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.
Time for the Haunted Mansion, both a story important yet padding dungeon. I really find the fact that it's a dungeon pointless which is why I shaved it down to just the basics. Take note there is really only ONE cutscene in this dungeon and it is at the very end. All other information is gained from the NPC scientists in the other rooms. So I going to group the important things they pass along with the addition of some exposition, explanation and foreshadowing to make the later portions of the game make sense to those who have never played the game. Trust me, it's best this way. Also I'm gonna stroke my own ego (Channeling my inner Brown and Kei here) and give myself some props for actually creating my own important cutscene that is 100% pertinent to the game entirely. WOOT! I'm probably going to focus on Masao and Kei this chapter, perhaps Maki in the final scene. You'll see why. With that aside, welcome to Persona: Be Your True Mind Chapter Twenty One.
Chapter Twenty One: The Haunted Mansion
Masao stretched his calves, taking a moment's reprieve from the constant march to the mansion. "You know, it's really depressing that the amount of times we gone back and forth through the subway can almost be counted on one whole hand." He sighed, noticing the oncoming structure. "Place still looks shoddy and vacant, though nowhere near as worse for ware as the mansion in our world. At least this one still has walls."
Masao redistributed the weight on his back, frowning and thinking of the events that had transpired minutes ago. "Hard to believe this all started with a stupid bet…one that me and Nao are gonna have to pay when this shit is done." He sighed again. "But, I can't shake the feeling that if we do manage to find something in this mansion that can send us back to S.E.B.E.C. and our world, that Kandori is going to be too powerful to take down now."
"Trust in your mind and body, True Warrior Masao Inaba." Susano-o's honorable voice echoed.
"Yeah, yeah, keep on saying that, dude. Ain't gonna change the fact Kandori performed his own act of friggin' God!"
"Oh, no, True Warrior, Kandori holds no godly aura or power by himself. Takahisa Kandori's compact and mirror are his mediums as the Harem Queen's mirror was to her. They are enchanted. If their aura is banished then they lose their power which are godly by themselves."
"So, if I hit the mirror with the Brave Blade, I can destroy it like we did before."
"Unfortunately no, True Warrior Masao Inaba. You and your friends may have been unaware of the oppressive aura the…Mirror of Chaos, he called it, produced, but us Persona surely sensed and felt it throughout the room. The Harem Queen's mirror was a decrepit comparison. The Mirror of Chaos was not the work of man. The Queen's was."
"Huh? Wait, you lost me. So, let's operate under your idea. Most likely Aki created Kandori's mirror, right? Is that what you are saying?"
"No, the youth in black's aura was not as potent. Her aura matched the Queen's. She created the prototype as Kandori called it. I would suppose it was an effigy of the Mirror of Chaos."
"You lost me again! If Aki created Chisato's mirror, then who created Kandori's Mirror of Chaos!"
The Persona chuckled. "I told you, True Warrior, the Mirror of Chaos was not the work of man but the work of a deity. He enchanted the mirror to be able to be used to that capability. That is why I said Kandori by himself holds no powers of a deity but with the compact and Mirror of Chaos he does."
Masao groaned. "Dude, you are giving me a headache. All I got out of you was Kandori's Mirror was created by someone else other then Aki and the someone is most likely a god."
Susano-o chuckled heartily, enjoying the conversation. "Well, yes I suppose you have summarized it, True Warrior!" His laugh was lighthearted and full of life as Masao's was when he laughed.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!"
Susano-o continued his laughter. "I'm sure you don't like everything to come to you easily just as I, myself!"
Masao accepted defeat comically. "You do have that right. It is better to run the gauntlet to reach your goal, though I am guilty of cutting corners hear and there. Pisses me off when I do, though I wouldn't have minded not having to have to go through that subway four times or encountering any of these random demon appearances and you know those Four Signs blocking every nook and cranny in our pathway to Maki and fixing our Mikage."
Susano-o regained his composure, sharing the brief seconds of Masao's joy and shifting into the seriousness. "True Warrior, life's adversities come in many forms which we all must traverse."
"I know. Ma and Pops bitch all the time about how the laundry mat business is piercing the roof or sinking in perpetual quicksand. 'There's no easy way out with a business Masao, do well to learn.' He always says. I mean it's not a total load of crap, he does have a point and I agree, but I'd never wasted my life with the boring challenges of running a chain of laundry mats, I'd rather go on a awesome journey. Shit, maybe to America. They have this place they call the Big Apple, I wouldn't mind going there, living out of an apartment as a lone artist. Though a journey to New York is nowhere as awesome as fighting an eight-headed snack."
"Uh, yes," The god was stammering. "You are right."
"I may need to do a little oversea studying before I head to New York. When the Fates predicted my feature they saw the open seas." Masao carried on in his own thoughts.
"Masao, abdicate your clambering and daydreaming, your falling behind and we're ten feet from our destination!" Kei scolded to Naoya's chagrin and protest.
"Huh?" Masao was snapped from his inner conversation and thoughts, realizing he had lagged his footsteps and was several feet behind the remaining eight. "Shoot!"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
The shape of the mansion would not lead anyone to believe it was condemned. The three story, two winged building held itself up, the oak used to craft it undamaged or burned. The windows produced a minor shine, but as Kei pointed out their were 2 by 4s nailed on the insides of the windows in front of the indoor curtains to block people from looking in. The walls were up and steady, not seeming the least bit shaky. The shingles on the roof were perfectly aligned and set not uneven or slanted in the slightest. As gothic glamorous the outside of the haunted mansion seemed in the twilight sunset on the horizon the inside was the complete opposite. Dust and cobwebs littered the wooden beams stabilizing what was left of the insulated walls. The bland gray wall paper was torn and peeled, caked with soot and dirt. The carpet was a basic fabric that covered the creaky floorboards. The foyer had an entrance hallway, the dilapidated and warped boards used to build the steps nearly crumbled under their combined weight. Both floors carried the garish carpet and 2 by 4 covered windows. The inside lacked distinguishable noises other than a hollow whistle and the squeaking the loose footings beneath their feet. The ceiling lanterns meant to provide a light source for the many halls and rooms of the mansion were dim, swallowing the nine in shadows yet again.
