Sorry it took me a bit, I wanted to finish the next chapter before posting this one. That way I'd ensure I had everything paced the way I wanted it.
Chapter 03: Precursor
Wednesday July 16th 2008
The last couple of days had been very routine, and very normal for Ryuden. He'd escort Mitsuru to school, spend some time in the library or around school grounds, and escort her home where she'd spend most of her night studying. Even Sunday, she had spent the day either studying or drinking some tea while reading a book. He understood why though, her finals had been coming up quick, and she wanted to ensure her grades met her own high standards.
As for him, his nights were spent on a couple of things. Sometimes he'd do some light working out, other times some additional research on Setanta. Some nights he'd kick back, relax, and play on his Nintendo 64 that he took with him. He chose to bring it with him for one sole reason, multi-player. The amount of fun he had playing multi-player games on the N64 was a thing of beauty, in his opinion at least.
Ryuden was currently grabbing a cup of instant Ramen for a late dinner. He'd lost track of time and didn't feel like cooking. Everything was heated up and he was ready to dig in. He took his bowl over to the dining room table and sat down on one of the chairs on the side. Mitsuru was also at the table, sitting at the head. Ryuden wasn't attempting to listen to her, he was focused on eating, but he did eventually hear her muttering something to herself.
"Pick the correct statement:
Susan and me went shopping together.
Me and Susan went shopping together.
Susan and I went shopping together."
"Got English tomorrow ojou-sama?" Ryuden asked.
Mitsuru looked up from her work, "Yes, and while I'm fairly confident in my English, it never hurts to read everything out loud to ensure the correct answer." Ryuden was eating a bit more as she answered his question.
He nodded and swallowed the food he was chewing, "Ever try having a full on conversation in English?"
Mitsuru tilted her head, "In an everyday situation?" Ryuden nodded while taking another bite, "No, I've only ever used English with others while studying."
It took a little bit for Ryuden to finish chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, "They say immersion is the best way to learn a language, want to practice with me?"
Mitsuru looked intrigued, "I've never thought of it like that before, it does sound like an interesting idea. But what would we even talk about?"
Ryuden had paused eating his food, "It doesn't have to be anything special, just casual conversation. Here, let me start," Ryuden cleared his throat, "Hello miss, my name is Ryuden Yamamoto. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said putting on a smile, there was a slight Japanese accent to his words, but it wasn't heavy enough to confuse a native English speaker.
Mitsuru caught on quick, "Hello Mr. Yamamoto, my name is Mitsuru Kirijo. The pleasure is all mine." Mitsuru had a bit more of an accent, but her words could still be understood.
"What is it that you're reading, Miss Kirijo?"
She lifted the book slightly to show off the cover, "I'm reading an English textbook, I've got an exam tomorrow and want to score one hundred percent on it."
Ryuden nodded again, "I see, that's very admirable of you Miss Kirijo." It took him a moment to ensure he was using the correct word, "Studies are very important for any student. But what do you do when you're not studying?"
"I enjoy reading, along with a good cup of tea. It both relaxes the body and…" He gave her a moment, she was clearly trying to think of the right word, "Stim-u-lates the mind." Ryuden smiled as she broke down the pronunciation of the word.
"Your English is very good, Miss Kirijo," he complimented.
"As is yours, Mr. Yamamoto. Did you reach this level purely by studying, or do you have a secret weapon?" She asked, continuing the exchange.
However, there was no way for her to know that she hit a sore spot, "I…my dad…" he looked down at his ramen. Haven't gone back to Japanese, Mitsuru could tell that she upset him. It wasn't too hard to put the pieces together.
"My apologies, Yamamoto-San, I didn't mean to upset you."
Ryuden sighed, "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known it was him that taught me English."
"...do you need to talk about it?" She asked.
"...it's been two years, but it still hurts like hell. We were close, he and I." Mitsuru remained silent, letting him speak his peace, "It was a drunk driver. The guy faces justice, but…it still doesn't bring him back. Even now, just talking about him…it feels like someone pinched me in the gut…I wonder if it'll ever stop…"
Mitsuru took a moment, "I'm sorry for your loss, Yamamoto-san."
Ryuden took a deep breath, "Sorry about that, didn't mean to drag the mood down. How about a change of subject?"
"Hmm, I really should get back to studying Yamamoto-san," said Mitsuru.
"Ah, right, I'm sorry. Before I leave you to it, mind if I ask a quick question?" Asked Ryuden.
"Go ahead."
"That giant tower that appears near the school during the dark hour, what is it?"
…
"We call it Tartarus. We're not sure what exactly it is or how big it is. What we do know is that it changes its layout every night, and that shadows leave from inside it to prey on humans." The explanation wasn't pretty, but Ryuden wasn't expecting a happy answer.
"Well, that might explain why looking at it makes me angry. If shadows are coming from inside shouldn't we try doing something about it?"
"With our current numbers? Far too dangerous. With me providing support from below it would place just you and Akihiko inside fighting."
"Are Akihiko and I not strong enough or something," he wasn't offended, just probing for more info.
"It's more like safety in numbers. If we manage to get one more member in SEES, I'll consider allowing an exploration of Tartarus. But for now, I forbid it, is that understood?" Mitsuru asked.
"Understood, ojou-sama. I don't plan on doing anything stupid like running in solo without telling anyone. That's a recipe for a quick and painful death."
"Good, so long as you understand."
"I do…well, I've taken up enough of your time. Good luck studying, Miss Kirijo," Ryuden said, getting up to head back to his room.
Mitsuru smiled, "Have a good night, Mr. Yamamoto."
Saturday July 19th 2008
For the students of Gekkoukan High School, today marked a momentous day. It was the day finals ended. Ryuden was standing in the main lobby, watching the students mill about with joy for what seemed like the first time this week. Although some students still looked like someone told them their pet had died. While most students didn't pay him any mind, a few students would greet him, correctly assuming he was a guard. Others thought he was someone of importance and stayed away for fear of being reprimanded. Both thoughts were reinforced by the fact he was also seen alongside Mitsuru everyday.
There was, however, one other group. A very small minority, but one that he knew he should stay away from. Getting involved would only cause the high school rumor mills to go into overdrive. That group was high school girls staring at him. Ryuden wasn't oblivious, he knew he looked good in a suit. When cleaned up he figured he must have looked like a college student.
