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
Just a little response to RaidEye, I'm glad to be back into the swing of things as well, just needed a tiny break to get priorities straight and settled. Thanks for reviewing and with my gears back in motion I'm still dead-set on finishing the novelization and writing my other novelizations.
Chapter 11, all right, we are moving up in the world and trying to get somewhere. I'm hoping this chapter turns out longer than the last one, which was only a little over 7000 words and was a total of 28 pages, but I don't want it to be so long that my writer's block kicks in, but considering how straight forward the majority of the scenes and fights are in this chapter, I'm not too worried, which is good for me and good for you the readers. Since I planned out thoroughly, literally the next six chapters, I think I can put these out at a faster pace, without the quality of the work suffering, but also adding to the improvement. Well, I'll stop blabbering and just introduce the chapter as usual. With that aside, welcome to Persona: Be Your True Mind Chapter 11.
Chapter Eleven: The Expel Mirror
"NAO!" Masao bolted to his friend's side, a pool of blood from the open stab wound already forming. He skidded to his knees, grabbing Naoya by the collar and looked at his lifeless face. "Damn it, man! What the hell were you thinking?" Masao heard Maki's choking sobs, seeing Kei and Yukino go to Reiji's sides.
"He's out cold, Nanjo! He's losing a lot of blood!" Masao exclaimed, a frown with gritted teeth spreading at each of Maki's coughs.
"Kido's unconscious as well. The slash marks are deep! He'll bleed out soon as well!" Kei wanted to smack himself. "How could I allow this to happen?"
Masao desperate to come up with a thought, noticing everyone else standing idle by as if still taking in the whole fight that went down. "Maki!" He called to the crying brunette.
Her puffy eyes opened. "Masao-kun…" She mumbled.
"Your Persona is the only one with Healing Skills! You have to heal Nao and Reiji!" Masao slipped his fingers to Naoya's neck. "Hurry up, Maki! Nao's pulse is almost gone!" Masao's breathe hitched, holding back his own tears. "I can't let my best friend die because of some stupid out-of-nowhere fight!"
Maki hurried to Masao. "I'll try my best, Masao-kun!" She raised her hand to air, beckoning forth the heavens. "Please, help us! Persona!" The blue flickered and faded, evaporated like a mass of heat reducing water to steam.
Masao harshly throttled her shoulders, causing her to flinch at his rough handling, considering she was used to his kinder nature. "Maki, you gotta concentrate! If you panic and don't think straight, it won't come out! Just please, feel me here, in front of you! Feel me standing her, solid, motionless! Concentrate! Close your eyes and concentrate! Please!"
Maki's gasped, Masao's tears were running pass his fake tear markings. She shut her eyes tight. "For Nao-kun! He's my closest friend! He's practically my brother! I can't let him die! Breath, Maki, breath in and out. Feel Masao-kun's stable hands….feeling the sensation…call forth your façade of protection…a mask you show…Maso the goddesses of protection, the Persona of the Priestess!" Maki threw her unwavering hand back into the air. "Help me! PERSONA!"
In a burst of velvet blue, the mist took over engulfing the entire courtyard in a vast blue aura even larger than the scarlet barrier that was erected. Maso materialized above Maki's head, the girl's bangs and ribbon now whipping back and forth with the surging blue. Maso folded her hands in prayer, the mask covering her face preventing anyone from seeing her expression, her habit flowing, rippling like undulating waves.
"MASO, MEDIARAMA!" Maki confidently pointed to Naoya and Reiji.
Maso bowed her head, a shower of verdant energy falling over the two, wrapping around them, sewing up their wounds and clothing, closing each gap perfectly as if they were never there. Maso lifted her head the twilight of the sunset, setting behind the school, peeking through the aura.
Maki heard a new word of the distant tongue filling her mind. Maki shifted her direction to Naoya, pointing down on his now healed, but still unconscious body. "RECARM!"
Maso shot her gaze up to the sun, her hands fervently clutching to each other. A golden nimbus surrounded her overpowering the velvet aura and blowing it away with a sudden expansion. Maso's praying hands shook
violently with the golden power coursing through each finger. She arched her back, flinging her hands out, shooting a golden bullet into Naoya, dispersing the expanded nimbus and vanishing in shimmering blue.
Masao caught Maki in his arms, her head resting in the nape of his neck. Her breathing was shallow, her eyes red from crying. She'd managed to do what she needed to, exhausting her spiritual reserves to bring both of them back from the possible brink of death.
The gold energy coursed throughout Naoya, speeding up the healing process to an internal extent. The energy coated his body and pulsed rapidly until it wore off and died away with it's luminous shine, leaving Naoya to regain consciousness. Masao helped him to his feet, keeping Maki nestled close.
"Jesus, what did I do this time?" Naoya saw Reiji collapsed.
"You and Reiji just suddenly started dukin' it out." Masao explained.
"Yes, Todo, and I'd personally like to ask why the sudden outburst to strike, Kido?" Kei questioned hefting Reiji onto his back with the help of Yukino.
"I'd like to know too, brave leader." Eriko quietly spoke, her voice and hands shaking with fright.
Naoya approached Eriko, noticing her tremors. Brown and Ayase stood off to the side. "I'm not sure why? I blacked out again, but this feeling was building, in the back of my brain, a creeping tide consuming my thoughts. I lost control and snapped, before I knew it I punched Reiji in the face."
"That certainly is intriguing, Todo. Maybe Philemon can consult us on this matter." Kei suggested.
"You're personality has changed since yesterday afternoon, Nao." Yukino added.
Ayase cracked her whip in vexation. "Can we, like, go? I'm tired of school!"
Everyone else sighed.
"Maki healed us right?" Naoya innocently asked, noticing her.
"Yep, I'll carry her, Nao, don't worry." Masao said assuring Naoya by moving Maki onto his back, piggy-back style.
"We should be heading to the Alaya Shrine." Kei announced. "The sun is close to setting and if it's a full moon the demons will be restless."
