*Pumps fists* Yes! I beat P3P on the Second Cycle, yet again! I'm on a roll! Anyway, hi to all of you once more! This story's building up, and I am so happy for that. And you know, this fic is really helping me out, too! I'm gonna be writing a novel for my tenth grade personal project this year and this fic is giving me a lot of inspiration! Gah, I'm so happy! And hyper! Just had chocolate and cherry cake, yum! :D
Also, thanks to all of your amazing reviews! A lot of you were hooked up on questions about Zero and you guys seemed to really want this next chapter. Ha, you guys are the greatest! To all of you, I give you Jack Frost dolls, like the ones from the game! *Tosses dolls*
Anyway, lets kick our feet up, grab a drink, and get this chapter rolling!
Disclaimer: The only material I own out of this fic are Shiro, Zero, Heru, the new Velvet Room twins, Oleos, and the Hymn of the Lamb. You'll find out about that later. Alright, lets start!
~Chapter Three: To Fight is to Protect~
His head lulled to one side, bored completely out of his mind since everyone was out. He huffed, long hair that shrouded his entire face tickled very close to his chin. He rested his chin on the heel of his palm, eyes glowering angrily at the dark space that was his room.
'Its too cold. . . And my head hurts. . . And those bastards aren't even back yet with that woodpecker. . . Useless. . .'
Something bright past the curtains that were his bangs, and with a pale hand, he brushed the tendrils behind his ears. He tilted his head, sighing when he saw it was only a the same grey and blue-hooded figure he saw every night.
"Have you found it yet? Have you found the woodpecker?" he asked. The figure shook it's head, the sleeves long enough to cover it's arms with the edges of the long cloak pooling a little by it's feet.
"Really now," The boy shook his head, legs always covered by thin white sheets twisting and almost trapping his frail limbs, "How hard is it catch a woodpecker? And one with a tracker, at that." Sighing once more, he pulled his delicate arms out of the sheet and reached for a stuffed animal a few feet away, it's off-white fur and somewhat long snout representing that it was a fennec. He sighed as he stroked the fox's ears, "Father is going to be displeased with this. First that thing being born. Then myself becoming ill. And now that woodpecker escaped," Yawning and shaking his head, he looked at the figured expectantly, "Well, just don't stand there. Find that woodpecker!" He hissed.
Kneeling to one knee, the figure bowed its head and stood, pulling a card out of its sleeve and tearing it in half, black feathers spinning forth and tangling around it in a furious dance, the figure disappearing in thin air. Sighing and coughing, the boy snuggled into his bed and held his fox close.
'Damn that woodpecker. . .'
Intro:
Shiro: "For as long as I could remember, I was told to see the day to the end, to last through it. Each and everyday of my life, I did what ever I could to see the sun set and rise. But then I got to thinking; What's the point? Everything dies. And one day, I shall die. So what's the point in striving towards the next day?"
"I've heard of something that's been done millions of times. The quickest way to kill yourself. Shoot yourself with a gun. And I must say, it seems to be the most effective. Sure, you're in a state of terror when the moment comes. But when the trigger is pulled and the bullet is launched, the terror is gone. You won't need to be afraid anymore. You're dead."
"But this case is not for myself. With the gun and the abilities I have, I don't die. When I pull the trigger, I do not 'get my brains blown out.' I live. Or rather. . . I am reborn."
"Carpe Diem. . ."
"Memento Mori. . ."
". . . Persona."
(0\U3 1NTRO)
(Day Fifteen. April 15th. 12:00 PM (Dark Hour). Moon phase: Half-Full)
~ Shiro's Status~
Intelligence: Average (+1)
Charm: Adequate (+1)
Bravery: Timid (+1)
Understanding: Minimum (+1)
Shiro felt awkward. Well, as awkward as things could get as he sat in the back of Mitsuru's Limousine with his fellow classmates, all of them wielding some sort of weapon in their hands. He sat between Takato and Cecilia, the male having thick and steeled attachable claws that was dulled with jagged edges, strong enough to mange a person. Thickly corded in Cecilia's hands was a leather whip, looking as lethal as the one attached to Ryuuji's hip.
'OK, no need to feel intimidated or anything. These are your friends and senpai right now. . . Well, given that I don't even know them that well yet, but-'
"Hey, you OK, Shiro-san? You seem jumpy." Questioned Taiga, a large and impressive mallet resting by her feet. Shiro gave a humble look, his shaky hands gently petting Zero's eras, the hound lying his head on the student's lap.
"No, sorry. I guess this is all still new to me. I'm sorry." he apologized.
"There's nothing to apologize about," Sending the young boy a faint smile, Mitsuru calmly spoke to him, "Its not easy to adjust to something as catastrophic as this. Its not a surprise, since this is your only time experiencing this, Shiro-san."
"But is it really alright for me to come? I-I'm still not sure if I can be able to shoot myself with this," He ran his index finger of the raised letters evoker, mismatched eyes clouded with a little fear, "What if I screw up and wind up getting myself killed?"
"There's a big chance of that, dog-turd. But quit overreacting." commented Ryuuji, though he said that a little seriously rather than jokingly.
"Is that suppose to calm him down, or scare the crap out of him?" asked Shuma, the little sword he carried polished, though looking like it could only create flesh-wounds.
"Who said it was suppose to calm him down?" Shark-like smirk set, Ryuuji threw a sly look, "I already told you guys what I think. The kid's shit in the pit. Simple as that."
"Ryuuji-san, that's enough." Said-demanded- Mitsuru, her eyes turning so cold, everyone in the car felt an imaginary shiver run down their spines. Rolling his eyes, the silver-haired teen of the group merely muttered something under his breath, glaring heatedly at Shiro.
"So, uh," Clearing her through, Yukino sent a smile to the bleached-brunette, "Shiro-san, there's no need to worry. Mitsuru-sensei only allowed us to travel the second floor of Tartarus on our first visit. And we'll be in groups, too, since all of us in a huge group just might bring too much of the Shadows' attention." she said.
Cocking his head, Shiro blinked, "What makes you say that?"
