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.
Here we are three more chapters until the end of the second major arc and then the final arc with the last remaining six chapters. Trust me when I say these next three chapters are gonna be crazy and long. Just be prepared for massive intact. Chapter 24 may take me near three weeks if my interest is not greatly entertained with it. I doubt it won't be but then again I really love The X-Files so I can't guarantee anything. Also during the writing process a lot of things happened that I didn't think would be best to put at the end. Well, first things first I somehow missed the announcement of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure The Animation and All Star Battle somehow which means since I discovered the trailers last week at the time I am writing this, I spent the entire day of discovery having a fangasm hence the reference last time. I was rereading the WHOLE series from Part I to the chapters of Part VIII. Secondly, my friend got me addicted to Toriko and I hate him for it, because I can't stop reading it and every time I read it I get hungry. Next my friend who is as big of a Megaten head as me, managed to import somehow ALL EIGHT volumes of the Megami Ibunroku Persona manga AKA the manga version of Persona 1. He imported because you can't find streamed raws anywhere or any scans passed the second chapter of volume 2. So I skimmed through all eight, take note I had a vague gist of what they were saying because of the game, I can't read Japanese for the record. I can barely speak basic Spanish from over five years plus of Spanish classes. Now I'm kinda happy but kinda pissed that I did not discover this earlier. I'm happy because I probably would have modeled the majority of this stories structure by its structure. I'm pissed off because I could have used some of the streamlining tactics the artist used to cut-out the middle-man so to speak and have me lighten the load of shit I had. It is too late now for me to really benefit, but I am glad I managed to SEE the rest of it, I'm not exactly sure of anything they said, but whatever. ALSO Solo perspective this chapter, time for a Persona EVOLUTION! Guess before the chapter starts. With that aside, welcome to Persona: Be Your True Mind Chapter Twenty Two.
Chapter Twenty Two: Deva Yuga Part 1: Kohryu
Yukino slugged against the metal railing of the catwalk to the Deva System. Her stomach ejected the bags of chips and cans of cyan tea she had consumed back at Kandori's castle into the abyss the walk was suspended above. The transportation through the tunnel of spinning gears and infinite blue upset her abdomen and made her drowsy. "I'm pretty sure that thing has to be the most gut jerking rollercoaster ever and shit is it disorientating."
Thankfully Yukino was not the only one whose stomach was flipped-upside down in the rapid transition process between the two worlds. "Ugh…I don't feel so good…" Maki groaned, practically green, rubbing her naval region.
Masao joined her groan. "I feel sick, too." And thus he wretched over the railing.
Yukino kept in mind to let all the bile and excess drain from her mouth before turning back to her friends. "Kei and Naoya are lookin' fine. Then, again, they did eat as much as the rest of us. They have a lot lest to empty."
Naoya was a in a momentary cold sweat, pale for the sensation was shivering his bones. "Kei, what's up with the travel induced puking?" He asked, preemptively staring over the rail Yukino previously had.
Kei coughed in frustration, hiding away his brief throat and stomach gurgle. "Probably due to fact it was forced teleportation. Really, we should count ourselves lucky we came through in one piece."
"I kinda figured we might've been able to lose a leg or maybe even our asses back there. I mean, it felt like we were ripped to pieces for the beginning stage and then everything went back together, intertwining, and then lastly we arrived completed like we were piss drunk. I can remember those days when I woke up for school with a hangover. They fuckin' blew. I'm glad I'm not in that gang anymore. I'm glad I'm not associated with those bastards anymore. All we they ever did was knock over liquor stores, got wasted, and destroyed property. I'm glad for Miss Saeko. Without her I be living a very shitty life right now."
Yukino's praise and contradicting anguish for the two years ago was interrupted by Reiji. The purple haired boy was fighting back the urge to gag himself, he was taking in deep breath while moving away from Brown and Ayase who were all ready at it beside.
"Ngh!" He released the breath. "What's with you, Inaba?" He furrowed his brow. "You look ridiculous."
Masao turned his head, giving the scarred boy the finger casually. "Heh…might wanna look in the mirror, Reiji. You're blue as a zombie."
Reiji smirked. "If you can make jokes about it. You're fine."
"When those two become the best of friends." Yukino was alarmed slightly but chose to not bring it up. "If Kido is not blatantly being a righteous prick to everyone, that's good FOR EVERYONE."
"Todo, with everyone settled, shall we get back on track?" Kei asked, leveling his rifle, having rarely used it.
"He's a crack shot most of the ammo he uses is for headshots in fact most of the ammo in the duffel bag is his and Eriko's bullets. Not nearly as many shells or 9mm rounds as there are rifle rounds."
Masao finished his business and retrieved his shotgun, ready to use it. He crouched next to Maki who was dabbing her face with her school tie. "Can you stand up, Maki?" He asked.
"I'm sorry, she wasn't there Masao-kun." She whispered in his ear. As she stood, she seemed weak, but then threw her hands in the air, her bow clenched. "Up we go! I'm okay, Masao-kun!"
"Hey, guys, I don't know if it's the up-chucking," Brown belched, sounding tired and confused as he laid prone on the ground, clearly exhausting do to him eating the most. "But I see a scientist guy…over there." Brown waggled his finger to the console and overview of the Ideal World along with the exit and entrance to the Deva System room.
"Brown, this is what you get for being a pig. Then again, Ayase isn't much better. She's laying on top of his back now." Yukino tried to think of what Brown would say in the situation he was in except if it was another person. "Bow chicka wow wow, definitely. He's that lame."
"Uesugi's right, Todo." Kei pointed ahead.
"Holy crap! It's him!" Masao exclaimed.
Naoya ran to the door with remainder of the party. Standing as solid and motionless as a stone sentry was Doctor Nicolai, in his dirtied lab coat, and drenched gray bowl cut. The Russian man was the creator of the Deva Technology and the last instant the group of Persona User had seen or heard him was him beckoning them to sacrifice him and Kandori to stop the Deva System. The good doctor, the remorseful and penitent doctor forced to do the bidding of Kandori was intact, but his eyes were glazed in a crimson red.
"Sweet, the old dude, survived!" Masao exclaimed in glee.
"Something seems weird about him, though, Masao-kun." Maki added.
"No, Maki, I'm sure ALL scientists eyes are red as blood and ketchup."
Doctor Nicolai stroked his beard, his body shaken, his mouth exerting bouts of discomfort or pain or pleasure; they were not distinguishable. "Let judgment fall upon the foolish humans!" He blurted. "Mankind needs no future!"
Everyone gasped. "We done this enough today, I think our diaphragms and tracheas have made choreography."
Doctor Nicolai continued to preach tot hem in his thick Russian accent, clearly not his true mind or self. "Ruin! Annihilation! Destruction, destruction, destruction! Let judgment fall on mankind! Let the music of destruction ring out!"
"Now he's just repeating himself. Whatever force is controlling him really outta get a new script."
Masao was not as quick as the rest to understand Nicolai was under another's power now. " Dude, what's gotten into you? C'mon why're you talking like Kandori?!"
"Chances are Kandori is controlling him Masao."
Appearing beside him, transparent but vividly detailed was Takahisa Kandori, wearing his suit and spinning two steel balls in his hands. "Because he's already little more than my double."
"Kandori?!"
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear."
Kandori carried on not minding the sudden round of surprise from the Persona-Users at his near holographic projection. "In fact, humans around the world already share my desire for annihilation."
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Masao snapped, wanting to unload his buckshot into the ghostly demon before him.
"You madman!" Kei spat. "Have you brainwashed the entire globe with that mirror?!"
