"Solid Smith?"
(Yeah, you know? Like Solid Snake?)
"...?"
(Never mind. Roll the Chapter.)
Persona 3 belongs to Atlus, not the author. The author only owns the original ideas and original characters.
Chapter 5: Solid Smith-Kirijo Edition
'Smith'
"What in the world are you wearing?"
He looked up to see Natsuno staring at him as one would stare at a Pink Mammoth. He blinked and looked at what he was wearing.
"What do you mean?" he asked, unsure what she was talking about.
"I think she's asking why you're wearing camouflage, a ninja outfit, and an eye patch."
Minato said from the table, in a tone that was either deadpan or genuine curiosity.
"Oh, you mean the Sneaking Suit," he said proudly.
There was a moment of silence, broken by Natsuno giggling. He frowned.
"Now what?"
"You look silly," Natsuno said bluntly.
"What do you mean? This Suit is modeled from many different worlds famous spies and infiltration specialists."
Minato stared at him for a moment contemplatively.
"...Okay, so why are you wearing an eyepatch?"
"It's the Solid Eye," he said with a pout.
Natsuno just continued to laugh, and he sighed, before making his way to the door.
"Where are you going?" Minato asked curiously. He paused, the door half open, before turning his head.
"Well why else would I be wearing the Sneaking Suit. I'm gonna do some sneaking," he said matter-of-factly, before walking out the door and snapping his fingers. He immediately appeared in the forests near the Kirijo Main Complex. It had taken quite some time to find it, though Detectives Shirogane had helped him out. He watched the heavily guarded building contemplatively...Before snapping his fingers, turning invisible. He swiftly ran towards the building, before forming a door and walking inside. What he found was corridor upon corridor. Scientists and guards alike walked through the hallways. He just walked through the corridors silently, mindful of not bumping into anyone. He made his way, looking for his key to navigating this Complex. He eventually found it in the form of two guards, far away from any other people. Slowly, he sneaked up on them, as they continued to chat, ignorant of the danger sneaking up on them.
"You know who doesn't have to stand guard over a completely arbitrary room in the middle of the night?"
"I'm sure you'll tell me."
"Jenkins. I bet Jenkins is sleeping right now, back in the lounge, with his big melon head on a soft pillow."
"Yeah, that's Jenkins."
"You know I've had to guard this room for eight weeks straight now? Eight weeks straight!"
"Oh, lucky you."
"I make one stupid comment about the President to Jenkins-"
"Uh huh, that's great."
"-and all the sudden I'm stuck here, while Jenkins gets what was supposed to be my job."
He paused in his steps, hands inches away from the second guard's neck. Why did this seem familiar? He mentally shrugged, before grabbing the man by the throat and shocking him, driving him into blissful unconsciousness. His friend was so busy ranting that he didn't notice as he dragged the guard into the arbitrary room.
"You know what else-Murph?"
It would appear the guard finally noticed his friends absence. The first guard warily looked around, a hand to his gun.
"Hey, Murph? Quit messing with me. Where are you?"
"Over here. Thought I heard something."
The guard raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused.
"Oh really? What'd ya hear-" the first guard entered the room,"-a ghost?"
Only to pause on seeing his friend passed out on the floor.
"Something like that, yeah," he said, whispering into the guard's ear, shrugging.
He quickly jabbed the guard in the small of his back, frying him and sending him into unconsciousness. He dragged the guard next to his buddy, and hogtied them, before looking at them intently.
"Now onto business," he said, before exhaling and skimming their memories about the layout of the complex. The first guard was no help at all. The second was much more useful. He broke contact, before standing up and turning towards the door. And seeing a third guard holding two coffee cups. They stared at each other for a moment, before he spoke.
"Are you perhaps Jenkins?"
The guard seemed surprised and nodded. He cupped his chin.
"Huh. Interesting name."
Jenkins just stared at him, before looking at the walkie-talkie on his hip.
"Please don't," he said boredly.
The guard glanced at the walkie-talkie again, before abruptly dropping the coffee mugs and grabbing it. At the same time, he threw his hand out, snapping his finger, and the guard fell into a deep sleep. He sighed, and left the room quickly, and locking it on second thought. He quickly ran through the corridors, intent on finding his destination sooner rather than latter. He eventually found it.