He had friends who were girls when he was still in high school, so he knew there were definitely some girls who were into older guys that weren't "OLDER" old guys. Specifically, they were looking for college aged guys like himself.
'Not interested. Most of these girls still have to mentally mature for a few more years. Though it does make me wonder. When will I have an opportunity to date again? Hmm…if I stay on this job as intended, maybe after ojou-sama graduates. So a year and a half? I've already gone without dating for two plus years, I think I can manage another year plus.'
"Yamamoto-san," he was roused from his thoughts when he heard Mitsuru's call from behind him. He turned around to face her.
"Apologies, ojou-sama, I didn't hear you coming up behind me," Ryuden said.
Mitsuru didn't look bothered, "It's fine. The student counsel isn't meeting today. Everyone wanted a break after testing, so I'm ready to go."
"Understandable, are you ready to head back to the dorm?" He asked.
"Not quite yet. I'd like to head to Paulownia Mall."
"As you wish, shall we head for the train?"
"I called for a car earlier, it should be outside shortly."
Ryuden bowed, and the two of them left the school.
…
The limo ride was quiet to start, but once they got closer to the mall, Mitsuru spoke.
"Why is it that you requested a sling?"
Ryuden hadn't fully been paying attention, so he missed the question, "I'm sorry, what was that?"
"When you got your weapons from the chairman, why did you request a sling?" It's not a very conventional weapon, nor efficient compared to what's available today. I think even a bow would work better considering the circumstances," Mitsuru repeated the question and elaborated.
"Well…can I start by asking a question of my own?"
"Go ahead."
"Have you ever felt… 'connected' to your persona?"
Mitsuru looked surprised, "I've…I've never thought about it before. Ever since I awakened Penthesilea, she's seemed like a natural part of me, but connected? How would you define the feeling of being connected to your persona?"
"Hmm, well, it feels like Setanta and I are in sync. We each know what the other is thinking, but we each have our own thoughts and personalities. Does that make sense?"
"I…suppose it does. But you're making it sound like you can literally communicate with your persona as if he were just a living person."
…Ryuden knew there was no going back after this, but this one little piece of information shouldn't cause too big of a ripple effect, right?
"...I can. Setanta and I are able to speak to one another in my thoughts." If Mitsuru looked surprised before, now she looked positively shocked. "I take it that's not normal for a persona user?"
It took Mitsuru a minute before responding. She was clearly thinking over her words, but for what reason Ryuden couldn't be sure.
"I'll be honest with you Yamamoto-san, I don't know any persona users that have claimed to be able to do what you said, but for my part…it's never crossed my mind that such a thing is possible. I've only ever viewed Penthesilea as an extension of myself."
Ryuden looked out the window, they were still a minute or two away from the mall.
"Why don't you try talking to her?" He asked.
"R-right now?" Mitsuru sounded uncertain.
"Why not? We have another minute or two before we get to the mall." Mitsuru still looked uncertain, "If not now, how about tonight once we get back to the dorm."
"...alright, that sounds preferable." The rest of the ride was quiet.
…
The two of them were walking through the mall, and were both near the water fountain.
"By the way, Yamamoto-san, you never answered my question about the sling," Mitsuru spoke up.
"Oh yeah, we went down a rabbit hole didn't we. The reason I was hoping to use one is that Setanta uses one. I was hoping to use one as well," Ryuden explained.
"Really? That's your reason?" Mitsuru wasn't sure it constituted a good reason.
"I know it sounds like a weak excuse, but I feel like I want to at least give it a try before giving up entirely on the idea."
Mitsuru thought about his reasoning, "Alright, I'm willing to let you have a shot at it. But there will be a few rules about using it."
"And they are?" Ryuden was hiding his excitement.
"Rule 1: You can only practice with it during the dark hour." Ryuden nodded, "Rule 2: Until you have proven sufficient mastery of it, you can't use it in a real fight."
"Anything else?"
"Rule 3: if you break anything, you're paying to replace it."
"That's fair, just gives me extra motivation to master it."
"Good, glad we've settled that matter. As for actually getting you one…I'm sure I can arrange for one to be ordered for SEES."
"Thank you ojou-sama, I really appreciate it."
Mitsuru smiled proudly, "As I said before, I'll do anything I can to support you in SEES. But before that, I have some shopping to do."
As the two walked to their destination, Ryuden paused. He looked over towards an ally leading to a karaoke place. It was strange, it was almost as if something was…pulling him towards the ally.
"Yamamoto," hearing his name, broke him away from the ally.
"Apologies ojou-sama, I thought I heard someone call my name," he quickly made up.
"It happens to all of us from time to time, now let's go."
Ryuden turned to follow, but not before looking back at the ally one last time.
The three members of SEES sat together in the dining room. Mitsuru had called down Akihiko to confirm something.
"Akihiko, Yamamoto-san mentioned something to me earlier, and I would like your opinion on the matter," she stated.
"Sure thing, what is it?" asked Akihiko.
"Have you ever…talked with your persona?" Mitsuru asked hesitantly.
Akihiko looked confused, "Like, talk talk?"
Mitsuru nodded, "Yes, Yamamoto-san has told me that he is able to converse with his persona, Setanta. Have you ever had an experience like that with Polydeuces?"
'At least now I know both their personas names,' thought Ryuden.
"Can't say I even considered it a possibility. Honestly, I've just been so focused on getting stronger that the idea never crossed my mind," admitted Akihiko.
"Well why don't you both try it out?" Asked Ryuden, "Since they're both a part of you, it should be easy for them to respond to you."
The two teens looked uncertain, but Akihiko shrugged his shoulders, "Worth a shot, what've we got to lose?"
Mitsuru nodded as well, "You're right. I was nervous before, but this might turn out to be beneficial."
"Alright then, go ahead. And before you ask, no, there's no special trick or anything to it. I just think of the words I want to say to Setanta, and he talks back to me," Ryuden explained.
Both teens closed their eyes to focus. Ryuden watched, eager to see if they were able to talk with their persona.
…
…
Akihiko opened his eyes first, "I'm not getting anything." He looked at Mitsuru, "How about you Mitsuru, anything?"
