Ugh... Why was I always waking up at these different places? That was already starting to get on my nerves, even more now that I knew that I wasn't in a dream.
I rubbed my eyes and took a look at my surroundings, once more.
And my surroundings looked back at me.
That was a whole lot of mirrors... All shapes and sizes, on a grey-ish blue wall that formed a circular, but far from small room. Much on the contrary, actually. It was a huge, tall room. I couldn't locate the source of the light that made see all that, though...
"Naoya Toudou!"
I almost jumped at the booming voice which came outta nowhere.
And then again, as two orbs of the clearest, deepest blue appeared before me. It was as if they were staring straight at me...
After some two seconds, a... a... a face began to materialize around it. Slowly but surely, its features became visible...
It was my face.
Only its eyes were those crystal orbs...
Uh...
"I am the Mirror. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The face greeted, as a body began to form under it, as well. It was me... I was looking at my own image, right there.
I knew that thing had just called itself the Mirror, but... Still.
"... Where am I?" I asked.
"These are the Halls of the Fallen, land of the forgotten, home of the absent." It answered.
Oh... so that... I supposed I should have been calling that 'him'. Anyway, so it was him who was shouting in my head, back then.
... Was I getting schizophrenic?
Most likely.
"I am here to show what you need to see. You will stay here until you realize the answer you seek." He continued.
... Oh, that. So that was why I was there... Okay.
At least he'd provide some guidance.
My face fell from startled to neutral.
"Here, you will see the fate of many who lost themselves in the Absence. Each of these mirrors around you is a portrait... a picture, if you will, of the minds that were lost and withdrawn from their vessels. They lie stale behind these transparent doors, forever doomed not to progress and trapped in their own little world. They are but a token of my regret in having to reap these consciences. Each one brighter than the last, pure potential laid to waste due the will of others...
You will bear witness to their worlds. You will live their stories until you reach a conclusion about your own.
And you will also learn about the Absence and the Fallen. You no longer have a choice, since you signed the contract upon opening the door."
Huh? What did he mean I-
I, Naoya Toudou, accept this fate of my own, free will.
... Oh. That was right.
"You are free to stare into any of the mirrors you may like. I'll take you into their worlds, as you wish. You are free to summon me any time. I am always with you..." He said, as his bodily form slowly vanished, with the orbs disappearing last.
And I was left to myself in that place. It was quieter than quiet... There was no one there but me, after all.
I looked around, trying to think of where to go next.
But the word 'next' itself gave me an idea.
I decided to look around, and soon spotted a mirror from whence I felt a familiar presence. I walked forwards towards it.
As I approached it, my reflection began to shift and warp, until the image in it was not mine anymore.
I was in control of Shinato's image, mask and all. I took my hand to my mouth, looking to take it off, but my mouth was all I felt.
My brain bugged for a second. Did I not change...? I waved at the mirror: surely enough, Shinato imitated my movements perfectly.
... Oh, I knew.
I tried to will that sword into my hand. Sure enough, it heeded my call.
I stared at the immaculate steel, and sure enough, my face hadn't changed.
Oh, okay, that was how that worked.
I then felt the need to put my sword forward and thrust the mirror. The point of the sword went straight through it, as if I was dipping the sword in water.
My hand followed, and then my whole body advanced through the mirror.
...
...
Where was I?
Rather, what was I? Something was very wrong, there.
I looked down at my hands... why was I wearing gloves?
Why was I leaning against the back wall of a gambling parlor?
Why did I know that was a gambling parlor?
Where in the Hell was I?
Just above my head there was a window, which I used to look inside of the small building.
A few people were playing mahjong, for money, of course. From middle age to old men, rich to poor. Even though the number I saw was small, the variety between them was notable.
All of a sudden, one of them shot up to their feet and began yelling at the other men, who also shot up and defied him.
... He was gonna start running away in three...
... What?
Two...
How did I know that?
One...
Hey!
The man simply up and darted out of the room, and so did I, already aware of his escape route through the woods by the side of the parlor.
Why did I know that...?!
I broke into a run, taking a route I knew I'd be able to catch up to him, and he wouldn't be able to see me.
He ran into the trees, as expected, and I ran east of his position, closing in ever so patiently.
When he hit the dead center of the woods, I knew exactly what to do.
And that was the scary part.
"Mastro!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, and the executioner appeared.
The man's scream of terror was loud, I was sure it rang all throughout the small village. He tried to turn around to search for the source of that wicked summoning call, but he could see nothing as the masked butcher fell upon him and hit him on the head with the handle of his axe, knocking him out cold.
Clicking my tongue a few times, I walked towards his location and picked him up by the collar, dragging him to my cellar.
Or rather, under my cellar.
Why did I know I had a cellar?!
...
...
I laid his body on the table in front of me, finished tying the knots and threw a cup of something that was in my hand-
... Was that coffee?
It was dark, and his face began to redden up really quick. Steam was coming up, as well.
Was that coffee?!
"Wake up. Smell the coffee." The words left my mouth.
Holy Hell that was coffee!
The man came up coughing and hacking, before he let loose some screams of agony.
"You have no idea where you are, do you? Scream all you want, nobody's going to hear you."
After gasping for air, the man released some coherent words. "What do you want from me?!" Incomprehensible? No. Desperate? You bet.
"Well, let's see your record..." I tapped my temples, as if I had trouble recalling what that man did, which I obviously didn't.
He was an addict. He'd lost everything, his wife was in the red light district because of his debts, and his vice led him to rob houses and people, just so he could go back to playing his games. It was as depressing as it was sickening, really.
I vocalized those words.
"I have all the right! I am the father of my house, you cannot tell me what to do with her!" Was his response.
It seemed he'd only heard that part of the speech.
I took the glasses from the pocket of my apron... which I didn't remember putting on, and put them over my eyes.
Sexist... ignorant...
I pressed the glasses too hard against the bridge of my nose. That infuriated me to no end...
... No, it didn't. Okay, maybe it did, but I'd never be so unhinged as I was now, under any other condition.
Closing my eyes, I exhaled and took my hand off my face.
"Look, I have judged you guilty of the crimes you've committed. I've been watching you for a while, now, you have no hope of walking the path of God. Do you have any last words before I carry on your execution?"
The man's eyes widened, and I could see some bubbles in his red face, then. "What do you mean execution?!"
Paying no mind to his pleas, I walked back towards my desk and opened my case of tools...
... Just thinking that made me sick to my stomach.
Somehow, I gained enough control to look to the sides, for but a few seconds. I saw that guillotine and the shield on the wall.
I then focused against my will on my task once more, and drew the pliers from the box.
... If I could, I'd have swallowed dry right at that moment.
I then gripped at the crucifix dangling from my neck, before turning back around and walking towards the table, looking up to say a prayer not even I understood.
As he looked up, I could see Lady Justice's severed head hanging from the ceiling before I closed my eyes.
Upon reaching the table, I opened my eyes and looked down on the man who was kicking and screaming in front of me.
"Let justice be served..." I said lowly as the pliers in my hand approached his ear...
And then I felt my head getting lighter and lighter...
I fainted.
So, back with this again. Again, I wanna thank Raygha Raikouga for the contribution for the story.
I'm still accepting OC's for this. Here's hoping you enjoyed the chapter. Please, critics and opinions and contributions in the review box below, I'm Raidou the 16th and I approve this message. *thumbs up* See ya later.
Also, go read Persona 3: Bloodlust, by Nightly 7. It's on fire.