becoming your Persona are high. If you are not properly aligned by Arcana with the demon, the chances are very low."
Masao and Maki simultaneously titled their heads. "Arcana?" They said at the same time.
Eriko, Naoya, and Kei nodded their heads in understanding. Eriko clapped her hands. "Ah, the mysterious and glorious Arcana used in Tarot readings. My favorite form of fortune telling."
"Care to elaborate." Yukino asked genually pissed off.
"In Tarot, an art of divination, there are twenty-two Major Arcana, each representing something." Kei explained, extrapolating the necessary details. "The Major Arcana consists of Fool, Magician, Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Justice, Hermit, Fortune, Strength, Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement, and The World. The way Tarot is used for fortune-telling is by shuffling the deck from a pile and drawing three cards, each one representing a different point of time. Past, present, and future. Depending on the Arcana and it's positioning the prediction is different."
"Yes, Kei Nanjo, you are indeed correct." Igor complemented.
"How does one such as you know my name?" Kei snapped.
"Please remain calm. My Master has told me your names. Now, Kei Nanjo, with you explanation of the Major Arcana done. I would care to tell you each the designated Arcana, your Personas give you. The representation of your specific Arcana and your own actions driven by the Arcana will inform you of what demons you are aligned with. Now, my guests, stand were you are I am going to read your souls."
The Persona-Users did as instructed. Igor's beading black eyes examined them each thoroughly. The nine could almost physically feel his sight dig in their heart and extract wanted portions. His gloved hand hovered over the stacked deck of cards. His eyes scanning past everyone immediately darting Naoya.
"Naoya Todo, you are…." Igor drew the card, displaying it to Naoya. The card had a light blue border, in a extension of the bottom section, in a half-circle connected to the border was the roman numeral four: "IV." Depicted on the card was Seimen Kongo, his fist arced out to the sides, his head thrust back, apparently yelling. "You are The Emperor, Naoya Todo. You try your best to control the events and the world around you, striving to the fullest, but in the end some elements of life are just not controllable."
"The Emperor, really? Am I really like that?"
Igor's eye shifted to Maki. "Maki Sonomura, you are…" Igor drew the second card, showing it. The card had the roman numeral two: "II." The card depicted Maso on her knees, hands folded, praying. "You are The Priestess, Maki Sonomura. You have hidden knowledge and untapped power. You are a female mystery."
Maki gave a half-smile. "Cool! Did you hear Masao-kun? I have untapped power and knowledge."
"Ah, yes, Masao Inaba, you're next. You are…" Igor drew the third card. The card number was the roman numeral seven: "VII." It depicted Ogun standing straight, his spear slung over his shoulders, pressed to the back of his neck horizontally. "You are The Chariot, Masao Inaba. You want victory and conquest. You are self-assertive, a true warrior."
"Awesome! Sure, they ain't nothin' with artist in that description?"
"Kei Nanjo, you are…" Igor drew and displayed the card which was numbered with a roman numeral five: "V." It depicted Aizen Myouou with it's arms crossed, the needle fingers curled over the forearms. "You are The Hierophant, Kei Nanjo. You are an intellectual. Somebody who is educated, authoritative, and obedient to the rules."
"But, of course!" Kei boldly stated arrogantly.
"Sorry, Nanjo, the true intellectual is standing right here." Brown pointed to himself, his teeth nearly glimmering.
"Hidehiko Uesugi, you are…" Igor showed the card, numbered with the roman numeral eight: "VIII." The card depicted Nemain her wings lowered and arms behind her back. "You are the Justice Arcana, Hidehiko Uesugi. I may have made a mistake. The Arcana's description is changed in this case. You rationalize and analysis simple for yourself. You are objective only for your own interests."
"All right! Check it, Masao! I'm the best!"
"Brown, you do realize, he basically just described you as an asshole, right?" Masao, replied to Brown's deaf ears. He was busy cheering himself on in his own world.
"Like, me next! Me next!"
"Yes, Yuka Ayase, you are…" The card was numbered with the roman numeral one: "I." It depicted Hori creating a fireball with her two hands in front of her. "You are The Magician, Yuka Ayase. You have initiative, you are manipulative. You have the power to harness your talents."