After a couple seconds, Mitsuru opened her eyes. "It's strange. I didn't hear anything but…when I stopped and focused, it did feel like someone was listening.
"It's possible they're not as connected to their personas as they think." Setantas voice cut into Ryudens head. "Though it seems the redhead came close. Perhaps, given some more time, they will be able to do so."
"It's possible that you guys just need a bit more time. That's what Setanta said, anyway. I think he's right. Just give it some time and I think you'll get it," Ryuden tried encouraging his allies.
Akihiko looked doubtful, but Mitsuru looked deep in thought.
"I don't know, I think that's enough for me. At least for tonight. I'm gonna go for a run. I'll be back later." Akihiko said getting up and stretching.
Mitsuru nodded, but still looked like she was thinking.
"Something wrong, ojou-sama?" Asked Ryuden.
Mitsuru shook her head, "Nothing wrong, per say. Just thinking…if everything you said is true. Then it's possible Penthesilea might be…upset at how I've viewed her all these years."
"If she's part of you, then I think you'll be fine. She just needs a bit of time to see you're sincere about reaching out to her."
"I suppose you're right. Regardless, I think I'll stop here for tonight as well."
"Ok, please let me know if you need anything, ojou-sama."
"I will, thank you Yamamoto-san."
Sunday July 20th 2008
Today was Ryudens first day he'd have to make a report. He was looking over the instructions written on the form he was given.
"When it's time to make a report, call each number from top to bottom in that order until the phone is answered. Warning, the very bottom number written in bold is for emergencies only, do not call this number when making a report. Seems a little excessive," Ryuden said, reading the form out loud. "Well, might as well."
He dialed the first number, but it came back as no longer in service.
Second number, same as the first. Third number gave a busy signal. Should he try the number again, or go onto the fourth?...he decided to go to the fourth number, and it started ringing.
…
"Takeharu," came the voice on the phone.
"K-Kirijo-sama?" Ryuden was surprised to hear that it was Takeharu Kirijo himself that he was reporting to.
"Ah, Ryuden, I guess it's time for your first report. What've you got for me?" It was straight to business.
"Ok, well everything during the day seems status quo. Ojou-sama hasn't gotten into any trouble nor do I see anything dangerous from outside sources."
"That's good. And what about SEES?" Takeharu asked.
"I passed the 'test' that was simply me killing a shadow. We haven't had any operations, but occasionally Sanada-san will patrol the town. Nothing else of note."
"Sounds like you're doing good work so far then. One last question, I seem to have gotten a request for a sling. Care to explain?"
Ryuden had to stop himself from getting nervous, "Ah, that's, well, that's for me. After some discussion, ojou-sama said she was willing to give me a shot with it. Metaphorically."
"I see…very well, I'll accept the request. You should have it within a week."
"Thank you very much, Kirijo-sama."
"Keep up the good work, Yamamoto."
"Oh, Kirijo-sama, may I ask a quick question before you go?"
"Shoot," Takeharu gave permission.
"Do all these numbers go straight to you?"
"They do."
"Any particular reason why it's structured the way it is?"
"There is."
…
"I'm guessing you're not going to tell me."
"I'm not," there was a slight tone of humor in Takeharus voice.
"Good enough for me. I'll keep in touch, Kirijo-sama," Ryuden said confidently.
"Thank you Yamamoto. Unless there's an emergency, I'll talk to you next week. Goodbye," Takeharu hung up abruptly.
"...well that went well."
Saturday, August 30th 2008
Dark Hour
The next month and a half went by quickly. However, nothing had changed the routine of the three members of SEES. During the summer vacation, Mitsuru did nothing more than enjoy her extra leisure time, which allowed Ryuden to catch up on some gaming, reading, or listen to Setanta tell the fanciful story that was his life.
During the night they would either patrol the city for shadows, or stay at the dorm. The shadows never offered much resistance, and Ryuden would train with his weapons while at the dorm. Speaking of training, practice with his sling was slow going. Even with Setanta coaching him, Ryuden couldn't aim right. His shots were never on target.
Tonight, Ryuden was going through the motions, practicing with his shortsword. He had all his equipment on, as if he was ready for combat at a moment's notice. This was also drilled into him from his time at training: if you practice, make sure you're fully geared up so you're used to fighting in full gear. He HATED training like that…but he had to admit his instructors were right. He stopped to take a breather, and grab a drink from his water bottle.
"Training again?" Ryuden turned to see Mitsuru standing on the stoop. "I'm surprised you didn't join Akihiko on patrol. I've told you, you don't have to stick close to me during the dark hour."
"I know ojou-sama, and you know I've joined him on other nights. I just didn't feel like it tonight," he took a long gulp from his bottle.
"Still upset about the sling?" Mitsuru asked. It was no secret that Ryuden was annoyed about his issues mastering the sling.
Ryuden sighed, "No, it's not that. I just didn't want to go out tonight, that's all…hey, ever wonder why some water turns to blood during the dark hour, but not all of it? The water bottles are fine, running water from the tap is blood, but the river is fine? No consistency, I tell ya." Ryuden tried to change the subject.
Mitsuru sighed, "Of all the things that happen during the dark hour, that's the thing you bring up?"
Ryuden laughed, "Well, it's just one of many oddities I notice when looking around in the dark hour. Can you really blame? It's not every-"
"Mitsuru, come in!" Akihikos voice could be heard shouting from her radio. He sounded panicked. She grabbed the radio.
"Akihiko, what's wrong?" Her voice was serious, but one could also hear a bit of fear. She worried for her friend.
"This guy is big and nothing I do is working! He shrugged off Polydeuces, and he's just been tanking my own attacks! WOAH!" A boom could be heard west of the dorm.
"Akihiko!" Mitsuru shouted into the radio.
"I'm OK, just barely dodged it! I'm a few blocks from the dorm, little help would be great!" Akihiko continued to shout.
"Yamamoto!"
"Right!"
The two knew what they had to do. They both took off running in the direction of the "boom" they heard earlier. While Ryuden desperately wanted to run ahead, he knew he should stick close to Mitsuru for now, just incase there were more shadows. After what felt like far too long, they saw Akihiko running towards them from a distance.
