Chapter Notes

-Mari is not Yuuri's sister here

~x~

With the bag on my back and checking my bandages, I bid farewell to Hiroko-san and Toshiya-san, leaving the place that will be my home for a year. An inn with artificial thermal springs. I adjust my glasses and walk towards the train station, looking more closely at the quiet neighborhood. Taking the mobile, I realize that the application designated by Igor is activated. When I approach a cafeteria called LeBlanc, I hear a voice from my cell phone.

"Cognition Found. Place: Café LeBlanc."

I notice that the application icon glows 5 times before returning to normal. Looking back at the coffee, I notice the second-floor window curtain is a bit open, but I decide to keep going to school.

...

From the window, someone discreetly watches the Japanese approach, check the cell phone, look at it and walk away.

~ x ~

"Cognition Found. Place: Shujin Academy."

When I get to school, I see an Asian young woman with a lit cigarette in her mouth, all black dress and with short light brown hair. When she notices me, she beckons me to approach.

"Kunogi Yuuri?" She asks in Japanese, receiving a nod from me as an answer. "My name is Mari Katsuki and I am the teacher responsible for the class you are going to study in."

"Katsuki?" I ask, surprised to hear the same surname as my guardians.

"Hiroko and Toshiya are my parents." She says, and I'm surprised by the coincidence. "Now let's go. My time is short."

"Hai." I say, accompanying her into the College, where she teaches me the important places.

In the classroom she introduces me to the class.

"Guys, this is Yuuri Kunogi. He moved here for personal reasons so you do not know the city and the school very well." She says and I, noting that the class is more interested in gossiping than paying attention, remain silent. "Your seat is one that is empty."

I turn to the table in question and pull the backpack off my shoulder, sitting down and leaning my right arm on it. When I straighten out, I notice that there is a book inside it and I pick it up, surprising myself by reading the title: The Mind and Everything Behind It - by Amaywa Chulanont. I decide to take a quick look at him at lunch and pick up my notebook and pencil from my backpack, jotting down everything that has been explained in class.

...

Going through that book is something interesting. But unfortunately it does not belong to me. At the end of class, I approach Professor Katsuki.

"Teacher, I found this book on my desk. Who does it belong to?" I ask, showing her.

"Oh, it must from Phichit Chulanont." She responds and suddenly I hear from my pocket.

"Cognition found. Name: Phichit Chulanont Place: Café Leblanc. Two floors released Beginning navigation. Users: Yuuri Kunogi and Mari Katsuki.

I pick up my cell phone, noticing the red application glow before my eyes get distorted. Suddenly, me and Professor Katsuki are at the entrance to the cafe. What is going on here?

"What the hell?" I listen to the teacher and turn to her.

"Are you all right, Professor?" I ask, worried.

"I'm fine and you?" She asks, looking around and then looking at me. "What the hell is this ?!"

Surprised at her scream, I look at myself and realize that I'm not wearing my school uniform. On my right side, the shirt is long-sleeved with blue jewels going from shoulder to chest and a sort of long skirt that covers your entire right leg. On the left side, the shirt has no sleeve, leaving the shoulder outside, and wearing a long black glove that covers up the middle of the forearm. On my chest and waist, my clothes acquire different shades of black, where more stones stand out and go around to the back, followed by trousers glued to the leg and black boots. My bandages are also gone.

"I liked." I said, touching my hair and noticing that they're slipping back.

"Why did you change your clothes ?! It's not fair!" She complains, making me laugh.

"Maybe because you should not be here." He says, noticing that the cafe door opens and the teacher walks inside. "Wait, teacher!"

When I enter, I am surrounded by darkness. I shudder and look around, trying to find Katsuki teacher or some sign of life around in vain. Suddenly, I hear her scream.

"Teacher!" I scream, and suddenly, my head hurts more and more.

And I notice that as the pain increases, I see strange things in the darkness. Animal-shaped beasts advance to my left and I can finally see the teacher being grabbed by one of them.

"DO NOT TOUCH HER!" I scream, and I can see my glasses wrapped in bluish flames.

"You want to save her? Do you want to have power to save her? Why? You had your life, your dream destroyed by someone's selfishness, so you should care about others."

"Of course I want to have the power to save her and a lot of other people. Because even though I'm suffering because of that bastard, I believe that people are able to change if someone is with them to help them." I say, gasping at the headache.

"Hm, interesting." I hear another voice, and frown. "Show me what you're capable of."

In place of my glasses, a strange mask emerges and I, instinctively, grab it and pull it hard, screaming in pain as I feel my skin being pulled together. The flame surrounds me and from my body, several black currents arise.

"I am you. You are I. The light of hope at the bottom of the Pandora's Box, able to see beyond far beyond normal." I and the voice of my soul have become one and I finally have a name to call. "Come on, Àrsene!"

The bluish flames turn black and I feel my soul rising from my body. I move my right arm and the flames spread around me, attracting the attention of those beings, who soon advance to me. Deviance from the first attack and advance upwards, noticing that a large bat safe and using it to face those beings.

"Eiga!" I scream, flinging black flames toward the being next to the teacher, catching his attention.

I, feeling exhausted, end up getting a direct attack.

"Even mentally exhausted, you stand up to face the 'shadows.' 'But do not stop being a show if you donT knowhow to use a Persona.' The voice from before appears and suddenly, a black cat appears and shouts "Persona! Come to me, Zorro!"

To my surprise, the cat also invokes a persona and holds a sling, pointing it at the 'shadow' and firing.

"I'm dreaming, you just can." Professor Katsuki says, terrified.

Me and the strange cat end up defeating the shadows and I feel stronger despite the tiredness. Suddenly I notice a door with a large padlock.

"It's locked. Probably the second floor has not been released." The cat says.

"No, according to my cell phone, two floors were freed." I mean, touching the lock. "If only something could open that lock ..."

"With the necessary tools, yes." Professor Katsuki says, holding me by the arm.

"You know how?" I ask, surprised.

"I can teach you how to make disposable lockpicks and other stuffs, but it will not go away for free." She says, smiling broadly.

"What do you want?" I answer, surprised to hear that a teacher knows how to create

"Just keep your studies up to date." She says, and I smile.

"Deal." And then, I see a letter appear on it, just as it did with the Katsukis and Igor.

New Tarot Arcana Bond ~ The Temperance (Rank 1)

...

"Ending navigation." I listen and suddenly everything distorts.

Me and the teacher meet back at school.

"I visit my parents every weekend. We'll start on that one, okay? "She asks, lighting a cigarette.

"Hai," I say, very tired.

~x~

Chapter final notes

Status
Compendium active
People: 01 - active
Arcana Bonds: 03
Masks: 02 - Max Person Limit
Hearts Changed: 00

Arsene - Special Hability: Third Eye
Level: 6
Powers: Eiga (Curse) and Cleave (Physical)