"Like, my natural beauty and wit."
"More like your razor sharp tongue." Yukino whispered under her breath.
"Yukino Mayuzumi, you are…" The number on the card was the roman numeral three. "III." The card depicted Vesta, her fabric arms on her hips. "You are The Empress, Yukino Mayuzumi. You are prosperous and creative. You help maintain the peace around others like an ideal mother."
"No surprise. Kei and I are without a doubt the most mature out of all of us."
"Oh, am I next. Thank you so much for this opportunity!" Eriko gushed.
"No need to thank me, Eriko Kirishima, you are…" The number read as the roman numeral twenty one: "XX." It depicted Nike her wings valiantly spread and head and halo raised high. "You are The Judgement, Eriko Kirishima. You are aware of yourself and others as well as your own action. Your act as a overseer for your friends, a guardian of sorts."
"I indeed am! My Persona is the goddess of victory! I promised to be the guardian angel of everyone!
"Why the hell am I last? This is taking goddamn forever!" A vein had popped in Reiji's head.
"Last, but not least, Reiji Kido, you are…" Igor drew the ninth card. The card was blacked out. The card was numbered in scarlet the roman numeral for fifteen: "XV." "You are The Devil, Reiji Kido. You are selfish, impulsive, and violent. You are a slave to your own desires, obsessed with vengeance against a man who has wronged you. Your Persona is not appearing on the card? I am not well-versed in an occurrence such as this."
"I was too distracted by The Velvet Room to realize," Naoya started. "Reiji is the fourth strong willed one Philemon was talking about. He has a Persona."
"No shit Sherlock!" Reiji snapped, inching closer to Yukino, still carrying the bag, the handle of the M4 still sticking out. "Cept' mine wasn't given to me by a jackass named Philemon."
Igor's face went white. "No, Master Philemon must've been mistaken, when he said nine. You're soul is black, Reiji Kido. That is why I can't see the Persona in your heart. You were gifted the power of Persona by another. The deity that is the competitor of my Master, N-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP YOU LONG-NOSED BASTARD!" Reiji snatched the M4, shoving Yukino to the velvet carpeted floor. "IF MY FIST CAN'T GET ME OUT OF HERE! BULLETS CAN!" He extended the collapsible stock and aimed the assault rifle at Igor, his finger itching to pull the trigger.
"Be gone!" Igor waved his hand. All of nine of them vanished in a velvet flash.
Igor patted his brow with a handkerchief retrieved from his breast pocket. "My Master has made a grave mistake in his readings. I must speak to him at once."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Naoya returned to consciousness immediately picking up his MP5, but Reiji was all ready holding the M4 Carbine at the back of Yukino's head. He was taking the clips for the rifle out of the duffel bag and sticking them in his pockets. The rest of them were paralyzed in fear. Reiji forced her to drop the Ithaca and stay still.
"Let me take the gun and run to the stairs and you losers won't sweat it! Fuckin try to stop me or get in the way, my Persona can rain death upon you without a problem!"
"Reiji, you don't have to do this. We can take on Kandori together." Masao pleaded.
Reiji finished stuffing the clips in his pocket, flipping Masao off afterwards. "I'm the one who will take that bastard's life. You can sit here with your thumps up your ass for all I care! I ain't workin with punk-asses like you!" Reiji move backwards into the corridor they originally entered from, training the barrel and sights of his weapon on their heads. He passed columns and the once again empty walls. The doors to the Velvet Room were no longer there. He reached the door to the stairs, kicking it open, and running in.
Yukino exhaled, snatching up the Ithaca. "Son of a bitch!"
Brown fell backwards, trembling. "Crazed students with a gun after the President of a business company. I should be writing this material down in a notebook. These are some excellent stories to use."
"Yukino are you all right?" Kei asked, a caring tone in his voice.
"Peachy, just freakin' peachy." She mumbled, grievance emphasized.