"There he is," Mitsuru said, some relief in her voice. That relief vanished when she saw what was being him. The shadow was about six feet tall and humanoid, walking on two legs, it had two bulky arms and a head with long inky hair, the same went for its beard. What was really worrisome was the spear and shield it was armed with. Despite its deep black appearance, this was the most human looking shadow any of them had ever seen. It was also gaining on Akihiko.
"Sanada, get down!" Ryuden yelled at the top of his lungs. He pulled his arm back, and launched his spear at the shadow, then proceeded to run after his spear. 'Consequences be damned, he needs help!' Ryuden thought to himself.
Mitsuru saw him throw the spear, than take off running after it, 'So fast!' She couldn't help but think.
Thankfully, Akihiko heard the shout and saw the spear, jumping down and out of the path the spear was taking. The shadow had a second to react, but was able to block the spear with its shield. It was not, however, able to block the punch from Ryuden coming right after it. His fist connected with the shadows "face" staggering it back a couple feet. This gave Ryuden enough to help Akihiko up.
"You ok?" Ryuden asked.
"I'll live," Akihiko said gruffly. Once confirming he was OK, Ryuden grabbed his spear from the ground and readied himself.
"Akihiko, are you alright?" Mitsuru had finally caught up to them.
"Yeah, keep your guard up," said Akihiko.
Mitsuru had her rapier out, pointed towards the shadow, which had regained its footing. The shadow seemingly sized up his opponents. It then, seemingly, spoke to them.
All three persona users were stunned, "Did…did that shadow just speak?" Ryuden asked, uncertain.
"That sounded like it was talking, but I couldn't understand what it was saying, Akihiko confirmed.
"Not only that, but it looks like it's waiting for us to respond, or act first," Mitsuru noted.
The shadow repeated itself, but none of the three SEES members understood it.
"Can you understand us?" Ryuden asked cautiously. The shadow nodded, thoroughly freaking them out.
"What is it that you want?" Asked Mitsuru.
The shadow pointed to Ryuden and spoke again.
"What? Me?" Ryuden asked.
The shadow spoke again, yelling this time, pointing its spear at Ryuden.
"It can't be," the voice of Setanta spoke to Ryuden, "He's speaking Irish, I recognize that man!"
"Then who is it?" Ryuden inadvertently asked aloud, drawing the attention of his allies.
"He takes the visage of Fraech mac Fidaig, the first man I slew in single combat against Medb's armies."
"So what exactly does that mean for us?" Ryuden asked out loud again.
"Yamamoto, focus!" Mitsuru chastised, but he was purely focused on Setanta.
"He's requesting to wrestle you in single combat."
Ryuden was stunned silent. He had to force himself to think before things went south.
"Alright, I'm going back in. Mitsuru, cover me," Akihiko was about to charge in.
"Wait!" Ryuden shouted, causing Akihiko to freeze.
"Yamamoto we can't keep standing around and let this guy make the first move!" Akihiko shouted.
"Akihiko is right, Yamamoto," agreed Mitsuru "we need to-"
"Fraech mac Fidaig," the instant Ryuden said it, the shadow stood up straighter, as if acknowledging the name. "Is this what you want?" Ryuden spun his spear, and impaled it into the ground, the cement from the sidewalk splitting just enough to keep the spear upright. The shadow then mirrored his actions, impaling its spear into the ground as well.
"What are you doing, Yamamoto?" Mitsuru asked with a hiss.
"In short, he was speaking Irish, Setanta translated for me. This guy wants to wrestle me, seems his name is Fraech mac Fidaig," throughout his explanation, Ryuden was unhooking his shield, as his opponent did the same.
"And you're just gonna do it?" This time it was Akihiko.
"Let me humor the thing. If things go south, I'm counting on you two to bail me out," Ryuden undid the buckle that was holding up his shortsword, again his opponent mirrored his actions.
"I don't approve of this idea, Yamamoto," Mitsuru said, doing nothing to conceal her disapproval, but attempting to try and conceal her anger.
"I don't like it either, Yamamoto," Akihiko chimed in, "Let's just attack together while you're properly armed."
"Honestly, I don't like this any more than you two," admitted Ryuden.
"Then don't do it!" Both Mitsuru and Akihiko shouted.
"Listen, as much as I don't want to do this, I think I need to."
"Why?" Mitsuru asked with a simple word.
'Setanta, can I take this guy?'
"At your current state, I have little doubt. Go take him down."
"Once I do this, you'll both see what I've been holding back. So I'm asking you both, please trust me on this."
Mitsuru and Akihiko looked at each other, a silent conversation between the two, then they looked back to Ryuden.
"Fine, but we're stepping in at the first sign of trouble," Mitsuru said with a tone that indicated she wasn't happy about it.
"Thank you, ojou-sama," Ryuden had finished taking off all the belts leaving him in only his suit. However…
"Ojou-sama, can you hold onto my evoker please?" Ryuden asked, holding it out to her. She took it with a disapproving scowl. "Thanks again," he then turned to face the shadow, while unbuttoning his shirt. "Thanks for waiting Fraech. May I ask why you're here, and for me specifically?"
To his credit, the shadow did reply, Ryuden just couldn't understand it. Thankfully, he had a translator in his head.
"He said: I'll be the first to challenge the spirit of Ulster, just like last time."
"Last time? You mean, from that Táin?"
The shadow spoke. Ryuden had finished unbuttoning his shirt, so he took it off and threw it to the side.
"The hero of Ulster has risen again, and the army of those he has slain have come to seek vengeance. Ryuden, this does not bode well."
"I know, but for now I'll focus on the fight in front of me."
"I know how to wrestle, so you should too, but we never practiced anything similar to it. Think you can manage?"
'I think so, but if I'm wrestling then I'm starting off the way I know best.'
Ryuden squatted down low, his fists touching the ground. Akihiko recognized the form. 'That looks like a sumo stance. I guess it IS wrestling.' He thought to himself.
Ryuden and Fraech stared each other down…
"LET'S GO!" They charged at each other. While Ryuden went to grab the shadow "by the belt," it attempted to grab Ryuden under his arms to throw him down. They locked up against each other. In a sudden twist, the shadow attempted to lift Ryuden off his feet, but Ryudens grip on his opponent made it so that he was just pulled closer. Ryuden repositioned his left leg in between his opponents legs. The two began to shift and now both their left legs were touching.
