Honestly, I didn't expect such a positive respond for the first chapter. For how niche the series is, I expected to has less repercussion, even with Persona involved. Although, I don't see many SMTxPersona fics….or many SMT fics in general. But I do find it weird that no one write more fics of this nature, after all, Persona is a spin-off of SMT and is weird that we the success of IV and the hype behind V, they aren't many fics around.
Now, I read a review from guest and let me tell you: you're right. I need a beta tester, because my English while writing a ton of words gets a too messy for me. And if any of you wonder why Kashida instead of Kashima is….I made a mistake. I thought that his family name was Kashida for some reason, is sound kinda weird but most of the story will refer him as either Naoki or Demi-Fiend. If you guys want me to change it to Kashima or let it like this, just post a comment.
About the troll, I will say this: I don't think that 13 year old boys like Nocturne because that will imply that some young people play it, and seen the numbers of the game said otherwise.
Chapter 2: Devil in your heart.
It was morning already, the sunlight was touching his skin. During the past 7 hours, he pretended to sleep. He couldn't let them know that he was aware of their surveillance. It was annoying but he had to endure it. He wake up and fake a big yawn, it was for the best.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Kashida? Are you awake?" He recognize the voice of Kirijo Mitsuru, the redheaded he met yesterday.
"Coming." He walked toward the door and open it. The girl was behind and ready to go to school.
"G-W-W-W-WHY AREN'T YOU DRESSED?" Her face turned the same color as her hair, she was hiding her eyes behind her school back. "Do you don't have any decency?!"
Naoki didn't have the habit of using sleepwear or something comfortable to use. He undress and go to sleep with only his trousers…..most of the time.
"I sleep like this."
"Put on your uniform! NOW!"
"Ok." Naoki did what he was told, he put on the uniform-
"Could you at least close the door?!" Mitsuru once again screamed.
"I'm dress, let's go." He grabbed his stuff and exited his room. The third year student was still upset for what just transpired but decided to keep her cool. "You don't have to accompany me, I know how to get there."
"You don't know but I'm the president of the student council. The teaching staff ask me to bring you personally to school."
She was telling the truth. He knew when a human was lying to him. An ability that he cultivated during his time on the vortex world. It wasn't a demon ability. It was a skill that he made by his own experiences.
But if something that those experiences thought him, was that there is something behind people actions. She was definitely hiding something from him and she was using her role as an excuse to keep an eye on him.
He will play her game…for now.
"Alright." The best course was to be as direct and short as he could be. He couldn't let his guard down with these people. Naoki and Mitsuru went down stairs where another student was waiting for them. He had the same age as them, his hair was short and white. He was also well build, meaning that he was a sportsman.
"I hear you screaming, Mitsuru. Did something happen?" He looked a little angry when he looked at Naoki.
"N-Nothing happen."
"But I-"
"Nothing. HAPPEN."
"O-Okay."
"Forgive us. He is Sanada Akihiko, he is a third year as well. And a classmate."
"Nice to meet you, Kashida."
"Hello."
"We're going to be classmates for the rest of the year, so let's get along."
"Whatever. Can we go now?" He ignored the white haired jock and went outside.
"What a nice guy."
The three students arrived to their school after a train ride. He had to admit that it looked quite nice. It was a miracle that he was accepted into this school.
Or maybe there was something he didn't know yet.
"Kirijo-senpai is here!"
"Sanada-senpai is just a dream!"
"Who is the guy accompanied them?"
"Don't know."
"He looks like a delinquent."
"He's kinda scary."
The students were already gossip abound him. He expected: New transfer kid walking alongside the student council president. Although, he did expected to Sanada to be this popular. Maybe girls find him attractive.
"Here we are." The redheaded girl bring him to the faculty office. She open the door. "Excuse me, Hanewa-sensei?"
"Oh, you two finally came." A man came to greet them. "I'm Hanewa Kotarou, I'll be your homework teacher."
"Nice to meet you, sir."
"Jeje, what a nice boy. Kirijo will be your guide for the day. Any question you have, just ask her. She's the best student I ever had."
"Y-you're exaggerating, professor."
"Don't be humble. Now, I talked to your grandmother and your previous director. It's clear that I don't want troubles from you, young man."
"I don't look for them. My bad luck just bring them to me."
"Let's hope that you don't have any left. Kirijo, can you bring him to our classroom before the class starts."