"Seriously how many dark and depressing places have we been to on this damn journey?" Masao complained.
"Like, at least, we have lights and I totally don't have to do anything." Ayase cheered for herself, depriving Brown's hand of blood flow at her iron-clad grip.
"Ayase…" Brown stammered, sweating. "My hands turning blue…" He stated.
"Suck it up, Brown!" Yukino called. "You are a man aren't you?"
Brown's faulting face regained composure and he puffed up his chest despite the supreme lack of feeling in his fingertips.
Kei let out a hm.
"This place is spooky. I've never been here in our Mikage." Eriko said, sticking close to Naoya.
"Me either, Eriko. I always thought the whole thing would come down on us. This version seems really sturdy albeit eerie." Naoya added.
"What are you afraid of Nao?" Masao asked seriously. "You got that Tempest thing."
Naoya gave his best friend an half-smile, his other ear perking at Kei's second hm. "It's not as simple to use as I did against Takeda."
Masao raised his eyebrow, ignoring the depression of a board he stepped on. "Dude, you steamed rolled, dumb and ugly. What do ya mean not simple?"
Naoya put his hand to his chin. "Not sure actually. Seimen Kongo just said it was complicated to do what we did, but as long as I keep following my Arcana we'll be able to do it again."
"Following your Arcana, huh?" Masao repeated. "Susano-o, is it that easy?"
"Not necessarily, True Warrior. Following your Arcana may also warrant exactly what Alignment you must be in as well. It is not as easily done as Seimen Kongo and your friend have demonstrated. Synchronization through the path of life know as the Arcana is complex and requires effort. It is not something you can master in a matter of minutes. It takes at least two days, though your friend has shown progress in a day."
"How's that?"
"External and internal stimuli are mostly what cause an Alignment change. He is no longer bathing in Chaos or floating in Law, he's seated in Neutral and struggling to keep himself in balance whilst following his Arcana of the Emperor. It is a constant mental and physical assault, True Warrior Masao Inaba."
Masao took in the information, staring at Naoya quieting conversing with Eriko and Maki as he led up the back, the slight grin still on his lips. "Nao, you're my hero, man. You'd twist your soul inside out to keep your friends safe, to keep yourself who you are. You are my hero, man."
"Todo!" Kei shouted.
Everyone stopped and Naoya turned to Kei. "What is it, Kei?"
"The lanterns and the condition of the mansion contradict our haunted mansion in the original Mikage." Kei stated, folding his arms, broadsword and rifle on his back.
"Tell us something we don't know, Nanjo." Masao spat, not in spite but to feel like he had one-upped Kei.
"Yes, Masao, of course, we all knew the condition of the mansion is a contradiction, but I also noted the lanterns." Kei pointed to one of the spaced apart glass containers alight above their heads. "The original Mikage's haunted mansion housed no inhabitance. It was condemned, left to rot and collapse on it's own schedule. This version of the haunted mansion is standing firmly without a single sign of destruction or decay on the outside. The inside is depraved of proper care, but not to the extent of decomposition and corrosion of the materials used to build it. Therefore this Mikage's version of the haunted mansion is deemed as capable of living. Now turn to the lanterns, I've noticed not a light switch or house-hold appliance on the first floor or it's rooms and the entirety of this floor we have ventured through. By this evidence and the construction of these lanterns to light the way, I can discern there is no wiring or power running through the hallways of this mansion at the very least." Kei stopped to speak, letting the others to reply. In the back of his mind he noted, that two days prior he never would have given anyone else, especially Masao Inaba, the credit to solve or state the solution of a problem.
Maki was the first to speak. "So, if there's no electricity, that means the lanterns were lit by someone else. Right, Kei?"
Everyone else nodded as Kei rubbed his chin. "Correct, Sonomura, others have lighten the lanterns. With this information we can now-"
"Out with it, Four-Eyes!" Reiji snapped, stomping his foot. "You talk to much, get to the goddamn point!"
"Silence, Kido!" Kei glared, fixing his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "As I was saying with this information we can now-"
"Figure out that there are probably people residing in the mansion, right, Nanjo?" Masao interrupted, now having completely one-upped Kei.
Kei gnashed his teeth, fuming. "Yes, Masao, we can determining that there are indeed inhabitance of this mansion and considering Kandori has most likely left this as our final chance to end his scheme, they have to be-"
"Able to send us back to our world, right, Nanjo?" Brown blurted out, his handing escaping the pincer claw called Yuka Ayase's hand.
Kei's throat projected a guttural sound. Now he remember why he never gave others the opportunity to solve a problem. "Steal the credit from me will you…" He hissed.
"Now, now, Kei, it's all right." Yukino patted his back and rubbed his shoulder.
"Heh," Masao laughed. "Bought time Nanjo got a taste of his own medicine. Always acting as the genius in class, getting all the answers correct."
Naoya opened his mouth to speak when…
WHOOSH!
The fire in their only illumination was snuffed out. Each visible sparking on the hanging objects were wiped away at the same instance, the darkness consuming them each. The abrupt course of lack of light caused a common sense of panic and shouts. None of them good see the others, the change from lighten to darken caught their eyes off guard and they'd need to wait to see themselves.
Naoya closed his ears to the nervous jaunting of shoe soles and gasps and growls from his other comrades. "Is everyone okay?" He asked, commandingly.
"Oh, brave leader, I didn't know you where so romantic; swooning me in your arms." Eriko replied.
"WHA?"
"Maki!" Masao yelled forgetting her standing position and where he was facing. He was worried, thinking an enemy was attacking.
In the shadows her tiny voice replied. "Masao-kun! You can stop hugging me!"
"YUKINO!" Kei shouted.
"WHOEVER'S HAND IS ON MY ASS, YOUR BALLS ARE MINE!" Yukino harshly stated, in the loudest and gruffest tone she could muster.
"Brown, that like better not be your hand on my chest!" Ayase exclaimed, disconcertion and rage dripping in her words.