Kandori kept spinning the balls in his palm. "Everyone following a unified ideology…Doesn't it sound wonderful?"
"Yeah, to the ears of a tyrant!" Yukino shouted, posing her Ithaca in case of Kandori summoning a demon to stop them.
"No, my dear, not a tyrant! A god! I've accomplished something no ruler ever achieved…I have transcended the human."
"That is preposterous!" Kei countered.
"All I need to do now is give the order for them to kill each other and everything will be over. A fitting end for a species of fools. Nothing else will be hurt. Only mankind will be wiped from this planet."
"You sick fuck!" Yukino snapped, angry boiling. "This planet and it's people aren't your playthings! You can't ruin the horizon or the seas or the people who admire them no matter what rank or seat of power you take!"
"Yukino-chan is right?!" Maki agreed. "Why do you want to do this to people?!"
"Hah…that sounds rather unlike you…Maki Sonomura…"
Maki backed up. "How do you know my name?!"
Masao became defensive aggressively brandishing his shotgun. "And what the hell is that suppose to mean?!" He yelled at Kandori.
Kandori ignored Yukino, Maki, and Masao. "The mirror's power affects all. You children are no exception."
"Wait, aren't we an exception? We aren't under his mind control. Is because of our Personas?!"
"Can you still reach me where I await? I'd be delighted to see your attempt to beat me, if you can reach the highest floor!" Kandori's hologram vanished right as Reiji was about to throw a punch, blinded mildly by his desires.
"We'll stop you Kandori! You aren't going to succeed!" Naoya exclaimed with Kandori's leave and Reiji's miss.
"Oh, we'll reach you and I'm gonna be the one to kill you! I'm gonna be the one, Kandori!" Reiji bellowed.
"Yo, N.T., what are we doing?" Brown casually asked, Ayase jumping rope with her whip.
"Obviously, we are going to topple the throne of the king? Right, brave leader?" Eriko asked, drawing her own rifle as Brown and Ayase gained their TMP and handgun respectively.
Naoya agreed with a nod and after glance at Kei and Masao came to a decision. He picked up his MP5. "Yukino, how much ammo do we have left?"
"Hold on, let me see." Yukino rummaged in the bag. "Two clips left for you, Reiji, and Brown each. Maybe twenty eight shells between Masao and I. Ayase and Maki have five clips and Kei and Eriko have all together approximately or higher than thirty rounds to work with." Yukino zipped the bag back up. "I'm happy this thing has lighten in the hours, this use to have hundreds of bullets in her and that killed my back."
Naoya ponder his next statement. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, Nao real is different. He has a hell of a lot more confidence on display now though I do suspect his occasional shyness and general quietness are stirring in him. We all grown in the days haven't we." She eyed Brown and Ayase who weren't paying attention despite one of them asking the question. "Not all of us. Eriko, Masao, Brown, I guess, and…Kei. Kei was already mature and grown up, he's just wants appreciation especially with the man who gave him his heart on a silver platter for years dead and gone because of Kandori. I'll always appreciate him, I hope he knows it."
"Okay, everyone, our goal is to reach the top of the tower to reach Kandori. In order to accomplish the goal, we need to concern as much of spiritual power and physical stamina as humanely possible, because of this fact and the fact the height of this place has extended up passed five stories to possibly fifteen we're all going to wield our guns and melee weapons until we reach an obstacle which requires us as the final resort to use our Personas. If we have these guns and the ammo, we might as well burn through it. We have no other use for it. So, weapons at the ready!"
Reiji and Maki were the two without guns. Maki favored her bow, of course and Reji hefted his M4 with a bare knuckle. The rest had their own firearms at the ready.
"Next, Maki, are you up to healing if necessary?"
"I'm feeling stronger, Nao-kun, but I need more time to regain my strength."
"Alright, then, Maki, Eriko, and Kei will keep the backside of the formation. With your long-ranged weapons you'll be good for the demons or guards Kandori probably has to defend the halls. Mark, Yukino, you two are up front. Your weapons lack the least amount of range, you'll be the push and force to move the enemies. Reiji and I will cover you each. Brown and Ayase will be centered in between each of us. They are to strike anything that can fly above us."
"UNDERSTOOD!"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
"What the hell is that?!" Masao exclaimed, pulling the trigger on the upcoming enemy.
In the wide-spread, pristine and flawless marble corridors of the new age Deva Yuga, the group of nine in formation carried onward hoping to find a staircase and were greeted with the encounter of the towers inhabitance. A pack of five completely naked women with matching back-length platinum blonde hair, blindfolded with a black cloth, and flapping, beautiful milk white feathered angel wings, not as glorious as Michael's, but were impressive to their opponents.
"Angels!" Eriko announced, as the pack of five women divided to avoid the random shot from Masao's weapon. They regrouped and dove.
"Angels?! What the shit?!" One flew directly to Yukino. She flicked a razorblade at the angel, letting it zoom at the forehead. Yukino gasped, the angel coming to her faster; the razorblade had rebounded from her forehead, repulsed with a holy aura. "Shit! Come on!"
Yukino heard the exact shot of the bullet which tore into the right wing of the oncoming Angel, right as Yukino was ready to shoot her Ithaca. The Angel shrieked in pain, awkwardly fluttering backwards to her friends, who were hover, clasping their hands together; they were charged with a cloudy white energy.
Yukino next heard the bolt action of Kei's rifle as he prepared his next bullet for his upcoming, exact aimed shot. "Thanks. You saved my bacon. I don't even know what these things can do."
"Physical attacks, won't work, Naoya!" Yukino informed to their leader.
Naoya was aiming his MP5 at the angels.
"Our firearms appear to damage them adequately, Todo." Kei added.
"Nanjo, we're fighting freakin' angels! The messengers of God! How do guns kill angels!" Brown asked, on-edge.
"Especially since Philemon said, man-made weapons do not work on gods." Masao stated.
"And the Punk here proved that first-hand." Reiji sneered, itching to fire.
"Technically they may hold the aura and divine protection from physical harm, but Kei's attack has injured one of them and certainly they are ready to unleash a holy attack upon us, brave leader." Eriko explained.
"Open fire, then!" Naoya exclaimed, unloading his clip into the nearest one in his sights.
Masao and Yukino had gone for the same one Naoya had; their buckshot slashing passed their pale and flawless skin and Naoya's high-speed spray plucking away feathers of her wings and tearing apart the webbing.
The angel shrieked as her sister did and wobbled in her flight. She unclasped her hands, the aura sticking to them. She flung them forward, her sisters charging their own. The effect of what she was about to do was ended with the reckoning of Reiji's M4 full clip puncturing her entire body as he circulated his gunfire. Blood of red spurted from the hundreds of holes formed by the bullets. She screeched, clasping her holy hands over her breasts as she disintegrated into nothingness.
"One down!" Reiji ejected his clip, inserting a new magazine. "Four to go!"
"He digs that assault rifle way too much." Yukino spotted the one Kei had wounded ready to attack next.
Kei and Eriko knocked out her remaining wing, nearly breaking away the secondary appendage. The angels hands were emitting a blasts creeping to her finger-tips. Brown swung his TMP in a vertical arc through the air, side-ways. Gangster-style as he put it. The miniature peppering of bullets narrowly injecting themselves into her fingers, no visible effect was determined as the angel fell from grace. Greeted to terra firma before her skill fired, Ayase and Brown unloaded what remained in their guns into the angel. The second sister felt the flaring pain in her ruined wings and the perpetual shots ringing into her, cringing at each wound opening, until she fell again on her skinny back, reverted to dust.
"Two down…three more messengers of god to go." Yukino loaded her shells.