"Of course, sir. We'll see you there." Kirijo bowed and they both left the office. "Do you want to know something, Kashida?"
"Can you tell were the bathroom is?"
"Go down the hallway and turn left."
"Thanks." Naoki left the girl behind and went straight to the boys' bathroom. He went inside of the toilets and call. "Huan Po. Kodama."
"You call for us, Naoki-sama?" A red skinned fairy type mini-girl and a green paper thing respond.
"I have a job for you two. I need you to go to where my new room is and take out every single camera you find."
"Is this another of Hikawa's schemes?"
"Could be, but even if is not I don't like to be observe. I count on you."
"Thank you for relying on us. But, may I say something?"
"Sure."
"Please tall to pixie. She is still mad that you dump her."
"I'm thinking of buying her some strawberries."
"Just apologize to her, master. Alright, let's go." The two demons fly away from the bathroom. Thanks to their size and magic, they won't be detected by human or technology. Naoki push the button even when he didn't do anything and went out.
"Kashida! Didn't expect you to be here!" Neither he expected to see Sanada at the bathroom, the same time he went in. "Did you talk with the professor?"
"Yes."
"A little advice, never try to sleep when he is teaching. One day was almost snoozing and he scold me like I just insulted his mother."
"Noted."
"You….aren't a very talkative person."
"I'm not."
"I see. Well, see you in class."
Naoki didn't believe that this was a coincidence. Sanada wasn't with them when they went to the faculty office but he wasn't far either. Whatever their intentions were, they didn't want him to be alone.
"Alright class, my name is Hanewa Kotarou. And I'll be your homework teacher for your last year at out wonderful school! I hope that you all liked the entrance ceremony. We do it every year but I like to think that is something special for all the students. Most of you are familiar faces but we have a new one. Please introduce yourself."
"Kashida Naoki. I'm from Tokyo."
"Kashida-kun, can you tell us something about you?"
"I like Red hot chili peppers."
"Oh, what a spicy taste for vegetables!"
"It's a rock band."
"Really? Never hear about it." Hanewa was a very odd, he had to admit it. He had to live under a rock or being a boomer to not know who the chili peppers were. "There's a seat behind Sanada-kun."
"Nice to meet you, pal." Once again Sanada was playing to be a nice guy. Kirijo was subtlety looking at him. He was surrounded. The best thing for the next hours was too not stand up too much.
…
…
…
"Kashida, how you translate this from Japanese?"
"The wind comes from the south-west."
"Kashida-san, resolve this problem."
"486."
"Alright. You, tell me the names of the seven gods of fortune."
"Ebisu, Daikoten, Bishamonten, Benzaiten, Fukurokuju, Juroijin and Hotei."
….
….
Alright, he fucked up badly. It wasn't his fault! Those damn teachers always ask questions to him. The worst part is that he wasn't really smart because of genetics or study. As a Demi-fiend he was able to speak and read any human language and not human as well. Is not that he had the knowledge, in his mind was speaking and reading Japanese. His tongue atomically speak the language. With math, his mind could work one hundred time faster than the normal human. And the mythology question….c'mon, he fought every single one of those gods.
Bishamonten was a tough motherfucker.
Speaking of him, he haven't seen him in a long time. He expected him to ask for a rematch after last time.
"I have to say, I didn't expect you to answer all those question. I always have problems remembering the seven gods."
"They can be difficult to remember. Most of people focus on Ebisu and Bishamonten."
"I agree with Akihiko. You demonstrated high academic skills today. If you keep it like this, maybe I will suggest you to join the student council." It was Kirijo who joined the conversation.
"Sanada-kun and Kirijo-san are talking to the transfer student…"
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Again people were gossip about him and he didn't like it. Also, the comment about joining the student council….yeah, she wasn't very subtle. "No, thank you. That's sound like a ton of work."
"Well, I can't deny that. Akihiko, Ikutsuki-Sensei is calling for us."
"Ok. Well, see you later, pal." The two left the classroom together, the moment they left an avalanche of people gather around him. Back at the vortex world, he merely interact with people, demon were hardly people. The same with mannequins and ghosts. He restored the world back as it was before and save every single human.
Saying that, he REALLY dislike people. And this students didn't help to change his mind.
He didn't get what people always saw on captain members, upper classmates and student council presidents. They were students doing other stuff than study, that's it. Maybe there was a time when he would participate in those kind of conversations. Chiaki always like to-
"Move." He said. He grabbed his books and push all the students that didn't move from his path. They insulted him but he ignored them. He went upstairs to the rooftop, thankfully no one was here.