"Shadows are either drawn to those without Personas, or the positive energy that has suddenly arrived in Tartarus. Since Shadows are formed from what was once a heart filled with good feelings and happy memories, they are now created by negative emotions, and horrid nightmares," Explained Cecilia coolly, blonde hair particularly shiny under the limo's dim lights, "In order to maintain the control of Shadows per floor, we divided into two or three groups. It provides us more time, and gives us enough ground to cover. Mitsuru-sensei," She turned to the chairwoman, "I think Shiro should stick with our strongest offense and defense members, just to give him enough time to get use to the environment." She offered. Nodding herself, Mitsuru looked at Shiro.
"I see your point. For the meantime, I'll just want you to watch the others, Shiro." She said to him. Shiro gave a somewhat sour look.
"So that means do nothing, right?" He deadpanned. He admitted that he was afraid of his first exploration (A big one at that) but he did discover that there was some sort of odd rush of adrenalin in him that told him he was going to get an adventure out of this. And how could he not? Any new places Shiro got to take, any type that was offered to him, he would take it and make the best of it.
"No worries," Chuckling at the Shinjiro-like look, Mitsuru gave a half smile, "You won't be babysat, but I still want you to take it easy. I only wish that you try not to summon your Persona at this time. I don't think you'll be able to control Osiris this time. That last time was his birth, so he might be a little rouge."
"But-" Suddenly sighing, realization smacked right in Shiro's face, and he bowed his head, ". . . I understand." The limo suddenly pulled to a stop.
"We're here. Come along. The Dark Hour began a while ago," Opening the door, Mitsuru and the students got out of the automatic vehicle and Shiro could only manage to gasp, his whole body almost bending over backwards at what had now happened to the school.
Like various machinery and wooden blocks stacked together, Gekkoukan had now became a tower with a glowing aura, emanating a ominous air that grew Shiro's curiosity, yet still give him a weird feeling in his gut. Someone tapped his shoulder and he looked over, his eyes meeting calligraphy.
Nervous?
He met Kaguya's eyes, and he gave a sheepish look.
"That obvious?" When he got a nod from the silent student, he gave a small shrug, "A little. Think you can show me some of the ropes, Kaguya-san?"
The other gave a small smile and nod, and with a smile back, the two and Shiro's canine walked into the tower with the others.
"Yamagishi, what happened? You're call seemed urgent." Mitsuru said this just as she and the students walked into the lobby, everyone eyeing the creative wall pattern that looked like dripping blue paint, mixed with a soft exterior. Fuuka, Akihiko, Junpie, and Shinjiro sat by the large monument of steps, the entrance shaped with different sized clocks on the peak of the stairs.
"It was odd," Once the group was gathered, Fuuka had began, "I thought it was just an odd feeling, but I somehow felt like a felt something within me. I tested with my evoker and I somehow managed to someone Juno. I. . ." Fuuka sighed, as if she had a major headache, "I just can't wrap my head about this. I'm glad that I'm connected with Juno again, yet I know that something is wrong." She sighed again, taking a seat on the stairs again. Kaguya walked over to her, sitting next to her and patting her shoulder.
"Is there anything else to report?" Asked Mitsuru.
"Yeah. Fuuka found out that there might be someone here, too." Reported Akihiko.
"Yes. Somewhere above the eight floor, I believe." Said Fuuka, looking like she calmed down. Mitsuru thought to herself for a second, before turning to the members of TRUMP.
"Alright. As of today, your objective is to scale above th eight floor of Tartarus and retrieve the missing person. For today, I want at least five of you to intercept this, one of you being the leader, another as the scanner and field support, and last three as fighters. Who's willing to go today. Takato-san?" she asked.
"Heh, don't need to ask twice," He said with a feral grin, red eyes brimming with a ravenous instinct.
"I'll go, too. You guys might need a healer on this." Volunteered Shuma. Yukino gave a small smile.
"I'll cover field service. It's not what I'm use to but I can still try." She said.
"I'm going in. It's about time I see some more action." Smirked Ryuuji.
"Very well. That leaves one more. Shiro-san, since you seem to be a responsible person, I want you to lead the team today. However," She saw the look of fright even past those glasses, "I only want you to watch and observe."
"But then how does that make me the leader? I mean, I can't even fight." Stated the narcoleptic teen.
"Whether you can fight or not isn't what I'm focused on. As I've said, I chose you since you look like you'll be able to keep an eye on everyone as this goes on. Can you do that? Can I trust you with this?" She asked. In a state of panic, Shiro would disagree with this, disregarding that all of this was happening to him. But know knowing that his fellow classmen and upper-classmen were poised and ready for battle, he gave a curt nod, his hand slightly to his evoker, which was holstered on his pants' thigh pocket.
"Yes."
Zero whined and nuzzled the brunette's leg, large brown eyes filled with concern. Smiling, and knowing that his dog would not be able to go with him, Shiro knelt down and hugged his furry creature, giving a small laugh as the large dog lapped at his face.
"I'll come back. Promise." He promised, petting Zero. Giving a whimper, the large dog padded over and sat by the others, moving to his stomach and hiding his eyes behind his white-toed paws.
Separating, those who stayed behind wished the others good luck in their own ways, knowing that they would see them again yet also recalling that they could get hurt out of this. Shiro stood by, close in the center with the others. He could tell that Takato and Ryuuji were ready, the darker skinned male sharpening his steel claws with a grin while Ryuuji was flicking his wrist with his chained shuriken as if they were yo-yos, four attached to each of his hands. Shuma and Yukino were standing behind him, the only female of the search party holding a slim and light naginata, Shuma looking away from the whole thing with his knife held between his fingers.
'Wait, don't I need a weapon, too?'
"Remember, be cautious and go as far as you can." Warned Mitsuru one last time. With this in their minds, the group ascending the marble steps until they reached the top. Takato made a jump and grabbed the wheel that held the door in place, yanking it down and prying open the door. A cold wind blew over the group and Shiro took one look back, his eyes only managing to catch the steely-colored pair that was Shinjiro's before he and the others were swept onto the next floor.
