9/1/23 Edit: Fixed grammar mistakes and restructured sentences to make them more cohesive.
~X~
~ April 9 – Shibuya Station – 3 P.M ~
Haah, right now, I'm sitting in a train heading over to Yongen-Jaya. I'm going over all the notifications I got throughout my night of training. 'Bout an hour through, the pop-ups got so annoying SYSTEM decided to be a bro and told me about a feature that turns off non-urgent notifications and combines all the stat gains and level-ups so it would be concise when I decided to look at them.
[Due to your strenuous workout throughout the night, +4 STR, +4 END, and +4 DEX]
During the night, whenever I ran out of stamina, I got on the computer and worked on some programming skills while I waited for my stamina to refill. Also, read up a bit on hacking.
Perks Added
[Programming] Level: 10 [58%]
Your ability at writing computer programs.
[Hacking] Level: 2 [0%]
Ability to use "questionable" methods to gain access to data on a computer
.
At some point, I decided to go out for a run while using Observe the whole time. Then I went into a convenience store to "help" myself to some food and drinks. I don't plan on stealing my whole life, but I don't have enough money to buy my own stuff yet.
[Sprint] reached Level: 20 [21%]
[Stealth] reached Level: 16 [45%]
[Steal] reached Level: 26 [64%]
[Observe] reached Level: 17 [13%]
.
I'm a bit nervous right now. I'm about to meet one of the characters of the game, and my new life will get started. Except… this isn't a game. This is my new reality, and I have some good ideas what's in store for me in the future. I still chose this, I just have to face it head-on.
~X~
~ Yongen-Jaya Backstreets ~
Wow. This looks like it did in the game. I decided to walk around and explore a bit. Everything was here, Sojiro's house, the movie theater, batting cages, clinic, grocery store, second-hand store, and of course Leblanc, my destination.
Walking in, there were a couple of customers sitting in a booth, and Sojiro sat on a chair by the counter. The TV was on, talking about a bus driving the wrong way on the road. I'm guessing this is Akechi's doing.
You know, this makes me realize, what am I going to do about him? Do I try and redeem him? I'm not entirely sure I can or even if I want to. Akechi is a very complicated character, and I don't think I'd get along with him.
…
Haah, I don't know what to do with him. Whatever, I still have a couple of months 'til I have to deal with him.
"So, you're the girl," this voice says, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I look up and see the customers have left, and Sojiro is looking at me, probably waiting for me to answer.
"Yo. Um, hi there," I'm pretty sure I got a nervous smile because my intro was kind of embarrassing.
"…My name is Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my care for the next year," he said with a bit of a smile on his face. I guess he found my intro amusing. That's good, right?
"I was wondering what kind of kid would show up, but you're the one, huh?" Huh? I'm not entirely sure what he means by that.
"Mind if I ask a question?" I said.
"Go ahead."
"Why did you agree to take me in?" I am a bit curious about that and just had to ask.
"I… didn't have much to do. Helping you out wouldn't be much trouble. Follow me," Sojiro said, turning away and walking toward the stairs.
Hmm, for some reason, it feels like there's more to that answer.
I followed him up the stairs to the space there, and damn, it's a mess. It looks just like it did at the beginning of the game. I kind of thought he would clean this place up since he had a couple of months' notice of my arrival.
"This is where you'll be staying. It's up to you to clean up the rest. I'll be leaving after I lock up the place each night. You'll be alone for the night. Don't do anything stupid. I don't believe you will, but I had to say it anyway. We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow." Sojiro said, droning on a bit,
For some reason, I'm having a hard time getting a word in. I'm not sure why.
"Shujin? Is that the school I'll be going to?" I already knew the answer, but I asked anyway.
"That's right." He started down the stairs but stopped and turned his head. "By the way, your luggage already arrived. I placed it by the bed." he then went down the stairs.
…
This place is a mess. Haah, time to get started.
~X~
~ 5 Hours Later ~
God, that took forever, and I'm nowhere close to done. All I was able to do was dust the place, clean the table, clean the bed, and put my luggage on one of the shelves. The desk and other shelves were still covered in books, a third of the floor was still cluttered with household stuff, and there were more books on the floor. I probably need to spend a couple more nights to fully clean the room.