Naoya picked up his strewn away MP5, checking the clip. He jammed it in, hearing the satisfying click. He want to put the past events behind him as best as he could. Eriko came up from behind as he was about to speak. He halted and came close to her ear. "I'm sorry I scared you, Eriko." He whispered, causing her to blush. "Let's start heading out then! Masao I want you and Kei in the middle, Yukino stay in front with me in Eriko! Brown, Ayase pick up the slack, tail Kei and Masao!"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Brown breathed a breath of relief as he let his guard down inside the mask-decorated shrine. Masao and Kei were letting Maki and Reiji to the floor gently. "Thank God, we made it here in one peace! Some of those demons on the streets were tough and they were bigger and badder than the ones we fought in the other Mikage. The streets were the same too, but the demons were a whole new story. I seriously hope answers are here, because I'm tired of running around with this damn spear!" Brown leisurely leaned the spear on the wall. "When is the important stuff gonna happen? If I'm creating a story about this I need more details to juice-up the plot and suspense? I wonder how the critics will react? 'What an amazing, fascinating, and obscure journey of a lone wolf hero of gallant demeanor and process against hell itself to deliver justice to evil, right the wrongs of a madman, and save the world, all selflessly I might add.' It's tantalizing just thinking about it! I wanna sit down and write it right now!" Brown was nonsensically eager.
Ayase eyed Brown up and down. He was practically drooling in his thought process. She scoffed. "He's so brain damaged. Like, why are we here? Tsutomu that jerked was yanking our chains. We should've eaten something or brought food from the cafeteria. I'm starving damn it! I would kill for something to eat or at least a break to catch up on my beauty sleep! Sheesh, I can't believe we're in another world, this is stupid. All Naoya had to do was press a button and I could be home, taking a hot bath, wearing clean clothes, eating a nice dinner, and be able to sleep in a warm, comfy bed, instead because I was panicking to point of were I could've had a heart attack or stroke because my asinine condition can't let my body or mental state handle being by myself. OH! MY! GOD! WHY?"
Yukino pinched her eyelids, dropping the duffel bag. "Well, Nao and Reiji was a scare, glad we settled it, but I don't think we should casually let it be or subside. We need time to address this issues. Maybe when Philemon feels like showing up we can get to the bottom of this new Naoya persona."
On cue to Yukino's though, the yellow featureless butterfly appeared, brightening the dank, un-lighten shrine and circling them in laps, bringing them to Philemon's domain once again, the abyss in their betwixt of consciousness and unconsciousness.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Maki awoke, stirred by the gentle hover of her feet to Philemon's platform. She noticed everyone else touching down from the opening in the endless void the plateau was suspended. The masked enigma himself was standing in the center as usual, any emotions on his face covered and blocked away by his mask. "I feel a little faint. We must of made it to the Alaya Shrine, in one piece. I'm so relieved, especially since I was able to save Nao-kun and Reiji." Maki had taken note of the sullen standing Naoya, completely healed and the now waking Reiji who was basically in the same situation she was in.
"How are you friends?" Philemon asked, his booming voice taking in all of their attention.
Naoya placed a hand on the sheath of his katana, flicking his earring, readying to let loose. "Philemon, what the hell is going on?" He exclaimed.
Philemon stood still.
Kei cleared his throat. "Yes, Philemon, we have a large variety of questions that need answers? For starters, is this place truly a second world?"
Naoya stomped his foot. "I'm getting sick of Nanjo, overtaking the situation!" Naoya had a realization. "It's happening again…and…I…can't control it, first it starts with the thoughts and soon comes the actions. What's gonna happen this time?"
"This world is a counterfeit of your own. It is this world where Kandori's ambitions lie."
"What's the point of this world? I mean, what ARE Kandori's ambitions." Maki innocently asked.
"And, like, how do we get back?" Ayase pouted.
"As if he's gonna give us the answer." Naoya's sword-readied hand violently shook. "I can't un-tense my muscle!" The sense of frustration was consuming him.
"If you pursue him, you will eventually discover the nature of this world and how to return to your home world."
"Where's the bastard now, butterfly mask?" Reiji shouted, his fingers curling into tight-clenched fists.
"Ah, Reiji Kido, I am glad you all have finally met." Philemon raised his arms into the air. "Kandori has made his fortress on the east side of town, where he is searching for something. Night has fallen, he hasn't found it. Should he find it tomorrow, there will be no more days for either world. You must stop Kandori."
"On the east side of town?" Eriko repeated.
"But the east side's block by a barrier in our world." Masao stated.
"It is here too." Maki added.
"Look for the Expel Mirror, it will allow you to partially bypass the barrier. The best way is to enter the subway terminal and use it there."
Kei cupped his chin. "Now that that is settled, we have to discuss Todo-"
"All right, Philemon, you have some explaining to do?" Naoya yelled, thrashing forward.
"What do you mean, Naoya?" Philemon asked.
"Don't bullshit me! You know what I mean! These Personas screw with our minds, don't they? They make you a different person, don't they?" Naoya's sudden snap caused silence of his friends. "We've spent these hours doing what you've told us and my mind's been torn apart by all this questions of why? What is really going on?" At each shout, Naoya took a half-step forward, his sword hand grabbing harder and stronger. "What do these Personas truly do? Why us? Why do we have to stop Kandori, Philemon? I want answers!"
"Naoya, I'm sorry, but I cannot-"
"IF YOU WON'T TELL ME I'll FORCE IT OUT OF YOU!" Naoya charged Philemon, viciously swiping out his katana and swung a brawny and speedy slash across Philemon's chest. Naoya felt no contact between his blade and flesh, an immediate disappoint and confusion replaced his weariness and ferocity.
Philemon stood unmoved as Naoya's arm sluggish hung low. "You should know, Naoya, that mortal-crafted weaponry cannot harm a god. Seeing this sudden outburst, I can tell you've discovered the adverse effect of the Persona, therefore I'm allowed to explain."
Naoya grind his teeth. "I don't only want to know the effects, Philemon! I want to know why! Why us?"
Philemon did not speak a word.
"Answer me, goddamn it!"