His feet landed on something soft, something like newly-installed carpet. He looked around with the others, eyes taking in the walls that were dripping with what looked like blood, the same felt-like wallpaper all around them, tiled floors cracked as if they were hit by rifles.
*Can you guys hear me?*
Jumping at Yukino's echoing voice, Shiro made a double take at every point, noticing that the orangette had suddenly disappeared.
*Loud and clear,* Shiro watched in amazement, surprised to see Takato looking at the ceiling with his eyes narrowed, his thoughts coming as clear to Shiro as if played on a microphone, *No Shadows found so far. We'll scout around and find a weapon for bub here and we'll see what we find.*
Takato shook his head and looked at the others, than Shiro, giving the younger an odd look.
"Shit, not even a twitch. Only your first time and you're not even falling." He muttered, almost to himself.
"Pardon?" asked Shiro, tilting his head. Takato shook his head, stern silent and lone once more.
"Never mind." Cracking his neck, the black-haired third-year looked around, inspecting the area.
"No Shadows," Shuma looked around himself, flipping his knife in his hand once, "Must be because we're only on the second floor. Be ready for anything." He stated.
"This place looks more and more like a shit hole. Huh, gotta wonder if it changes." Mumbled Ryuuji, still swinging his shuriken a bit. Shiro had to look at these three, and give a small shake of the head.
'I don't usually complain, but I seriously have to wonder how I get stuck with the three most quiet/insane/and/or disturbing people on my first time here.' Shaking his head again, Shiro tucked a few of his stray bands away from his eyes, looking around a bit before nodding.
"So. . . We should head. . . This way." He said, taking a few steps in the direction he pointed out. He stopped, hearing nothing at first before hearing the others follow him. He smiled a little at that. At least they weren't disagreeing with him, and at least willing to listen to him.
A gleaming light caught his eye and he stopped himself, walking over to the corner and looking at the silver suit case. Kneeling down, he opened it, cocking his head when he saw that there was a scythe that almost beat his height, the metal twisted like tree roots and the blade polished and sharpen with a dull edge. Lying near it was a pair of glasses that looked similar to the one's Shiro wore. Removing his own pair, Shiro slipped on his new ones, blinking as he saw that his sight was ten times better.
"Amazing." He said to himself, pulling himself up and tucking his glasses into his pocket, his scythe balanced on his right shoulder. Something suddenly growled behind him and he turned, his blood running cold.
It reminded him of black turpentine, the blob of whatever it was oozing and twitching, a blue mask covering what could be its face. It hissed and snapped at him, claw like hands rising from its mass and ready to swipe. Shiro took long steps back, his hands subconsciously gripping his weapon. His heart was racing and his cold sweat was causing him to shiver.
"St-Stay away!" He squeaked, gasping as the blob launched its at him. His hands fumbled to his evoker at the last second.
"Per-Perso-!"
"Duck, bub!"
Something tore through the air, a horrible screeching filling the air, and Shiro could only fall to his back side as Takato leaped in front of him, his feral claws gripped. Takato gave a satisfied grin, taking a sprint forward and swiping his claws at the beast once more. Splattering remains of the blob stained the wall and they all quivered and whined before taking the forms of the miniature blobs, masks that held the emotion of crying on them and all of them hissing like the creature before.
"Shit. Fuckers' can reproduce," Growled Takato, looking once over his should to Shiro, shaking his head before scratching his twin weapons, "Guess we gotta take 'em on our own."
"I told you!" Ryuuji popped up, leaping over one of the Shadows and knocking it away with his chained, steeled-stars, "I told you we shouldn't have bought him!" He argued, angrily swiping back his weapon.
"Less lip, more action!" Barked Takato, not wanting to admit that the younger was a little right. It wasn't the right time to bring in Shiro. He just wasn't ready. Shaking off those thoughts, he retracted his claws to the confinements of his leather jacket sleeves and whipping out a silver-coated, Taurus .17 hmr tracker revolver, pointing it to his head with one hand.
A cool rush of adrenalin passed through every nerve of his body, the sound of powerful wind breaking the glass walls of his conscious, and every emotion in his body screaming that he was going to die. With a regressive grin, he took in a deep breath and shouted what came from within, his pointer finger snapping the trigger.
"Sic' em, Cú Chulainn!"
As intense and exhilarating like a liquid fire igniting his heart, an odd blue fog coiled and released around the eldest of the team, something taking form in front of Takato. Standing before him was a ravenous-looking man, his thickly corded and well-muscled body inked with blue tribal tattoos, his body clothed with a green-grey flannel trousers with a torn, beige cloth, two red belts criss-crossed around his hips with a golden buckle. Metallic gauntlets and boots strapped his free limbs and his green-grey coat flew with his wildly long, crimson-red hair. His amber-gold eyes were sharp and killer as a wolf's. In perfect sync, Takato and his Persona's eyes turned equally ravage.
"Torrent Shot." Growled Takato, Chulainn raising the sword sheathed at his hip, drew back the shield he held, and he went pouncing forward, his weapon multiplying into ten and striking three Shadows. The three screeched and hissed as they were diminished easily.
"Cowardly Maya. Tch, what shit. Sit back and watch, pup-turd," Crackled Ryuuji, his fingers caught in the trigger of a specialized gun, sleek enough to be a rapid pistol. The sheer coolness and speed that sent his nerve-endings in a frenzy as he shot himself with an invisible bullet, his eyes dilating once.
"Bring it, Rikudo!" He called, the odd mist of energy erupting from under his feet. His silver hair flew as a lean and swift warrior landed before him, kneeling on one knee. His white-blonde hair cropped around his elfin-like ears, his blue-green eyes zoning in on the Cowardly Maya. His blue and green tunic, combined with his black trousers and grey and torn cloak, gave him a sinister appearance. His white angelic wings were ruffled yet mutilated, as if demon wings were bleached white. The once-angel held a smirk similar to Ryuuji's.
"Shadow Dance." Chanted Ryuuji, grin widening as Persona warped into a streak of a black and murky creature, its speed charging in and destroying the remaining Shadows. A sudden green mist enveloped around Takato and Ryuuji, a wisp of the mist surrounding Shuma and Shiro. Once again, all was silent in Tartarus.