[For completing this rather long and tough cleaning session, +1 END.]
Sojiro came back up the stairs. "Huh, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You would want to keep the place you're sleeping clean," he looked around, probably amazed that I cleaned up as much as I did. That's right, bask in my awesome cleaning skills.
"I just came to let you know I'm closing up tonight and to drop this off." he pulled something out of his pocket.
What the…? A smartphone? Is he giving that to me? I thought I would have to buy my own once I got enough money.
"You're going to need this in the future." he handed me the smartphone. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't stay up late," With that, he left.
"Thanks for the phone," I yelled down the stairs. That was nice of him. He wasn't this nice with Ren. Maybe it's because he's supposed to be my foster dad and that I'm not a juvenile delinquent on probation like Ren was, even though that title was not fair to him. Haah, society sucks.
I guess I should go to sleep. Tonight is supposed to be my first night in the Velvet Room and I'm not looking forward to it. The Velvet Room is different for each guest, but I have a feeling it's still going to be the prison. At least I can go to sleep on command. The Gamer has a feature where I can do that. I just need to set a time to wake up. I guess 6 A.M is good. Time to go to sleep.
~X~
~ Unknown Time and Place ~
Waking up, I see an unfamiliar blue ceiling. Haah, looks like I'm here. Sitting up on the bed, I see I'm in the generic black and white striped prison outfit. I have cuffs on my wrists with enough chain for some movement, and a ball and chain around my ankle. This is so surreal.
I walked to the prison door and saw the three of them. Caroline, Justine, and "Igor."
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," said "Igor" in a rather deep voice that came off a bit… menacing.
"So you've come to, Inmate," said Caroline in a bit of a condescending voice. Ugh, we are not going to get along. I don't like tsunderes, and I never liked Caroline… or Justine as well. Lavenza was fine though.
"The you in reality is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream." Justine helpfully supplied.
"You're in the presence of our Master. Stand up straight!" Yep, Caroline and I are not going to get along.
"Welcome, I am delighted to make your acquaintance." Pffft, the feeling is not mutual.
"This is a place in between realities. Only those who have signed a 'contract' can enter," I don't remember ever signing the contract.
I kind of drowned him out here since I already know what he's talking about. He commented on the fact my Velvet Room is a prison, how I'm a prisoner to fate, the end of the world as I know it, and that I can avoid this fate. He then introduced the two attendants and said he would explain how they help me at a later date. An alarm rang, and I was kicked out.
It was kind of hard to keep a straight face through all that, but I managed. Gamer's Mind also helped with that.
~X~
~ April 10 – Early Morning ~
I'm sitting on my bed, dressed in my casual outfit, going over what happened in the Velvet Room. I am not going to like that Room. Being in there with three people I didn't like was going to be annoying. Haah, I'm being too negative. Caroline and Justine are the Strength Social Link so I might be able to get along with them in the future.
*Beep*
Hm? That was my phone. Opening up my phone, I find that it's the Metaverse App. That reminds me, now that I have a phone, I have to call the orphanage, catch up with everyone there, and let them know I'm in Tokyo.
"Huh, you're already awake," looking up, I saw Sojiro. I was a bit startled by his voice but didn't show it. How did I not hear him come up the stairs? Was I really too much in my thoughts to notice?
"I'll drive you to the school just for today. Afterward, you'll have to take the train. I suggest you leave early, it takes a while to get there by train, and the transfers are a real hassle. Let's go." With that said, he started heading down with following behind.
~X~
~ Café Leblanc – Evening ~
"Damn, to think there would be that much traffic. I didn't even get to open the shop today," complained Sojiro. I'm complaining too. There was so much traffic on the way back. What was supposed to be a 20-minute car ride turned into several hours of traffic.
Introducing myself to the principal was pretty boring. All we did was exchange some pleasantries, sign some papers, and meet my homeroom teacher, who was not Ms. Kawakami, as she is a second-year homeroom teacher and I'm a first-year. Nothing really important.
I'm a bit happy I didn't run into Kamoshida yet. I know I had Sojiro with me, but I was in no hurry to meet that creep.
That car ride back was nothing special, just Sojiro filling the silence. He was talking about all the accidents happening recently, with the latest being a train crashing and derailing at a station.