Suddenly, the shadow changed its strategy and attempted to push Ryuden over using the full weight of its body. Positioned as he was, Ryuden couldn't withstand the force, and proceeded to fall, his opponent moving to fall on top of him. Ryuden, his left leg still between his opponents legs, pulled his leg back to block his opponent from landing on him. It worked, and Ryuden was able to plant his foot on the shadows chest. He kicked with all his might. This resulted in the shadow releasing its grip and getting pushed back, while Ryuden landed on the ground with a thud. It hurt, but it was nothing more than a simple fall. He got back to his feet quickly, his arms in front of his torso, ready for another clash.
The shadow of Fraech spoke again.
"Not bad, but Cú Chulainn was definitely more skilled in wrestling than you. That's what he just said."
"Yeah, well that's because I'm not him. But I think you'll find I've still got his spirit!" This time Ryuden made the first move. He grabbed the shadows shoulders and started pushing. The dark visage of Fraech mirrored his actions. "I don't want to be singled out, I don't want to be put up on a pedestal." Ryuden was starting to overpower his opponent, the shadow was bending over backwards "But more importantly, I want to keep my allies safe!" Ryuden was able to force the shadow to fall onto its back, and he went down with it. The second they landed, Ryuden began pummeling the shadow with punches wherever he could. One particularly strong strike cracked the ground beneath them. The shadow roared, and a burst of electricity came off its body. It was no longer a wrestling match, now they were out to kill each other.
The instant the electric attack came off its body, Akihiko and Mitsuru moved in.
*BANG BANG*
The sounds of two evokers going off could be heard. Ryuden was pulled off the shadow by Polydeuces, while Penthesilea shot a blast of ice at the downed shadow. Polydeuces pulled Ryuden back to the other SEES members.
"Here," a one word order from Mitsuru as she handed the evoker back to Ryuden. "We have to strike now while it's still unarmed."
"I'll provide support, it's clearly immune to electric attacks," Akihiko said, ready for another round of combat.
Ryuden didn't have long to prepare himself. Holding his evoker in his left hand, he grabbed his sword from the ground with his right. 'It'll have to do,' he thought.
The muscular shadow got back on its feet and roared loudly. Still unarmed, it charged Ryuden and swung its fist at him. Ryuden pulled back enough to dodge the fist, and swung his sword at the shadow. While it did cut, it didn't cut deep. The shadow made to attack again, but was hit by another blast of ice from Penthesilea. This has enough to knock it off balance, it fell to its knees.
"Nows our chance for an all out attack!" Mitsuru called out. She and Akihiko rushed the shadow, with Ryuden joining in shortly after. They cut, punched, and stabbed everywhere they could. As the shadow of Fraech recovered they began to pull back, but Ryuden didn't pull back far.
"Setanta!"
*BANG*
Setanta came forth and skewered his opponent. He then swung his lance, sending Fraech flying through the air, and crashing into a fire hydrant. The hydrant ruptured, sending what would normally be water into the air. But right now, the dark hour made the water blood red. The shadow pushed itself up with evident difficulty.
"You seem to have some level of intelligence, so I'll ask you once, and only once," Ryuden shouted, "Will you yield?"
The shadow of Fraech responded, Ryuden could tell it was a negative reply based solely on its tone of voice.
"He said 'I wouldn't do that,'"
With the only peace offering given, Ryuden charged the shadow. In its weakened state, it was unable to stop Ryuden from cutting him down with his sword. Yet the shadow did not die, it merely fell over onto its front. It began to push itself up again, but Ryuden was having none of it. He took his sword and ran it through the monstrosities back. Even impaled, the creature fought to get up.
Seeing the blood bursting out from the group, Ryuden had a spark of inspiration. He kicked the shadow back down to the ground, and forced its head into the rushing, bloody geyser. The shadow fought to get up, but Ryuden, pressing his knees onto its back, put all his weight into keeping the shadow in place. After a long minute, the shadow of Fraech mac Fidaig ceased its struggles, it stopped moving, and quickly started disintegrating into nothing.
Once it finished turning to dust, it left Ryuden on one knee, keeping himself up by leaning onto his sword. He was breathing heavily. No amount of training could achieve the adrenaline rush he was feeling. He pushed himself onto his feet.
"Are you alright, Yamamoto?" Asked Mitsuru.
"Yeah, I think so. Sore as hell though," Ryuden replied.
"Good to hear, Akihiko?"
"Understood," he replied, walking over to Ryuden.
"GUH!" and punching him in the gut.
"What the actual hell were you thinking, Yamamoto?!" yelled Akihiko. "Going into a fight the way you did was nothing short of stupid!"
Ryuden tried to regain his breath, "Yeah, I know."
"What exactly were you trying to prove? That you can fight and wrestle a shadow without a weapon? I can box, sure, but you don't see me fighting without gloves to protect myself." Akihiko continued to scold his older teammate, while Mitsuru watched the two.
"...part of it," Ryuden said after taking a few deep breaths.
"Part of what?"
"...There was a reason I took on the fight like I did."
"What reason would that be?" This time it was Mitsuru who asked, but she was no longer looking at her two companions, instead she was looking at the area around them, where they had just fought.
"The last shadow was weak, too weak. I needed to see if I had a better grasp on my strength," Ryuden gave his reasoning.
"Your strength?" Asked an incredulous Akihiko, "What? Using a persona and going through a pseudo boot camp wasn't enough of a test?"
Ryuden shook his head, "That's not it, it's more like-" he was interrupted once again.
"Yamamoto," he turned to Mitsuru who was looking at the cracks in the pavement, and holes in the ground. She was putting the pieces together, but needed to ask him. "How…how strong are you?"
Ryuden took a moment, "...well beyond that of normal humans."
"What about persona users? Compared to us," She asked a follow up question.
Ryuden almost looked ashamed to answer, "When I compare myself to what I've seen you both do…yeah, stronger than that."
Akihiko looked unconvinced, "What do you mean stronger compared to us? Just because you're older than us doesn't mean-"
"Hit me," this time, it was Ryudens turn to interrupt.
"Excuse me?" Asked Akihiko.