"Hua Po."
"I'm here."
"Report."
"We found a camera inside your room and turn it off. It was the only one we find, Kodama and I decided to break the cameras from others rooms to not rise suspicions."
"Good work and thank you."
"May I ask why would they want to observe you?"
"Don't know, that's what I want to find out."
"Could be the cult of Gaia?"
"Hikawa is not that stupid. If he wants to watch me, he'll be more subtle than put a camera on my room. Although, we cannot take out that possibility. That would be all for today."
"I understand. Please, remember to talk with Pixie." The fairy went back to her world and left the boy alone with his thoughts.
She said that she destroyed the cameras from other rooms, so he wasn't the only one being observe. Of course, they could have being security cameras but she said rooms not hallways or living room. Meaning that the building was being observe 24 hours. But, for what reason?
Tonight, when the empty hour starts, he will search for answers.
At the same time, inside the principal's room were 4 people; Yukari, Akihiko, Mitsuru and a middle age man sitting behind a desk. The three students were reading the copies of the same folder.
"As you may see, I provide to each one of you the records of Kashida-kun."
"This is so wrong…"
"We should be informed about him, Takeba. There's a high possibility that he is an user."
"I agree with Kirijo-kun. When you told me that he was coming today, I was too curious to not come. By the way, did you two have any luck with him?"
"No, the guy is very introverted. He merely speak to any us at the train."
"And he is an asshole."
"Takeba-kun!"
"H-He is! He shut the door at our faces last night!"
"I'm with Takeba. Sorry, but he doesn't seem very friendly."
"Aren't you friends with Shinjiro?"
"Shinji has his…problems. But Kashida straight up ignore us."
"That's bad, keeping an eye on him will be harder than I thought. Which bring me to my next point: Last night, was he walking at the dark hour, I am wrong?"
"…Yeah but there's more, he…didn't look scared when he…"
"You said that he attack you last night when you tried to use your evoker."
"Wait, did he hurt you?!"
"….To be honest, if Mitsuru-senpai didn't appear…."
"It wouldn't surprise me. Kashida-Kun has being expel from 5 schools over the last three years for misbehavior."
"So he is a troublemaker."
"For what the police reports said, trouble comes to him."
"POLICE REPORTS?!"
"OH yes, he is quite infamous in Tokyo. He had hospitalized multiples school and street gangs from all the corners of the big city. The police reports said that he even took down Yakuza members."
"What the hell is he?!"
"Suddenly, I have a great urge to fight him."
"Akihiko…"
"But there's something you all need to know about Kashida-kun, is what it makes him fascinating for us. Go to page 4." The three kids turned the pages to the one he indicated. "That's the school grades that Kashida-kun had to before April of 2003."
"His grades…are very average."
"Yes, Kashida-kun was an average high school student. Didn't have bad grades but they weren't remarkable either. But look what happen at page 5."
"His—His grades improve!"
"All of the sudden, his grades skyrocket to scores never seen before from him."
"And how is this interesting? He just study and improve his grade. Everyone can do that."
"Of course but they are things that his teachers said that doesn't add up. You see, his English teacher said that his pronunciation was horrible but when April started, an exact week later, he was able to pronounce English words with cero problems and able to translate textbooks with amazing exactitude."
"Actually, during English class he did what you just say. In fact, he answer everything right. No mistakes."
"Which will bring us to page ten. On that page starts every misbehavior he had from April of 2003 to this day. He had a problem or two like any other kid, but when April started he become….more distant. He started to get into plenty of fights and start answering to teachers. Reports said that unknown people interrupted into the classroom to challenge him. No one was able to learn the identities of those people…and most of them weren't seen anymore…."
"W-What you mean by that?"
"Every answer from me would be only speculation, Takeba-kun. Kashida-kun will often come with bruises and wounds the day after he was challenged. The reports describe a stereotypical teenage delinquent but there's something that is out of the normal."
"What would be?"
"I will make a question for all of you. We have a boy who fought gangs of people, even Yakuza. He didn't just fight them, he let them in critical state. Plenty of them still have sequels to this day. So, we all what we say what you will do with him?"
"Expel him. Someone like him shouldn't be allow to be with normal students."
"Which already happen…but what else could happen to someone like him?"