Philemon folded his arms, letting out a sigh of defeat. "In order for you to understand, I have to, of course, start from the beginning with myself and my competitor. We have a wager, an elaborate game of chess between ourselves. A bet on humanity. He tries to end human life and I am permitted to try and stop it by my own means, hence why you and Kandori have Personas. The difference is I'm not permitted to interact directly with the world, I simply can point or hint in the right direction. My competitor can. He's the driving force behind Kandori's schemes. His piece in the game is Kandori and mine are you."
Naoya sheathed his sword, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
Masao snickered. "Makes about as much sense than anything else that's happened today."
"You have a point, Masao-kun."
Eriko squealed. "Oh, this is exciting! We're part of a game of gods!"
Brown closed his gasping jaw. "How is she taking this calmly? This dude just explained we're pawns in a game for humanity!"
"This is preposterous." Kei hissed. He regarding himself as an agnostic man, but truly after hearing Philemon's words, he began to question everything that had taken place in the town of Mikage in the past day, hours, minutes, seconds, trying to find a single point that writes it all off as a dream.
"What's so if we're just the pieces, then like the punk asked, why us, huh?" Reiji asked.
"Why and how I chose you is easier to explain. I can read the strings of events, see the future, I saw each of you, except Reiji, standing before me individually and then all of you standing before me now. I didn't know your names, but I knew your faces and that you all would eventually be here. I started the rumor of the Persona game knowing that it would draw those I saw to play so I could gift them with a fighting chance for their right to live, a Persona."
Before anyone else could process the information, Naoya snapped. "But, why us? Why were we the ones you saw specifically and what do these Personas truly do?"
Philemon gave a light chuckle. "You're still asking why, Naoya? The choice was entirely yours to follow through with the strings of events. The Persona was just a tool for humanity to not only save their town, but the world from my competitor's chaos."
Naoya's fist shook, he faced the floor. "It wasn't fate, huh? We were just cowed into doing what he wanted us to do. I never would've excepted this damn power if I knew the whole situation!"
Reiji glanced at Philemon, trying to not make eye contact, but unsure if the man could actually see him. "I think I know who he's talking about. His competitor. I don't care if I was chosen to do this or not. All I know is that after that WINGED bastard gave me my Persona, I've lost grip of my thoughts, my actions to the point where I seem completely different."
Philemon turned to the scarred boy. "Reiji you've experienced the same feelings as Naoya, too, haven't you?"
"Yeah," He hissed in response, keeping in the back corner of the group, turning away from the god.
Kei cupped his chin. "Are you going to explain their sudden lapses in personalities and actions, Philemon?" He had partially recovered from the realization of being a piece in a eminent game of gods.
Philemon raised his arms. "Yes, Igor was meant to elaborate on this but the visit was cut short."
Reiji held his arm, feeling the burning gazes of his new companions.
Philemon continued. "Naoya and Reiji are simply swaying in alignment. I originally wanted to explain this to you, but it's very abstract to mortals to comprehend. Everything that interacts with the world of demons, gods, anything spiritual falls into a dogma, a set of principles all who are apart of anything spiritual have to follow. The dogma is related to something we of the demonic and angelic world call alignment. Alignment is your own chose, but determined by your personality, thoughts, and actions, but when you fall into a specific alignment your locked into that way of thinking and acting. Demons align themselves with Chaos, because they wish to feed and kill, this is not to describe every demon. Angels align themselves with Law, because they're obedient, lawful, and overall the opposite of demonic nature, most angels are aligned with Law, but there are demons who are as well."
Eriko raised her hand, afraid to interrupt by speaking out.
"Yes, Eriko?"
"How does this alignment dogma related to Naoya and Reiji…and even us?"
"By being granted the power of Persona, you have been inadvertently forced to be a part of the domain of angels and demons, therefore you are chained to the alignment dogma, meaning your alignment is defined by your thoughts, decisions, actions and also defines you and how you act as I've said. It's an adverse effect that could not be avoided. Reiji and Naoya both probably fell into the Chaos alignment, which explains the recent outbursts. The rest of you I can feel, you've fallen into Law."
Naoya showed signs of understanding. They swiftly disappeared, mocked up with anger. "You're joking, right? You mean all because I doubted myself, or judged whether we should kill Kandori or not, and grew paranoid that I was becoming another me and asking these questions was because of the Persona! BECAUSE I WAS DRIFTING INTO CHAOS, MAKING ME ANGRY AND AGGRESSIVE AND SCORNFUL, AND DERANGED….AND EVIL!"
"Yes, Naoya, I am sorry, but there is no-"
"SHUT UP! I don't care what you have to say anymore! I'M DONE! I refuse to take part of this! If my mind is at stake…if I'm not going to be the real me again, because I'm stuck by my own innocent thoughts, I want nothing at all to do with you, your competitor, or this Persona! I WANT IT GONE!"
"Naoya…I'm sorry again, but…the way to fully dismiss your Persona ability is to grant it to someone who doesn't, yet holds the potential to use it. Currently, there is no one in this counterfeit world that has the potential. You cannot remove it."
"Then, I'm stuck with it! DAMN IT ALL! Forget it, I'm done! I'm sick and tired of being ordered around by you and your enigmatic garble! I refuse to lead this group and I refuse to ever use this Persona again! I'M THROUGH PHILEMON! DONE!
Persona: Be Your True Mind
The night was cold, silent. Naoya sighed deeply, resting his head against the Alaya Shrine's mask decorated wall. His friends laid on the floor, serenely sleeping. Philemon had sent them back to Naoya's chagrin, and told them to stay the night in the shrine, letting Nao freely choose what to do.
Naoya stroked his earring, letting his eyes wander, his ears kept open. Masao and Maki were laying side by side using Masao's huge backpack as a pillow. Brown was in a slumber, rump in the air, drooling. Ayase was tossing and turning, trying to find a soft spot on the wooden floor. Eriko had let her hair down, letting her straightened locks drape her breast. Kei and Yukino had awkwardly chose to situate themselves in a corner of the room together. They were pushed back-to-back, the duffel bag of ammunition wedged behind them. Reiji slept on the opposite wall to Naoya, the M4 clutched in his hands.