Naoya fixed the MP5's strap across his chest, drawing the katana from the sheath. He saw his reflection in the blades surface. "I can't began to comprehend what the hell just happened. I'm The Emperor, is that related to the fact I'm suppose to be the leader. Reiji pisses off with the M4 to kill Kandori. Jesus, Philemon, you seriously have a load of explaining to do."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Igor hunched forward, briskly walking to his Master. Philemon stood tall on his platform. His masked face titled upward to the abyss. "I'm sorry to bother your reading of time, Master Philemon, but an incident has occurred."
"Ah, yes, Igor, I know. I have seen it moments ago."
"Then, you know, my Master, Reiji Kido was granted his Persona by another: your competitor."
"Yes, a intricate game of chess the game has become. Regarding Reiji Kido, Igor, do not worry yourself. I have seen the events to come. I can not reveal to you or our guests the true nature of Takahisa Kandori and Reiji Kido's wanting for vengeance at this moment and time."
"Is Reiji Kido still granted access to the Velvet Room, Master Philemon?"
"He is free to enter and exit as he wishes. Please, Igor, my loyal friend and servant, do not trouble yourself with him. He will come around in due time. You can relax and aid our guests."
"I was able to give them the Spell Cards, Master, and read their Arcana, but I was not able to explain the details of the demons Kandori is using to add to his defenses."
"You could sense them even from the Velvet Room, eh, Igor? Since you know of their presence, I can guarantee you the success of our guests. Would you care to watch?"
"Indeed, Master, I would love to. I want to see their abilities thus far."
Philemon waved his hand, summoning forth a revolving mirror. The image of the mirror was the recovering eight Persona-Users.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
"Hey, Nao-kun, why did Reiji take the stairs. Isn't the elevator the other way?"
Naoya readied the katana with his right-hand, taking the lead. "Whatever reason we better be careful. Everyone stay close together! Eriko up front with me. Masao, Ayase, Brown behind us. Maki, Kei hang in the back. We're heading to the elevator!"
The eight, in formation, weapons drawn, went to the other corridor. The elevator doors thirty feet in. As they approached, the feet clicking and clacking, the seconds ticking, sparks of silver were crackling to life at their sides. Jagged bolts of electricity strived across the walls, casting blinding lights of silver. The currents connected, the lightning conjuring forth a four-legged beast. The group stopped. The wall of thunder was blocking the elevator doors. The jagged bolts spilled out backwards, the ball of silver lightning spreading it's legs, fierce clawed paws stretched and curled, bushing silver fur grown on the lengths of the legs. An oversized tiger-like body was formed by the lightning, a tail interconnected into the spine, underside the black and silver stripped fur of the back, whipped back and forth. The electricity crashed, forming the last remaining piece: the head of the demonic tiger. A tiger head, bearded with it's fluffy silver fur, it's turquoise eyeballs live with sparks.
"HOLY SHIT!" Masao screamed. "That's a big cat!"
Naoya kept a stern appearance. "Eriko, whatever information you can, before it attacks."
"Spare me the prattle, humans!" The tiger's voice boomed like thunder. "I am one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese Constellation, Bai Hu, or as you in Japan call me, Byakko! I am to guard the elevator to Master Kandori's floor with my life!"
"Well, tough shit, pussy cat, we're hammering our way in!" Masao exclaimed, forfeiting his axe to arm himself with the shotgun once again.
"Kei, Maki, back! Everyone in!" Naoya commanded.
Byakko roared, shaking the floor.
"I'll make quick work of him, Nao!" Eriko placed her rapier by the side of her head. "Come, Nike!" The velvet mist beckoned forth her goddess of victory. "ZIO!" Nike unfolded her wings, casting a bolt of lightning down on Byakko.
The jolt of electricity didn't faze the beast. "Girl, do you call that a shock! I'll show you a shock! ZIONGA!" Byakko patted his paw on the ground, a massive bolt of electricity crashing down Eriko.
"ERIKO!" Naoya yelled, reaching for her.
At the ending of the lightning, Eriko stood tall, Nike hovering above her. "Null Electricty is a passive ability Nike has. If electricity skills won't work on you then your own skills won't work on us either."
"Behold and despair, girl, my power! ELEC BREAK!" Crackles of silver lightning passed over the group of eight at the pounding of Byakko's paw.