"I want you to hit me, right here and now. It will prove my point," Ryuden himself looked unsure, which Akihiko picked up on.
"You don't look so sure of yourself. I just sent you gasping for air a few minutes ago, do you really want a repeat?"
"You caught me well off guard after a fight. If you punch me now, then you'll understand the difference."
"And why do you seem so unsettled?" Akihiko asked, making sure.
"It's not the punch that unsettles me, it's knowing I have to explain everything afterwards."
Akihiko looked annoyed at Ryudens non answer.
"Do it, Akihiko," Mitsuru gave her say in the matter, "Once you do, we return to the dorm, and listen to what he has to say."
"Thank you, ojou-sama," Ryuden said, although there was no relief in his voice.
"Don't get me wrong," she continued, "I'm still very disappointed in the actions you took at the start of the fight. I expect a full explanation when we return to the dorm."
"As you command," Ryuden agreed.
"Very good. Akihiko, do it."
Akihiko rolled his shoulders. "Alright, I'm not holding back so you better not complain after this." Ryuden simply nodded and stood to his full height. "NNNNAAAHHH!" Akihiko swung hit fist, this one going right into Ryudens chest…and he only moved slightly upon the impact.
…
"Wha? You barely moved." Akihiko said, stunned.
Ryuden took Akihikos fist, and gently lowered it. "Let me gather my stuff, then we'll head back." He walked away from Akihiko to gather his belongings. Mitsuru moved alongside her teammate.
"Mitsuru, I really did hit him as hard as I could," Akihiko was confused.
"I'm sure you did," Mitsuru said with certainty. "I'm going to call the chairman regarding the damage, then we'll see what Yamamoto has to say."
The dark hour had ended a few minutes ago. The SEES trio were sitting in the living room. Mitsuru on the couch, while Akihiko and Ryuden each took up a chair. The two senior SEES members were watching Ryuden, waiting for him to start his explanation.
"How familiar are each of you with the origins of your personas names?"
"About Polydeuces? I know it's Roman…I think?" Akihiko sounded less sure as he went on.
"Greco-Roman, Akihiko," Mitsuru corrected, "Same as Penthesilea, the daughter of Ares and Otrera."
Ryuden nodded, "Right. So as far as I can tell, all three of our persona are related to mythology. Mine is no exception, only Setanta is Irish mythology instead of Greco-Roman."
"Does this mean there is some inherent difference between your persona and ours?" Asked Mitsuru, curious to see where this conversation was going.
"To be honest, I don't know. There's only the three of us, right? Not much of a sample group," Ryuden didn't catch Akihiko giving Mitsuru the side eye. "But based on what I've seen, I'm pretty sure I'm a unique case."
"How unique, and in what way?" Asked Mitsuru.
Ryuden squirmed a little in his seat, "...before we continue. I need you two to promise me something." They waited for him to continue, "Please promise me that this stays between us. We already don't need the world knowing about shadows and such, but even regarding the dark hour. I don't want to be singled out, or worse, get turned into a lab rat."
Mitsuru and Akihiko faced each other. Akihiko shrugged, Mitsuru sighed. "I'll make this promise on the condition that it won't endanger anyone, and that includes you. I don't want you to try 'Testing your strength' or anything similar to tonight again. Is that agreeable?"
Ryuden sighed in relief, "Yes, thank you ojou-sama." He took another few seconds to collect his thoughts. "When I got my persona, we made a pact. A solemn vow. In exchange for following a few rules, I would be granted the strength, speed, and knowledge of Cú Chulainn himself."
"This, Cú Chulainn, is he related to your persona?" Mitsuru wanted further elaboration.
"Yes, Setanta is the birth name of Cú Chulainn. They're the same person."
Mitsuru thought back to what she saw just an hour ago. Ryuden had been running much faster than she had seen before, and had the strength to leave marks in the pavement from punching.
"How…how strong is he?" Mitsuru asked hesitantly.
"...I'm not sure how to quantify it, but let's just say that if I really wanted to, I could easily crush someone's skull," Ryuden didn't look pleased as he said this. Which was good as neither Akihiko or Mitsuru would have liked having someone who wanted to do such a thing being so close to them.
Mitsuru placed one of her legs over the other, deep in thought, 'His strength and speed are clearly superior than even ours. The good news is that he appears to be on our side. He's been with us a little over a month now and has proved himself a capable member of SEES, and as much as I'd rather not admit it, he's been an excellent bodyguard as well, even though there haven't been any real emergency situations for him to deal with.'
"Mitsuru?" Akihiko tried talking to his companion.
"Please hold on for a moment, Akihiko," she said, delving back into her mind. 'Let's put aside his strength for now. There's two things I need clarification on.' "Yamamoto, what did you mean when you spoke of a vow?"
"I made three promises to my persona that I have to uphold. Two are things I have to do, and one that I can't do," explained Ryuden.
"What are they?" She asked in return.
Ryuden looked hesitant, "Please understand ojou-sama, that these are vows, these geas, I can NOT break. If I were to do so, I'd lose all my powers."
Mitsuru leaned back, "All of them?" Ryuden nodded, "Now I see why you want to keep this a secret."
"Exactly."
"Do these vows put you in any danger?"
Ryuden chuckled, "They shouldn't, no. I don't mind sharing that one of them is to not eat food meant for dogs."
Akihiko chuckled at the statement, "Really? Don't eat dog food? That shouldn't be too difficult."
"It shouldn't, no. That's why I didn't mind sharing that with you two. The other vows…I'd rather keep close to my chest for now, if you don't mind. Just know that they don't place me in any danger, whether it be daytime or night."
They both understood what he meant by "night."
"Alright, I'll let you get away with not telling us what these vows are. However, if they become apparent or problematic, then you must tell us. Is that understood?"
Ryuden didn't want to agree, but he felt a nagging feeling in the back of his head. This feeling was like a slight headache, but if he focused he could hear something. It almost sounded like someone whispering "Geas". Then it dawned on him. This was the first time someone, specifically a woman, had made a request of him that he'd rather not do. Up until now, Mitsuru was the only woman he had prolonged contact with, and most every request she made of him was due to his job, or their dark hour activities. They were requests that easily fell into his job parameters, or he would have done simply because she was her boss. However, right now, she was making a request he didn't want to do, but there was no indication of her request being a joke, nor was Mitsuru anywhere near what he'd think of as "an enemy". It also didn't go against any morals or goals, just his own desire to keep the vows secret. He had no choice but to acquiesce.