"Wait, hold up! If Ayase's over there…WHOSE HAND AM I HOLDING?" Brown asked, bellowing.
"That be mine, Asshat! NOW PISS OFF BEFORE I SHOVE YOUR HAND DOWN YOUR THROAT!" Reiji stated.
Brown came to the realization and: "AWWWWWWWWWWWW!" He screamed, his lungs combined with his tongue and the air released a shriek on-par with a five-year old girl's. It was a screech cringe inducing and spine-shivering enough to shatter glass.
The hollow corridor, void of noise was greeted with a heavy whoosh, the flames ascended returning to their brilliant shine. The nine stayed where they were. They each noted they had not moved an inch when the lights went out.
"Who was swooning my shoulder?" Eriko asked, brushing her forearms.
"And who was hugging me, then?" Maki questioned, holding her bow close to her.
"And who was the bastard who groped my ass?" Yukino snarled, glaring at Brown suspiciously.
"Yeah, Brown, who, like touched my boobs?" Ayase eyed a frantic Hidehiko who was cowering behind Reiji. She uncoiled her whip and lashed it.
"I-I-I don't know! I swear I didn't do it! Ask, R.K.! I was holding his hand! I'm innocence I tell ya!" Brown pleaded up and down after Reiji shoved him out from behind him.
"Unfortunately, Asshat is tellin' the truth. My love tap to the his rib proves it." Reiji scowled, leaning on the wall.
"Heh…"
"What's so funny Masao?" Yukino demanded.
Masao cocked his head. "I didn't laugh, Yukino." He defended.
"Hee…"
"Brown, now why are YOU laughing?" Yukino angled back to Hidehiko on his knees bowing to Ayase and Yukino.
"It wasn't me! I swear!" Brown groveled remembering instances of Yukino's wrath.
"Hm…"
"Now, Kei, too! What's is up with you guys?" Yukino returned her gaze to the heir to the Nanjo Group, udder awe played on his face and a distinct feel of surprise in his retreating step.
"Yukino, I promise, I spoke not a letter." Kei was sure, keeping his sentence robust.
"Kei, Masao-kun, and Hidehiko are telling the truth, Yukino-chan." Maki added.
Eriko agreed, nodding. "There mouths haven't moved an inch."
Yukino narrowed her eyes, shooting to Brown again.
Naoya cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "Okay, can we please all relax and try to understand what happened?"
"I'd like to know too. Who the hell can assault women in a complete blackout and manage to slip away Scott-free while avoiding Nao, Reiji, Kei, Brown, and I?"
"HA!" The high range and childish pitch alerted the Persona Users to the location of this laugh.
"Nope! I'm not dealing with ghosts!" Brown curled in a ball, assuming the fetal position.
"What the hell?" The remaining Users shouted, aiming their sights at above their heads, directing their index fingers to the four or so hollows of the recent doffed hollowed corridor. The ghosts were intangible, opaque, featureless, and gossamer. They lacked fingers or toes and their maximum height was five inches. Their only means of vision and speech were black circles for eyes and mouth. They were chuckling.
"Damn, this place IS haunted!" Masao exclaimed, stating the obvious.
"Heh, hee, hm, ha!"
"Stop laughing you little shits! Come down here so I can whoop your asses!" Yukino threatened, brandishing her Ithaca.
The ghosts ceased and floated.
"Yukino, this may be the wrong moment to mention the flaw in your plan of attack, but…" Eriko's sweat dropped, feeding around the bush. "They're poltergeist, your shells will go through them."
Yukino's face drooped. "Damn," She said passed gritted teeth.
"Heh, hee, hm, ha!" The poltergeist sung their jovial tune at their antics and phased through the ceiling.
"Yeah, keep yucking it up brats! Next time I see you I'm gonna go medieval death metal on your ass!"
"Medieval…death metal…is that even a genre? She is a yankee, I can't be expected to understand everything she spouts in our tongue. Though her smacks upside the head hurt like a son of bitch and that's all I hope to experience."
"She's following her Arcana of Empress, True Warrior. She is not only guarding her own dignity. She's guarding the dignity and comfort of her fellow female comrades. She also demonstrated creativity."
"Really? Then again, Yukino would never admit it to us."
Yukino wiped sweat from her brow. "Stupid ghost…"
"Your other friend, the one who seems to crack under pressure, is lacking in following his Justice Arcana."
"No shock there. Brown's always been a pussy."
"Uesugi, you can halt your own personal humiliation tactics. The barely deleterious specters have whisked themselves away."
Brown dismissed Kei's passive insults and return to his feet with his spear.
"Yo, Nao, what are we doin'?" Masao asked, curious as to what to do following the leave of the poltergeist.
"We've established the mansion is haunted." Naoya trailed his fingers across his simple earring, thinking. "We should proceed with the search for the inhabitance as Kei had suggested."
"Not required, Punk." Reiji boldly announced.
"How have you come to this conclusion, Kido?" Kei asked, his interest procured.
Reiji kept a smug grin, leaning back, his arms crossed. "Easy, Four-Eyes…"
"Personality-wise, he and Kandori are way different, mannerism-wise they sure as hell are brothers by blood."
Reiji matched Kei's stare, raising his right hand, curling in his fingers and pointing his thumb to back where they once came. "While you all and the Yankee were throwing empty threats at the air basically. I caught in the corner of my eye four guys in lab coats. They poked there heads from a room and walked into the hall to see what the noise was all about I'm guessing."
Kei mimicked Reiji's grin. "My theory was correct."
"Kei, we do not have the leisure of you buffing your own ego." Naoya carped.
"Brown does enough of that all ready, Nanjo." Masao added.
"Reiji, where did the scientists go?" Naoya asked approaching.
Reiji thrust his thumb in the same direction. "When they saw us or maybe it was the ghosts, doesn't matter, they ran with their tail between there legs into the room they exited."
"Why'd you wait to tell us?" Naoya asked, not angry, merely inquiring.
"Miss Amazonian was keeping you idiots entertained. Not much I could do." Reiji shrugged uncaringly. "I just kept my priorities in check."