"Being….arrested?" Yukari said like it was the most obvious thing in the word. "Even if it was self-defense, violence is violence. Someone who gets into that many fights should have problems with the police sooner or later."
"Indeed, Takeba-kun. But here is the other most interesting thing about him, the one that doesn't make sense at all. The reports that I hand to you, aren't police reports or school reports rather an investigation made by the Kirijo group."
"My family did this? Why?"
"Believe or not, even with all the validate evidence against him. Kashida-kun has never face a consequence for his actions."
"WHAT?!"
"B-But you just said that he was expelled!"
"Officially, he was. But an interview with the directors of his previous school said that they never truly expel him. All of them sit down with him and, hear me out, they suggest that he could be expel. And hear me out again, he told him to expel him."
"Wait, what?"
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know. No one managed to have a close conversation with him."
"Excuse me, Ikutsuki-sensei. But, how can be that no one tried to punish him?"
"We wonder the same, that's why we make interviews with all his teachers and even the local Tokyo police. And every single one of them said the same."
"They didn't want to take action because whenever they got close to him, they have this feeling that if they try to harm him something bad would happen to him."
"So they were scare of him."
"More like terrified. Their testimonies made him look like a devil. Will you believe me that a lot of his teachers are going to therapy because of him?"
"He hit the teachers?!"
"No, as a matter of fact, he never do an act of violence towards any of them. They aren't reports of them appearing wounded under mysterious circumstances. His presence was enough to break them."
"Then…what should we do?"
"For starters, do not antagonize him. I don't want you any of you to get hurt. Second, being discrete about this. The reports could give you an idea if he learns that we are being watching him."
"Don't worry, we'll be fine."
"I hope so….I hope so…"
The day finally was over, everyone went home but some stayed for club activities. Naoki was hopping to walk back to the building alone but…
"So, how was your day?" Sanada asked him. He, Kirijo and even Takeba were walking with him.
"Fine."
"You don't seem very happy."
"Is just school. Is not like I'm going to a playground."
"Maybe you should join a club. We need new blood for the boxing club."
"No."
"Again with that. Do you even like something?"
"Silence."
"Are you always this of an asshole or is just us?"
"Takeba!"
"No one is forcing you to spend time with me. You can leave if you want."
"While I don't agree with Takeba's words, I have to ask why you are so rude with us. We didn't do anything wrong."
"Of course not. I'm like this with everybody."
"So you're an asshole."
"Yes."
"You don't even deny it, man…"
"I'm completely aware of my personality, Sanada. I choose to be like this. If you don't like it, is okay. I will not force you to stay."
"That's a horrible attitude towards your classmates, Kashida."
"For better or for worse, is what I choose. Deal with it."
Naoki gave his back to them and ignore them for the rest of the way. Night fall when they reach the dorms, he didn't say anything to them and went straight to his room.
"Apsaras."
"Yes?" A beautiful woman was summon, she was wearing a white leotard and a transparent veil all over her body.
"I need you to cast a sleep spell on me. I couldn't rest last night."
"Of course. How long do you want to sleep?"
"I want to wake up before midnight, not a minute after."
"Very well, rest well."
"What in the hell happen?"
Mitsuru and Yukari were on the surveillance room alongside Ikutsuki and found that all the cameras were turn off. No, they were broken. "We lost camera 4, 5, 8, 12 and 16. They are not off, we lost all signal from them."
"This can't be a malfunction, someone did this."
"Could it be….Kashida's doing?"
"I don't know…but it can't be a coincidence that his camera is one of them. But when did he do that? The records shows that he never left his room until I went to take him."
"You-you don't think that he use something out of the normal to do this?"
"How? The dark hour ended when he came here. And no one can't use a Persona outside the Dark hour and without an evoker." Ikutsuki said with curiosity.
"Does anyone hear me?"
"Akihiko, what's wrong?!" Before he could answer, the whole building shake from the ground up. The three run downstairs at full speed and find Akihiko resting on the door with an injury on his arm.
"Sanada-sempai! What happen?!"
"I'm fine, a big one is coming! You don't have idea how strong it is!"
"There's no time for joke-!"
"Aahhhhhhhhh!" All of them screamed when the building shake for a second time.
"I believe we should wake out new guest before is too late."
"No need." The four of them turn their backs and saw that Kashida Naoki was standing behind them. He was wearing a track jacket consisted on three colors, white, black and purple. And short black pants that were very tight to his body.
"Kashida! What are you doing here?!"