Naoya sighed again. "Screw it…" He whispered to no one in particular. "I can't sleep. After the screaming, hair-pulling, and the eye-opening crap that we've learned today barely two hours ago." Naoya left the shrine, deciding to walk. "With demons here, probably not the greatest idea, I've ever had, but I need to think. My mind needs to be clear."
Naoya put his hands in his pocket after fixing his katana and machine gun. "Shit the Sun Mall is way to far and Joy Street is on the other side of this Mikage…which is blocked by a barrier. Damn it. So much for heading to Judgment 1999 to think."
Naoya kicked a stone, suddenly blinded by a blue light. A floating door had appeared, bathed in the familiar velvet blue light. The doorknob turned on it's own, the hypnotizing operetta music slipping through the cracks. The door swung open and Naoya's mind flew right in.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Igor was shuffling a deck of cards, delighted with the rhythm of the singer, Belladonna, accompanied by the blind pianist Nameless performance of the theme he always requested them to play. One he declared as the theme of the Velvet Room, the Aria of Souls. "They play such entrancing music, do they not, Naoya Todo?"
Naoya's slouched, exhaling a massive sigh for the third time. "Jesus, Igor, what do you want? Didn't you get the memo? I'm done with all this."
Igor placed the deck on his table, resting his arms on his chair. "Yes, Master Philemon has informed me of the situation. So, I have chosen to intervene, because in this wager of gods, I am permitted too."
"Yeah and why's that. Is it an obligation to your master?"
"Personally, no, Naoya Todo. I respect Master Philemon's choices, his choice being to let you decide, I am merely granting you my two cents as it were. Also hoping to talk some sense into you to prevent you from walking the demon infested streets at night with the moon nearly full."
"I make my own decisions, Igor."
"Yes, you have the right to, Naoya Todo. It is your mind and body after all."
"And your master giving me this curse, doesn't echo that in the slightest."
Igor starred at Nao passed his own lengthy nose. "That is were you are mistaken, my guest." Igor held up two gloved fingers. "My Master, explained the rules of alignment, but talked solely on two of them: Chaos and Law." Igor held up a third finger. "In fact there are three total alignments, Naoya Todo."
Naoya's attention was peaked. "Three? Then, what's the third?"
Igor put down his hands in favor of holding up his left and right index finger. "Master Philemon, surely told who normally align themselves with Chaos and Law."
"He said demons align themselves with Chaos and angels with Law. Where are you going with this?"
Igor crunched his left finger. "Chaos Alignment is the lowest alignment, imagine Chaos as a representation of Inferno, Hell." He wagged his right finger like a fluttering wing. "Law Alignment is the highest alignment, imagine Law as a representation of Paradiso, Heaven."
Naoya nodded in comprehension. "Okay, Divine Comedy, good and evil, I'm following I suppose this third alignment falls between them."
"Ah, yes, you are understanding, Naoya Todo. Indeed, the third alignment is set in between Chaos and Law." Igor hooked his fingers together. "The alignment that is mostly taken on by deities, the Neutral Alignment, represented by Purgatorio."
Naoya tilted his head to the side. "Neutral, how does that work and what does it have to do with me? I'm not a god."
"To align yourself with Neutral, Naoya Todo, you must gaze upon your soul and look at the world in both directions of Chaos and Law, beyond the spectrum of good and evil. To be Neutral is to act not for yourself, but for all."
"Look in both directions?" Naoya was confused. "So, if I was to relate this to my situation with the Persona. I'd have to think of everyone, including myself."
"Naoya Todo, the Neutral Alignment is taken on by deities due to their oversight. They are not bias to Chaos and Law, they open themselves to both,…they set their personalities with normality….like the human mind. With this being said, mortals would originally already achieved the perfect balance due their free will and view of reality."
"I kinda understand what your saying. Like how some people weight the affects of their actions against others. Our free will to make what choices we want is what makes us human."
Igor smiled. "I think you have learned what this speech has to do with you, Naoya Todo."
Naoya gained a half-smile, seeing the light as to what Igor was trying to tell him. "My Persona locked me into the rules of alignment and with it locked my free will. I started asking questions, like can I really be cut out to be a leader, do we kill Kandori or not, do I sacrifice the life of a repenting old man to rid Mikage of it's trouble, do I try my hardest to save a dying man or leave him to death. I pushed myself into Chaos struggling with these questions. I felt like I lost my free will, like I had no other choice, but to chose the negative side opposed to what everyone else including myself truly wanted. My mind was being overrun by the effects of the Chaos and Law, good and evil, my grip was slipping and slipping until eventually I fell farther than I could believe, losing control of my mind until I was snapped back to an even or higher level."
"Do you recall any sensation or emotion from the middle level?" Igor question, aiding his guest in reaching his concluding epiphany.
"When I was in the middle? I don't think I was there for long. After Philemon gave me the Persona and we went to the hospital to see Maki, I felt a happiness, a patch of bliss. The happiness…came from being with my friends…knowing they experienced the same thing I did, knowing I wasn't alone."
"You thought of everyone else, yes? Not only your own self. That is the key, Naoya Todo. Remember your free will, remember your friends, see beyond the basic concepts of good and evil, and most importantly be human. I wouldn't know the feeling, so I cannot be the one to give you advice on that." Igor jested.
Naoya laughed a little. It felt nice to laugh after yelling for such a long time. "I think I can feel this Neutral Alignment, all ready?" Naoya stood up straight, the stressfulness apparently completely removed from his being. "Igor can you give a message to Philemon for me."
"Yes, I can, Naoya Todo."
"Tell him…sorry…for taking a swing at him. I was pissed off, fed up with unanswered questions. Tell him, I'll help him. I'll use my Person and lead my friends against Kandori and his competitor, but not for his sake, not for my sake, not just Mikage sake, but for my friends."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
The morning sun broke through the parting clouds, signaling dawn. The Persona-Users were gathered outside, Naoya standing in front of them, ready to deliver his decision. "All right, guys, I'm-"
Masao gripped both his arm. "You can say you're not going to use your Persona, Nao, you don't want to lead us anymore, all right, but I'm not going to let you stay behind and go off on your on! You're coming with us whether you like it or not, even if I need to knock you out and drag you!" Masao's grit-filled eyes were peering right at Naoya's.