The three remaining Angels scowled thrusting their arms above the Persona Users without second-thought. "MAHAMAON!" Unleashed from the holy light was a pool of milky white underneath. They were familiar with the coloration and idea for Kei had used in numerous minor confrontation with demons to kill them in a flash.
"Are those sutras?!" Yukino meant to sprint away with her friends, but as per the norm with Hama, dozens of sutras and talisman mummified her limbs to her neck. "Goddamn it! This burns!" Her neck wrung. "ARGH!"
The others were trapped in the same predicament, burned with the holy presence of the wards of evil and bad and ready to be incinerated into nothingness by the pore of light underneath, a suiting fate the Angels believed to what the humans had done to their sisters.
"Oh, man, I'm way to handsome and to die!"
"Brown, you all ready used that line!" Masao exclaimed, struggling to break free.
"And if we're all gonna die, please do us all a favor and shut the hell up!" Yukino shouted. "If we're doomed, we're doomed in peace and quiet."
"I won't allow us to die here!" Kei was not struggling or writhing. He had stolen Naoya's thunder. "Light is my element! I am immune to it's effects!" The sutras ruptured and the paper shredded, his arm flung to the air, after the crunch of glass was heard. "MAGIC MIRROR!"
"Magic mirror?!" Yukino repeated.
"Nice, Nanjo! I forget you bought those back in the Black Market!" Masao complemented the despair replaced with total hope.
The shattered glass created a reflective barrier, a thin orb encasing all nine of them. It rebounded the sutras, launching them onto their masters. The milk evaporated with the proportioned reflecting casings. The charm attached Angels screamed, not immune to properties of the Hama and were cleansed in seconds.
"Close call is close!" Brown yelled, hyper-ventilating.
Ayase pushed him over. "Like, asshole, stop cracking jokes! I'm trying to forget we, like, almost died! OKAY!"
Naoya frowned. "We're not free yet!"
"You gotta be shitin' me!" Masao and Reji said simultaneously.
"Oh, what now?" Yukino asker herself, watching ahead of the corridor. "Angels…with armor…and…swords…when did heaven endorse violence. I actually should have thought about logic while Angels were trying to instant-kill us."
Eriko observed the new arrivals. Floating men, with knights' helms and breastplates, wielding gladiuses. There wings were scarred and copper colored, not beautiful. There skin was blotchy and rugged, no where near flawless. "They are Archangels, the next level above Angels, brave leader."
"Levels…oh, yeah the spheres of Heaven. Divine Comedy, yeah. Makes sense. Now why are they here and working for Kandori? Both good questions."
"Reiji, your up. Dark is proficient against light." Naoya asked next to him.
Reiji grinned. "No problem, Punk." Reiji rested the assault rifle on his shoulder, throwing an uppercut with his free arm. "Hell yeah!" A velvet blue aura mixed with streaks of crimson enveloped him as his deathly knight of the Devil Arcana sprung forth in his stance; sword arm to his helm to combat the knightly Archangels. His free hand was charging with purple energy and kanji.
"Bres! MAMUDO!" The Persona, swung his regular hand forward, the unsuspecting Archangels each were surrounding in midair with a circle of kanji and symbols, the purple energy crowding them inward until the jaws of hell consumed them one after the other in upward and downward burst of purple and blackness.
Bres vanished, Reji angling his M4 Carbine. "Not much to it. They seem susceptible to it then most things."
"Kido, they are weak to it. Darkness is the polar opposite of light. Similar to how you are most likely weak to Light." Kei elaborated, sighing in relief.
"I could give a shit, Four Eyes. If it makes things easier to reach Kandori, then I blow through all my stamina to get there."
Kei waved him off, refraining from glaring. "Do what you care to do. I will warn us all, I only hold two Magic Mirrors now. We can only escape the clutches of a Hama Skill twice more."
"There's always the chance it could miss us, Kei." Maki pointed out.
"Sonomura, the odds are slim. We know this."
"He does honestly kill the demons eight times out of ten with his."
"With Nanjo whipping out his buys, I'd forgotten I bought these shells for an occasion like this." Masao said, rummaging through his pack.
"Oh, those Angel Killers, you were haggling the salesman for?" Yukino asked, reminded of the man in the gas-masked telling them they are very damaging to divine beings.
"And Kei was arguing when the situation would every call for us to fight Angels with shotguns." Naoya added, Mark triumphantly grabbing the shells.
"I bought two packs of twenty. Forty shells is plenty. Yukino you can keep the regular shells for yourself."
"Why am I stuck with the inferior shells? We are both on the front lines Masao."
"Oh, I know!" Brown exclaimed. "It because IT'S HIS BOOM STIC-" (A/N)
Ayase clasped her hands over his mouth, pulling him to her chest. "Like, make another silly joke today, and I'll totally whip your balls until you can't walk, Brown. Do you, like, understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." Brown saluted her, then realized he was resting his head on her bosom. "Bow chicka w-OOWW!"
Yukino tripped Brown under his feet, causing his arch body to fall to the floor. "I'm might imagine he can say it, but he is not saying it."
"Brown, you, like, better not be looking up my skirt!"
Eriko and Maki giggled. "Shall, we move, brave leader?" Eriko asked.
"Yeah, Nao-kun, the enemies seemed to stop coming. Now we just need to find the stairs."
"Mark, give Yukino half of your Angel Killers. Kei use a Magic Mirror if we are desperate. Reiji give pills to whoever is hurt when required. Your also meant to conserve your spiritual strength for desperate situation if we need to beat the Angels quickly. We aren't fighting demons anymore so our guns and your Dark Skills are our salvation here." Naoya instructed, having everyone return to formation. "Let's go. Who knows how many floors we have to climb."
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Yukino blew away the last regular shell in her double barrel in the blindfolded face of the angel striking at her. She ejected the shells and loaded up the next two for the Archangel posing to stab at her. "Angel Killers!"
A previously experience demon was aiming for her in the corner of her eye. Demons were mixed in with the Angels and Archangels as they reached what the wall said was the eight floor. "One behind me, one ahead. Shit!"
"YAAA!" Reiji's burly fist sent the demon spiraling into the opposite wall.
Yukino's Angel Killer penetrated the plumed helm of the Archangel and scorched in his face. He dissolved. "Talk about strong arming. I've never seen him punch a demon that hard."
"Don't thank me!" Reiji shouted before Yukino had the opportunity. "I don't deserve it from you!" He fired his M4 at the next wave of angels and demons.
"I was reluctant to say thanks considering he did hold a gun to my head. The one in fact he's using to spray at the prayers, right now. At least, he's remorseful. It wasn't the only time I've had a gun held on me, but the fact we have to work with him still pisses me off. My grudge is not settled and he's smart enough to know if won't be as easy to fix it with a punch at a demon for me harden with the impudent rage targeted at his blood brother."
Kei finished the Archangel Reiji was firing into with a lone shot. "Kido, try to refrain from wasting ammunition. It is a precious resource."
"Don't worry, Four Eyes. I'm not moving in on your territory. She's your girlfriend. You can watch her back twenty-four seven! I've got more shit to deck! And as if I'm in love with a mannish bitch like her! "
"You foul-mouthed delinquent?!" Yukino exclaimed, Kei and her blushing. "Sheesh, I sound like Miss Saeko way back when."
"Love birds! Blush later, fight now!" Masao yelled, defending Maki from two Archangel's randomly slashing.
"Right!" They both replied.
(A/N: IMPORTANT: This scene was not meant to be like a Reiji x Yukino moment. As I stated in the first chapter and throughout the majority of the story. The pairing is Kei x Yukino because they are the mother and father of the group. That is all.)