"I was about to ask you the same. Is quite late and is a school night…you should be on bed…"
"Listen, we don't have time! We need you-"
"What happen to you?" He looked at Akihiko who was in pain. "That's quite the bruise."
"Kashida-kun, my name is Ikutsuki…"
"There is something outside, isn't it?" He started at the closed door. "Quite a few of them. Enough to left you in that state….or one of them is too strong."
"Can you stop being an asshole for two seconds and listen to-?!" Before she could finish her sentence, something hit her on her face. "What the-? W-Why did you take off your jacket?!" He was now standing completely shirtless in front of everyone, the girls were blushing while Ikutsuki was starting at the boy with intrigue.
"Pixie."
"Well, well. Look who comes back crawling-W-Wait, what is with all these people?!"
"A-A talking Persona?!"
"Incredible, he didn't use an evoker."
"Heal him."
"R-Right." Pixie winged her tiny wings and a rain of diamond dust fall on Akihiko's body. All of the sudden, the boy was standing like nothing happen. "Done."
"Cu Chullain. Nekomata."
"I'm here~~~!"
"What is it?"
Two other Personas appeared before them. One was a knight on a white shining armor and the other was a literal cat girl.
"Protect this people. I will take care of what's outside."
"Alright, nya!"
"You don't need our help with them?"
"No. I'm more than enough."
"If you say so." Naoki open the door. His classmates tried to stop him but their words didn't manage to exit their mouths. So he went outside alone and walked to the streets. The moment he step down, 4 shadows jumped into him.
"KASHIDA!" Both Mitsuru and Akihiko screamed, they both grabbed the guns but they were stopped by the shinning knight.
"Don't be alarm, he is fine."
"He is being attack by shadows!"
"Does it mean that he is hurt."
"He is right, missy. Nao is stronger than you guys think."
*BRRRR*
A spark was starting to appear on the top of all those shadows. The next second, an electric shock-wave pushed all the shadows away from Naoki. It was so powerful that they died immediately. Naoki standing once again but he was completely changed.
His body was covering with Tattoos, to his back, his head, even his fingers. It was very disturbing, they weren't stylish more like ceremonial like a shaman or something. And the fact that they were glowing didn't help.
But what took everyone by surprise was the horn on the back of his neck.
What the hell was he?
-Song: 'Devil in your heart' by Sim-
More shadows came towards them, Naoki saw them and didn't seem alarmed. He raised his right leg and launch a flying spinning kick. But it didn't end there, no, from his kick, a rain of projectiles attacked the group of shadows. Killing them in one hit.
"Javelin Rain? Isn't that a little overkill?"
"Better to be safe and not take risks."
The persona user couldn't understand what was happening before them. Kashida was able to summon multiples Personas without an Evoker. And they could talk! And if you want to go even further, he used a spell without the help of a Persona!
"Oh no…" Akihiko looked at the night sky with concern. "That thing is here!"
The shadow that Akihiko was talking didn't waste time and rushed towards the shirtless teen. It has multiple arms, it merely had a body. The monster had plenty of swords that were trying to kill the boy. But even with all that, it received a kick right on its face. Sending it flying away.
"Finally, something that doesn't die after a hit." Naoki said casually, he was stretching his arms like he was warming up. "I don't if you understand what I say, if you do, I will ask you one thing:
Don't die too quickly."
With an amazing speed, Naoki ran towards the shadow. In a fraction of a second, he was already in front of it, ready to punch it. The armed monstrosity attacked him with its sword, it swing every single one. But none of them was able to touch him. He dodged them all with his extraordinary reflexes. Maybe the monster got angry for not hitting him, so in its anger it manage to grab his arms.
The students screamed his name but his allies remain silent. They already knew what was about to happen.
Naoki open his mouth and from inside his body, fire exited and burn the shadow. It let him go and writhing in pain.
"So that's your weakness." He raised both of his hand at the same level of his head, his palms on fire. "Magma Axis." Naoki launched a fire blast at the shadow. IT was too powerful to watch, it was like someone throw a bomb. That's how strong and noisy it was. And even destructive, because the aftermath of that blast destroy a huge part of the front garden and the street. "Well….at least you didn't die in one shot…." He said to the already gone shadow.
Meanwhile, the humans were staring at the….should they call him boy after all he did? Because, the way he moved, his powers, his looks….nothing of them say that he was a teenage boy….but...
"I knew it…you are truly interesting, Kashida-kun."