"Looks like you two won't be needing Medicine," Observed Shuma, looking a little bored even after watching what had happened.
*Are you guys OK?*
*Not sure if Takebaka is. Little shit almost got himself mauled by Cowardly Maya.* Snickered Ryuuji through his mind link.
*Shiro-san?*
*I-I'm fine.* Recollecting of what he thought about the mind links, Shiro tried his best to keep his thoughts calm, *I just wanted to see what I can find. I'm sorry for not thinking of what could happen. B-But I did manage to find myself a weapon!*
*That's not the point,* Takato sighed, as if her were lecturing a child, *As a leader, you gotta stick with us, bub. One mistake, and it can get us in the scrap, too. Damnit. . .* It sounded as if the older was gaining a major headache.
"Lets move on. Shiro-san, just stay behind with the rest of us." Stated Shuma to the newest member, almost sternly. Shiro lowered his eyes, guilt coursing into him.
"I'm sorry. . ." He whispered feebly, trying to repair whatever trust he held with them. Takato was too far ahead to hear. Ryuuji was following behind. Shuma only shook his head twice before following the other two. Sighing and pressing the staff his new weapon over his right shoulder, Shiro trekked behind them.
"Looks like we got a few moths caught under our web." Swaying his head to the side once, eyes in the bright color of the sun, the boy wrapped up in soft sheets looked to his hooded follower, "I don't like it. I want that pathetic woodpecker placed in chains. But now I have to deal with these insects?" He looked at the emotionless eyes of his stuffed animal, fluffing the colorless tail, "That just won't do."
"Let me take care of them, master." The figure's voice was rasped and twisted with something demotic. The boy shrugged, his eyes desolating and extinguishing of their bright light.
"Do what you will. Oh, and try not to get too much blood over my castle." He warned, giving a muffled noise as he tucked himself back into bed, his fox's furry head tucked under his chin. He could hear the figure's sweeping father's whisk him away, leaving him to fall back into dreamless and unpleasant sleep.
". . . Resting. . . Valley. . ."
"Huh?"
Shiro stopped, straining his ears and listening,
". . . Lamb. . . Will sleep. . ."
"Takeba-san?" Shuma was stopping when he realized the paler teen had stopped talking, shoulders tensed and head tilted one way. Shiro looked at the other, shaking his head.
"Sorry, thought I heard something." He said.
"Like a Shadow? Hime-san said nothing about anything on this floor." Shuma talked this quietly, as if debating with himself. He looked forward, seeing that the two elders were scouting just a little away. They were on the seventh floor, after all, and they had yet to heard of anything from Yukino. It was almost as if they had lost connections with her.
"I just. . . Thought I heard a. . . uh, a lullaby." Said Shiro, rather lamely with an embarrassed look.
"Lullaby?" Shuma looked at the temporary leader as if he had grown a second head. Something of a yell of pain suddenly cut off their conversation and the two looked at each other before high-tailing it to where Takato and Ryuuji had went off. Their feet squeaked and slid against the tile as they pulled to a halt.
"Cousland-san?!" Shuma could only give a slightly gaping look that broke his calm look, his eyes following the red-haired girl as she was caught in the grasp of a dark purple Shadow that blistered and sizzled with at least six tentacles, masks attached to each of them. Takato was holding back against two of the tentacles as they tried to hit him in any of his defenseless spots. Ryuuji was pulling with all his might at one of the long appendages with his chains, his teeth gritted from how strong the Shadow was. With a push of courage in his system, Shuma pulled out and pointed the barrel of his 99mm handgun to his temple. A cold breath escaped his lips and the fear of the Shadow was washed away, his frost-colored eyes sealing on the Shadow's form.
"Persona. . ." He whispered, pulling the trigger and his head flinching once. Cold blue winds wrapped around him as man with hair as blonde and beseeching as white-gold tied in a ponytail and held with a metal band took a stance onto the field. His skin was in the color scheme of Yin and Yang, a midnight-black on one side, a snow-white on the other. His eyes were nearly closed, the slightest of his pupils surrounded by a glowing yellow color. He wore baggy white pants with a black, loincloth-like piece at the front with a monochrome symbol of the sun sewn on it, his torso bared and lean. Resting and held over his shoulder was a large mallet, a shield held in his other hand.
"Cover me!" Called out Shuma as he dashed forward with his Persona at his side, the both of them springing into the air, and performing a quick spin, the both of them out-stretching one leg and striking the Shadow.
"Iapyx, Garu Boost!" Called the blonde, Iapyx's struck leg churning with speeding winds tattered with Autumn leaves and whirlwinds knocking the Shadow off its balance. Sarah took her chance and she pried herself away from the Shadow, narrowly landing on her feet before she revealed her own evoker, poised and modeled similar to how SEES originally had them, but it was coated in a black metal with orange flames. With her mind in tuned with what her heart was telling her, she rose her Persona summoner near the side of her head. Breathing deeply, she released the trigger.
"Crush them, Gawain!" She hollered, the blue mist that summoned her Persona surrounded her, a young man as tall and well-built as any knight appeared, his red-brown hair curled in handsome ringlets, yet most of it kept under the headdress of a lion's head, his amethyst-purple eyes looked in with a strong will. His body was garbed in the colors of gold, indigo, and emerald, chain mail wrapped around his arms and legs with a iron sword sheathed in a golden scabbard. Pulling out said sword, both human and Persona ran forward and swung their swords, stainless-steel ripping through the murky skin of the Shadow. Blubbering incoherent mutterings, the Shadow blew away in black specks, dusting into an unknown space.
"That was. . . Amazing. . ." Breathed Shiro, gripping his bladed weapon and shaking where he stood.
"It's a surprise to see you here, Cousland-san." Said Shuma, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"You guys, too. I didn't think T.C would be right when he said there might be others who had Personas." commented the swordsgirl, her large sword hilted on a sheath slung over her Shadow.
"T.C?" Asked Takato, he and Ryuuji holding their weapons. Sarah nodded, her stamina recovered and her breath back in her.