"Well, I'm off. I'll lock up the place, so do whatever you want for the rest of the night. Just don't stay up late, you have school tomorrow." He then walked out and locked the door.
I went upstairs and got a new pop-up.
Quest Updated
[The Beginning of the Journey]
It seems you're in the center of the story. (Lucky you) April 9 marks the beginning of your journey.
Objective: Meet Sojiro Sakura on April 9 [x]
Head to school on April 11 [ ]
?
Rewards: ?
I suppose I have time to call the orphanage. It's 6 P.M now, so they should be getting ready for dinner. Haah, here goes nothing.
~X~
~ Morning Glory Orphanage – Same Time ~
General POV
On the island of Okinawa is Morning Glory Orphanage. It's the home of a number of teenagers and one adult. Or is it two adults since one is now the age of 20? Right now, it is 6 p.m., and everyone is doing their own thing.
Taichi and Mitsuo are outside playing catch with a baseball.
Izumi and Eri are playing with the dog, Mame.
Koji and Shiro are hanging out in the same room. Koji is reading manga while Shiro is on his tablet.
Finally, Riona is preparing dinner while Ayako is setting the table. The phone in the dining room started ringing as Izumi entered the room.
"Izumi, can you answer that? I'm setting the table," Ayako asked.
"Sure," Izumi complied, as she wasn't busy at the moment.
Izumi picked up the phone, "Hello?"
Ayako was curious about who was calling. She was hoping that it was Haruka. After all, it's been about four months since she last called.
"Oh, Yuki! How are things going in Tokyo?" Izumi said.
Yuki is calling? Yuki had left two days ago to go to school in Tokyo. She said she missed the city. The foster care said they found someone willing to house her for the school year. Despite being the youngest, she's the second person to leave the orphanage for an extended period of time. The first is Haruka for her idol career.
As the youngest in the orphanage, she is everyone's little sister. However, because of that fact, everyone treats her like a little kid sometimes. When you did that, she made it known that she did not like it. One time, a year ago, Taichi tried patting her head. Yuki twisted his wrist so hard she sprained it. Some of the others were a bit freaked out by this action, but they remembered her past.
Yuki probably has the most life experience out of everyone despite being the youngest. She was homeless at the age of 8 for three months. Then, she was raised by the Yakuza for nine months.
She learned on the street and from those Yakuza how to steal, as they had seen her steal stuff before, and she explained herself. It took a lot of time for Oji-san to teach her not to do that. She still does it, but only when it's necessary.
Those yakuza also probably taught how to deal with others on the street. How to not look weak, or look like an easy target. Taichi probably got off easy with only a sprained wrist. She got quite the stern talking to after that, but because it didn't come from Oji-san, she didn't completely listen nor did she apologize.
She only ever listens to him when it comes to curving her street mindset. It has gotten better over the years, but some of it is still there. Despite all this, everyone still likes her. She goes out of her way to help those she considers friends and family.
Izumi's voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Ayako, it's Yuki. She wants to talk to you," Izumi handed her the phone with a smile. She's always happy when with Yuki.
Ayako took the phone. "Hello?"
"Yo, Ayako!" Yep, that's Yuki.
"Hello, Yuki. How's Tokyo?"
"It's alright. I start school tomorrow. Although…" Yuki paused for a second. "I heard some rumors that the gym teacher is perving on his students," she said in a voice that promised pain.
"Yuki… I know what you're thinking, but don't do anything that will get you in trouble," Ayako was a bit worried for Yuki but more so for this gym teacher. Perverts are one of the things Yuki hates the most.
"So what you're saying is don't get caught."
Ayako paused. She should've expected that answer. "Yuki."
"As long I don't get caught, they won't know it's me. If they don't know it's me, I won't get in trouble," Yuki said in a cheery tone. It's hard to tell if she's still serious or if she's joking.
This weird flip-flop between serious and joking always confuses everyone.
"Yuki…" Ayako did not want Yuki to get in trouble in school so early.
"Yeah, I know, I get it," Good. "I won't get caught, and if I do, I'll make sure it points to someone else," …Yuki seems to be completely back to her joking manner now.
Ayako sighed. Yuki sure loves getting a rise out of people in this way.
