Outsider Chronicles: Brockton's Phantom Thieves
Most of the time, the focus of a Worm story is a hero screwing over the villains. Or a villain being even worse and winning that way. Me? I'm just a Phantom Thief. Even so, I'll save this city, one stolen heart at a time!
And here we go with the first chapter of Hunter! Should be fun. Enjoy!
Hunter 1.01
It had been two days since my entrance into the Velvet Room and I had mostly put it out of my mind for now, although the stupid App that kept popping up on my phone wasn't really helping matters. The day after my arrival, Uncle Ron had taken me to get enrolled at school (Winslow, of course) and now I found myself outside in the rain as I waited for Greg to grab something he'd forgotten so he could show me the way to school. Thankfully, the cafe had an awning out front, so I wasn't getting soaked. Instead, I was glaring down at my phone, wishing with all my heart that the stupid app would just disappear. Unfortunately, it probably responded to my deeper subconscious and I just knew that theres no way that would turn down the chance to have a Persona, even if that did mean fighting something like Scion. Stupid nerd nature!
I was distracted from trying to melt my phone with my eyes when a girl ran under the cover out of the rain. She was tall and visibly curvy under her white hoodie and red tights. Now out of the rain, she pushed her hood down to reveal a pretty face, a head of red hair and dark gray eyes. Huh...something about all that seemed familiar…
The girl seemed to sense my gaze and looked up. Our eyes met and she smiled slightly, before turning her attention back outside.
"Hey!"
We both turned at the call to see a dark skinned girl across the road with a umbrella. I couldn't see many details from this distance, but she waved and the girl next to me waved back. I glanced at her and frowned slightly. Her wave was enthusiastic enough, but the look on her face was one of barely hidden resignation. Hmm, interesting…
The redhead flipped her hood up and quickly crossed the street to join her friend and they both headed in the direction I'm pretty sure Winslow was in. I frowned deeper. Something about all this was rubbing me the wrong way…
I didn't get much chance to think about it though as Greg chose that moment to join me and we headed off. As we walked, I asked about anything I needed to know about the school and its inevitable cliques. Greg snorted.
"Andrew, the only thing you need to know is to not piss of Sophia Hess and her 'friends'," he said, "Seriously man, the girls brutal. Anyone she deems as weak ends up having their social life flushed down the toilet."
"So, shes the queen bee?" I asked.
"More like Alpha Lioness," said Greg, "Shes a bitch of the highest order and I'm pretty sure she considers herself to be the predator and everyone else either pray or packmates. The school is just her hunting ground as it were."
I absently noticed my phone ping, but ignored it for now.
"Anything else?" I asked.
Greg winced.
"Yeah, but you might not like it," he said, "Hess' faverote target is a girl called Taylor. Shes...nice enough, if a little shy, but those bitches are relentless. A couple months ago, they shoved her in her locker after filling it with all sorts of nasty shit."
I winced. Damn, I was kinda hoping I could prevent that. Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk.
"Why doesn't someone do something?" I asked.
Greg snorted.
"Are you joking?" he growled, "The most popular girl in school and the star of the Track Team vs the unattractive loner no one likes? Who do you think wins?"
I scowled. Fucking brats.
"Anyway, just keep your head down and you'll be fine," said Greg, "We'll be...there...soo...what the hell?!"
We'd just rounded the corner to find what looked like a large, wooden palisade made of sharpened tree trunks driven into the ground instead of a school. I stared at the unexpected sight for a moment, before my eyes darted up. Sure enough, the sky was a swirling mass of red and black. Well shit, looks like my adventures already underway.
"What the fuck is going on?" asked Greg, staring up at the wooden wall in disbelief, "The school should be right here!"
He looked around.
"Is this some Cape shit?" he muttered, "God I hope not."
"Um, not to interrupt your breakdown, but what should we do?" I asked.
Greg took a deep breath and shook himself. Hard.
"I guess...we go in and see whats going on," he said.
"I was afraid you were going to say that," I muttered, but followed him in anyway.
