?/?
Mukuro sat up, her body numb, yet the lingering feelings of a migraine told her she was still alive.
Taking in her surroundings, however, she suddenly no longer felt so sure.
"Welcome back, it's wonderful to see you once again!" the strange, long-nosed man, Igor announced, seated at his table within the blue-bathed, elevator-like structure Mukuro recalled him having address as the 'Velvet Room' the last time she'd been here.
Mukuro remembered hearing Yukari's voice, crying out to her before she'd lost consciousness and all had gone into blackness. She remembered the strange monsters before that, which resembled masses of living tar with eerie masks where one could assume a face should be as their only, albeit mocking semblance of humanity, and the towering spider-like creature many times her size wielding knives in its many hands, that had cornered her and Yukari on the roof...
"What happened? Why am I back here?" she asked. "I remember feeling exhausted, then..."
The fatigue had come very unexpectedly. Someone like herself would have normally easily endured far longer, yet she'd felt her strength rapidly ripped away from her once that second being, the one that had emerged from the first she'd seemingly summoned, had engaged and slain the many-armed beast.
"You had fallen unconscious after having awakened to your power," Igor explained, his creepy, impish grimace unchanging as he spoke to her from his table. "...It seems "Orpheus" has heeded your calling. This power is called "Persona", a manifestation of your psyche."
"Persona? Orpheus?" Mukuro asked, raising an eyebrow. She recalled that first word appearing in her mind as though instructed by someone, be it the odd man seated before her or the young boy she'd seen when she'd arrived, or something else before she'd used that gun-like object of Yukari's, just as something or someone had instructed her to use it as she had to bring the being, the Persona, forth.
"Yes, a facet of your personality that surfaces as you respond to external stimuli. Think of it as a "mask" that protects you as you brave many hardships," Igor explained. "That being said, however, your power is still quite new, and therefore still weak..."
Mukuro pale gaze hardened into a steel glare. "...I can assure you I'm anything but weak..."
The strange old man chuckled to himself, which only annoyed her more.
"Is this a joke to you?" she asked, her tone growing more stern. Mukuro wasn't sure what Igor was capable of, but he clearly had no fear of her whatsoever.
"Not at all," Igor replied. "You merely misunderstand. You measure yourself through only the achievements earned by your physical power, but a Persona is one of a more spiritual nature..." His bloodshot gaze seemed to bore through her as he rested his chin on his spidery, steepled hands. "...If I may ask, who were you, until now? What destination did you intend to reach? And who were those whom you truly opened your heart to, to help you on your life journey?"
Mukuro was silent. She'd thought about the accident, when she'd been passed around the institutions, when she'd abandoned her foster family, her time in Fenrir. The girl's gaze softened as she looked down at the blue floor, trying to answer Igor's questions but stopping herself as she suspected he'd know if she were lying or be ready to contradict her. Fenrir had been the closest thing she'd had, but even then, looking back, even at their most impersonal they'd made more efforts to connect with her then she, them. "...I've gotten by just fine despite all I've gone through, haven't I?" she asked.
"Have you?" another male voice inquired, younger yet very formal and smooth, and seemingly belonging to a tall figure in the shadows behind Igor, getting the girl's attention. She couldn't make out his features, but the faint glint of gold eyes shone from the darkness behind the seated old man.
"It is the inner strength, that a Persona is truly channeled by," Igor stated. "Think back to when it came to you, were you fighting merely for your own survival, or another's?" he asked.
Yukari... Mukuro remembered the other girl, scared to death as she fled to the roof, frozen with terror as that aberration prepared to skewer her with its many blades before Mukuro sacrificed her own to tackle her out of its path without harming her. Even if Mukuro had been waiting for death as she went through the motions, Yukari had not as she lay there frightened and fighting to remain conscious and survive, and in that moment, the other girl's life had been what mattered most to her...
"Inner strength comes from more then bravery, but also the bonds one forms with others, carried within the heart," Igor explained. "...This ability evolves through the development of these "social links", the emotional ties you build with others as you open your heart to them, and they to you. The stronger those bonds become, the more powerful your Persona ability..."
"Remember this," the man shrouded behind Igor said, his tone still formal, but Mukuro could see a smile in his shrouded features.
"...And you are?" she asked.
"I'll introduce myself properly, soon. I look forward to when that time comes, but for now, we must part again," the man responded, a hint of warmth in his formality.
"Indeed, time marches on in your world, and we mustn't keep you from returning there," Igor declared. "Next we meet, you will come of your own accord, until then... farewell..."
4/19
Mukuro's eyes fluttered open, her vision returning to the sight of a white ceiling. Several panel lights hung above, though the light shining in from the nearby window told her it was daytime.
"Oh! You're awake!"
Mukuro heard Yukari's voice next to her by where the window was and saw the girl rise from the chair she'd been sitting in next to her bed. Shifting and bringing her arm over her eyes as she sat herself up, Mukuro could feel a soft mattress and pillow under her, a sheet and blanket over top of her.