Naoya patted his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Mark, I'm not going anywhere."
Maki's and Eriko's were animated. "Really!"
Masao let go of Naoya's arm to let his best friend speak properly. "You know, guys, I been a really jackass and a dumb-ass and overall a giant mess since we had to take on this responsible. I'd like to say I'm sorry for loosing control." Naoya approached Reiji, spotting Yukino and Kei sporting half-smiles, possibly of agreement and Ayase and Brown looking-and-listening on in attentiveness. "Reiji," Naoya offered his hand to the scowling boy. "I hope you can accept my apology for punching your square-in the face and instigated the whole confrontation."
Reiji starkly shook Naoya's hand. "Apology accepted, punk, only because it was partly my fault too. Uh…and…sorry for messing you up with Bres."
"It's in the past. So, let's work together for our common cause and take done Kandori and save our town."
"Agreed!" Reiji replied.
"I take it then you are resuming you role as leader of our rag-tag band once again, Todo?" Kei asked, pushing up his glasses.
Naoya gave him a corny thumps-up, angering Kei. "Can you take this seriously?"
"Hey, Nanjo, chill out! Nao's staying and taking the helm back up, that's all that matters to me!" Mark retorted, giving Naoya a high-five.
"Me too! I'm glad Nao-kun's is staying!" Maki snared the ebony-haired teen in a bone-breaking hug.
"So am I!" Eriko glomped him.
After being released, Naoya was ready to announce formation to move on. "Philemon said we have to find the Expel Mirror and then head to Kandori's fortress on the other side of town through the subway with it. He didn't tell us where it is."
"Oh, Nao," Eriko piped. "The Expel Mirror is on display at the Historical Society in our world! I remember going to see it in the occult and mystical objects section last month! Maybe it's in this world's Historical Society."
"Nice one, Eriko." Naoya complemented. "Maki, is the Historical Society close here."
"It's a three blocks up the street by the clinic."
"To the Historical Society!"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
The Mikage Historical Society was a two storey, two winged building established to display old artifacts, antiques, and antiquities discovered by the founding ancestors and settles of the town. The group of nine managed to reach the destination without expanding to much energy on the demons in their way.
"Okay, let's grab the mirror inside and bolt to the subway." Naoya said, feeling a sudden chill blow through him.
A icy air broke passed each of them, streaming into each other as one front, taking a solid form, of a three-dimensional oval of blue and white. Extending from the oval was four sluggish stomps, lacking opposable digits, a lengthy and bent tail curling and waving as the blue and white energy cleared with the freezing cold sensation. At the shattering away of the coating of energy, a orange-scaled lumpy beast's face roared, sporting a lazy eye, proud jaws, and webbed ears. Each limp were webbed, orange-scaled fins. The tail, also covered in orange-scaled protruded with the rest of the body from a aquamarine-colored shell.
"What the hell is that thing?" Masao exclaimed.
"It appears to resemble…a turtle, but not very well." Kei said.
"Whatever it is it's in our way! Everyone get ready to fight!" Naoya ordered.
The demonic turtle, wetly smacked the cement road. "You are the humans who defeated Bai Hui!" The turtle's voiced was smooth and slick like ice. "How could he lose to such trivial mortals! No matter, because were Bai Hui of the Four Symbols of the Chinese Constellation failed, Gui Xian shall prevail and to think I'd be stuck here guarding this Mirror for nothin'!"
"Eriko, who is this guy?" Naoya asked, unsheathing his katana, now securely fasten horizontally on the back of his waistband.
"Well, if Bai Hui was Byakko, Gui Xian is Genbu." Eriko replied, steadying her rapier while tapping her cheek gently.
"Genbu, that's what the Japanese call me! Enough talk! RAKUKAJA!" A surge of purple aura surrounded Genbu's body.
"Kei, buff us up!" Naoya ordered. "Eriko, weaken him!"
Kei swung his broadsword to his left. "My move! Aizen Myouou! MATAKAJA!" A white aura surrounded all nine of them.
"Magic boosts, isn't such a bad idea!" Genbu yelled. "MATAKAJA!" A white aura surrounded him with the purple. "A little speed wouldn't be bad either! SUKUKAJA!" A green aura merged with the purple and white. "Lastly some more defense! RAKUKAJA!" The purple in the aura intensified.
"He's faster at casting than we are, Todo!" Kei informed as he surrounded everyone with a golden aura, casting a Tarukaja.
In response, Naoya turned to Eriko. She held her rapier by the side of her face, Nike, inward folded wings materialized. "Come, Nike! Rakunda!" Nike unfolded her wings and surrounded Genbu in a purple aura similar to the Rakukaja, but the Rakunda didn't dissipate the purple. "What?" She exclaimed. "It didn't work!"
Genbu had finished casting a Matakaja at the notice of the de-buff. "Of course, little girl! I'm stacking em up! Course can't let you do that yourself! DEKUNDA!" Genbu smacked his feet on the ground and roared, a shockwave of yellow flying through all of them, cracking away their auras brought on by Kei.
"RAKUKAJA!"
"He removed my increases!" Kei stated.
"And is continuing to strengthen himself!" Naoya yelled back. "Everyone open fire! Shoot him while he's casting!"
The deafening sounds of gunfire and metallic clangs were caught in the air as countless casings dropped and bullets connected with Genbu's figure. Each bullet indenting on impact due to the aura and falling leisurely at his webbed, nonexistent toes.
"My shell and magic are my ultimate defense! If this is the best you have, killing Bai Hui was a fluke! Taste my elemental fury! MABUFU!" Genbu unleashed a storm of icicles upon the Persona-Users.
"I can handle this!" Maki threw her hand in the air. "Please, help me, Maso! MABUFU!" Maso materialized from the velvet mist and counterattack Genbu's skill with a replica of her own, canceling each other out.