Persona: Be Your True Mind
"Finally, the staircase. Floor nine here we come. I am grateful Kei cared enough to steal Reiji's kill and scold him. Getting into a small cock fight too. I don't think that brat Reiji Kido has feelings for me, he just had the opportunity to express his rage and took it. Why else would he say don't thank me other then the obviousness regarding my grunge against him?"
The formation was altered as the group climbed the long flight of stairs to the ninth floor. Kei was next posted next to Yukino. Eriko next to Naoya. The four now in the middle row. Ayase, Maki, and Brown in the back, and Reiji and Masao in front.
Yukino kept marching her shoulder irritated at the constant recoil of the sawn-off. She caught Kei peeking at her as she turned her head to massage her right shoulder. "Kei Nanjo, how long ago has it been since I met you? One year I think. Same time, I dropped the gang to stop the train wreck my life would have become. You were always a driving factor. How did it go again? I can't remember. It would make me feel terrible to ask him, but I'm having trouble remembering everything consider the lack of sleep or rest for the days and hours. Four hours in a shrine with an ammunition bag as a pillow is not a decent amount or manner to sleep."
Yukino felt compelled to catch Kei in the act, swiftly returning her eyes to the stairs, Kei returning his gaze with her. She smiled. "I would have joked with him ogling, then again in four steps, floor nine is up and back to fighting countless waves of demons and angels in a giant-ass room with a staircase to the next floor which will have another set of relentless waves in a big-ass room."
Yukino's prediction was incorrect. The space was large, spread farther than the previous rooms. In fact the right side was spread to the size of it's own room. The side space connected to the main space lacked a staircase that the main space held. The clean marble was not be-smudged or blocked with the white or copper wings of the Angels or Archangels or reverberating the scratches and howls of the demons on the ground. The room was vacant and both spaces were not obscured or compromised by objects or entities of any means. "I think we've seen this set-up enough times to know what will happen. I am curious why there is enough room for two of em' to appear."
Masao was not going to try for the open staircase, instead her spoke a countdown. "Commence big-boss dude in five…four…three…two…one!"
Lightning flashed, ice shimmered, wind whipped, and fire flickered. The booming roar of Byakko crashed like thunder. The smooth hiss of Genbu slicked passed as slippery as ice. The brisk snarl of Seiryu breezed through as fast as the wind. Lastly Suzaku's fierce cackle as raging as fire erupted. The sparking lightning expressing the anger of Bai Hu became an glass sphere of pure silver and white the size of a human being. The glistening ice shards expressing the annoyance of Gui Xian became a glass sphere of black and turquoise beside the silver and white. The whistling gust expressing the dissatisfaction of Long was encased as a glass sphere of azure blue far lower in the air then the Bai Hu's and Gui Xian's. The flickering flare expressing the fury of Zhu Que became fully encased in the fourth glass sphere, filled to vermillion red, hovering neatly beside Long's and also below the others.
The four man-sized spheres were captured in colossal claws, shelled in gilded scales. The orbs were made for the five-finger talons. Black/turquoise, silver/white were kept high, the limp and stump forearms of the being coming into existence. It trailed to a serpentine body gold coated every inc of the wiggle and floating tail, spine trailing with fin-type spines of its own. The body's length nearly exceeded the maximum amount of space for it side of the room, the tail-physique of gold two miles in lack coil and releasing in the equal portions. Two claws snatched up the vermillion and azure glass from the lowest portion of the serpent. As it represent Long in it's undulating, the skull formed, snout protruding to sniff with the massive maw of teeth and unkempt beard of gilt with spiky side-burns. The cynical cranium following the humongous nostrils and fellow-undulating whiskers was bushy eyes brows of the same elderly fashion of the dragon's tresses. It's horns were far greater and intricate then elks or moose. They slicked back branching into two separate other horns bone-white, robust, thicker than tree trunks.
He spoke, his sentence broken. "Bai Hu, Byakko, killed by the mortal Yukino Mayuzumi!" The contents of the white orb showed Byakko roaring, unleashing electricity.
"Gui Xian, Genbu, killed by the pack of mortals bent on ruining Takahisa Kandori's plans!" Inside the black orb was Genbu hissing, sucking in to inflate his mouth.
"Long, Seiryu, killed by the mortal Hidehiko Uesugi!" Seiryu vibrated, winds spiraling in the azure orb.
"Zhue Que, Suzaku, killed by the mortal Eriko Kirishima!" Suzaku flapped, flames consuming her wings.
"The Four Signs of the Chinese Constellation defeated! Each lies in a direction! The White Tiger in the West! The Black Tortoise in the North! The Azure Dragon in the East! The Vermillion Bird in the South!" His male, wisdom brimmed voice and tone was causing blunt waves of breath to flurry the nine teenager's hair and clothes.
He was not finished. "I lay in the center of all directions, between the Four Signs of the Constellation!" The vengeful spirits of Byakko, Genbu, Seiryu, and Suzaku were wiped from their respective containers in favor of their colors to their honored titles.
"I AM HUANG LONG, TO THE JAPANESE I AM KOHRYU, THE GOLDEN DRAGON! YOU WILL NOT REACH THE STAIRS TO TAKAHISA KANDORI! MY BRETHREN WERE NOT VANQUISHED FOR NAUGHT!" Kohryu was not infuriated or melancholy. His voice, shaking and adamant as earth, was almighty, not to be defied. He snarled at the children's persistence to draw their weapons.
"We seen serious shit but bad-ass version of Fulkur (A/N) takes the cake, wins the trophy, AND gets the meddles." Masao aimlessly watched his hatchet and shotgun, wondering if they'd do anything.
"This…is…bad…We got our asses beat by each and everyone of them and barely beat any of them. How…the…hell…are we suppose to kill all of them together!"
Kei sported a scene of fright. "Todo, we are-"
"In deep-shit." Yukino completed.
"Oh, man! Why'd I have to kill the dragon?! Now I'm on the hit-list!" Brown was exploding into his generic outburst.
"Brown, we're all on his hit-list." Eriko informed. "You, Yukino, and I included." She grimaced.
Reiji cracked his knuckles. "What's the plan, Punk? He's not gonna stand there much longer."
"I'm thinking!" Naoya snapped.
"Naoya understands the circumstances and the situation. Devising a plan to fight to counteract a conglomeration of the all we faced so far will wrack your brain."
Kohryu clutched Genbu's orb.
"Nao-kun?"
"Maki, not now!"
Kohryu opened his jaw.
"Nao-kun?!"
"Not now, Maki!"
"BUFUDYNE!"
"Nao, he's getting ready to attack!" Masao exclaimed.
Naoya's eyes broaden, frantic. "Split up!" He order everyone attempting to run to the sides, a boulder-size chunk of ice flying at the Kohryu's far left, right towards a panic frozen Ayase; a deer in the headlights.
"Yuka!" Eriko yelled to her friend, running with Maki and Naoya to their left.
"Oh, come on! Of all the times!" Yukino was ready to spin on her heel from Kei and Reiji and leap at her. "Damn it! Won't make!"
"WATCH OUT, AYASE!" Ayase frail form was shoved into the secondary space of the widen room by…Brown.
Brown gulped after pushing Ayase out of the way. "Come at me, br-" The ice chunk threw him viciously into the wall, it cracking to pieces and hailing and burning his skin with the rough, dry ice texture. Brown slid to the floor, snow flakes and ice gathered on his jacket and hair. His head hung low and blood dripped from his mouth.
"Wow! Brown did something heroic! Maybe he has matured. He's showing it again."