"Very well," he said, hiding the fact he felt defeated.
"Great, glad that's settled, I'm heading to bed. I'm exhausted after running that thing," Akihiko said standing up.
"Hold on, Akihiko, we have one last matter that needs to be discussed," Akihiko looked tired as Mitsuru spoke, but sat back in the chair. "That shadow we fought tonight was unlike anything we've seen before. Yamamoto, you seemed to have spoken with the shadow, and it spoke with you. What did you call it? Frek?"
"Fraech, ojou-sama. Fraech mac Fidaig. It's a name right out of Cú Chulainns mythology," explained Ryuden.
"What exactly did it want from you? It chased me relentlessly, but its entire demeanor changed once you showed up," Akihiko chimed in.
"It almost seemed to respond to you like it intended to duel you," Mitsuru added.
Ryuden thought back to everything it had said, "I think it might have wanted exactly that, ojou-sama." Ryuden leaned forward, "To my recollection of the story, Fraech surprised Cú Chulainn while he was bathing and challenged him to wrestle. Cú Chulainn drowned him in the river." Ryuden thought about some of the finer details of the fight, both his and from the story. "In fact, the way my fight ended was awfully similar. Only I ended up drowning the shadow in the water from the hydrant rather than a river."
"Interesting. I wonder why this shadow took the image of this F-r-a-e-ch," Mitsuru pronounced the foreign name slowly, "I also wonder if there's any more shadows similar to him."
Akihiko frowned, "I hope not, if there are I hope I can at least damage them. I couldn't put a dent in this guy."
"About that," when Ryuden spoke up, neither Mitsuru or Akihiko seemed to be happy, "In the story, Fraech is just the first one to challenge Cú Chulainn in single combat. There's a whole lot of back story that I won't bog you down with at the moment, but he was part of Medb's army."
The other two members of SEES did NOT like the word "army" being used.
"The shadow made it sound like they were here for me, because of my persona. It said 'The hero of Ulster has risen again,' I'm assuming it's referring to me and Setanta. It then said 'The army of those he has slain have come to seek vengeance.'"
"A whole army of those things? How the hell are we supposed to stop that?" Akihiko asked, very upset.
"Yamamoto," Mitsuru looked very serious, "How many people, approximately, would you say Setanta killed?"
Ryuden gulped, "Just in the Táin alone, an innumerable amount. He killed so many no name soldiers that the story doesn't keep out. He also fights one named soldier a day multiple times in the book. The story also ends with a clash between two armies."
"Can we trust what's written in the book?" Asked Mitsuru, "Can we trust its accuracy? Are we to fight the shadows of the people in your book?"
"I can vouch for much of the books authenticity. Though I can't say for certain if, who, or when you'll be fighting" Setanta said to Ryuden.
"Setanta said he can vouch that the book is accurate. But who knows if we'll actually be following the events or order of the book," Ryuden relayed the message.
Mitsuru took a deep breath, "Alright, that's very helpful information. Please thank Setanta for us."
"I will, ojou-sama,"
"I think we've discussed enough for now, we're all quite tired. Let's go to sleep for now and discuss this another time." Mitsuru said, getting up off the couch, "This conversation stays between us three. I told the chairman about the damage done, but when I fill out the report I'll tell him the shadow was simply stronger than we expected."
Akihiko stood up, stretching, "If we're supposed to fight more of those things, then I better up my training regime."
Ryuden stood as well, "Thank you Sanada-san, ojou-sama." They both nodded in return, giving soft smiles.
"We're in this together, Yamamoto-san. If there are more shadows coming for you, then we'll fight alongside you," Mitsuru said, confidently.
"I second that," Akihiko said, "but not tonight. I hear my bed calling me."
"Thanks again you two, goodnight."
They all slept deeply that night.
Sunday August 31st, 2008
"So it was a larger than normal shadow that caused the damage in the report?" Takeharu asked.
"Yes Kirijo-sama, I stand by everything that ojou-sama put in the report," Ryuden was making his weekly report. He was currently standing in his room at the dorm. Today was the first time he had something of substance that needed discussion.
"I've read the report, Yamamoto, and while Ikutsuki may accept it, I've read my daughter's reports enough to know when she's hiding something. What's going on?"
Ryuden fought the urge to gulp, "With all due respect Kirijo-sama, can I assume that everything we discuss is confidential?"
"It's all confidential unless I deem otherwise. Now what's going on?" Takeharu was a very direct man. While he could easily play the role of a businessman, he could also play a game of subterfuge. However, right now, he knew being direct would yield the best results.
"Well…there was indeed a larger, more powerful shadow, and it had a human-like appearance."
"We've seen humanoid shadows before, what made this one unique?"
"It, umm, it appeared to be after me specifically."
"...and how did you come to that deduction?" asked Takeharu.
"Well, umm, it… it was capable of speech."
That was a first, even for Takeharu. "It could talk?" He asked for confirmation.
"Yes, Kirijo-sama."
"What did it say?"
"It mentioned my persona by name, as well as requested to fight me specifically."
Given what Takeharu knew of the dark hour, he had no reason to believe Ryuden was lying to him. But the big question remained.
"Why?"
"We don't know. We only have a hypothesis," hearing Ryuden had an idea was still better than nothing.
"Which is?"
"The shadow claimed to be Fraech mac Fidaig, a character from mythology. Specifically The Táin from Irish legend."
"...I'm not familiar with that one."
"Ok, well the main point is, Fraech was the first of many men that challenged Cú Chulainn, that's the title of my persona Setanta. This shadow claimed that those Setanta killed have come back for vengeance."
"So if you follow the series of events in the book," Takeharu started.
"We might know what's to come," Ryuden finished.
"It's as good a hypothesis as any."
"Thank you, Kirijo-sama," Ryuden said, relieved.
"But that still doesn't answer one question. Why try to hide this?"
That was one question Ryuden didn't want to answer.