"How'd it turn out, Reiji was keeping on track instead of Nanjo, especially for our sake."
"Todo, shall we enter the room and question the men?" Kei asked for the plan.
"Let's go and see what they know and what they're doing here. If scientist are living where the S.E.B.E.C. Building is in our world, there has to be a connection."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
The scientist shuffled to a cobwebbed corner next to a antique, dust coated dresser at the sound of the opening doors. The room was a one room bedroom, holding only the dresser-drawers and plastic wrapped bed. The room was treated to the silky spider webs and dirt particles layered on them as the hallways. There were four men as Reiji had stated. Each wore basic business khakis and ties with their white lab coats. Three of them were merely young men no older than twenty-two. The last man, who refused to attempt to hide in the corner, was an older man, an elder to the other three. His beard descending passed his knees and his back was hunched. The remainder of his hair slicked back trailing his neck, devoid of color and holding no sheen to the gray. His skin was wrinkled, his body clearly aged. His eye examined thoroughly the nine teenagers who had entered, weapons away and calm expressions on their face. They were not there to harm or kill them he thought, breathing and waving his colleagues to come closer. The two groups exchanged pleasantries and conversed, conveying to one another exactly what they were doing here.
"You guys are scientist from our world?" Masao repeated what the lead elder scientist, Daichi, stated.
"You're a research team for S.E.B.E.C.?" Naoya repeated Daichi nodding in tandem.
"Lastly, the portal to return to the S.E.B.E.C. Building itself is at the top floor, but your are unable to reach it?"
"Yes, young man, we are afraid a ghost has taken a liking to the confines of the room and will not let us in." Daichi informed, a throaty voice.
"Yeah and we're to scared to go up there again!" One of the younger scientist, exclaimed in a shrill voice.
"Is this ghost a poltergeist?" Eriko curiously asked.
"Oh, no young lady, those pesky little gremlins do not frighten us. They do the usual lanterns on lanterns off, moving furniture, moving our seats out from under us, hiding our utensils. They never interfere with the electricity or experimentation. This ghost is malicious and loud and it's taken full refuge in the portal room as of the past two hours of the day."
"Hey, you guys have got weapons, right? Can you kill it, or make it go away?" The second scientist asked, terror struck.
"Please, I want to go home!" The third begged.
"Wow, men of science, pissing themselves over ghosts. How pathetic…" Reiji insulted.
"I mean, come on, guys, even I'm not that scared." Brown boasted.
Ayase crept up behind him. "BOO!" She jostled his shoulder.
"AWWW!" Brown replicated his school-girl shriek and fell forward back into his defensive curl while Ayase grabbed her sides in pain of laughing.
Daichi stroked his beard amused at the antics. "Excuse, my men, they never volunteered to be here like I have. They do not share my mindset of the utter amazement of the Deva System."
Everyone scowled. "Utter amazement my ass."
"I see you nine do not agree with me. Anyways, if you wish to return home you must go to the third floor and enter the portal room. If you can exorcise the ghosts from hindering you, it takes a minor flip of a switch to initialize the portal then all you have to do is step in at once and you'll be returned to S.E.B.E.C."
Naoya kept his face crunched. "Thanks…" He said bitterly. "Let's go…"
"Hold on, Todo!" Kei stopped them with his ejaculation. "I have a few more questions for the 'good" professor." Kei's pronunciation of good was a tinge of sarcasm not noticed by Daichi.
"What could he possibly want to know from this dickhead?"
Naoya agreed, everyone remained in the room, Kei prepared to ask the questions.
"Ah, yes, what is it you would like to know, young men. I have no problem answer any question you require. You are our potential saviors, of course."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you DON'T get back." Masao noticed a flash of anger dancing across Maki's face. "Maki's probably just as angry as everyone else, Nanjo too. Yamaoka died because of the Deva System and Maki's world has been terrorized by it thanks to Aki."
"My first question Professor Daichi is how this world came to be born?" This caused shock amongst the Persona Users and the three hysterical younger scientists.
"Why is Nanjo asking a question like that? We already know Mai created this world with the compact and then Aki came out of her and Kandori took her away."
The old man grinned. "From the looks on your comrades faces, young man, it seems that you may all ready know the answer yourself."
"And by the look on your colleague faces, professor, it seems that they're astonished that we may know the answer ourselves."
"If you want me to reiterate what you already know, young men, I will. If that is what it takes for you to save us." Daichi coughed, cracking his back. "This world we stand in is a construction manifested by the power of the Deva System."
The Persona Users gasped. "What? Huh? EH?" Yukino stammered.
"But Mai said she created this world?" Maki mumbled.
Kei comprehended. "As I had thought." He thought. "Continue please professor…" He said.
"This world was constructed based on a model. You can say this world we have created with the Deva System is both the original and the duplicate because both are connected."
"Professor, were did you obtained the first of this world in order to duplicate it with the Deva System."
"Quite obvious, young man. I cannot believe you have not learned this, yet you learned this world was created by another's hand. The Ideal World as dubbed by Doctor Nicolai and President Kandori was replicated and connected to a host body."
Everyone including Kei gasped. "A host body?"
"Wait, Nanjo, that means this place was created by a person?" Masao questioned, confused.
"Yes, Masao…" Kei was quiet, his brain had done a lap, trying to piece the rest together.
"The host body was picked by Doctor Nicolai and the President himself. Thus they only know the identity of the host. The Ideal World we stand in was scanned by the Deva System whilst the host was unaware at the time of being connected to the system itself."
Naoya burst. "Back in the S.E.B.E.C. Building, at the catwalk to the Deva System, there was a display of a birds eye view of Mikage. That was the destination for the Deva System. That was this world!" He exclaimed.
"Brave leader, do you remember the restraints and tourniquets beside the image as well." Eriko added, frowning. "Perhaps the host used to be held there."
Reiji removed his hands from of his pockets. "Now that you mention it. When I was bum-rushing after Kandori back in the building, him and this old guy were talking about how the host was moved to a different room farther down in the building. I didn't pay it any mind at the time, I only wanted to soak my hands in Kandori's blood."