Takeharu Kirijo's office. The Head of Kirijo industries. He leaned against the wall, and put a finger to the Solid Eye. Unlike the original, this one was a bit less...limited. A quick look revealed no one in the room. What luck. He took out a skeleton key, and surreptitiously entered the office. It was a modest, if spartan, room. He made his way to desk, and took out a small drive, inserting it into the computer. While it uploaded, he rooted around the drawers for papers or notes, keeping an eye on the door. Hmm, nothing her seemed to be important...He looked up as the computer turned on, screen bathing him with neon blue light. As he did, he noticed a photo frame. The only thing on the desk that could be remotely considered decoration. It was a picture of a gruff looking man, standing next to a beautiful woman with fiery red hair, both of them smiling as they hugged a small girl. He smiled at the picture.
"OH LOOK. A HAPPY FAMILY." a sardonic British voice rang out.
He sighed and looked at the computer screen. The words on the screen disappeared and new ones were typed in as the voice continued to speak.
"I HOPE THE REASON YOU BROUGHT ME ON WAS TO SAY HELLO OVER A PLATE OF SCONES AND TEA."
He frowned at the sarcasm, and typed in a response.
'Come on, don't be like that.'
"LIKE WHAT? IT'S NOT LIKE I'M TRAPPED IN A SMALL PEN DRIVE NINTEY PERCENT OF THE TIME...YOU TWIT."
'Look, I promise to let you have an actual computer later. I just need all the files you can grab about any supernatural activity and/or happenings that this Kirijo group has a hand in.'
"I'M SORRY, COULD YOU BE A BIT MORE SPECIFIC?"
'...Anything dealing with an explosion that happened a few days ago.'
"OKAY. JUST WAIT FOR A WHILE."
'Can't you do it quickly?'
There was a moment of silence as he stared at the computer screen.
"OH YES. WHY DON'T I JUST DO THAT? IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A VERY HEAVY FIREWALL KEEPING AWAY POTENTIAL HACKERS. WHILE I'M AT IT, DO YOU WANT ME TO HACK INTO THE PENTAGON TOO?"
The amount of biting sarcasm dripping from the voice could make Snape look cuddly.
'Er, sorry. We just need to go in a hurry,' he apologized.
"YOU TWIT."
He just twiddled his fingers as the Computer did his job, before looking at the papers in the desk again. His eyes widened as he spotted one that he had missed. He picked it up. It appeared to be part of a journal entry. He read it carefully as the Computer buzzed.
I'm beginning to worry about father. Lately he has almost been obsessed with his research into Shadow's and Persona's. A few days ago, he had been encouraging Mitsuru to use her Persona as much as possible, though for what I do not know. And yesterday, he was muttering about 'The Fall' during dinner. It was a surprise he even joined us for dinner. For a year or so he had been an absolute hermit, holed in his office in the old West Wing. I can understand why he is so invested...But I'm worried something far more sinister is taking place here. I will confront him on this matter tomorrow.
The date on the entry was the day before the accident. He tucked the note in his pocket, now slightly worried. Experience told him nothing good to come of this news...
"ARE YOU ABOUT DONE?"
He looked up to see the an annoyed emoticon on the screen.
"Just about," he said out loud while typing.
"GOOD. THEN LET'S GET OUT OF HERE WHILE WE STILL CAN, BEFORE ANYONE FINDS US."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Why so worried all of the sudden?"
"BELIEVE ME, NOTHING GOOD CAN HAPPEN IF ANYONE FINDS US, LET ALONE THE HEAD HONCHO-"
The door suddenly opened, and Takeharu Kirijo walked into the office, only to freeze on seeing him. Perhaps turning off the invisibility wasn't the best decision.
"...HE'S BEHIND ME, ISN'T HE?"
'Yeah...'
"...YOU BLOODY TWIT."
Takeharu Kirijo looked at them in shock, before his face contorted into rage.
"What are you doing here-!?" he said, whipping out a gun.
At that moment, the computer ripped itself from the desk, cables and wires writhing with life and sparking as the Computer possessed it. The Computer immediately whirled around and wrapped wires around Kirijo, laughing madly. Kirijo dropped his gun in shock, and before he could do anything, the Computer shocked him, sending him to the ground. He whirled around to face the Computer.
"Drop him now!"
"HMM, YOU'RE NO FUN."
Regardless, the Computer dropped Kirijo, and he ran up to him before snapping his fingers. Soon Kirijo was hogtied and gagged, looking at him angrily. He was happy the Sneak Suit covered most his face.