"I was…afraid, Kirijo-sama." Takeharu didn't interrupt. "I have all this power, but I don't want to be a hero, I just want to help." Takeharu misunderstood Ryudens use of the word power, thinking he was talking about his persona. "I was afraid of being put on a pedestal, or worse, a lab rat. And now with these special shadows…I was afraid of being kicked out."
"Of your job or SEES?"
"Both. If these shadows are indeed coming after me, getting rid of me would keep the others safe."
"...I see. However, your logic is flawed Yamamoto." Ryuden said nothing. "If I were to send you away, that could relegate you to fighting these shadows alone. I will not have that on my conscience. Plus, even if I did send you away, there's no guarantee these shadows wouldn't attack the others in an attempt to find you." Ryuden heard the counterargument, and had to admit that Takeharu made some good points. "I hired you to do a job, Yamamoto. And given everything that's happened, I'm not getting rid of you unless you give me a damn good reason."
"Thank you, Kirijo-sama."
"Now, while I do respect your opinion on the matter, I believe we should let Ikutsuki know so he can dig into these super shadows a bit for us."
'At least it has nothing to do with my powers,' thought Ryuden, "Alright, Kirijo-sama."
"Super shadows aside, is there anything else we need to discuss?"
"I don't believe so, Kirijo-sama. School will be starting up again for ojou-sama, so I believe getting back into the usual daytime routine will help."
"A good regime does wonders for mental health. How about you? Keeping busy while Mitsuru is in class?"
"As best as I can. Being in Gekkoukan again brings back all sorts of memories."
"I can imagine. Any regrets?"
Ryuden was about to say no, but stopped, "I…well…I guess I do have one regret."
"I think I know what it might be. Care to share?"
"I never got to graduate. As you know, I had to drop out two months into my third year when my dad passed."
"I thought so. That is regrettable indeed. Were you part of any clubs?"
Ryuden wasn't sure why Takeharu seemed to have a sudden interest in his old school life, but saw no harm in sharing, "I was in the music club. I enjoy playing piano."
"Really? Never had you pegged as the music type."
"I've barely played since I left school. Free time was dedicated to earning money however I could."
"Shame, I was thinking of having you play at my next social gathering."
"...was that joke, Kirijo-sama?"
Takeharu gave a short chuckle, "Even someone like me needs a good laugh every now and then." Ryuden didn't see that coming. "I have to go now, Yamamoto. Expect Ikutsuki to come by tonight. And Yamamoto?"
"Yes, Kirijo-sama?"
"Keep up the good work."
"Thank you, Kirijo-sama, I will." The call ended right after. Ryuden flopped down on his bed. The worst case scenario had been avoided. He still had a job and was still a part of SEES. The question was…
'So now what, Setanta?'
"Hard to say. The shadow of Fraech made it sound like more are coming. Even if we don't have concrete proof, we should double our training efforts to be better prepared."
'I agree. Sounds like Akihiko is going to do the same. I hope Ojou-sama does too.'
"I'm sure she is. This mistress of yours seems quite intelligent."
'Yeah, good thing too. I don't know how much I could take if she was the stereotypical spoiled princess type.'
"HA! I know the type. After all, Queen Medb started a whole war simply because her husband had a special bull and she didn't."
'Right, the whole main conflict of the Táin is started by her.'
"Her and a drunken messenger."
'Right forgot about that part.'
"Anyway, yes, Mitsuru Kirijo is certainly intelligent. Perhaps she and Sanada can both benefit from training with you."
'Fighting against someone stronger than you is a bit of a trial by fire method. But I think they're both tough enough to handle it. I'll bring it up tonight.'
The three persona users of SEES were seated in the living room. Ikutsuki had arrived and they had much to discuss.
"I've been briefed on the situation, it sounds like we've stumbled upon a very unique shadow," Ikutsuki started, "and it also sounds highly likely that more will show up."
"That is correct chairman," said Mitsuru, "The fact that the shadow was capable of speaking was strange enough, but coupled with its strength and durability, it was a very formidable foe. Unlike anything we've faced prior."
Ikutsuki nodded, "From what I was told, it sounds like this shadow had some connections to Irish mythology. As such. I've taken it upon myself to classify this shadows as a Laochra."
"Lao-kra?" Akihiko tried to verbalize the foreign word.
"It means 'warriors' in Irish. At least, that's what I was told. I'm not well versed in the language myself." Ikutsuki said with a frown. "Regardless, it sounds like more coule be coming, so we should be prepared. I'll do some reading to see what we can expect next, while you three prepare yourselves however you can."
"We should create a training regime for all three of us," Ryuden chimed in.
"Why not train in Tartarus?" Ikutsuki suggested.
Ryuden fought the urge to shiver. He still hadn't been inside the ominous tower. The reason for that being…
"I don't want all three of us going in without having someone on the outside to help monitor progress. The few times we've gone in didn't go so well, and I don't like the idea of you two going in alone," Mitsuru said, dismissing the idea.
"Don't be like that Mitsuru, we didn't know what we were getting into back then. We were still in middle school. Besides, what better way is there for us to get stronger than by fighting?" Akihiko tried to reason with his leader. Mitsuru looked uncertain.
Ikutsuki stood up, "I'll leave the method of training for you three to decide. I'm going to head upstairs for a bit. I've got a few things to update on the computer upstairs." All three nodded as he departed for the stairs.
"Ojou-sama, if you're so against going into Tartarus may I offer a different approach?" Ryuden spoke up.
"What's your idea, Yamamoto-san?" She asked.
"The two of you can train by fighting me," they both looked curious about the idea, "Think about it. If these Laochra are from the story, then they'll most likely fight in a style similar to mine. You two get stronger by fighting someone similar to your opponent, and I train by, well, fighting back."
"I'm in," Akihiko wasted no time agreeing, "That's how it works in boxing. If you know what style of boxing your opponent uses, train against someone who uses that same style."
Ryuden nodded, "Your thoughts, ojou-sama?"
Mitsuru looked like she was still contemplating the idea, until, "Your idea is sound, and it keeps us out of Tartarus. Alright, we'll go with your plan."
"I won't let you down ojou-sama,"
Mitsuru smiled, "I'm sure you won't."
Holy crap, what a beast of a chapter. I just couldn't stop writing. The next chapter is already written, so expect it sometime soon!