"RAKUKAJA!"
Brown quivered. "This dude keeps boosting himself! Wait…maybe those new words I heard after fighting a few demons with my Persona can do something!" Brown hefted his spear into the air. "Leave it to me, Nemain! ZANMA!" Brown's eloquently dressed, winged Persona emerged a concentrated ball of the Zan energy in between her fingers.
"Brown, that isn't going to do anything!" Naoya scolded as Nemain fired off the Skill. "Shit! Ayase! He uses ice, help out Brown with a fire skill!"
Ayase lazily whipped in front of her folding her arms behind her head. "Like, Persona." Hori appeared dancing with flames gathered in her flourishing hands. "MARAGI!" Hori fired off a dozen small fireballs behind Brown's Zanma.
"Hell, if Brown can us a stronger rendition, I can use my own!" Yukino punched the air, not wanting to be outdone by Brown. "HA! VESTA! FREILA!"
Masao thrust his trusty axe in the air. "I'm with ya, Yukino! Let's do it to it! OGUN! GRYVA!"
The tribal and carroty clothed Personas arrived above their masters. Ogun spun his earthenware spear and stomped the blunt end on the ground as Vesta gathered a bigger and brighter ball of her nuclear energy. At Ogun's hit of the earth, casts down a ball of pressuring gravity the size of Genbu down on the beast itself as Brown's Zanma exploded on the turtle's face and Ayase's fireballs extinguished against his shell and flesh. Vesta followed up with the chain by releasing the energy pent up in her fabric hands, shooting off a burst of the Frei energy that consumed Genbu and created a smoke screen.
The smoke soon began to clear. "Surely that had to at least wound him." Eriko suggested.
"No chance, girl." Reiji spat. "If this guy was sent by Kandori to protect something vital, he ain't goin' that easy."
At Reiji's statement Genbu was revealed, unharmed, causing all, but Reiji, Kei, and Naoya to gasp. "You know I think that last one actually got through! Maybe I should buff my defense some more! RAKUKAJA!"
"Come on! Damn it!" Masao stomped his foot.
Kei grinned and stepped up. Reiji did the same. Kei swung his broadsword to the right, the mist wrapping around him. "There's only one way to bypass his excessive dexterity increases!"
Reiji threw his upper cut. "Kill em' in oneshot!" A scarlet and velvet mist was erupting from underneath Reiji.
"My move!"
"Hell yeah!"
"PERSONA!"
Aizen Myouou and Bres took their appropriate stances whence they came out of the mist.
"HAMA!"
"MUDO!"
Aizen Myouou opened her arms wide as Bres held his sword straight to his helm and slashed. Both bringing out their instant-kill skills. The characters and demonic circle of Mudo caging Genbu and the sacred talismans and light attaching to his shell. The wash of light and maw of darkness both hit the turtle dead-on, but he remained intact, the talismans and circles vanishing.
"WHAT?" Another round of gasps.
"Sorry, those Light and Dark Skills won't work on me! BUFULA!" Genbu smacked his tail and roared, launching a heavy chunk of ice as his counterstrike.
"That's twice the size of mine!" Maki shrieked. "I can't block that!"
"Scatter!" Naoya ordered. "It's slow!"
The slowly moving boulder of spotless ice missed completely as Naoya, Kei, Masao, Reiji, and Brown evaded to the left and Eriko, Ayase, Maki, and Yukino evaded to the right. The Bufula Skill crashed landed and ceased moving forward, proceeding to break down to water.
"Dividing yourself won't give ya a fighting chance! I'm about to take us into my playing field!" Genbu sucked in a vast amount of air, continuously slurping in at the rate of category four wind velocity. His fins seemed to bulge and contract as they struggled to fit the entirety of the holes in the shell.
"What's he doing now?" Masao asked thin air.
Kei readjusted his glasses, re-tucking his scarf in after it was nearly taken by awesome wind intake of Genbu's powerful lungs. "We should attempt to avoid the discharge when he chooses to exhale!"
Genbu snapped his tight mouth shut, his awkward features expanding like a blowfish. "BUFUDYNE TSUNDORA (A/N)!" With the announcement of his attack, Genbu deflated, exerting an ice-cold, snowy rush of air directly below his chin and extended neck. The powdery breath splashed and spread underneath Genbu and as his mouth expanded more and more air like a drainage pipe, the ice crept as if it was a living organism and reached the boundaries of the block, creating a sleek pane of dense aquamarine ice.
Everyone kept still, feeling the uneasiness of being without direct tractions. They were standing on crafted ice, smoother than any other either of nine had experienced.
"Great, the dickhead's got us in the palm of his hand." Reiji cursed, barely avoiding skating off by readjusting his footing.
"Remain calm, Kido."
"Screw you, four-eyes! Why don't you use that big-ass brain of yours to come up with a plan, if you have the time to tell me be calm!"
Kei bit his lip. "Unfortunately, I don't have the necessary data to give us an advantage."
"Hey, look at the big shell. Dude he looks like he's gonna cough up a lung!" Masao eagerly said, jumping on the balls of his feet for a moment, forgetting he was standing on ice and falling on his ass.
Genbu was hacking and wheezing, spitting out traces of tissues dragging along blue slime and blood. "Cause I overexerted my lungs for you humans. Your lives are mine." Genbu coughed. "You humans are such pathetic creatures. You can't stand on ice and you subtle skin grows oh so sensitive at the slightest breeze." Genbu hacked up more tissue. "Thank me for ending your lives!" The turtle's arms and legs retreated into their defensive fortress. Genbu's tail coiled together and slithered inwards as Genbu's ugly face pushed his neck inward, his one open eye, glowing red in the darkness of the protective shell.
"So, what, he's, like, playing possum?" Ayase asked, clueless as to what was going on.
Yukino smacked her hand on her forehead. "Ayase…he can't kill us if he's going to hide himself in his own armor."
"OH REALLY, GIRL! I HAVE A DEVESTATING COMBO OF MY OWN! SHERU NO SHOT (A/N)!" The shell began to rotate, spin at the rate of speed that Genbu inhaled the air to create the tundra.