"Heh, it was nice talking to you, but I gotta go. Don't want to be late for school tomorrow."
Oh? I wanted to talk a bit more. "Sure thing, Yuki. I'll talk to you next time," With that Ayako, hung up the phone.
"So? How's Yuki?" Ayako turned around and was surprised that everyone was already sitting at the table. The food was already set out as well. Was she really on the phone that long?
"She's doing fine, Now, let's eat," Ayako answered.
~X~
~ Back at Café Leblanc ~
Yuki Emiya
Well, that was a fun talk. I guess they're doing alright. I wanted to ask about Haruka but decided against it.
Hmm… What to do for the rest of the night?
I guess I can work out for the night. I don't need to sleep since there's no Velvet Room visit tonight. Gamer's Mind will make sure I don't suffer fatigue from lack of sleep.
Haah, time to get started.
~X~
~ April 11 – 7:15 A.M ~
[Due to your workout, +2 STR, +2 END. +2 DEX]
I decided to stop early, around 6 A.M because I don't know when Sojiro gets here to get ready to open shop, and I don't want him to hear my training. I'm dressed in my Shujin uniform, wearing black tights with the skirt, and I leave the blazer unbuttoned. It was almost time for me to go, so I headed downstairs.
"Good to see you're up. So, you're ready for school?" Sojiro asked. I gave him a nod, and he gestured toward the plate of curry and a glass of milk. "Here I made some breakfast, just finish before customers show up, alright?
Taking the first bite, I froze for a bit. The taste is incredible. So many complex flavors, yet it all blended well together.
…I wonder what his cooking level is. I want to compare curry dishes.
"Thanks for the food," I said, getting up, slinging my bag over my shoulder, and heading to exit.
"Hey, flip the sign to 'open' on your way out. Thanks," Sojiro said.
"Sure thing," I said, leaving the store and then heading for the train station.
~X~
Two incredibly cramped train rides and some packed stations later, I found the right exit to the Aoyama district. It's a good thing I have a mini-map in my vision that tells me which way to go. Otherwise, I would be completely lost. How the heck do Japanese people understand the subway map? It's the most confusing thing I've ever seen.
Unfortunately for me, it started raining. So, I decided to take shelter under an overhanging roof. With nothing to do, I took out my phone and saw the Metaverse app. It decided to open itself up as someone else arrived. She took off her hood, and her platinum blonde pigtails fell to her shoulders.
Oh, it's Ann. You know, I completely forgot about this. I shouldn't have since this part of the main story. What the heck is wrong with me forgetting something so important?
Hm? I just realized she's staring at me. Oh wait, I've been unconsciously staring at her this whole and she noticed. That's… kind of embarrassing, so I chose to look toward the sky. Looks like the rain is not letting up yet.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ann develop a slight frown as a white sedan pulled up. The window rolled down, showing the creepy slime Kamoshida, wearing a blue tracksuit. He offered Ann a ride, which she accepted, but the frown on her face showed a bit more as she entered the car.
"Do you need a lift, too?" he asked, looking right at me with a smile. Ugh, I can see him checking me out.
"I'll be fine," I replied.
"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug. He rolled up the window and started driving away. I opened the Metaverse app and I could see a certain someone running up.
"God-DAMNIT! Screw that pervy teacher!" the blonde-haired boy snarled out. This boy is obviously none other than Ryuji.
"Pervy… teacher?" I said aloud, keeping to the story. Ryuji turned around taking a look at me for the first time with a bit of annoyance on his face.
"What, you gonna rat me out to Kamoshida?" he said, glaring at me with suspicion.
"Kamoshida?" I heard a chime from the app.
Ryuji stopped glaring and had a quizzical look on his. "Huh? He was the guy in that car that just left." his face then morphed into disgust. "He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is, the king of the castle?"
"Which castle?" I heard another chime from the app.
"Uh, Shujin?" the boy answered. "How can you not know? The whole school knows who he is," He tilted his head to the side. "You go to Shujin, right? You got the uniform on."
"Yes, I just transferred in," I heard the third chime. It'll start soon.