"Now, your residence to my thunder is gone! Goodbye, humans, MAZIO!"
Naoya saw, the bolts gathering above their heads seconds before the crash, despair playing across his face. "EVERYONE TOSS YOUR GUNS TO THE SIDE! THE BULLETS WILL EXPLODE!" The bolts cascaded down upon them, electrocuting them moments after they relinquished their firearms.
They screamed out in sheer pain, the currents of electricity coursing throughout their bodies, stinging and shocking their flesh and organs from the inside out. At the end of the summoned lightning, the eight fell, smoke rising off them. The electricity wasn't powerful enough to fry their flesh, but burnt and tore their clothes, tatters of them hit the floor like leafs in the wind.
"Seems I left remains. Puny humans." Byakko sneered.
Maki, weakly raised her hand in the air, the aches of movement abundant.
"They're still alive!"
"Please, help me, MASO! MEDIA!" Maso arose, clapping her hands together, the green energy rejuvenating all eight of students, repairing their disheveled clothing and bodies.
"Yukino, Masao, bombarded him! Kei, Eriko, buff and debuffs! Brown, Ayase, magical offense with me!"
Yukino and Masao picked up their guns.
"You won't survive another!" Byakko growled.
"Oh, shut up, you oversized kitten!" Masao opened firing, rapidly pulling the trigger and pumping the shotgun. Yukino added by firing off and rapidly reloading the two shells of her sawn-off. The buckshot struck Byakko hard in the arms, tearing into his porcelain fur, tainting it with his blue slimy blood. Byakko roared in pain, Masao and Yukino continuously firing and reloading.
Eriko raised her rapier to the side of her head. Kei swiped his broadsword to the side.
"Come, NIKE! RAKUNDA, SUKUNDA!" Nike unfolded her wings, casting a purplish and greenish aura on Byakko, lowering his defense and evasive speed.
"My move, AIZEN MYOUOU! MATAKAJA!" Aizen Myouou arched it's arms out in a hugging fashion, casting a white aura over Naoya, Brown, and Ayase.
Ayase cracked her whip, curling it back up with her hands behind her head. Brown thrust his spear to the sky. Naoya's hand hovered over his face.
"Here, Persony! AGILAO!" Hori danced out of the velvet mist, throwing the medium-sized fireball through the air. It smacked into Byakko's face, singeing his beard.
"Leave it to me! PERSONA! MAZAN" Nemain held out her open palms, launching a barrage of green energy balls that hit Byakko's entire body, blowing away pieces of his fur and matter at contact.
"Here it goes! Seimen Kongo! GARU!" Seimen Kongo punched the air, splashing Byakko's battered figure with a powerful gust of wind that tore through the remainder of his flesh and fur, draining more of the blue blood of the beast.
Masao stopped to load the shells into his shotgun. Yukino opened the Ithaca, ejected the shells. Byakko's body was motionless, silent. She glanced at it, reloading the chambers at the same time, closing the barrels. Byakko suddenly lunged, Masao wasn't finished reloading. Yukino aimed, the tiger's scared maw homing in on her. Yukino was about to pull the trigger, but the demons massive claws pinned her, his slavering mouth dripping his hungry desire on her school uniform. The Ithaca had clattered to their right. Yukino was not struck by the beast's fierce blue eyes.
"YUKINO!" Kei yelled, speeding to her his broadsword drawn. He wouldn't make it in time and their wasn't enough time to aim the shot with the rifle. He didn't even know if the shot to the forehead would kill the demon instantly.
"I'll swallow you whole! GRRH!" Byakko's jaw widen, ready to eat.
Yukino grinned, her pinned arm, breaking free of his weight, snatching up the shotgun. She'd planned it out as soon as she was pinned. She jammed the sawn-off in Byakko's mouth. He choked on his roaring. "SWALLOW THIS!" She pulled the trigger, her elbow bashing into the ground from the recoil, the point-blank buckshot blowing into the back of Byakko's skull, splattering brains, fur, and tissue all over Yukino.