"The host was hooked up to the system at intervals to keep the Ideal World of the host matching and deeply connected to the Ideal World of the Deva System. It was important enough that President Kandori only allowed Doctor Nicolai, our head scientist to work with the it. When the situation arrived Kandori had us sent into the Ideal World via the Deva System. We were to be the research team, to monitor the world and investigate it from this haunted mansion which corresponded to our headquarters, the S.E.B.E.C. Building back home. Thus we needed the connecting portal to return to report or to receive what we needed."
Kei nodded while the others were disorientated. "By your logic and explanation Professor this world we all stand in exists due to the combined efforts of a host's body and the Deva System. This means whatever the Deva System creates is indeed real yes, they indeed exists even if they are reversed."
"Of course, young man. The constructs no matter what are 100% real. They do exist. The only way for them to cease existing and the matter to be reversed to it's previous construct is if the Deva System is full-on shut-down, host included. The host is as important as the core of the System itself. It is it's battery, if you disconnect the host, or if the body is killed it is the same as removing the battery. The Deva System will be drained of it's primary power source. The conditions and effects this had have not been document or tested, but we know for a fact the constructs the Deva System had created on the influence of President Kandori, Doctor Nicolai, or the host's body will have there matter rearranged to suit the prior form."
"So, the host is the key to the System itself. This world we stand in is stabilized as well as the Deva System by the host because the Ideal World in them and this one are connected by the System as you said. If the host dies or is disconnect this world and the other constructsion will crumble as if the Deva System was overloaded yes?"
"Of course, that's how Doc Nicolai said it would work? If we fired the Deva System again it would've overloaded and full-on shut down like this Prof said and the demons and effects it had would have been reversed, due to the loss of connection to the host."
Daichi held an arrogant smile. "You are a smart boy. Surely with the way you hunt for information to reach these epiphanies, you must share the passion of the Deva System. Is it not a wondrous thing to be able to play a god with the ability to take what men had strived to create and shape it into whatever you want. It is a glorious feeling that I share with not solely President Kandori but Doctor Nicolai as well." Bliss encased Professor Daichi, a disturbing atmosphere unsettling the room and its inhabitance. He was letting out a low laughter akin to Takahisa Kandori's himself.
Masao gritted his teeth, he wasn't going to hold it in. He had enough. "You are full of shit!" Masao ran passed Kei and punched the crazed Professor square in the jaw, sending the old man on his bad back, and causing surprise to overlap the unsettlement.
"Masao-kun!" Maki cried.
Masao was prepared to straddle Daichi and bury his fists in his face if it was not for Naoya and Kei holding him back. "You son of a bitch! You think the Doc shares you damn beliefs! He owned up to what he did! He realized how wrong it was! He wanted to die to protect the world from it and here you are, baring a fucking smile and laughing at the glorious feeling of the power to play god! You don't realize a goddamn thing! You're Deva System has killed people! Taken there lives! It's wreaked havoc on both worlds! It's taken away I someone I held close to me than any other and I don't know if I'll ever see her again! Nanjo her will never see his closet friend again because of your Deva System! Naoya on my left and the rest of us will have to forever deal with keeping our thoughts and emotions in check to keep what we hold to fight against you bastards under control! Our minds will never be fully true again! Do you understand a word I've said? No you're too blinded by your own bullshit, you haven't discovered the fruits of your labor and hard work! One of your bosses want to bring an end to his life to stop it and the other has gained complete control over it and wants to enslave and kill the entire human race! This is what you have subscribed to, asshole! You damned yourself and your world and you stand there with this shit-eating grin and laughing like a demon as if your Kandori yourself, saying it's a glorious feeling to bring chaos down upon our town! OUR HOME!"
Absolute silence, Kei and Naoya's grip lax, Masao inhaled and exhaled. "Masao-kun…" Maki whispered.
"He's been the most effected by this then any of us." Eriko informed. "You may not realize, Maki, but Masao loves our Maki Sonomura. In the first couple of days I knew Naoya, Masao, and Maki I knew Masao had no petty desire, he truly loved the girl known as Maki Sonomura."
Maki stared at him, he was walking to the door. "I'm done with you four, I'm not going to be your savior. You can die her for all I care." He announced without emotion, storming out the door.
"Mark!" Naoya was prepared to run after him.
Reiji stopped him with his words, moving towards the door. "You stay right there, Punk. I'll handle this." He walked through the door, Naoya reluctantly returning to his standing position.
"Like, what can he do?" Ayase secretly asked Brown.
"I think, R.K., is going to mug Masao in his fragile mindset."
Yukino hit them both over the head. "Show some respect and decency you two!"
Maki folded her hands. "Masao-kun, I'll…go…to…you…" Maki was holding back the onset of sadness, at a snails-space moving to the door.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Masao beat the opposite wall with his fist. "Damn it! Damn it!" Tears flowed down passed the marks on his face. He heard the door close behind him. He glanced to see who it was.
"I thought you were more of a man Inaba." Reiji taunted.
"Shut up, Reiji! I'm not in the mood!"
"Really, huh? Why's that?" He sarcastically spat.
"You don't understand! I can protect my best friend," He kicked the wall. "I can rescue us from a life or death situation," He punched it next. "I can even fight against demons big and small," He smashed his forehead against the wall. "But, I can't find one person, no matter how hard I try."
"Suck it up." Reiji bluntly said.
"What?"
"Suck…it…up!" Reiji emphasized each word.
"You don't understand! I may talk big and act relaxed all the time, but the truth is if I'm not able to find MY Maki, it makes me want to beat the hell out of someone! Not knowing if she's alive or dead, makes me want to break anything pieces!"
"Then, hit me." Reiji face was sturdy, plain.
Masao faced the blood brother of Takahisa Kandori. "Say that again?"
"If you want to beat the hell out of someone, HIT ME, INABA!"
"Are you serious?"
"YES! NOW, HIT ME!"
"I can't." Masao refrained, retracting his balled-up fingers.