"I see where this is going." Brown mumbled, reminded of a pachinko machine.
Genbu bounded off the pane with his tail, his spinning armor rocketing towards, Eriko's group.
"Hurry, get out of the way!" Naoya yelled over.
Genbu's take off was too fast for them to react and struck them, hitting them each with the full strength and weight of the initial push. His knock-down threw them all around, landing them on different portions of the ice. Using the sleekness of the tundra, Genbu, spinning faster, curved his course around and bounded towards Naoya's group with his tail.
The five were frozen at the incoming object. Reiji grabbed Masao and Brown by the collar and threw them both harshly out of the way. Naoya and Kei attempted to shift to the right without falling, but to no avail, they only made it a few meters before they and Reiji were struck with impact and flung over onto Brown and Masao. The two unscathed boys helped the other three recover as the girls were trying to as wells.
Genbu was circling back lining up his next attack.
Naoya closed his eyes, concentrating, his heart was pounding in his ears, and his ribs felt like they were dug into his lungs. "There has to be a way to stop him. He's using too much momentum and force to not use it against him."
"Goddamn oversized hockey puck!" Masao flipped off the turtle as the beast spun even faster. "How the hell can see where he's going if he's moving that damn quick!"
Naoya's eyes shot open. "That's it! Mark, you're a genius!"
"Huh?"
"He has to have the equilibrium and coordination to know which way he's spinning. If we displace his spin, put him in reverse or something like that we can take him off his axis! We just have to treat him like the turtle he is!" Naoya looked over his shoulder, Genbu preparing to launch. He saw Eriko. "Eriko! I have a plan in order for it to work, you have remove his buffs! I know you can think of a way! Then the rest of you four follow our lead!"
"Todo, exactly what are we doing?"
"We hit him hard, Kei. Brown!"
"Yes, N.T.!" Brown stood at attention.
"You and I are going to attack, he's ready to shoot at us. You stun him then I come in! Mark, flip him over, then you, Kei, Reiji, and I hit him together, then the girls!"
"Gotcha, Nao!" Masao preemptively swung his axe.
"Hey, punk, he's heading towards us!" Reiji pointed at the oncoming armored shell.
"Brown! Your up!"
Brown shakingly raised his spear. "Leave it to me, N.T.! NEMAIN! STUN NEEDLE!" Nemain arose fluttering her wings, a large needle of force energy in her hand. She threw it like a javelin, but unlike a bullet it didn't bounce. The force energy needle struck the shell itself, swallowing Genbu in a electrical current of green energy, paralyzing his movement and ending the spin, but the creature was still sliding on the ice.
"It won't last for long!"
"Won't have to!" Naoya flung his hand in front of his face, covering himself from the world with his mask, his façade of protection. "HERE IT GOES! PERSONA!" A cloudy white mist spewed from underneath his feet to the surprise of everyone else. Seimen Kongo arose, standing tall and ready to fight, roaring a human battle cry. "SEIMEN KONGO!" Naoya pointed at the paralyzed Genbu. "Use the wind, spin him backwards with all you can! GARULA!" Seimen Kongo raised his fists, elbows bent, and repeatedly punched midair countless times at an uncountable rate, creating a whipping surge of greenish wind, careening at the almost free Genbu. The Wind Skill surrounded the turtle, spinning in a counterclockwise motion, faster than he was when he was attacking. The wind was so intense, the Garula flipping the turtle right on his back effortless, without the need of Masao to do so.
"ERIKO!"
"Nao's counting on me. I have to do this. I can hear the word in my mind. I just have to use it." Eriko slashed her rapier from the side of her head. "Come, Nike!" Her guardian angel arose immediately unfolding it's wings. "Have a taste of your own Skill! DEKUNDA!" At the flap of Nike's wing-arms, she enveloped Genbu in a golden wave and the several auras surrounding him cracked and peeled away. "He's all yours!" Eriko exclaimed. "My love," she whispered.
"Reiji, Kei, Mark, aim at the center of his underbelly all at the same time!" Naoya covered his face with his hand.
Kei swiped his hand to the side.
Reiji threw an uppercut in the air.
Masao swung his axe up high.
"HERE IT GOES!"
"MY MOVE!"
"HELL YEAH!"
"LET'S GET FUNKY!"
"SEIMEN KONGO!" The blue man Persona flew out of the cloud white above Genbu.
"AIZEN MYOUOU!" The scantly purple clad Persona leaped to the opposite end of Genbu in the air.
"BRES!" The one-handed knight dashed beside Aizen adjacent to Aizen Myouou.
"OGUN!" The tribal man brandished his staff and joined the trio, keeping adjacent to Seimen Kongo in the air.
"Attack all at once!" They all yelled. "SPIN KICK! FISTS OF FURY! TWIN SLASH! FLURRY STAB!"
They each dive bombed the soft underbelly shell of the enervated turtle. Seimen Kongo planted a crater making kick at the same instance Aizen Myouou delivered a spree of stabbing jousts of punches with Ogun who added with his unseen rapid thrusting and Bres burly and swift two stroke slash. All four attacks: Leg, fist, spear, and sword crossed at exact point, pouring down a ultimately strong strike to Genbu. "ALMIGHTY PHYSICAL ASSAULT!" At their combined shout, Genbu's shell burst to fragments uncovering the accosted and distraught turtle.
"You guys finish him!" Naoya signaled.
Eriko readied her rapier by the side of her head. "COME, NIKE!"
Maki threw her hand in the air. "HELP ME, MASO!"
Ayase hazily cracked her whip. "LIKE, H-HORI!"
Yukino punched the air harshly. "HA! VESTA!"
The angel, flame dancer, priestess, and fabric Persona emerged and formed a square. "ZIONGA! BUFU! AGILAO! FREILA!" Nike spread her wings for the fourth time today and shot down a higher voltage bolt of lightning on Genbu's exposed skin, coursing the electricity throughout his amphibious system. Hori threw down her medium-sized fireball next and burnt the all ready singed area before Maso's praying hands turned the beast into an motionless ice sculpture. Vesta's Nuclear Skill ended it all, obliterating every fiber of the Sign of the Chinese Constellations being. "ALMIGHTY ELEMENTAL ASSAULT!"