"Brown!" Ayase was quivering, trying to regain her footing with her jelly legs. She was alone on the other side of the room.
Brown didn't respond.
Yukino bit her lip. "No! He isn't…"
Brown half-smiled, snickering. He flung his head up, giving her a thumps-up. "It's all good baby!" He coughed blood.
"You asshole!" Ayase was trying to walk, tears flowing.
"YOU DID WELL TO PROTECT HER HIDEHIKO UESUGI! NOW SHE MUST FACE A TRIAL OF HER OWN! I AM NOT THE ONLY GUARDIAN OF THIS FLOOR!"
"WHAT?!"
"Like, huh?!" Ayase was surprised, a row of tiles bisecting the two spaces of the unnecessarily big room rose to the ceiling connecting and making a wall to separate the spaces, Ayase trapped behind the marble foundation.
Brown scowled, glaring at Kohryu. "Ayase! Ayase!" He struck at it limply with his spear, not making a scratch or knick.
"How much more of SNAFU can we get into? Ayase is dead if she has to fight a entity as powerful as this guy on the other side of the room and we can't get to her!"
Naoya stomped his foot. "Maki, heal Brown! Everyone, we are going all out, Personas an all! If we can't make it passed this, everything we been through will be for nothing!"
"Damn straight!" She punched air, watching Maki heal Brown of his fracture bones.
"BASK IN HELPLESSNESS! BASK IN LONELESS YUKA AYASE! THERE ARE TWO TRAPS TO THE NINTH FLOOR! YOU HAVE FOUND THE DIVISION! ONE REMAINS!"
"Like we're stupid enough to fall for another of Kandori's tricks!" Reiji cursed, Masao was beside him, Naoya and Eriko moving up.
"REIJI KIDO, I AM AFRAID YOU HAVE!" Byakko's orb glowed, Kohryu opened his mouth. "ZIODYNE!" A tremendous bolt of lightning soared above Reiji's scarred head which he barely avoided, banging his whole left side into the wall.
"Your not to clever!" Reiji's shoes shook. "Oh, shit!" The unmarked panels of the Deva Yuga blank floor unlatched from the rest and began to drop into the unknown. "SHIT!" His neck reached below visibility.
"Not happening, Fulkur!" Masao had jumped on his stomach to vice both of his hands on Reiji's flailing right arm. His shotgun and axed discarded away.
"He's coming up! We fell for nothing!" Mark tried to pull Reiji. The tall boy was sunk low and Mark was not able to take all of his weight that far below the surface and him on his stomach.
"Didn't think you cared, Inaba." Reiji groaned.
"Oh, screw you, dude! HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!"
"FALL REIJI KIDO! I'll TAKE BOTH OF YOU WITHOUT NEED OF THE TRAP! ZIODYNE!"
Naoya and others were trying to span the distance Reiji and Masao had made due to Kohryu's Lightning Skill. It required them to dodge to the farthest left and now snared in the pitfall, the brightest ball of thunder peaked above the struggling two.
Masao gasped. "Reiji, hurry! It you can kick off the other side, I can pull you up before the Ziodyne hits!"
"No go, Inaba. I can't swing with you hanging on me!"
"STRIKE MY LIGHTNING!" The ball streaked into it's righteous bolt.
"PISS OFF, INABA!" Reiji hooked Masao in the face with his free arm with his reach. The hat-wearing teen was pounded back, his grip loosened and Reiji dropped free from his grasp willingly into the darkness.
"NOOO!" Masao screamed, Naoya and Kei pulling him back as the blinking-swift Ziodyne electrified were Masao once laid, scorch marks leaving an impression on the marble.
"Did Reiji die? How far is the fall? Why'd he punch Mark? If that lightening hit they might have both fell in! I thought Brown was dead, he was fine, Ayase stuck on the other side at the mercy of another big guy, and now Reiji's fell to his possible death! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!"
"TWO OF YOUR PARTY CAN BE WARRANTED DEAD! YOU ARE UNSETTLED! YOU ARE ANGRY! YOU MUST DIRECT YOUR ANGER! YOU FEEL THE SORROW OF THE SOUL! THE INVETIABLE OF DEATH! EACH OF MY BRETHREN KNEW THIS FEELING BEFORE YOU CAUSED THEM DEATH! NOW YOU MUST SUFFER IT! YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR BRETHREN ARE LOST TO THE UNKNOWN AND THE LAST OF YOU HAVE ME TO FACE!"
"SHUT UP!"Masao threw his arm in the air, a velvet blue mist consuming him. "LET'S GET FUNKY! SUSANO-O!"
Brown raised his spear to pierce the heavens. "I WITH YOU MASAO! LEAVE IT TO ME!" His velvet aura swallowing him. "TYR!"
Naoya joined the fray, the cloudy white aura of neutral blanketing Maki and Eriko who were close to him, including himself. "HERE IT GOES! SEIMEN KONGO!" He curved his arm in the air Seimen Kongo mirroring him to set up the relentless cyclone around him.
"I'm with you three as well! MY MOVE!" Yamaoka spun his staff after spreading his cybernetic wings after leaving the mist.
"We are too! Right, Eriko-chan! Yukino-chan! HELP ME! JACK FROST!" Maki threw her hand to up, Eriko putting her rapier close to her face.
"Yes, Maki-chan! COME! MICHAEL!"
"Do you need to ask? Let's give this guy a hell of a ride! HA!" She punched the air. "VESTA!"
"I'll debuff him, brave leader!" Michael waved his spear. "DEBILITATE!" Auras of blue, green, yellow, red, and white blanketed Kohryu, the burnish of his scales dimming.
"I'll beat you the same way I did to your buddy!" Tyr bolting to the peak of Kohryu's nostrils. "BINAL STRIKE!" Tyr chopped his axe downward, crackling with Zan energy. At contact to the nose of the Golden Dragon the detonation swallowed the two entities in smoke and explosive brunt. Brown absorbed the damage and fell flat due to his own attack.
Maki returned Jack Frost to bring forth Maso to heal Brown.
Masao pointed at the haze, seeing the shift of Kohryu. "POWER CHARGE!" Susano-o lifted himself to Kohryu, a spring of energy flowing up at him.
"Strike all of him! VORPAL BLADE!" Susano-o's skull sockets diminished, shutting like a clam shell. His orange ponytail fluctuating. He turned his branched sword at a diagonal, his none-sword hand running his gauntlet fingers on the branches. It gained it's divine aura accustomed to the Brave Blade. He lashed and hundreds of strokes danced, weaving and cutting into the two mile length beast.
The Vorpal Blade was resisted, Kohryu silent and immobile. The smoke was blown away with his roar. "YOU WILL NEED TO ATTEMPT AGAIN WITH MORE EFFORT!"
"Okay! Help me! Jack Frost!" Maki summoned her snowman as Susano-o and Michael disappeared, Brown regaining footing. "MABUFULA!"
"HEE-HO! MISTRESS MAKI-HEE!" Jack Frost jumped from her shoulder to Kohryu's nose, evading his wild whiskers. The Jack planted his booted feet on the knick from Tyr's axe.
"A LITTLE JACK IMP IS YOUR EFFORT!"
"HEE-HO!" Jack Frost fired a corpus of frigid ice and packed snow into Kohryu's eyeballs, concealing them from the next attacks.
"YOU RUNT!" Kohryu roared again, blasting Jack Frost off with his impressive sneer.
"Good luck-hee, having short-hee arms-hee!" Jack Frost gave him a peace sign with his index and middle finger of his four fingers and disappeared.