"What are you to pussy to beat up the bastard cur that hurt your little bitch's arm! That called her an annoyance! Who berated her idiotic dreams! You can't hit the monster standing in front of you! You were able to before with that old man! Hit me, Inaba! HIT ME!
Masao could see Reiji was feigning his fury, his insults. "You trying to piss me off…do you want me to beat you down?"
"YES!"
"Why?"
"Think Inaba, use your thick-skull! Expressing anger is the exact way to relieve stress! The last thing I need during our journey to kick Kandori ass is you rampaging in Chaos with that big sword wielding Persona of yours! We don't need two of me roaming in this pack!"
Masao noticed Reiji's pretending nature for his first and second sentences, but the third was truthful. Reiji did not want another berserker who loses control easily due to his pent-up anger amongst the party.
"Reiji, I appreciate it…" Reiji backed away. "Thank you, I'm good."
The beastly boy snarled. "Don't tell a soul or I'll kick your ass." Reiji marched back to the room, thinking. "Shit, he saw through the bluffs. The last thing any of these dumb asses need to know is I don't want them dead or as they would put it 'Reiji doesn't want us to know he cares for us' This friendship thing is a pain in the ass."
Maki passed Reiji in the threshold of the door. Her hands were still folded as if she was praying. "Masao-kun…"
Masao was back to facing the wall, wiping his tears. "Maki…" He turned to her. "What are you-"
"Your Maki is alive, Masao-kun!" She blurted.
Masao recoiled. "How do you know, Maki?"
"Do you remember in the Lost Forest, how I could feel Mai?"
"Uh-huh," He recalled.
"Lately, I've been able to feel Aki's presence too and I keep feeling Mai back in the Lost Forest too."
"And?"
"When we made it here, Masao-kun, I could feel this presence it wasn't Mai or Aki, but it feels familiar."
"Familiar how, Maki?"
"It feels…like me, Masao-kun."
"Like you, as in like you as in Maki?" Masao stammered, trying to understand.
"Yes, Masao-kun, I can feel someone similar to me her. Maybe it's your Maki. Maybe she's up on the third floor in the portal room and these guys think she's a ghost. I'm not sure, but I thought it'll cheer you up if-"
Masao hugged her tight. "Thank you, Maki. I have no other way to thank you."
"Your welcome, Masao-kun." She blushed, Masao letting his arms dangle.
"I'm gonna head back inside. You coming?" Masao asked, grabbing the door handle.
"One moment Masao-kun, I'll be right there." Maki hung her head until she heard the door shut. "He may regard me as Maki, but I'm not the real Maki am I. He doesn't love me does he?"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
"Unhand me, ruffian!"
"You see, geezer, I'm not as soft as Inaba, my punch will dislocate your jaw. Now your gonna answer the rest of Four-Eyes questions or else I'm going to break bones! GET ME?"
Masao and Maki returned to find Reiji pinning Daichi to the wall, his left hand at the old man's throat and his right ready to punch. Naoya noticed their return, seeing their demeanors switched, Masao was happy and Maki was depressed.
"How did it come to this? One becomes happy the other becomes sad, Reiji wanted me to stay. What did he say to Masao, if anything at all?"
"It is strange. Your friend is not expressing his Devil Arcana as frequently as before. He's actually accurately avoiding the Chaos Alignment as well."
"Whatever he did, Mark's calmed down and I'm glad. I didn't want him to be overcome by the Chaos Alignment. He seemed close to it."
"Your friend, Masao Inaba, is a Chariot. He knows when to put down his fists."
"That is Mark in a nutshell, I am concerned with both of the Makis though."
"I have a final question Professor." Kei started.
"What's the secret of Dio's Stand? (A/N)" Brown demanded, accusingly pointing his finger towards the unsuspecting scientist.
"Uesugi, your jokes are not humorous. Now, silence!" Kei growled. "Professor, my final question is: do you know of any information regarding Kandori's Persona?"
"Persona? What in the seven hells is a Persona? I have not heard a word of a "Persona" existing in S.E.B.E.C. especially not the President possessing one!"
"PERSONA?" The three twenty-two year old scientist exclaimed.
"That is what the President threatened us to come here with!"
"He called out Persona and this red aura appeared with this silhouette!"
"And he lit my residence on fire!"
"Kandori threaten these people with his Persona, because they wouldn't be part of this research team. It uses fire apparently. I'm sure it has a varied bag of tricks up its sleeve besides fire." Naoya thought, caressing his ear ring.
Kei brushed his fingers on the stem of Yamaoka's glasses in his breast pocket. "You three, you're coming with us." Kei order, reaching over his shoulder.
"You're saving us?"
"Surely you mean me as well!" Daichi exclaimed, Reiji pinned him back to the wall at Kei's wave.
Kei pulled the bolt of his rifle and cocked it, he aimed the barrel at Daichi's head. "If you thought you were safe with Masao's rage settled, you are mistaken! You have awoken a primal rage burning in all of us to an extend that I'm sure no one would care if I pulled this trigger, but I'm not a killer and I will never be. That is why I won't pull this trigger, but I'll be disrespecting a memory of a dear life lost if you think I'll let you go back to our world in the blink of an eye! Kido send him into unconsciousness!"
"With pleasure!" Reiji punched the struggling Daichi next to the formulating bruise Masao inflicted on his cheek. It was directly into his face, throwing him into the wall and down to the ground.
Kei leveled the rifle on his shoulder. "You three are to remain her and restrain this man, tie him up do whatever you can. Make sure he cannot follow us. In twenty minutes, the room will be clear and we'll be sent back, you can follow when ready."
Naoya's sweat dripped on his neck. "Phew, for a minute I thought Kei was going to shoot."
"You shoulder have more faith in your team, myself. Kei Nanjo is intelligent. He follows the Hierophant well as I stated earlier."
"Todo, are we settled. Shall we proceed?" Kei's face was worn, he was content with what he had done. "I apologies for the delay, I comprehend it was difficult for all of us to stomach and I could have potentially led to Masao reaching critical mass and losing control in the Chaos Alignment. I am greatly sorry, but the information was needed if we were to stop the Deva System and restore Mikage to how it was."