Inside the compound was another large wall, creating a double stacked layer of defence and an area that would likely serve as my point of entry and exit once my heist got underway. I ignored that for now however as I followed Greg into the next part of the compound. This time, we found ourselves in what looked like a village square, surrounded by more walls that I'm pretty sure were set up in such a way to roughly mimic the layout of the school. There was also an uncomfortably large number of skulls stuck on wooden spikes or stuck to the walls by crossbow bolts. I blinked and, just as my eyes closed, I caught a glimpse of the schools entrance hall in reality.
"This is so weird," said Greg, "It said Winslow on the gate, right?"
"Looked like it," I said.
"This is so fucking weird," said Greg again.
"You've said that," I said as I tilted my head on one side, "I think I can hear someone coming…"
I was proven right a moment later as a gate suddenly slammed open and a person clad in hides with a wooden mask over his face came charging in. At the sight of us, the Shadow froze for a moment, before he let out an ear piercing howl. The sound stabbed at my eardrums, forcing me to clap my hands over my ears as, next to me, Greg did the same. A moment later, the sound petered out, before multiple other howls answered and a number of other Shadows came bounding through the gates to surround us, aiming the spears and bows they carried at us.
"WHOA, what the hell!?" yelled Greg as one of the spears jabbed him in the side, "Be careful with that thing!"
He missed the Shadow that jumped him from behind and smacked him over the head with a club. A moment later, my vision turned white as a Shadow hit me as well.
Its nearly time.
I'm not sure how long I was out, but I eventually came to with a pounding head and the feeling of dried blood matting my hair. Lovely. I sat up and looked around. I was locked inside a solid wooden cage, surrounded by thick, wooden walls and a dirt floor.
"Hey, are you alright?" asked Greg when he noticed I was awake.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, "Any idea whats going on?"
"Not a one," said Greg, "But I can tell you one thing, something seriously messed ups going on here!"
"Really, I couldn't tell," I deadpanned.
Greg ignored me and started shaking the door, creating a loud rattling sound.
"HEY, I KNOW SOMEONES THERE!" he yelled, "LET US OUT!"
No one answered, not that I was expecting them to.
"Arrr, fuck!" snarled Greg, "Where are we?!"
"ARRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!"
We both jumped at the sudden scream.
"What the fuck was that?!" gasped Greg as we ran to the bars.
We listened in silent horror as the scream turned to sobbing and agonized begging, before it was abruptly cut off by a loud splat.
"Oh god oh god oh god!" whimpered Greg, "We've got to get out of here!"
He looked desperately around the cage, but there wasn't even a bed.
"Someones coming," I hissed as my ears picked up the sound of muffled chanting approaching.
Greg stopped his frantic search and we turned to the bars as a group of Shadows arrived.
"New Pray, new Pray!" they hissed, "Fun to kill, good to eat!"
"WHAT?!" spluttered Greg.
"The only thing Pray is good for is eating," said a distorted, but still feminine voice.
The crowd of Shadows parted, allowing the Palaces owner to walk forwards. She was clad in black leathers and a hooded cloak that was pattened in such a way that she'd be able to move unseen through the foliage. Strapped to her back was a large crossbow and a quiver of bolts. Her hair was black and pulled into countless thin braids, each bound with a piece of bone or a tooth that stood out white against her chocolate skin, as did her yellow eyes.
"Wait a sec," muttered Greg, "Is that you Sophia?"
My eyebrows shot up and I ruthlessly stomped on the urge to grin like a madman. Fuck caution, I am SO stealing this bitches Treasure! It'll be sooooo satisfying to stomp all over her Shadow and then march out of this twisted hunting ground with her Treasure, even more so than with Kamoshida!
Shadow Sophia's lip curled into a sneer as she eyed us, looking us up and down as if judging prize meat at a butcher.
"Tch, I thought I finally had some decent pray, but its just a couple of mice," she sneered, "What, did you think bringing a friend would help you win Veger?"
She scoffed.
"Please, your nothing and always will be, no matter how many rodents you gather to you."
"Hey, now thats going to far!" snapped Greg, stepping towards the Shadow before I could stop him.
The Shadows eyes narrowed, before her hand snapped up, backhanding Greg across the cell to hit the wall with a thump.