"Heh, that explains much," he said, then noticed the pin on my blazer. "A first-year, huh? Well, lemme tell ya, it's a good thing you didn't get in that car… Who knows what that pervert might've-"
Ryuji froze mid-sentence, holding his head for a second. I felt a migraine come on, and I also saw a red and black fog (?) appear for an instant. It passed as quickly as it came. That was not pleasant, and Ryuji was muttering about maybe going home.
I guess we're in the Metaverse now. Haah, hopefully, future journeys here won't feel as bad as that did.
Ryuji sighed. "This rain ain't too bad. We better hurry, or we'll be late," he walked off.
Haah, I'm sighing quite a bit now. Am I nervous or excited since I'm getting closer to the beginning of this journey?
~X~
Ryuji and I were walking through an alley to get to the school. He was up ahead, and I was walking behind him.
"What the hell?" Ryuji was stunned as we came out of the alley.
In front of us is an imposing European castle. Above, the clouds were swirling, and there was an eerie purple light shining through.
"We didn't go the wrong way…" Ryuji said, looking back through the alley to make sure we went the right way.
"The front gate does say Shujin Academy," I said, pointing to it.
"Weird…" Ryuji took out his phone. "Damnit, no bars!"
Ryuji let out a sigh as he put his phone away. "C'mon, let's head in. Not gonna get any answers out here."
I gave him a nod, and we headed on in.
Heading in, I noticed that the entrance was that of the school before it seemed to fade away and show the foyer of a castle. It was what you'd expect, marble floors, lavish velvet tapestries, chandeliers hung high, and at the top of the staircase in the center was a painting of Kamoshida.
The game does not do this place justice. If it wasn't for the fact this cognition belongs to a pervert, I think I could almost appreciate this place.
"I don't see anyone…" Ryuji looked around a bit, then yelled out, "HEY! Anyone here?"
A second later, I heard the sound of clinking armor coming our way. What I saw was a couple of shadow knights in full armor with blue masks on their faces. Their bodies were completely black, and their twp red eyes could be seen through the eye holes on the mask.
Ryuji turned around and actually jumped a couple of inches into the air. Heh, I couldn't help but chuckle a bit despite the situation.
"Jeez, ya scared me," Ryuji calmed down and got a closer look. "What's up with the armor?" he asked. "Nice cosplay, looks pretty real," the armored shadow kept quiet.
Ryuji turned towards me. "What's up with- ARGH!"
Unfortunately, the moment he looked away, the shadow hit him in the back of the head with the butt of his sword, knocking him out.
"Ah!?" Oh boy, here we go. I felt like something just showed up behind me, but, before I could move, I was knocked out from behind.
~X~
"-ke up."
Ugh, that freaking hurt.
"Hey, wake up."
Opening my eyes, I realized I was lying down on a stone floor. Looking around it seems that Ryuji and I were moved into a dungeon cell while we were knocked out. I also noticed a new screen.
Skill Acquired
[Eye of the Mind (False)] Level: 1 [1%]
A natural talent to sense and avoid danger based on an innate 6th sense, intuition, or prescience.
"You alright?" Ryuji asked.
"I'm fine. How about you?" I asked back.
"I'm good, I suppose," Ryuji sighed and looked around. "I guess this really ain't a dream… but what the HELL is going on!?"
Ryuji ran to the barred door and tried to kick it down but failed. "HEY! I know you're there! Let us outta here!"
Instead of someone showing up, we heard an agonized scream that echoed down the hallway towards us. We paused for a bit. I went toward the door and tried to hear it better.
"…What the hell was that…" Ryuji said, a bit spooked.
We kept quiet a little longer until we heard another scream, just as agonizing as the first.
"Whoa… whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa… You're kiddin' me, right?" Ryuji slowly backed away from the bars, a scared look on his face. "This is bad… We gotta find a way outta here."
Ryuji was looking around the room for a way out while I was looking around the door. I already know there is no way out, so all I can do is wait. A few minutes passed.
"Argh, there's no way out," Ryuji said. "What the hell do we- wait, did you hear that?
I do hear that. It's the sound of people in armor heading our way. We both face toward the bars of the cell, and there are a few guards there.
"Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon," the guard spoke. "Your charge is unlawful entry. Thus, you will be sentenced to death."
"Say what!?" Ryuji said in disbelief.