"It's fine, Kei. Let's go to the top floor and deal with this ghost."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Naoya kept his eyes trained on the left side of the third floor in hopes to find the double doors that would signal the portal room. "Mark is pretty eager. He's jogging up the hall ahead of us."
"He's madly hoping to find your Maki Sonomura."
"I mean he told me, this Maki said she felt a familiar presence like her, which could mean our Maki is here, but what are the odds? How would she have even gotten here to begin with."
Naoya heard Seimen Kongo's beginning words stop at the arrival of the double doors. Masao was flagging them down. Seimen Kongo hadn't stopped because of Mark. He heard through Naoya's ears the sobs of sorrow an woe of a distraught women.
The crying was penetrating the doors, the female rambling."I told her so many times not to come here…she'll get lost…Maki…Maki. Where are you, Maki?"
Naoya cocked his head. "Her voice…calling for Maki…is that Aunt Setsuko? How did she get here?"
"Todo, did you hear it say Maki?" Kei asked, taking his side.
"Definitely, but it sounded like Aunt Setsuko to me." Naoya was positive.
"Sonomura's mother?"
"I've been telling you, I don't have a mom!" Maki protested.
Her outburst had dragged the attention of the woman covered by closed doors to them. "Maki…? Is that you, Maki? Come here…" Her tears had cleared and her voice had steadied.
"The door doesn't seemed locked. What should we do, Todo? Maybe this ghost has planted a trap. Shall we go in?" Kei asked his leader, formulating the possibilities of what exactly could be inside the room.
"We don't have much of choice. It's either here or nowhere and I'd rather try to fight for my right to exist." Naoya drew his katana backhanded, flipping the handle in his hand to return it to it's normal gripping stance.
"You have become quite proficient with your weapon."
"Can't call me Miyamoto Musashi the Sword Saint yet. I've grown accustomed to the weight, additional I'm in synch with you."
"I cannot feel hostility on the wind seeping in cracks."
"Me either. I'll keep my katana out just in case we're both wrong." Naoya grasped the decorative handle of door with his free hand. "We're going in. We don't have much of a choice."
Maki knocked an arrow, Masao swung his hatchet, Kei armed himself with his broadsword, Brown angled his spear, Ayase leisurely unraveled her whip, Eriko readied her rapier, Reiji cracked his knuckles, and Yukino gathered her razorblades. Naoya counted them off with his fingers as they drew their weapons. At the clench of his index finger, he pushed inward, the nine of them shoveling into the portal room.
Four mechanical supports displayed a large orb of endless blue. Inside was various cogs and gears which focused in on a pinch that showed the sky's view of the new age S.E.B.E.C., Kandori's Deva Yuga. This was the portal and erected next to the supports was a station with necessary controls attached to the panel to manipulate the portal to due what it needed. They had found there way home except the portal was guarded by a demoness, draped in a swaddling cloak, and worn face. Tears were fresh from her blackened eyelids. Her eyes were emerald, smudged and muddied. Her hair was brown shaggy and a horn akin to a rhino's protruded from her widow's peak.
"Tch…so it was a trap after all!" Masao yelled, disappointed. "And Maki isn't here?" He hissed, nostril flaring, cheeks reddening. "Let's do this, Nao!"
"Maki..? Oh, Maki, I've finally found you. You're safe…" The demon scurried her feet towards Maki who was readying her arrow.
"That voice! It is Aunt Setsuko!" Naoya stated, completely sure with it not becoming muffled.
"I've been looking for you all this time…Please come to me, Maki…" She reached with her arms at Maki, who was reluctant to release the string in her fingers, off-put by the human voice the demon had instead of the usual demonic tone she had encountered before.
"Is it right to leave Maki be, brave leader?" Eriko asked, posing her rapier in the case they were to strike the demon approaching Maki.
"Kirishima's right, we should destroy that demon!" Reiji added, winding up for his uppercut.
"But that voice…that's Aunt Setsuko. I'm dead sure…" Naoya was hesitant. "Do we attack or stay put? If this is Aunt Setsuko, how did she get her? What if this is just a demon playing tricks or the poltergeist some how?"
"Feel the wind, myself. Come to your conclusive decision after you FEEL the wind."
"If it is really her mom, Nao, why does she look like that?" Masao's axe never lowered. He was not going to back down easily unless Nao told him to.
"Aunt Setsuko…her breathing is thin as if she's asleep…It's emanating from the demon. I don't sense hostility or feel the usual rough breathing of normal demons. The image we see before us has to be an illusion. At this distance I'm feeling human breathing on the air." He sheathed his katana raised his arms to his sides. "Everyone put your weapons down!"
Maki anxious fingers loosened the taunt string of her bow, laying the arrow into it's quiver. Masao reluctantly tucked away his axe as Kei did with his broadsword and Eriko with her rapier. Ayase yawned, not bothering to roll-up the whip. Brown rested on his spear, tired of carrying it as well. Reiji hooked his thumps on his pockets and Yukino put away her razorblades.
With their ways of assault or attempt to assault discarded or lacking a violent presence, the demon with Setsuko's voice reacted. In a bright flash of light that mirrored Aki's magic casting, the demon's form was gone. The light dyed and resting on the ground, evenly laid and not sprawled, was Setsuko Sonomura, her glasses on, her brown blazer off, and only dressed in her black shirt and pants. Maki's mother rose awoken from a dream and the cowl of the phony demon.
"Ngh…This isn't…the infirmary…?" Setsuko had a revelation. "Oh, it's the haunted mansion, I was just having a dream about this place."
Masao propped the back of his head with his hands. "See? If Maki's mom doesn't exist in this world, this has to be the real Miss Sonomura, but what is she doing here?" He sighed. "Guess Maki felt Miss Sonomura? It's logical considering she's her mom."
"I have a suspicion Aki and Kandori had to do with this. Send Setsuko to this world with the illusion of a demon masking her. Have us kill her instead of him. He'd planned this all along the son of a bitch." Naoya kneeled to Setsuko with Maki. "Are you okay, Aunt Setsuko?" Nao had not seen or spoke with her since the night they had left the school. He hoped in the bottom of his mind she was recovered and resting at the school.