"Yeah. Sakaki-san, Sebastian-san, T-san, Sora-san, and I have been exploring here for at least a week. How long have you guys been here?" She made a double take on Shiro, "And who's the new guy?"
"Shiro. He moved into the dorm a while back and he's on the team now. But besides that, where are the others, Cousland-san?" asked Shuma. The redhead's eyebrows knotted together, as if the people mention were vaguely told to her.
"I. . . I don't remember," She muttered, scratching the back of her head," We just came in through the school like we usually do. But we somehow got separated. I don't know how."
"Maybe you guys were the one's Yamagishi-san was getting about. You know, the ones missing in Tartarus." Assumed Takato, holding his chin in one hand.
"Didn't Chairwoman-tan say there was only one person missing?" asked Takato, his voice snarky yet questioning. As if he predicted a premonition, a creepy flute whistle blew in the area and the four of them swore that something- someone- was watching them.
"Why do I even bother?"
Everyone whipped their heads in different directions, trying to find out who the owner of the voice. Shiro was sure he heard the voice somewhere before.
"I bend-over-backwards for everyone, helping out in anyway I can. Any favor, any kind of trouble someone was in, I'd do whatever I could," A sort of dried chuckled followed with the voice, "I guess it just comes naturally. After all, I've been doing this shit ever since I was kid. Even my mom and grandparents depend on me. And what do I get in return? Nothing, that's what. And what have I've been doing about it? Just smiling like a freakin' saint and going about it as if it were nothing. Heh. . . What bullcrap."
"That. . . Sounds like Laurent-san!" Gasped Shiro, eyes widening when the tired and empty voice was that of his senpai's.
"So he must be the one trapped up here." Muttered Takato, a disgruntled look twisting on his face.
*You got that right.*
*Yuki-san? What happened? How did we lose contact with you?* Asked Shiro, relieved that the scanner of the group was connected to them again.
*Fuuka-san and I have been looking over the other floors of Tartarus. Sorry, we must have lost connections when the odd presence we detected interrupted with our frequency. From what we could detect, its escaped to the next floor. But be careful too, guys. This presence is much stronger than the last Shadows you encountered.* She warned, separating from them once more.
"Well, if we got something waiting, we might as well get going." Said Ryuuji, looking excited for the battle.
"Mind if I tag along with you guys? Back-up never hurts and I bet we can find the others sooner, too." Said Sarah, giving a friendly smile.
"Might as well." With a shrug, Takato unsheathed his claws and moved ahead, Sarah and Shuma backing him up.
"Don't fall behind, dog-shit." Snickering, Ryuuji ran after the others, Shiro only giving a growl under his breath before following them across the tiled floors. As the five of them closed in on the staircase to the next floor, Shiro raised his head up, looking to the ceiling.
'Please be alright, senpai.'
Scaling the steps together, the group made it to a wide and open floor. It differed from the others, different splashes of paint and crudely drawn sketches all over the walls, black fire lit by towering torches around the room. With the middle of the floor modeled with a rising floor, they all looked over to person sitting on a wooden stool, their back hunched with a paint brush in their hand, a bottle of black pain resting on their lap. The painter's movements were quick and agile, very in depth and sunk into their drawing. The person was dressed in a dirty and torn robe, their feet bare and a blue Roman tragedy mask over their face.
The voice had came back again, Seymour sounding as if all happiness was sucked away from him.
"See? Look at all I have done! Notice me! Look at all these drawings. What, they don't impress you? They aren't WORTHY for your praise?!" The voice was suddenly breathing rapidly and the painter on the stool was shaking and trebling. The torches were suddenly dimming and the group huddled with their weapons, ready for anything.
"Well, fine. . . How's this piece of work!?"
The black fames suddenly erupted and span around the masked person, the latter now painting frantically from his canvas. Holding out the painting of a three-headed dog, the flames around him burned the paper and the black soot formed and piled together, giving a sizzling sound as the dog from the painting was formed, the beast dressed in ragged sheets that were dirtied and torn. It snarled at the team before pouncing to them, angered as its creator.
"Split up!" Shouted Takato, everyone scrambling in different directions.
The Shadow looked angered beyond all rational emotions, it's limbs stetting forward and suddenly chanting haunting words.
"I am a Shadow. I spin the wheel of thy Fortune. I reveal the path before you, from its opportunities to its demises. Regardless of the surroundings, I assist with the roll of life's purchases, taking whatever the dice lands on, seizing and creating thou's density. I am Fate, the Bearer of Cruelty. I am you. . ."
The Shadow threw its hand and clenched it.
"You're gonna deny my honest and great work!? YOU ASSHOLES! Have a look at this one, then!" Leaping away, the painter leaped over his three-headed monster dog and quickly painting something else, tearing off his painting and throwing it over the dangerous mutt.
Like a new skin, the dog was transformed into a slithering and poisonous snake, its scales spiked with hundreds of spines and its fangs dripping with a green acid. It coiled and span to the group, its head snapping one way and its tail snapping another. Takato had managed to catch the fangs in his claws while Sarah had braced her sword from the monster's tail.
"No. . . Stop it! Shut up! Just. . . JUST SHUT UP!"
Shiro was sure he could hear Seymour crying that out from somewhere. He just had to find out where he was.
"This is not good," Shuma and Shiro were circling around the snake, either trying to find a way to attack or a way to get to the painter, "the Chairwoman has been telling us of this."
"What exactly is this?" Asked Shiro, wincing as Takato was being forced back by the snake's sharp teeth.
"Its something that didn't occur back then, mind you. Remember when we told you that Shadows are made up negative emotions and unstable thoughts? Well, it could also be manifested into a form when someone with the Potential is not willing to accept the flaws or bed feelings within them. My guess is that Laurent-san isn't willing to accept something inside him, and his Shadow has taken form into this painter who can create Shadows with his drawings." Explained the blue-eyed fighter, shoving both himself and Shiro out of the way of a flying trail of black fire.
"Is there anyway we can stop this?" Chocked Shiro, his fear only rising as Shuma looked away.