"Yukino!" Kei slammed his shoulder into Byakko's collapsed corpse. It disintegrated into blue light after Kei pushed it off her. Yukino breathed a sigh of relief at the death of the demon and the loss of the weight on top of her.
"Oh, Yukino, look at your hair." Eriko picked out an ounce of demon slime.
Yukino spat to the side, brushing the miniscule fur strands and tissue from her uniform. "I could care less about my hair, Eriko. Just glad that bastard cat is gone."
"At least let me clean it out."
"You can do it in the elevator, Eriko." Naoya instructed calling said elevator to their floor. The doors opened. "We can't let Reiji beat us to Kandori's office."
The eight crowded inside, pressing the button for the fifth floor. The doors shut and the mechanism started bring them up.
Eriko plucked the strands of Yukino's hair with blood. "It's kinda sad, The Cursed City, is about to come to the close. I was enjoying the stay. Maybe I can write a story about this. I could be on pare with Clive Growler (A/N: Clive Barker) or H.P. Passioncraft (A/N: H.P. Lovecraft.) Nao could be the main character, I'm the gorgeous maiden who swoons herself at his feet. Perfect, then he takes me, like in my dreams."
Yukino sighed. "Jesus, that cat was huge. Damn near the size of my house. Glad the drop of his corpse on me was only a few feet off the ground or I would've been squashed." She saw Kei in her peripheral vision. He was watching her. "Do I always have to make the move on the guy I like? He makes things so complicated. I'm not sure if he's even into me. Oh, God, I'm sounding like Eriko now. Forgot it, Yukino, this is not the time nor the situation. Wait until after the asshole behind this shit is done with, then make a move on Kei. Priorities now in order."
Masao leaned on the wall, the elevator going along at a steady pace. "So the big boss is at the top of the tower. Ain't it how always goes? Short adventure this has been. Fuckin' bizarre too. Kinda disappointing. Only thing left is to shut down the Deva System and deal with Kandori. We're always saying that, but how exactly are we "dealing" with Kandori. Personally, I'd like to boot the guy off the roof of his own building, but I'm gonna follow Nao's lead. I'll back him no matter what as long as he's still Nao, still my best bud."
Kei, cheeks flustered contemplated the upcoming events. "The President of S.E.B.E.C.s office. In reality a stepping stone for me and the Nanjo Group. Those Kirijo Group (A/N: Referenced in Persona 3. The Nanjo Group was called The Trinity Group because in the original english release of the PS1 version of the first Persona game, they Americanized the names of the protags. as well as the rest of the game. So Kei's last name was changed to Trinity.) were too. Of course, they used to be a part of my family's company. We simply surpassed them, leaped farther than they could go. They weren't about business, they were about trying to do nonsensical experiments. Is that what I'm doing this for? To be the number one of Japan or for Yamaoka. My thoughts are conflicting. I cannot grasp what I greatly want." Kei's vision glanced at Yukino, admiring her figure, her perfect face, her kind personality, and tough exterior and interior. My decision must come soon, we have passed the third floor. Is Kandori's life going to be lost today…by my hand?"
Brown stayed in the corner, avoiding puncturing the metal box with his spear or accidentally firing the machine pistol. "Guess my reward is absolutely bogus, all in my head. Damn." Brown exhaled sharply. "What's the matter, Hidehiko, can't raise your own spirits with your bullshit lies. Praise your own awesomeness and handsomeness. Damn it." Brown's eyes broaden. "Wait a minute! Where going to the present's office. The present has to keep something secret or expensive in there. I can con or charm him out of his valuable goods. More awesome idea, have him cower at the awesome power of my Persona. Weaved together my epic journey on the level of The Iliad and The Odyssey. The epic tale of Hidehiko "Brown" Uesugi, the baddest dude in Mikage, who decimated cities with his special ally. A self from within himself. His Persona of Justice, Nemain. Hell yes. Blow out a window or two with a Zan skill and he'll be eating out of the palms of my hands." Brown chuckled conniving.
Ayase patted her lips as she yawned. "I think that electric shock treatment, like, totally gave me split ends. Now, I have to get my hair done when we're, like, done. The big kitty coming out of like nowhere was fun. Everything else, TOTALLY BORING. The things I do for not wanting to be alone."