At Genbu's demise, his Bufudyne Tsundora evaporated in to condensation on the grass, everyone's beaten and exhausted gathered back together for Maki to heal them.
"Damn, he was tougher than the pussy cat." Masao groaned as he cracked his neck.
"Hey, N.T., what was up-"
Brown was cut off. "Byakko was a tough opponent as well. He was neutralized easier at close range." Kei said eyeing Yukino.
"N.T., what was up with-"
Yukino cut him off this time. "I did blow his brains out the back of his skull. You can't get briefer than that."
"What was up with leavi-" Ayase yawned.
"When we head inside can we get some snacks from the vending machines? My tummy, is like, totally empty."
"Oh, Yuka," Eriko sighed, shaking her head. "All you think about is sleep and food."
"I HAVEN'T HAD ANY FOOD OR BEAUTY SLEEP FOR THIS ENTIRE TIME!" She whined.
"Why'd you leave me-" Naoya speaking overpowered Brown. Brown gave up, deciding to listen to what Naoya had to say.
"Ayase, is right." The Dia Skill died around Naoya. "We can't go on any longer without food or drink. After we grab the Expel Mirror, we're going to break open a vending machine and grabs drinks and food."
Maki's stomach growled. "It has been a while since I ate anything. I didn't have anything in your world."
Reiji rifled through his jacket pockets. "I have gum…and…these pills a couple of demons I killed at S.E.B.E.C. dropped. You swallow em' down and they heal you up nice."
"You had those the whole time and didn't tell anyone?" Masao asked.
"Guess it slipped my mind. We were getting our asses beat by a fuckin' turtle, Masa or whatever you're name is."
Masao was riled up yet again. "It's Masao, asshole! Better, Inaba, to you!"
Naoya shook his head disapprovingly. "You know now that I look at it, strip away the asinine tendencies from Reiji, and he and Mark seem like they'd get along great."
Eriko sat beside Naoya and started rubbing his shoulders. "You did a superb job today…brave leader…if you want me to call you that."
"I told you the day I met you Eriko you can call me whatever you want. Everyone else all ready does."
"Then, I can call you my love!"
Naoya's sweat dropped at Eriko's usual romantic euphoria. He let her down gently. "No…Eriko…not…right now."
"Oh, okay."
"Todo, are we ready to enter?" Kei asked standing.
Naoya stood also. "Sure. Eriko knows where it is. We can split up to grab the Expel Mirror and gather food and water."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
"Here it is! This must be the Expel Mirror!" Maki was pointing to a hand mirror made of jade resting on a cushioned pillow out in the open around the many display cases of believed to be arcane and magical objects.
Naoya examined it. Eriko, Kei, and Masao were also admiring it. Ayase, Brown, and Reiji had chosen to go hunt for food and they'd meet back at the lobby in five minutes.
Naoya reached out to lift it from it's sit, but ghastly sphere projected from the Mirror, displaying a young girls face. She was a brunette, the hair framing her face and her bangs tied with two tiny red ribbons. "Don't take this….you shouldn't take this…if you do something bad will happen." Her voice was childish, the girl couldn't have been more than six, she sounded desperate. The projection vanished at her last word.
Kei reset his hanging lower jaw. "What was that? She look familiar, like Aki, but her outline…the little girl crying for help…back when we played Persona. Was that here? Philemon may have answered the why, but we still don't truly know anything do we?"
"What was that?" Naoya asked.
"She looked like Aki and said not to take it." Maki added.
"Who gives a damn? We gotta have it or else." Masao argued.
"Maybe's it cursed and the little girl had a play in the creation of it. Oh, so exciting!"
"Kirishima, that is highly unlikely." Kei shot down. "Let us take and go Todo. You heard Philemon yesterday. If we don't stop Kandori by today he could do serious damage."
Naoya understood. "We'll regroup with the others and head to our next destination: Mikage Subway."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
On the other side of Mikage, the opposite side of the erected barrier, in a stone-made medieval style castle with spires that towered to the level of the pills of thrash, junk, steelwork, mangled materials, and humans bones crowding around it. At the darkened, lightless throne room sat Takahisa Kandori. Aki was beside him.
"Daddy, Genbu went boom." Aki childishly giggled.
"The Expel Mirror must be in there hands by this point. It's a matter of time before they cross the barrier at the subway with it. Aki, be a dear, and summon Seiryu to guard the main tunnel to the gates to this side of town."
"Yes, Daddy! Erusaer Tysummon!"
"If they manage to beat a third sign of the Chinese Constellation, they'll have the Harem Queen to deal with, plus whatever tricks and traps your heart desires in the Kama Palace, Aki."
"YAY!"
"And if by a stroke of luck, those children and Reiji Kido make it here. It'll be to our advantage. They'll do the tiresome job for me and once that's complete, I can become God!"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
A/N: Using google translator so I'm not sure it is entirely accurate, but Tsundora should mean Tundra in Japanese. Sheru no should mean shell.
Before I explain, I'd just like to personally thank anyone who has put my story on story alert, or has favorite it. It means a lot to see that people enjoy it and I know I don't update as often as I should, but as I said at the start, I'm not going to give up I'm trucking it to the end whether I want to or not.
Holy shit! Longest chapter so far and damn did it take a long time! A long time is an understatement. I have had severe writer's block because of the sheer length of this chapter. 44 pages, nearly 9,000+ words and about two months work and I'm still am not satisfied with how the breakdown with Nao turned out, but screw it. I've did my best under life and work stress. I hope everyone gets what I'm trying to go for with the alignments and for the record alignments aren't in any Persona games, but since they are part of the MegaTen series, I figured I added it in to make things more interesting, after all it is my novelization, I have to have some originally other than demons. Either way, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 11 of Persona: Be Your True Mind and I'll see you next time for Chapter 12: Mikage Subway: Seiryu