"Hey, easy, there!" Yukari said, coming over and leaning against the guard rails on the side of the bed in concern. "You're at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. It's just a short walk from the station. We brought you here after you'd... fainted, earlier."
Mukuro looked around, and saw she was indeed in a hospital room. The white walls, dull greenish-blue curtains, a few tables and some chairs like the one Yukari had been using, a nearby TV and supply cabinet were next to the bed. Mukuro winced in discomfort from a needle she noticed in her arm, and a catheter she could feel under the covers going somewhere that had given her more discomfort and made it clear she'd also been undressed and, from looking down at herself, been fitted in a simple hospital gown.
"The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you, other then just being exhausted," Yukari explained. "...You've been unconscious for ten days. How're you feeling, now?" she asked. "...Well rested, maybe?" she joked, with a slight, if anxious smile.
"Ten days...?" Mukuro repeated the words, which the other girl confirmed with a nod.
"Yup. Ten days. So... you didn't answer, are you feeling alright?" Yukari asked, bringing her hand up to her other arm, a little anxious as she looked away.
"I'll be fine," Mukuro replied, removing the needle and then reaching under the covers to remove the other tube that had been placed in her, getting a wince from Yukari as Mukuro slid it out and let it fall to the floor without a second thought. "...The doctor, he said there was nothing wrong, no injuries?" she asked, the dark-haired girl's gaze taking notice of the bandage on Yukari's thigh where she'd gotten injured that night that'd apparently been nearly two weeks ago. "...How's that healing?"
"No. No injuries. As for this, it's healing fine. I just got the stitches out two days ago, actually," Yukari said with a small smile, though it faded quickly as she looked down at the bandaged wound, ashamed. "...I'm sorry, by the way... for keeping so much from you when you were giving me a chance to be friends with you. I promised I'd explain everything after, right? I think I at least owe you that much, and for... not being much help back there, either. So... ask away."
Mukuro did indeed have plenty of questions, but decided on the one that currently stood out most to her given what they'd experienced. "What were those things that attacked us?"
"Y-You mean Shadows?" Yukari asked, looking up at her.
"...Shadows?"
"Yes. They're what we fight against, they appear during the Dark Hour."
"Dark... Hour?" the dark-haired girl tilted her head slightly.
"O-Okay, I promised I'd explain everything but... Kirijo-senpai would do a better job on the real details regarding that stuff once you're back at the dorm," Yukari said apologetically. "But basically... you remember when everything got really dark after midnight, and the moon turned green? I... kinda dismissed it as a blackout when you first arrived? When that happens... they appear... and they start hunting for anyone who's still conscious."
Mukuro was silent a moment, recalling the screams she'd heard on her way to the dorm. "I'm trained to fight. Would I be right in suspecting you all know things about me?"
"We do, yes... me I just sorta skimmed, it didn't feel right getting all that without your permission, but Kirijo-senpai I imagine knows everything. She can explain it all when you see her again," Yukari replied. "What I got though, mostly from personal experience with you, yeah, sounds like you've been well-trained, like military-level?"
"...Something like that," Mukuro explained, folding her arms. "You were panicking, however, which rendered you, essentially, a non-combatant, so I prioritized ensuring you made it to safety, first," she said, recalling Yukari's insistence they retreat and that she couldn't fight them.
"Without having awakened to a Persona, you wouldn't have been able to fight them no matter how good you are, anyway," Yukari explained. "Kirijo-senpai... she'll explain. We fight them with that power you saw, we call it "Persona". I'm sorry I... I froze up back there, yours though, it was amazing!"
Persona... Mukuro remembered the first entity, the one called Orpheus that had first appeared, but also the much larger and stronger thing that had emerged from it after that instantly turned the tide of battle out of their foe's favor. She wasn't sure if she'd done that or it was some sort of fluke, or if it even was one of these Personas Yukari and Igor had spoken of or something else entirely.
"As for the whole... keeping that stuff from you, we didn't know if you had the potential to awaken to one, since you remained conscious in that Dark Hour I mentioned, and..." Yukari sighed. "...Kirijo... she'll explain everything about all that and do it a lot better then I ever could. Just... know I was made to keep quiet about all of it till we knew. If you weren't, you have been sent to another dorm. I'm really, really sorry about all of that. I wanted to tell you all this time but they wouldn't let me..."
A moment of silence passed, neither girl certain how to break the ice. Finding her words first, Yukari spoke up. "Umm... how about instead, I'll share something about myself, alright? And... you share something about yourself, since... you know, I'd rather ask you then read about it behind your back."
"Fair enough," Mukuro said with a nod.
"Well, for starters, I wanted to say... I'm sorta... like you, really," Yukari said, frowning a little as her gaze flickered away.
"What do you mean?" Mukuro asked. "I saw what you tried to do with that gun, do you mean having this Persona ability?"
"I-I didn't mean that, but yeah, and it's technically not a gun, it's..." Yukari stopped herself and shook her head, giving an apologetic look, Mukuro suspected the implication it was something else she promised Mitsuru could explain better. "...Nevermind. What I meant is, I lost family, too, a long time ago. My dad died in an accident, and my mom and I... we're not on good terms. You're... alone, too, aren't you, now? I... I know about your past... the basics, anyway. They were told to me, so that wasn't totally by choice. It didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know mine..."