"Learn your place rodent," she hissed as she pulled her crossbow off her back and aiming at Greg's head
I moved before properly thinking about it, grabbing my cousin by the collar and yanking him out of the way, just barely managing before the bolt slammed into the wall. Shadow Sophia tilted her head to stare at me.
"So, you do have some fight in you," she said, "Maybe you'll be worth something after all…"
She twitched her fingers and, before I could react, the Shadows around her surged forwards and grabbed me by the arms and legs.
"Take that one to the Hunting Grounds," she said, "As for the other, kill him."
The Shadows started jabbering in excitement as they closed in on Greg, who was pretty much completely frozen in terror.
"NO!" I shouted, struggling against the grip of the Shadows holding me.
"Oh don't worry Pray," said Shadow Sophia, "You'll be joining him soon enough."
I could only watch in horror as her face twisted into a look of demented ecstasy as she lifted her crossbow.
This is truly an unjust game…
Your chances of winning are almost none.
My eyes went wide at the sudden and unexpected voice in my head as a blue, glass-like butterfly fluttered past me.
But if my voice is reaching you,
There may yet be a possibility open to you.
"Wha…"
"What's the matter...?" I froze as another voice suddenly echoed through my head, making my very bones vibrate as an intense heat began to build in my chest, "Are you simply going to watch? Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then?"
Unbidden, my mind went back to the moment I realized I was in the Worm-verse and decided that I would do whatever I could to try and prevent some of the horrors to come.
"FUCK NO!" I roared in my head.
Instantly, the heat in my chest shot out, setting my body alite from the inside. I started thrashing in the Shadows grip, unable to properly scream as my vocal cords seemed to have frozen.
"Very well...I have heeded your resolve," said the voice as the burning ramped up, "Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I...Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!"
The burning erupted like a volcano and transformed from agony into cold resolve and focus as the power settled within my soul. Good god, it might hurt to get it, but this power feels so damn GOOD!
"Time to take out the trash!" roared Shadow Sophia as she pointed her reloaded crossbow at Greg.
"THATS ENOUGH!" I yelled.
Something in my voice made the Shadow twitch and slowly turn to look back at me.
"What was that?" sneered Shadow Sophia, "You want to die that badly huh? Fine."
She indicated to the Shadows holding me and they yanked my arms out, holding me against the wall like a target.
"I really wanted to hunt you properly, but you've become annoying," said Shadow Sophia as she aimed at my heart, "Sayanora."
Her fingers tightened on the trigger, but before she could fire, a blast of wind shot off me, knocking my captors back and forcing the Shadow Ward to shield her eyes. I remained still for a moment, before I hesitantly reached up and felt the mask that now covered my face. Ohh, this was going to hurt. I dug my fingers under the mask and, sure enough, it hurt like a bitch. However, I had another bitch to kill, so I ignored the pain and kept pulling until the mask was wrenched off my face in a shower of blood. I felt the power inside me surge and a wide grin slid across my face as I slowly looked up and met Shadow Sophia's eyes as the fire in my Soul poured out, covering my body as my Persona manifested for the first time. Clad in red and black with a white cravate, horns, black and red feathered wings and an eerie face that appeared as glowing red shapes on a black background, Arsene, the Phantom Thief, made his appearance with a mocking laugh. This was gonna be FUN!
And done. Well, that was fun. I'm probably gonna get some flack for just recycling the Persona from the original, but this is what I had planned from the start. Skull, Panther, Mona and Oracle will have the same Persona as well, but since the canon Arcana won't fit the others, I'll be creating some original ones for them. Plus, all the bosses and Palaces will be original.
Is anyone surprised I decided to use Sophia as their first target? I mean, shes practically gift wrapped for me! Hehe, this might actually give some insight as to who Panther is...if the interaction in the rain didn't already do that.
I might be exaggerating Sophia's obsession with hunting here, but remember that this is entirely subconscious. This is her completely unfettered by whatever morals are left in that fucked up head of hers.
On an unrelated note, my word processor seems to think I mean 'wanking' instead of 'yanking'. Not entirely sure where that came from and I don't really want to either.
Anyway, its time for me to sign off. I really, REALLY want to continue this, if only to get to the end of Hunter, but before I do that, I've gotta clean up that cliffhanger over on HH. Don't forget to leave a review on the way out!