Setsuko strained her mouth. "Yes…I'm all right…Maki used to get lost at this haunted mansion often when she was little, I'm used to looking for her here. I was just dreaming about those days."
"The days when Aunt Setsuko was allowed to be home and spend time with Maki. I completely forgot she used to run away to play in the mansion."
Setsuko spreads her dry lips, watching the Maki in front of her. "I was searching for her in this huge mansion, and I heard Maki call to me…I don't remember anything after that." She touched her heart as Maki did.
"Um, Miss? I'm…not your real child after all…" Maki tried to let her down easy.
"What…?" Setsuko fumbled with her glasses. They were sliding at the jerk of her cranium.
Kei was the one to volunteer to particularize the whole story. "Allow me to explain."
He explained what had transpired over the day and half.
"So, that's it. You're the Maki of this world," Maki answered yes to Setsuko. "But why don't I exist here?"
The transmitted portal wavered in its infinite sky blue, the gears inside following the shape of the orb, flickered and wavered. The blue was leaving the space provided, the three dimensional circle was collapsing inwards.
"Uh-oh! The dimensional portal, it looks like it's about to disappear!" Maki cried, concerned.
"I'm sorry, lady, but we have to chase down Kandori." Masao added, preparing to leap into the sphere.
"Alright, just give me one moment!" She ran to the control panel on the side, familiarized with the controls and layout; she ended the flicker in three keystrokes and the depression of a button. "The dimensional passageway is very unstable right now. I have to stay here and operate the machine or else you'll lose the linking!"
"What? No! We can't leave you here!" Maki and Naoya cried simultaneously.
"There are three other innocent scientists we have to send back too!" Kei was serious about helping them escape their hell.
"Don't worry about me. Go ahead on your own. Though I'd be grateful if you came to get me when this is all over with."
"Shit, we have no choice again. It's not like we can leave one of us here to operate the machine and seeing how the structure keeps flickering like an old television, it won't be long before it's permanent white snow. I hate the idea of leaving Aunt Setsuko here, but we'll find a way to bring her back. If we can stop the Deva System, maybe disconnect the host body, everything should return to normality. The bizarre will erased and revamped. Hopefully that means Chisato, Yosuke, Aunt Setsuko, and those scientist return to our world."
"Miss…" Maki started.
"Yes? Speak quickly…there isn't much time." Setsuko kept locked to the controls, the click clack of the keys caused by her rapid fingertips.
"I…don't have a mother, but if I did…I'd hope for one as kind and caring as you." Maki tied her ribbon's knot tense. "We'll beat Kandori and save your Maki while we're at it!"
"Yes…Please do." Setsuko was moved.
"Miss Sonomura, I'll bring your daughter back, I promise you." Masao swore, pumping his fist.
"I promise too, Aunt Setsuko, we'll return everything to the way it should, including Maki and Mikage!" Naoya and Masao high-five, clutching each other's hands. "We'll do it!"
"Thank you…Naoya, Maki, Masao, all of you! Now, get going, all of you and be careful!"
Setsuko farewell, forced the nine to charge into the pulsating ball. Naoya, Maki, and Masao dove in first, Kei, Yukino, and Eriko shortly after and the last group of Brown, Ayase being dragged by Reiji went in after them. In a momentary tunnel travel down the rabbit's hole again, they would finally return to their world to put a stop to the evil doings of a mad man bent on wrecking humanity with his godlike powers and filthy ambitions.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
(A/N): Reference to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, it's from Stardust Crusaders for who follows the series and I'm sure if people do, they'd understand the joke.
Wow, this is what happens when I don't thoroughly plan-out chapters. I go overboard and make something relatively basic into a complex mess to where I forget what adjectives I used or what adjectives are best. Then again it could be due to the distinctive repetition of the game itself that I have to work with and the emotions displayed that I have to work with is why I seem to think I keep using the same words over and over again. I can't help it much I try to vary as best as I can but EVERY place kinda looks the same. I'm also not going to lie to you when I say I could've gotten this out way earlier, but I had to work the nightshift at my job three nights in a row, because during the summer I work full-time instead of part-time, and the severe sleep deprivation does not help when I have to write these, but don't worry the next three chapters are all of Deva Yuga and are going to kick ass. Next chapter won't be too difficult to do, but Chapter 23 and Chapter 24 will be colossal pains in the asses, just because of their sheer length and quality required to progressively and accurately portray the events I want to happen and the events that have to happen, but after Chapter 24 the second major story arc comes to an end and the final story arc that consists of the final six chapters starts. Either way, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Twenty One of Persona: Be Your True Mind, and I'll see you next time for Chapter Twenty Two: Deva Yuga Part 1: Kohryu.
Yukino: You know, what was up with the poltergeist molestation? *Loads shotgun*
Me: *Cringes*
Ayase: Yeah that wasn't in the game! *Cracks whip*
Me: *Backs away slowly*
Eriko: Yes, dear author, please enlighten us maidens. *Draws sword*
Me: *Crouches to floor*
Maki: We want answers! *Knocks arrow*
Me: *Hides under bed, sniveling* I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY IF BROWN WAS ACCUSED OF BEING A PERVERT! Please don't hurt me! *Cowers*
Maki, Eriko, Ayase, Yukino: *Silence…then…Laughter*
Brown: Hey, not cool, Broseph, just because you think it's funny I was accused doesn't make it funny for me. *Gets hit in the head with a charcoal rock* Ow! *Ayase kicks him while Masao gentle throws more charcoal rocks at him* WHY DOES EVERYBODY HIT ME?
Yukino: Because I gave up hitting Masao when he stopped saying stupid stuff.
Me: *Wipes sweat, coming from bed* Phew, dodged that bullet, but honestly it was not meant to be degrading or an insult. I thought it be funny to see Brown get threatened and scream like a little girl. Sorry if somebody found it wrong or insulted. I apologize if that's the case. Peace out now!