'What can we do?' Shiro asked himself, only becoming more afraid, 'How can we stop something that's come from someone's heart? Do we need to find senpai and help him beat this Shadow? But then what? Would he still be willing to accept what he denies? Someone. . . Please. . . Someone just tell me the answer!' He shut his eyes, and waited for something, anything that could help him. He knew he couldn't use Osiris. And he had no idea how to use the weapon he found, 'Damnit. . . I'm too useless!'
". . . Sheppard. . . Watch. . . Peace. . ."
'There's that voice again. . . Seriously, where have I heard this before?' The brown-haired boy gripped the chain that held his hourglass. He heard a soft padding behind him, and he looked over his shoulder, eyes widening when he saw a head of snowy-blonde hair.
"Heru?"
"Hi, Aniki!" Smiling brightly, Heru gave a wave, his stuffed falcon held close, "How do you like this place so far? Isn't it pretty?"
"Not. . . Not really. . ." Whispered Shiro, shock still shown on him, his senses now concerned and very worried, since he knew that Heru was probably too young to have a Persona or something to protect him. Though that still led him to wonder how the child had managed to get to this floor on his own.
"Don't ignore me. . . LOOK AT ME, GODDAMNIT! SEE ME AND SEE WHAT I CAN DO! That's it! NO MORE! I CAN'T TAKE NO MORE!" The fames erupted more and more and the painter spilled the black paint all over the snake and roaring as it's body morphed into a hideous dragon with purple and black spines, green smoke seething from it's nostrils, "Prepare for Hell, you little rodents!"
"His power. . . It's going to go berserk!" Yelled Takato.
The dragon's hideous form lugged to and fro in agony, as if something sinister was controlling it. It's blood-colored eyes laid on Shiro, the green smoke swirling in its jaws and nostrils, flaring with an acid-green fire. Bellowing angrily, it took charge and leap to the unsuspecting student.
"Shiro, look out, behind you!" screamed Sarah, her warning far too late as the boy turned and barely managed to shield his arms over himself, his eyes shutting and his lungs ready to give out with a cry of fright.
"AHHHHH!"
He could feel the dragon's breath brush around him, the heat causing him to sweat with condensation fogging his glasses. Yet there wasn't a searing pain on any part of his body, nor did he feel disoriented from a great impact. A weight a bit heavier than his own fell over him and Shiro could barely manage a squawk of surprise as he tumbled over, his arms coming around something, his right hand meeting with a sticky and warm substance.
"Sh-Shit. . . You're. . . You're such a. . . a goddamn pain in the ass. . .!"
Heterochromatic eyes snapping open, Shiro stared at the owner of that ragged voice, squeaks of disbelief squeezing out of his diaphragm as Ryuuji's body was leaned over him, the elder's body racking with coughs. Shiro felt something gather and stain the cuffs of his shirt and he raised one of his hands, eyes widening and nose filling with the wet-iron smell of blood, the red liquid drying on his hands and shirt. His hands lowered to where they were, his stiff body barely able to register Ryuuji's shaking form.
"Ry. . . Ryuuji. . . San?" He questioned fearfully, hoping he wasn't seeing what he though he saw. A cold hand gripped the shoulder of his vest and Ryuuji himself gave a shallow breath.
"You gonna. . . Cry?" He rasped, holding back any sounds of pain from the deep gashes on small of his back. He was doing his best to smirk, whether to show he could handle the pain, or to show Shiro that he was alright, he wasn't sure, "Cry over me? Heh, that's a . . . first, ain't it?" He gave a laugh, the sound turning into a grunt of pain as the heat of the area stung his wound. He felt a hand on his neck, and all thoughts of teasing the younger boy were out of his mind, his head being pushed back, his eyes meeting Shiro's. He gave a dry gulp.
Shiro was crying. Tears were gathering in his eyes and trailing down his cheeks, the different colors of those eyes held glistening with confusion and remorse.
". . .Why?" Shiro whispered, Ryuuji shocked out of his mind. Never in his life did he believe that someone would cry over him. And Shiro, his newest prey to tease, was the last person he expected to do such an action. Something in his gut turned, and he wanted to stop those tears. He had no idea why.
Ryuuji bowed his head forward, his grey-haired head resting on Shiro's shoulder, his raspy breathing now in slow pants. His vision was turning against him yet he still wanted to be able to look Shiro in the eye.
"How the. . . How the fuck should I know?" He growled, suddenly angry with himself. Why did he jump in the dragon's way and protect the newest member? "My body. . . It. . . I just moved on its own," He grasped the collar of Shiro's shirt, looking at the boy with a demanding look, "Listen, Takebaka. . . You have to. . . You have to awaken your Persona. I don't know what shit you pulled at the Full-Moon operation, B-But. . ." The corners of his eyes were blackening, heat flashes causing him to breath more deeply, "You-You have to. . . Fuck, summon him!. . . If you d-don't. . ." His head fell on Shiro's shoulder, eyelids drooping, trying to resist comatose, "You can. . . You can do it. I. . . I know you. . . C-can. . ." His entire body fell forward, gasping weakly and laying still.
"Ry-Ryuuji-san?" Shiro shook him once, getting no response, "Ryuuji-san. . . Ryuuji-san!" Crying out the older's name, Shiro shook and shook him, trying to wake him up, the younger's fear only spiking as he felt no pulse under the pale skin, "No. . . no. . ." A shuddering weep left his lips and he threw his head back, shaking and crying.
N. . . NO! HE CAN'T BE DEAD! HE JUST CAN'T!"
Crying until no other tears were left, Shiro held Ryuuji's form to him, sobbing and begging for the silverette to be brought back to life. The others could hear what had happened. They knew they had to get to Shiro and calm him down. But Seymour's Shadow was blacking them, its snake twisting and coiling its body in anyway it could to keep the Persona-users at bay.
Shiro felt a hand touch his shoulder, and his blotchy face looked up to meet Heru, the child looking at him with a blank expression.
"He's not dead."
"W-What?"