A voice came from behind the guards. "No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle," the voice was now in front of the cell, and it was Shadow Kamoshida.
"Huh? Kamoshida?" Ryuji asked, confused.
"I thought it was some petty thief, but it turns out to be you, Sakamoto… Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven't learned your lesson at all, huh?" Kamoshida sneered, then looked over to me. "Oh? You brought a girl with you. Here I thought no girl from the school would ever get close to a loser like you after you screwed everything up," he said, looking smug.
"Shut your face! That wasn't my fault, and you goddamn know it!" Ryuji screamed out in rage.
"Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don't understand the position you're in," he paused for a bit. "Not only did you sneak into my castle, but you also committed the crime of insulting me- the king," He then gained a dark smile on his face. "The punishment for that is death… It's time for the execution! Take him out!"
"Kh- goddamnit…"
The door opened, and three guards entered, forcing Ryuji to retreat until he was cornered on the back wall. I had my back to the sidewall. Ryuji tried rushing one guard down, but he got punched in the gut. I tried to move, but the other two guards crossed their swords in front of me.
"Run! Get outta here!" Ryuji yelled towards me. Unfortunately, I can't do that because they also have me trapped, and Kamoshida is at the door.
Kamoshida had a lecherous look on his face. "Oh, you're not going anywhere. Not until I have some… fun with you."
Oh, HELL NO! "You stay away from me," I growled out.
"Oh, I love it when they resist," Kamoshida licked his lips, slowly walked forward, and roughly grabbed my arm.
Argh, I can't do anything. I used Observe on him, and all his stats came up as question marks. That means his level is too high for me to see his stats.
"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE! I SWEAR TO GOD, I'M GONNA KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T STOP, KAMOSHIDA!" Ryuji yelled out, only to be kicked in the gut by one of the guards.
Kamoshida only chuckled at this. "Empty threats from a piece of trash," Kamoshida said, turning away from me.
I took that opportunity to kick him right in between the legs as hard as I could and pushed him away. He yelped in pain and fell to the ground, clutching his precious jewels. Two of the guards quickly forced me against the wall and placed their swords on my neck.
"Hah! Serves you right, pervert," Ryuji said despite being in pain.
Kamoshida slowly got up and glared at me like he was trying to burn a hole through my skull. He walked up to me and punched me in the gut. I would have fallen over, but the swords at my neck kept me up.
"Just wait your turn. I'll get to you real soon," Kamoshida then turned his attention to Ryuji, who was still on the ground.
"Stop…" Ryuji slowly said. Kamoshida only responded with a cruel laugh.
What the hell… I could use that Persona ability any time now.
"This is truly an unjust game… Your chances of winning are almost none."
A soft voice spoke to me as my surroundings went dark. I looked up and saw a blue butterfly flying by.
"But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you…"
The butterfly disappeared, and my surroundings went back to normal.
"What's the matter? Are you simply going to watch?" said a new soft female voice in my head. About time.
"Are you going to just let him die? Death awaits you if you do nothing. Do you regret the decision you made back in the void?"
What…? My Persona knows- of course she does, she's my other self. Well, of course, I don't regret that choice. I'm going to make my own future!
"Then vow to me," the voice said. "I am thou. Thou art I. Thou who art willing to carve thy own virtuous path. Thou who shall defy even Fate itself for thy own justice."
A serious migraine grew and kept growing in my head. It was so painful I had to scream out. I wanted to do something, anything, to lessen the pain, but with the swords at my neck, I couldn't move anywhere. I knew an awakening would be painful, but not THIS painful.
"Call upon my name and begin thy journey down a path toward a new dawn."
With a final scream, the pain finally subsided. This gained the attention of Kamoshida and Ryuji who was being lifted against a wall with a sword at his throat. Turning around, Kamoshida faced me.
"Hmph, so you want to die first, huh?" Kamoshida pointed his arm towards me. "Execute her!"
The guard dropped Ryuji and made its way towards me. It hoisted its sword in the air, but before it could strike, a burst of wind pushed out from around me, forcing Kamoshida and his guards back. Looking up, a black domino mask was on my face. Slowly, I placed my hands on the mask and pulled on it. It was as if it was glued to my face.