Kei noted Naoya's attack formulating at the chance the Jack Frost gave. "Todo, are you still weakened?"
Naoya was concentrating.
"Don't exhaust your self, Todo." Yamaoka primed his staff. "I'll finish him! HAMAON!"
"Sorry, Kei, I'm sure he's immune!" Yukino directed Vesta at the floundering Kohryu. "FREILA!" The Persona cupped her hands in front of her to gather the Frei energy.
Yamaoka spun his bo staff and tapped it to his rib, letting his right gloved palm thrust at Kohryu. The familiar talisman and sutras wrapped the entirety of Kohryu. They were ineffective. Kohryu's skin retired each, allowing the hundreds to glide as normal sheets and sections of paper.
"LIGHT AND DARK IS NOT PRAISED AS EFFORT WITH ME, KEI NANJO!" Then Yukino's Freila smacked him in the face, the cannonade, reducing Jack Frost's ice to evaporation and steam, and the Skill scorched the dragons' face.
Vesta and Yamaoka disappeared.
"THERE IS EFFORT! GRANT ME A NEW PORTION!"
"HERE'S EFFORT! TEMPEST!" The boundless and ravaging hurricane of verdant slung-shot into Kohryu at Naoya and Seimen Kongo's whim. The air pressure buffeted Kohryu, the foundation of Deva Yuga was intact. They were resolute. Kandori's castle was destroyed with the Tempest, the pounding wind it produced in the rooms of Deva Yuga were delusive.
"NAOYA TODO, THIS IS NOT EFFORT!" Kohryu flopped his body, the Tempest dismissed itself.
Naoya gasped. "No…"
"If that was our strongest attack, our last hope. We are dead. No doubt."
"THE WAY YOU STAND, AWESTRUCK BY MY PRESENCE AND ABILITIES IS INDICATIVE OF YOU GIVING UP! ALLOW ME TO DEMONSTRATE THE SKILLS OF MY BRETHREN!" All four orbs kindled.
"BAI HU!" After images of the White Tiger appeared. "ELEC BREAK! MAZIODYNE!"
"GUI XIAN!" After images of the Black Tortoise appeared. "BUFUDYNE TSUNDORA! WEARY THRUST!" "LONG!" After images of the Azure Dragon appeared. "MIND CHARGE! HEAVENLY CYCLONE!"
"ZHU QUE!" After images of the Vermillion Bird appeared. "MATAKAJA X7! MARAGIDYNE!"
Skill upon skill, ridiculous assailment filled with indictment and retaliation. The chain began with the snuffing of their nullifications and zapping them with light speed electricity. He followed with turning the floor into a skating ring and thrusting his max through them to bowling them into each other and let the ring breakaway into a squall of ice blocks. The third step was to amplify his magical capabilities and buffet the seven with the circle of hurricanes. Lastly to guarantee his sister her quaffed furry, he amplified his magic seven fold and unleashing a swarm of gigantic fireballs to lay waste to his enemies.
"THERE YE LAY AT MY MERCY! THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS WENT TO THE OTHERS! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU MEN AND WOMEN TO LIVE OR RECOVER! I HAVE NO WEAKNESS! I AM IMMUNE TO FLAME, TO ICE, TO ELECTRICITY, TO WIND, TO LIGHT, TO DARK, TO GRAVITY, TO FORCE, TO WATER, TO EARTH, TO PHYSICALS! YOU CAN BLOT ME WITH THEM BUT THEY WILL NOT HARM ME!" Kohryu's mouth opened for a yawn, a orb of energy developing. "CELESTIAL RAY!" The stream enveloped them in raw energy, swirling with vermillion of fire, azure of wind, black of ice, and silver of thunder.
"God…damn…it." Yukino stumbled. "Resistances and nulls I take it is how were even alive now. Or maybe we've gotten strong enough to match these douche bags somewhat. Hell no" She collapsed, Kohryu looming over her.
"YUKINO MAYUZUMI! GET UP! YOU HOLD NUCLEAR SKILLS! YOU CAN DEFEAT ME! I WANT YOU TO TRY! I WANT YOU TO BATH IN THE DESPAIR! YOU HARMED ME BEFORE! TRY AGAIN! TRY AGAIN! YOUR ARE YOUR FRIENDS ONLY HOPE TO SURVIVE!"
"Shit, is he right? My Freila did burn him. But that was the best I had, I wanted to give everything to prevent a attack against Kei. If that was the best I had we're screwed. I'm our last hope and I'm laying her about to pass out. He's won. That fucker's won. Goddamn it! It's all my fault he's won!"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Yukino leaned in the chair stationed next to Miss Saeko's desk. She was precariously close to fall backwards. Her eyes were scanning the ceiling, not paying attention to the words of her teacher.
"Yukino, Yukino, are you listening?" Miss Saeko tucked a stray strand of blue hair behind her ear.
"Huh?" The leaning chair's legs clacked when it was jolted back to the floor by Yukino. "What do you want again?"
Saeko shook her head, setting her yellow suit jacket back on her shoulders. "Yukino, I asked you who started the fight?"
"Oh, yeah…I don't remember." Yukino was giving her "I don't give a shit" attitude. She was used to giving it to teacher especially when they lectured her about respecting their countries customs and staying out of trouble. They didn't understand it was her choice to deliberately act within her previous culture, she "didn't give a shit" about Japanese culture. She was a yankee and was proud of it. They also crawled up her ass when they discovered she was in an all-girl gang. That reveal is what made Hanya mandate her to see Saeko, her guidance counselor/homeroom teacher to talk sense into her.
"Hanya can bite me. If he wasn't vice-president, I'd kick his ass. 'Girls shall not chew gum, shall not make paper airplanes, and shall not prop their heads with their elbows, Miss Mayuzumi!' He's off-his-nut if he thinks I give a shit how he believes girls should act. He's leaving in the Stone-Age, this is 2006. Oh, damn, she's talking again."
Miss Saeko sighed. "Please, Yukino, do not take me for a fool. You're lucky they aren't pressing charges." Saeko displayed no frustration in her words, she was merely fretful. "Can you please talk to me?" She protested at her students silence.
"Listen, teach, why don't you not take ME for a FOOL! YOU'RE lucky I haven't walk out the door. Don't pretend you care about me either!"
Saeko kept her composure, not faltered at Yukino's exclamation. "If you won't tell me who started the fight," Saeko opened her desk draw. "I'm driving you home." She retrieved her car keys.
Yukino sprung to her feet. "Please…I can walk." She spied the clock; it was six o'clock and the sun was soon to set.
"Not at this hour, young lady!" Miss Saeko exclaimed. "Gang activity is high right now in Mikage, Yukino. I am driving you home!"
Yukino winced; she was a member of the Papillions. They were a notorious name to the small and large gangs of Mikage. If she walked the street she knew the others wouldn't dare mess with a Papillion. Word was the Mikage Police Department was in the process of ridding the streets of the larger gangs.
"She's required to watch over me, right? Not like she wants to to begin with." Yukino thought. "Feh, fine,"
The two drove away from St. Hermelin. Yukino rested on the side of the passenger door. She was tired. "I'll sleep in her car. She can wake me off when we get there. I'm bored from the shit I've been lectured today."
Unfortunately, Yukino's drowsiness was interrupted with Miss Saeko's cell-phone. It was ringing and she hissed sharply before answering it. "Yes, Ichiro, I know I late for dinner. Yes, I know you made reservation at your favorite restaurant. Yes, I know you paid a lot of money. Yes, I know it's our anniversy."
"Feh, must be her boyfriend. He's pissed I made her stay at work."