"He's not dead," Sitting down and turning Ryuuji onto his back, the little boy patted his silver head, "His Persona's been knocked out. Because of the connection lost between them, his life source has just been placed in a temporal comatose," He took Shiro's hands, easily helping him back to his feet, Shiro surprised by his strength., "He told you to summon your Persona. Aniki, this is the only was you can save your friends and protect the person, whose heart is hearting right now," With a small smile, Heru gave a light nod, "You can do it, Aniki. I know you can."
Shiro stared at the mysterious child, disbelief evident in his puffy eyes. He then looked at Ryuuji, then to his still fighting friends, and finally to his hands, his fingers aground the staff of his scythe. He took in a breath, looping his weapon through his belt loop. He grabbed his evoker, taking a few steps to the battle before stopping. He spoke in a tenor that was laced with dominance.
"Look after Ryuuji-san."
Knowing that Heru was nodding, Shiro took his last steps forward, stopping and looking up at the floating Shadow, the hallow eyes of its mask staring at him, not making him flinch.
"I'm not afraid of you," Shiro's uneasy fingers suddenly stilling, "I might be a little confused. I might be a little worried. Hell, I want to wish that all of this is a dream. But. . ." He looked up, mis-colored eyes both turning into a platinum-silver.
"I'm not afraid of you."
"Fuckin' bastard!" The Shadow screamed as its fires span around it, arches of its anger ranging and spanning around the graffiti room, "I'll make you EAT your words!"
"Good luck!" Snapped Shiro, aiming his gun in his hand with the other tucked into the breast pocket of his vest, almost close to his heart. His eyes sealed and his pulse shot through his system like a drum, his ears faintly hearing the waves of the Nile of Egypt. A cold breath gathered in his mouth and the odd mist of blue surrounded him, pale-brown hair flying like spider plant leaves.
"Per. . ."
His pointer finger released the trigger.
"So. . ."
The blue mist whipped wildly, a shadow looming over him.
". . .Na. . ."
Both a pair of crimson eyes and pair silver eyes snapped open in unison.
"Persona!" The blue mist formed into savage flames, untying Shiro's long hair and ruffling his usually well-pressed yet loose clothing. A crack of glass shattered into the fabric of the air and Shiro could hear Osiris through his mind, looking through Egypt's God of the Deceased.
"I am thou. . .
And thou art I. . .
From the sea of thy soul, I come. . .
I am thou who has sacrificed for those who were sacrificed.
My silence is my gold, thy truth be my victory. . .
I am the Lord of Silence. . .
Osiris. . ."
The man that Shiro had seen nights before stood before him, his jackal-headed scepter gripped in his right hand. Both master and Persona looked at each other, Osiris' monstrous eyes daring Shiro to utter a word. Giving off a demanding glare, Shiro cast his hand forward, his voice low yet fiery.
"Get the snake." He growled, Osiris snapping to attention and teleporting to the beast, his staff igniting with blazing fire. Throwing his arm back, Osiris dueled with the snake, the reptilian beast countering with its tail as its sword. Shiro could actually feel the powerful blow of the tail, almost knocking him off balance as he walked to the Shadow.
Heru was swaying on his feet, murmming faint words that only Shiro could hear.
"~Resting by the valley,
The little lamb will sleep,
The shepherd's kept his watch on him,
He knows that lamb holds peace.~"
Shiro paused and looked up at the Shadow again, knowing that someone was glaring at him from behind those hallow eyes.
"~The wolves, with snapping jaws of blood,
They want the lamb with hungry lust.
Meat they want, but truly more.
Wool to tear, and bones to crush.~"
"What can I do to stop it?" Shiro asked himself. He considered trying to put out the flames but he knew that was most likely impossible. His hand went reflexively to his evoker, his mind screaming and his conscious now knowing what to do.
Taking aim, Shiro shut one eye as he pointed the barrel of the gun at the Shadow.
"~Flying by with a pecking beak,
The woodpecker with sugar-coated tweets,
He wants to help the little lamb,
Whatever reason, lies beneath the sand.~"
"Lock and load. . ." Taking in a breath, Shiro fired, "Awaken and release!"
The undetectable bullet of awakening flew through the air and struck the Shadow directly at its chest, something that looked like a green fog. The mass of energy landed and the floor, crumpling and forming into the shape of a human. Shiro walked over to it, his eyes widening at the site of familiar brown hair.
"Senpai!" Shiro ran over and helped the older student sit up, the latter groaning and cracking open one of his grey eyes.
"~Come shepherds, come kings,
For this begins anew,
You want to help the lamb as well,
You know that this is the truth.~"
"S-Shiro-san? What the. . . Just what's going on? Where are we? The last thing I heard were the things that. . . That thing said. . ." His voice was at lost, his body shivering since he still wore his hospital gown.
"Senpai, that thing came from what you hold within you. it's a part of you." Said Shiro carefully. Seymour looked at him oddly, suddenly shaking his head, shutting his eyes.
"That's a lie! Th-There's not way that could be me! I've never wanted attention!" He shouted, the sound of the black fires roaring in their ears, the Shadows trembling and twitching in the air.
"Takeba-san, you got to talk to him. Convince him, do anything to make him see the truth!" Takato yelled this over the flames.
"No, I can't do that!" Yelled Shiro, jumping as the fames nearly caught him on fire. He quickly shoved Seymour out of the way, making sure he wouldn't be caught in the flames. He felt a pain in his shoulder, catching Osiris having its frame wrapped in the snake's tail. He let out a hiss of pain as he felt the telepathic pain within him.
"Shiro-san!" Everyone watched as the boy flew in mid-air, his rams and legs being crushed like Osiris'. Seymour felt his throat go dry.
'What can I do?'
He blinked, his hand fisted around the handle of something. He raised his hand into his vision, eyes enlarging at the silver gleam of a M1911 pistol.
"I. . . Where'd this. . ." He was at a lost for words, his heart suddenly knocking in his ribs. He could feel an ice cold feeling run down his spine, and his breath suddenly came in sort pants. His eyes foggily looked to his Shadow, the being that stood for all that he was. His foggy vision suddenly turning the whole room turn black. It was only him, and his Shadow. Faintly, he could hear a child's voice murmur a hymn. Shaking that feeling away, he walked over to the Shadow.