Maki counted her arrows in the quiver. "Twenty. When I run out, I'll switch to the handgun. The brat has to be up here with this Kandori, if she isn't I have to go back, but how do I do that? The way I came in wasn't normal, plus it was a one-way trip. The least I can do is help these guys, they are technically my friends. In return, they can help me when this snafu is ended, if it's ended that is."
Naoya played with his earring, keeping himself composed and collected. He looked at his friends. "We here for each individual reasons, but together with one final goal: rescue our city and now were literally one floor away from the man who caused all of this. There are unanswered questions I refuse to settle with. This Maki here with us for example. Reiji having a Persona, not giving to him by Philemon, the reason why we, us, are here, and this enigma of a "competitor" to Philemon, which he doesn't want to tell us who he is what his deal is. I won't let this end without questions like that answered. Hell, maybe, Kandori or Reiji know the answers. Either way they both piss me off. They're selfish. Reiji doesn't give a shit about anyone else, but himself and his own motives. Kandori altered the entire city, putting hundreds of people in dangers for his own goals, which Philemon also never explained. Seriously, how did this cluster fuck occur? Oh, yeah, that damn game of Persona. Because of Brown being a smartass, I'm standing here for the worse, confused, beaten, pissed off beyond belief, and I honestly don't fully know who I am anymore."
Naoya heard the ding of the bell. The elevator stopped at the fifth floor, the doors opening once more. Naoya drew the katana, taking his first step into another hallway. The oak-crafted doors to Kandori's office tightly shut. Across the hall was the doorway that lead out when taking the stairs. Reiji hadn't arrived yet.
"Good, I've got to question Kandori before he tries to kill him."
Naoya moved into the hall, his friends behind him. All of a sudden, Reiji busted through the doors to the stairs, ignoring them. The M4 was slung on his back by the strap. He leaped into Kandori's door, kicking into it, tearing them off their hinges with a snap.
"Hurry!" Naoya yelled clearing the distance as Reiji charged deeper in. "Let's see who you are Takahisa Kandori!" The eight of them sped into the office, hearing Reiji angry grunts and a raving laughter of a grown-man. A dark air to his voice. The laugh of a man of pure evil. A man who wrecked a city for his own personal gain. Sitting at his desks, a chasm of darkness behind him, his features mid-aged, but young, his purplish forelock matted to his forehead and sideburns to the rim of his jaw line, dressed in Italian loafers and a black silk double-breasted suit, was Takahisa Kandori, laughing his demonic laugh and his brown eyes glaring daggers that penetrated their subconscious. They had met the man behind it all, a madman in a business suit. He was a demon wearing human skin to them.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
A/N: Imagine, one Miles Edgeworth sprites from Phoenix Wright. You'll probably understand if you've played the game before.
I didn't want to put foot, because I wasn't sure if it would come off how I wanted.
Second longest chapter so far, 38 pages prior to be proofread and edited. Unfortunately 75% of the whole thing was filler and the next chapter is going to be short. Now since I used Byakko, you can probably tell the rest of the quartet if you know your Chinese legends, but you'll be surprised at certain parts and for the record, the novelization isn't anywhere near over if you thought it was from people's perspectives. Hell no, we are barely twenty five percent done with this baby. At least 23 more chapters, I said I wanted a total of thirty. Now yes even though the next chapter is short, it will take awhile, because I take a few days for breaks before and in between, but the whole of the next chapter is basically two scenes that are relatively short, but important. Also I should mention that some of these scenes were my own creation. Basically the second half of Igor's part. His speech is like that in-game. The Velvet Room looks like that in-game, but the Arcana readings was my idea and those Arcana are their actual Arcana in-game. Reiji is a somewhat sorta pseudo modified, but I can't go into details about that without spoiling stuff. With following Chapter 8, Chapter 9 is relatively short, but 10 are going to be long-ass chapters mostly because of my own scenes to develop Naoya and Reiji. Either way, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Seven of Persona: Be Your True Mind, and I'll see you next time for Chapter Eight: S.E.B.E.C. Building Part 2: Takeda.