The receiver crackled in static, the man was yelling. Saeko yelled over him. "I am sorry, Ichiro, but I have something more important to do!" She hung up.
Yukino opened her eyes completely. "More important to do? I'm more important than spending her anniversary with her boyfriend? I'm dreaming right? I'm on Forthright Camera, right? This is a joke. She can't be serious. Her face is fine, she's not shedding a tear. She collected. Maybe he was a dick and she planned to break up with him tonight and used me as an excuse. If not, they'll be done when they meet again."
"Yukino…I'm taking a detour. It's safe and will take a few seconds. I want you to see this before the sun sets."
"Whatever…"
They drove up on a hill. Yukino recognized it when she parked. It was the one of the highest parts of the city next to S.E.B.E.C. It was actually one of the roads she remembered driving into Mikage on. It was night that day and she wasn't interested in her new home. In the present, the sun was setting on the horizon and Miss Saeko went to the guard rail of the hill having Yukino follow her.
"What are we doing here?"
"Your teacher say you watch the window instead of the chalkboard."
"Class is boring."
"You're making excuses. I think you prefer the outside, you like seeing everything, living it. I want you to take your eyes away from the twilight sunset and watch Mikage."
Yukino gave her 'feh' and looked. It was to her chagrin she had to see the life of outside through a window pane, being stuck at desk. She hated shackles. She wanted to roam free to her hearts content. She joined the Papillions for that reason. To do what she wanted, not what her Mother wanted. Not what her Father wanted. Not what her teacher wanted. What she wanted to do. Her Father made them move to Mikage a year ago, saying it would be good for all of them. Her Mother tried to make her grow her hair out, force her to wear clothes she had worn during her childhood and teenage years. Her teachers aspect her and ordered her to conform to the customs and culture of their country, to the concept of honorifics, standards, and concepts she never wanted to learn.
Gazing down to the picturesque city was enlightening to Yukino Mayuzumi. She was incapable of describing what she felt in coherent words or thoughts. Seeing the grassy planes groomed to match the households and business buildings, the stream running through each ward, the nocturnal birds and nature's creatures gathering at the Agastya Tree, the tree with blue and red foliage which due to it's sheer dexterity and height was considered hundreds of years of age, gave her a keen sensation. Is was a type of elation. Her soul was freed. She wanted to stay there for eternity.
The next day, Yukino left the school. The schoolgirls she had the altercation with never pressed charges and thus she was free to leave. Hanya told her this was her last warning. Next time she was caught, he'd laying on her the mother-of-all punishments that she would be mandated by Principle Ooshi and himself to do for the rest of the year.
Yukino was estranged. She wanted to return to the hill again. Her carefree-nature was amplified when she stood there to see Mikage in the dim of the sun betwixt the skyline. From the moment she arrived in Mikage she held disdain and hatred for it. She viewed it as hideous. Her viewing of it change that. She was heading towards the stream to see it was as pure and thin.
A Papillion gang member, who she knew flagged her down when she arrived at the stream. She was surprised to see her there. The girl was standing over something, the standard issue butterfly knife of the Papillions in her hand.
Yukino approached and what she saw made her sick. It was vile. A cat, an innocent cat laid dead, marred and hacked at. Blood seeping from each new orifice.
The Papillion was smirking, smug. If was then Yukino saw the trickles of blood on the butterfly knife. She could smell the fresh trimmed grass washed with blood.
"What's the matter, Mayuzumi? Don't you think it's sweet? The cat didn't even do anything. It was fun." The Papillion rose and kicked the corpse into the stream.
Yukino's eye narrowed, her lips quaking. It was there she lost her "I don't give a shit" attitude. The blood draining tainting the crystal water stream red burned into her sight. She could not stop seeing the dissolving fluids mixing; the pearl blemished.
"You killed a cat for fun?" She said through grit teeth.
"Yeah. All of us do it Yukino. You've never seen one of us pick off birds in the trees."
Yukino grabbed the girl by the throat and slammed her down to the ground. She stomping vigorously on her wrist until it bruised. The knife was dropped. "What kind of sick fucks are you people?!"
"Come on, you knew what you were getting into? You think all we did was knock over liquor stores and drink are selves silly. You have to have a legitimately form of fun some whe-"
Yukino kicked her in the face. "Shut the fuck up!" She pulled her own butterfly out, flicking it open to expose the blade.
"Tell the others," Yukino threw the knife. "I'm out!" It dug in the dirt beside the girls face. "I'm done with you fucks if this is what you do to get off!" She kicked the girl again, knocking her unconscious. Yukino spat on the girl on the way back to the main street.
The next day, Yukino went to Miss Saeko during homeroom to tell her what she had done yesterday. She told her she quit the Papillions. Miss Saeko asked why and Yukino replied: "They weren't who I thought they were." Yukino had joined for the purpose of being free, but those others girls weren't there for the same reasons she was. They thrived on chaos, they were psychopaths. They liked causing trouble, all Yukino wanted was to go her own path.
She reached a conclusion about herself after yesterday. She'd be different. She'd give the town and it's people a second chance. She'd break her ass to gain whatever she needed to make her own path and career. She wanted to capture the feelings she felt on the hilltop. She wanted to share it with others, she wanted to feel it again herself.
"Well, photography would be the best thing to study if you're interest in the scenery. I'm awfully surprised you have altered your mindset and attitude so much in two days."
Yukino smiled. "I've matured I guess. Miss Saeko, can I ask you a question?"
"Yes, Yukino, of course. What is it?"
"The other day, when your boyfriend called…did you truly mean what you said? Was I more important?"
Miss Saeko closed her eyes, smiling. She nodded. "I meant ever syllable. Others may not think or believe teachers care about there students, but I am the greatest possible exception to those rumors and stereotypes, Yukino. I'm here to help whoever I can, an helping and worrying for others is prominent over a anniversary dinner date. Ichiro never sympathized with me on the idea."
Yukino was brought to tears briefly. "Thank you, Miss Saeko." They both smiled.
"Come with me during lunch, I introduce you to some students."
During lunch Yukino was introduced to Naoya Todo, Maki Sonomura, Masao Inaba, and Eriko Kirishima. She informed Yukino of Masao's distinc interest in artistry and Eriko's foreign adventures do to her father's job, explaining it was akin to Mr. Mayuzumi. She spoke of Maki being a frail girl who had compassion for anyone or anything and Naoya who she described was introverted yet confident; a contradiction to Yukino.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Yukino revived, feeling Vesta flowing in the sea of her soul. "Did you show me those in my dreams? Well, I know I'm different. I know I can stand and face this bastard. Tenacity and adrenaline are the only things allowing me to move my legs right now."
Yukino's fear was sent away. She waltz towards Kohryu, spit blood to the side. The rest of the Persona Users were on the ground, wounded and trying to recovery on there own. "You showed me all those days but you never finished the last one. I left school and the gang sent the girl I beat to the gates with a loaded handgun. Miss Saeko put herself between me and the gun. I can never thank here enough for that. I can never share or return her love and caring with gratitude. I'm living my life the way I want, but by the rules. It's what she wants. It what I wants. That is how I repay for all the dumb-ass things I did. For insulting her kindness. I'll put myself between Kohryu and them to find that feeling again. To capture the exact moment and feeling on film again. I want to remember it forever. I want to share it with my friends. I can't die here. I WON'T DIE HERE! KANDORI WON'T WIN!"
Yukino's name was called with earnest from Kei and Naoya's mouths. Her ears were deaf and he feet were locked. A velvet blue mist towered to Kohryu. She glared at the Golden Dragon.