"Please, calm down," He whispered, sighing as the person in beggar's clothing was floating to the ground. It's shoulders were twitching and it looked pitiful in its clothing.
"You don't understand," It muttered in a twisted voice, sadness wavering in its words, "No one does. They see why I do these things. They don't see why I do whatever I can to be seen. No one. . . No one. . ."
"You're wrong," The foreigner made it in front the painter, taking the canvas and paintbrush in its hands and putting them down. Carefully and genteelly, he placed his hands around the artist's mask, "And I know this, because. . ." He pulled away the mask, smiling softly, "You're me."
Every feature was that of his own, only tears were sliding down the doppelganger's cheeks. Seymour patted its face, giving a friendly smile.
"Hey, none of that, alright?" Chuckling, the real Seymour patted the Shadows short hair, "You were only upset. Actually, you were letting out what I've always denied. Yeah, I always helped people without giving thought about what would happen in the end. But the point of it all was never to be acknowledge or to have someone tell me, "Hey, good job." It felt like it was for a bit, but now you showed me that I was wrong." Grinning confidently, the brunette picked up the lone paint brush, the hairs at the end of it glowing. With a vision in mind, he began to paint over his Shadow's features.
"I want to make others happy. I never wanted to see anyone become sad or lost because they couldn't do something they wanted to accomplish. I wanted to help them, to allow them to do whatever they could to help. I've been doing that ever since I was a kid. And whenever a person was happy, I was happy then, too. And it was because of you who made me realize this," His strokes were forming long sea-foam-green tendrils, spilling over the young man's shoulders. His brush speckled over the hide of a terrifying sea monster wrapped around a sculpted body, the tail of the monster forming a silver belt while the monster's head resting on the man's shoulder. He added sandals with feathered wings, golden chains around the man's wrists, a white tunic, and a silver shield on the man's left hand. He painted a reed of turquoise gems around the man's long hair and he finally designed the man's soft brown eyes, "You are me. . . And I am you. . . Perseus."
The once-Shadow gave a kind smile, his new appearance glowing with blue mist. The area around them was once again to where they once were and Seymour now looked ready. With a grin, he called out his true power.
"Persona! Come forth, Perseus!"
A rush of energy made his knees knock together as Perseus took ran at the speed of sound, murmuring something only the newest Persona-user could hear.
"I am thou. . .
And thou art I. . .
From the sea of thy soul, I come. . .
I, who leads thee to the truth. . .
Who's heart holds the bonds of others. . .
I am the Vigilant of Companionship. . .
Perseus. . .
"Perseus! Paralyze!" Called Seymour, his eyes glowing brightly with his Persona's as the titan spun into the air and throw his shield at the snake. Like a Frisbee did the shield spin to the snake's face. The monster looked at its reflection, giving a quiet hiss before freezing up, its tail releasing Osiris. Shiro gasped and he dropped to the ground, wheezing and gain his composer back. He could hear Heru's voice, though he had no idea where the child went.
"~Run, oh lamb! Run, oh lamb!
Freedom is not but a fantasy!
There beyond your valley,
Is something more than destiny!~"
*Shiro-san! Laurent-san! The Shadow is ready to be defeated. Perform a combo attack, quickly!* Yelled Yukino through the mind link, the two boys looking at each other briefly. The both of them nodded and they whipped their evokers at themselves, narrowing their eyes great bursts of power ignited from the seas of their souls.
"Persona! Foolish-Fortune-Combo!" Flames and howling winds twined against the two, their Persons glowing the combined power, the two "masks" dashing forward and raising their weapons, bring them down and striking the snake with burns and wind scars snaring its scaled skin.
The snake cried wildly, giving its last breath weakly before it fell to the ground, disappearing till it was only the black ashes of remains, those remains blown away in an instant. The two boys collapsed together suddenly, the two of them being caught just in time before they hit the floor.
"Whoa. . . Did they just do that?" asked Sarah, trying to hold her tall senpai, Seymour laying like a used stuffed animal.
"Well, we all saw them so they must be." said Shuma, himself trying to hold up Shiro.
*It was still incredible!* They could hear the smile in Yukino's voice, *Not only did senpai awaken his Persona, and the fact that Shiro learned to control his own, but I also managed to find and bring back Sarah-san's team! They're here with us in on the first floor right now.*
"Whew, that's a relief." Sighed Sarah.
*Mitsuru-sensei says its OK for you guys to come back now. Mission complete!*
With all of them tiredly agreeing, they did what they could to pick up the knocked out Shiro, Seymour, and Ryuuji and walked to the transporter that would take them back.
From a little way, Heru peeked behind a wall, giggling and hugging his stuffed falcon, hymning the last words.
"~Out run the wolves, find your friends. . .
Protect, cherish, love them. . .
Escape your fate, defeat life's iron hand. . .~"
His eyes drooped sadly on Shiro's form.
"~Go on, live on, little lamb. . .~"
T0 B3 C0NT1NUD3D
. . . I'm tired. I've been at this for four days straight and I haven't been having much sleep. But eh, don't worry about me! *Waves hand* I can deal with it! The important thing is that I got this work out to you guys! I really do want this story to be a hit and I really want to see it through! I promise that the next chapter will reveal what had happened after the rescue mission and more characters will be introduced.
Well, as you know, please read and review. I hope I hear from ya guys!
Now, it's time to find out what's gonna go on next!
Shiro: Next time, on Live Today, Die Forever:
"Huh, what's this room about?"
"Huh, I should have expected this, coming from you two. . . Why?"
"Because you are our friend. We could never kill you."
"Please, don't think that lowly of us."
"I-I'm sor-"
"I don't want an apology. And quit looking like you're gonna cry. . . It makes me feel. . . Bad. . ."
"You look half-dead."
"I feel half-dead."
"You look oddly familiar."
"Nani? Have I've met you somewhere?"
Shiro: Coming up, Episode Four: Time of Tarots
"Master Shiro, I present you with the information of Social Links. . ."
Hope you liked this!
This is me saying, Peace!