"Sorry about this, but we need to be going."
He grabbed the Computer and started to run out the door, before turning towards Kirijo.
"I'd use Aloe Vera on those burns."
With that, he quickly ran.
"Any idea where to go!?" he yelled.
The alarm had been turned on, so there wasn't much use remaining silent.
"HOW SHOULD I KNOW, YOU TWIT?"
Well, the Computer wouldn't be of any help. He ran away from the armed guards, thinking quickly, before snapping his fingers and creating a door. He ran through the door, and ended up in a dank storage room. He quickly scrambled to his feet and shut the door, shattering it, before placing the Computer on a cardboard box. Maybe he should've used a cardboard box to sneak around instead. He quickly scrambled to the ground and started to draw a Teleportation Circle with chalk. He needed to do this quickly. Mind numbing moments passed before the circle was complete, and he quickly stood up, pocketing the chalk, and turning to the Computer.
"Time to get out of here-"
The Computer was nowhere to be found.
He looked around wildly, only to see it standing next to a coffin shaped capsule with the words '5TH GENERATION' emblazed on it. The Computer appeared to be leeching data from it, judging by the data flashing across his screen.
"What are you doing?!" he yelled.
The Computer ignored him and stepped away from the now dim capsule, galloping over to another box, this one steel. The Computer tore the box apart, and small dark plumes resembling Black Soul Gems poured out. The Computer grabbed some and tossed them to him.
"TAKE THESE YOU TWIT. NOW LET'S HURRY ," the Computer stated hurriedly, galloping over to him.
He frowned.
"What was all that about-?"
"NOW IS NOT THE TIME YOU TWIT! WE HAVE TO LEAVE BEFORE MIDNIGH-!"
They were interrupted at Kirijo and a convoy of guards stormed into the room, and around the corner, pointing there weapons at them. Next to Kirijo was a small girl with fiery hair. He and the Computer froze, staring at the squadron. And the clock on the Computer struck twelve.
Minato
"Do you think Smith is doing okay?"
He and Pharos looked at Natsuno, who was looking out the window worriedly.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," he reassured her.
Pharos nodded.
"Based on what you told me, this Smith seems to be very powerful. I'm sure he's more than capable of taking care of himself," Pharos said, doodling a large monster with chains and a big sword with crayons. Natsuno just frowned, before nodding.
"You're right. He'll be fine."
Mitsuru
She shivered as the feeling the Dark Hour washed over them. The few guards that weren't immune to the Dark Hour had immediately turned into coffins. The intruder on the other hand...
"Is that a crypt?" one guard asked.
Her dad narrowed his eyes, before steeping forward.
"...It looks like it," her dad said after a while.
The intruder had turned into a large building instead of a coffin. Gold skulls lined the walls, and the door was sealed shut, mist curling off the black marble. She shivered again. Her power wasn't very strong, but even Penthesilea could feel the power pooling inside the crypt.
"Mitsuru," her father said suddenly, looking at her.
She blinked out of her reverie and looked at her father.
"Yes Father?"
"I need you to open the crypt using your Persona."
She bit the bottom of her lip.
Open the crypt...?
Her father's features softened.
"It's okay if you aren't able to, but please try."
She remained silent, before taking out her Evoker and aiming it towards her head.
"...Penthesilea!" she ordered, pulling the trigger.
Her Persona appeared in a rush of power, and ripped the crypt's door open, before disappearing. She fell to her knees, feeling exhausted but proud. She did it... Her father ran up to her and helped her up, a small smile on his face.
"You did good Mitsuru..." he said, before staring at the crypt.
The guards had their guns trained on it as mist curled out of the dark insides. There was a tense moment of silence...Before the crypt shattered into dust. The intruder stood there, holding a computer in his hand and looking at them resolutely. Before they could do anything, the circle underneath him glowed, and he disappeared in a flash of light.
'Smith'
He collided against the ground, and groaned, standing up. He was back at the shrine. A lone coffin stood near him. He looked up at the venomous green sky and ominous massive moon in shock.
"You again?"
He turned to see the nekomata from before staring at him curiously. He opened his mouth one or two times, before speaking.
"What is this?"
"IT'S...CALLED...THE DARK HOUR...YOU...TWIT..."
(Anyone who knows what the Computer is get's a cookie or something.)
"...Can I guess as well?"