Haah, this is going to hurt. Closing my eyes and gritting my teeth, I used everything I had to rip it off. With a scream, it came off, and blood sprayed down my face. It felt like ripping my own face off. but the pain disappeared as quickly as it came.
Ha-ha, I can feel power coming from inside me. This is incredible.
Ryuji and the guards watched, speechless, as my entire body was consumed by blue flames. Kamoshida had to cover his eyes and slowly backed away. The flames slowly rose off me as a human figure materialized behind me. The figure gathered the flames and shot them toward Kamoshida and the guards, causing them all to fall to the ground. One of them ended up dying.
I was no longer wearing my school uniform and was wearing my Phantom Thief outfit. I was wearing a red button-down shirt with gold trim, the top two buttons are unbuttoned, black pants, and black and red boots that go up to just below the knees. The shirt sleeves were rolled up, just stopping before the elbows. Over the outfit is a black, short-sleeved, long coat that stops at the knees, with a small silver guard on the left shoulder. A slit was going up the coat, stopping at the waist, so there was no restriction on my legs.
"What the…?" Ryuji was still shocked.
"I am Merlin, the Magus of Flowers. I am the rebel's soul that resides within you."
What!? Merlin is my Persona!?
Turning to face my Persona, I am surprised to see that it definitely is Merlin. It's the female Merlin from Fate/Prototype. She looks EXACTLY like her. I thought Personas normally take a more… mystical appearance, like what Arsene and Zorro look like. Merlin here looks perfectly human.
"If you desire, I shall lend you my power so you can escape this crisis," That's right, I'm still in trouble here. I'll figure this out later.
"Yes, let's do this together, Merlin," I said, turning to face Kamoshida, staring at him with a hawk-like glare.
"Who the hell are you?" Kamoshida regained his composure as he was now safely further away. "Guards! Kill her!"
The two remaining guards stood up, they started convulsing, and then they suddenly burst apart and transformed into two Jack-o'-Lanterns. Here we go.
I took a deep breath, and as if by instinct, a one-handed sword appeared in my hand. I quickly dashed toward one of the shadows, giving it two quick slashes and then jumping back. It was enough as it dissolved into dust.
The other Jack-o'-Lantern fired off an Agi at me. I tried dodging, but it managed to hit me on the arm. There was no physical damage, nor did it damage my outfit. But it did hurt, and one look at my health bar shows my HP took some damage.
Skill Acquired
[Magic Resistance] Level: 1 [0%]
- Reduces magic damage by 1%
.
Let's use my Persona this time.
"Merlin! Kouha!" I ripped off my mask, and Merlin appeared. With a twirl, she pointed her staff at the shadow and used the skill. A ball of light appeared, blasting the shadow and killing it instantly.
That was pretty easy.
"What… what WAS that…?" Ryuji was still in shock at what happened. First, he was close to dying, then his classmate summoned some… thing, and then she defeated those shadow things. This was a lot to take in on top of everything else.
"You little…" Kamoshida growled out. He walked forward, cracking his knuckles.
Before he could reach me, Ryuji rammed him to the ground, hitting him from his blindside. "Hah! Ya like that?"
"Grab the keys!" I quickly shouted.
"Got 'em!" Ryuji picked the keys off the ground, and we rushed out of the cell. Ryuji shut the door and locked them in.
"That oughta keep him there for a while," Ryuji said with a smile.
"D-Damn it…" Kamoshida tried getting up, but he fell back down. It seems he hit his head on the ground and was still rattled.
"Okay, what was that just now?" Ryuji asked. "And… your clothes…"
"Let's get out of here first, then we'll figure out what's going on," I did not want to stay here any longer.
"Yeah, you're right. Let's go," Ryuji and I took off down the hallway.
[The Beginning of the Journey]
It seems you're in the center of the story. (Lucky you) April 9 marks the beginning of your journey.
Objective: Meet Sojiro Sakura on April 9 [x]
Head to school on April 11 [x]
Escape the Palace [ ]
Rewards: ?
~X~
Author's Note:
Well, here's the second chapter.
Originally, I was going to have Fenrir as Yuki's Persona, but after thinking it over, Merlin made a lot more sense for the kind of journey I want her to go through.
As usual, constructive criticism would be appreciated.