"YUKINO MAYUZUMI, YOU STAND TO DEFEAT ME! BEFORE YOU WERE DROWNING IN HOPELESSNESS! HOW DID YOU RESCUE YOURSELF FROM THE SEA OF DESPAIR! HOW IS IT YOU COME TO HAVE THE MINUTEST BIT OF HOPE IN YOUR SOUL!"
"I remembered why I'm here in the first place!" The velvet blue resonated with her shout. She jabbed the air ferociously. "HA!" Yukino stared down Kohryu who was opening his mouth for his Celestial Ray. "PERSONA!"
A shatter of glass was heard in Yukino's mind. "Thou art I and I am thou! Thou hast proven thyself worthy of the power of the Empress! Thou hast had a revelation of the heart and demonstrated prosperity, creativity, and comfort! Thou hast earned her Ultimate Empress! Vesta hast become Durga, The Shakti Who Can Redeem Situations of Utmost Distress!"
Vesta, the carroty clothed Persona emerged. Her cross-holed mask cracking to pieces, revealing a metallic black mouth guard, yellow pupil and irises with black eyeballs to contrast the onyx diamond embedded in the pale forehead The hood of the sack tore, two mannequin hands clapped around the sides of the red sheet armored head of Durga. The hands were severed at the wrists. The back burst next six complete forearms and hands dawned in black latex with bronze bracelets and gloved hands showed themselves. Two clapped together, flat palmed and bent their elbows to arch the peak formed over Durga's head. The second set bent outward flat palms horizontal angel upward at seventy five degree angles. The last set did the reverse of their previous set, laying flat palmed downwards bent at the opposite seventy five degree angles. The vacant arms of the sack released forth the final two arms of Durga in matching latex, bracelets, and gloves. They were put on her hips, the last remnants of orange colored sack tearing away. Two other severed mannaquin hands groped at Durga's bust. The wrist were pointed up. Her legs were long and slender, styling in garters with onyx diamond designs and pale fabric. Her heels were platinum and six inches. Her dress was hassock at the skirt line, sewn with a golden thread. The formal dress was loose on her lean body, designed with the onyx diamonds trailing along the Russian red frame starting at her pelvis passed her bosom to her next which was covered with the same cushioning gold as the skirt.
"GOOD LUCK YUKINO MAYUZUMI! IF I AM TO DIE HER! I WILL DO IT HONORABLY! CHALLENGE ME! COME FORTH! BRING TO ME YOUR ULTIMATE ATTACK!"
Yukino jabbed again. The gloves gain the radiance of the Frei energy, yellowish green. "DURGA! NUCLEAR MISSILE!" Each hand shot a ray of the Frei color. They converged into one structure right above Kohryu's head. The energy transformed into a nuclear warhead and launched on to Kohryu. The Nuclear Missile obliterated the Golden Dragon, the center of the Four Signs with a wave of concentrated nuclear energy. The implosion and explosion were contained and funneled around the two-miles of Kohryu vaporized his gilded scales and spiritual orbs into liquidation. The proud dragon became a puddle of ooze choked by the mushroom cloud.
Yukino fell to her knees. "How'd you like the magic missile…asshole?" She weakly insulted as Brown would have, collapsing into unconsciousness again.
Before her mind recollected on a certain memory she troubled herself with regaining, a card floated to her. It was Durga standing gratified with all of her arms in the correct positions. This was her Ultimate Empress, her representation of her comfort to life, her friends, the sun, the flowers, the grass. Her path of life was the Empress, of creativity, fertility, and prosperity. Durga was to aid her to gain the sensation, her completion, her happiness again, and share it with others. That was her goal and she'd reach it.
Persona: Be Your True Mind
Yukino entered the placid library St. Hermelin offered. It was kozy and cramp with a total of three tables and bookshelves. No one was there except for one boy with a scarf tucked in his shirt with the number one stitch in it. He wore glasses and was writing complex equations with no errors in record seconds.
"Hopefully, he says yes. I need help." Yukino sat down at the table. "Excuse me?"
"What?" His snobbish voice replied. "I am busy." He never looked from his writing.
"I heard you were the smartest guy here, right?"
"Yes, I am Kei Nanjo." Finally he locked with her stare. It was then he noticed her anxious demeanor.
"I'm Yukino Mayuzumi. I was uh-uh-uh," Yukino was stammering, blushing at his handsome face. "Why am I blushing? Wait, he's blushing, too?"
"I'm flattered, Yukino. I can tell what you want. I am the most intelligent there for you want my help in studying. Am I correct?"
"He's flattered, because I called him the smartest dude. Seriously, well I not humble either." She excitedly nodded. "You bet! I need major tutoring if I'm hoping to make it to sophomore year. Oh, sorry, I mean second year, Kei…uh…is it san."
Kei chuckled. "The honorific would technically be sensei if I am to be your tutor, but in my presence honorifics me nothing. Kei or Nanjo will be fine. The choice is yours."
"Wow, thanks. The honorifics confuse the hell out of me."
He closed his notebook and went for a textbook. "Where shall we begin?"
Persona: Be Your True Mind
(A/N) Well these two should be easy to figure out. Obviously Evil Dead 3 reference THIS IS MY BOOMSTICK yatayatayatayata
Fulkur might be a little harder but it's a letter change of Falkor from Neverending Story because I'm pretty sure he was based on Huang Long in the first place.
Now I know people will be confused with Yukino's back story so I'm gonna try to elaborate where I came up with the idea. In the game it is mention Miss Saeko saved her from herself from being in the game. How she did this is never explained. Miss Saeko deeply cares for her students and will helped them no matter what. This gave me the idea earlier in the story to have a brief recall of when Miss Saeko put herself in between the gun and Yukino to protect her. That is why it was not flashbacked her. Now for the overlook of Mikage and the dead cat. I feel that Yukino would want to go to the gang because they somewhat understood her because she just moved in, she unfamiliar, they welcome her while people at school reprimand her. The whole don't give a shit is her catchphrase of sort because she herself at the time was not matured in body or soul she was selfish and wanted to break the rules of I suppose you can say conformity but it's more of a spiritual thing. She joins the gang because you can say it gives her a sense of freedom, that the laws of Mikage's ugliness and it's customs don't hold her down. She can act how she wants with them. They don't force her to commit crimes and she can flaunt the name of the Papillions (The gang is never named in the series, but I called them Papillion because it's a type of butterfly and the game itself has a butterfly theme.) So she sees the ugliness of the scolding city from it's beautiful point, the point up high were she can see the nature, see the appearance of serenity the pureness. This inspire her soul, she can feel the freedom now in the city because she saw it's true outer and did not keep locked on the inner. Then she sees the people who accepted her, who were comfortable with her kill something innocence. Innocent cat and the pure stream reflects the pureness of inner of the Mikage Yukino now feels free in. The blood of the cat tainting the pureness of the water, symbolizes the gangs polluted the pureness of the inner of Mikage, thus Yukino no longer wants to be part of what taints the inner of what she believes lets her be free. Thus she matures and starts to "give a shit." How she matures her is she was afraid of Kandori getting his way and tainting the world when she had not felt her exact soul freeing experience again. She had not shown her friends it. If she died by Kohryu when she could have stopped it she would never forgive herself so matured even farther to try and fight for the right to live to capture the sensation and share it. Most of this was derived from the fact she becomes a photographer in Persona 2 duology. This is why I felt it needed to be a more symbolic backstory instead of a sentimental mash-up to explain character connections. Though I did explain the connection of Yukino to the others. It was there for obvious reasons. Either way I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Persona: Be Your True Mind and I'll see you next time for Chapter 23: Metatron & Alice!