"What happened? You mentioned an accident?" Mukuro asked.
"Yeah, back in '99... There was this huge explosion on the island," Yukari explained, before noticing Mukuro's eyes blink in curiosity and paused in confusion.
"...Go on," the dark-haired girl said.
"My dad died in the blast but no one knows what happened," Yukari continued. "I know he worked in a lab, the one the explosion came from, it was run by the Kirijo Group."
"I saw that name around on a few electronics when I was at the mall," Mukuro replied.
"Yeah, they make all sorts of stuff, Mitsuru's father runs it, now, but... like I said, no one knows what happened or what was even being done at that lab that could cause that," Yukari answered. "So... I'm hoping if I stick around, I'll find out something. It's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High. Guess it was a weird twist of fate I'd end up having the same potential we looked for in you, it's why I was there when this happened to you."
Yukari brushed back her auburn hair, embarrassed. "...I'm sorry again for panicking, and freezing up and everything, back there. I am actually a decent archer, but... I'd only awakened to my Persona recently before you got here, and that was pretty much my first time ever facing those things. Maybe if I wasn't such a coward I could have fought them off and you wouldn't have had to deal with trying to get me out of there."
Mukuro folded her arms once more, sighing. "...As far as you were concerned, without a Persona yet, you felt I'd only be in danger. You prioritized getting me to safety as well." Her pale blue eyes regarded the girl next to her as their gaze softened. "...I don't fault you for that. Getting someone who, for one reason or another, has become or would be considered a non-combatant out of the danger area comes first."
"Sounds very military," Yukari said with a small giggle before her expression turned serious again. "But, still, that part aside, I was visiting you every day, on the chance you'd wake up so I could keep my promise, and here I am telling you this about my past. All because the whole time I waited all I could think was "I've hid so many things from her, so as soon as she wakes up, I'm doing as I promised and telling her the truth."," she explained. "So... thanks for listening to that."
"...1999," Mukuro said, glancing at the window a moment. "...I take it you know, that's the year... what happened to me, happened?"
Yukari nodded. "Yeah, there was something about an accident you were in, and you went through several institutions before you were adopted, but then you disappeared till now... or so I'm told, but I don't know the rest... was it on the island by any chance? I guess it's alright if you don't wanna say."
Mukuro shook her head. "...You shared your story, I agreed I'd share mine," she said, closing her eyes as she took a breath trying to recall that horrible evening. "...What I do remember was being on a bridge. I was barely conscious and the car is is overturned... there was fire, I knew I had to get out. My parents weren't answering, I barely made it out before my body just gave way on the pavement... they were already dead."
"Mukuro..." Yukari's face softened with empathy and concern as she put her hand on the rail.
"Then I heard her... my twin sister. I didn't see her when I was in the car but I saw her come out the other side, after." Mukuro continued, her voice growing softer as the memory played through her mind, though with Yukari here, having laid bare to her as much as she could, she felt a little more... at ease. "She was coughing, disoriented, I think... she stumbled out and... she was right near the edge of the bridge... I don't think she heard me before she fell, like I had any strength left to be heard..."
"My god... Mukuro, I'm so sorry," Yukari instinctively placed her hand on Mukuro's, the look on her face more concerned then ever. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for me to..."
Mukuro shook her head, though she was not looking at her, she did briefly glance at the other girl's hand. A gesture she wasn't particularly used to, or really felt sure how to respond to it. "...Don't worry about it. I... doubt it was easy sharing about your father, even if you wanted to."
Yukari exhaled deeply, closing her eyes a moment. "Maybe you were the same way," she said. "So... your sister, is she...?"
"They never found her body, the authorities said it may have been swept out into the bay overnight for all they know," Mukuro said. "For years when I was in the institutions I kept imagining someone would come and say they found her, and she'd be right there waiting to greet me, but... eventually I had to come to terms with that she was gone, too. I was just... alone..."
Alone, with nothing but a broken promise, she'd thought to herself bitterly.
"I get that," Yukari said. "...Believe me, I do. I can't tell you how many times I waited to see my father come through the door, alive and okay, before I had to just... accept that wouldn't happen, either. Between that and... everything with my mom, well... I may as well have been totally alone, too," The girl have Mukuro a small smile. "I guess it all is easier letting it out to someone after so long, especially if they... understand it and... were willing to be open with you, too."
"Maybe," Mukuro said, taken by her own willingness to share that story. She'd heard it repeated to her out of counselors after the accident, but not out of herself. Not to her foster parents she'd left behind, or even anyone in Fenrir. The thought of them turned her attention to her right hand now resting on her lap, bare and without anything concealing the tattoo that'd served as the insignia of those she'd spent her previous years with.
Yukari seemed to take notice of Mukuro's own notice of it as well, but said nothing, though Mukuro could tell she was curious about it but did not wish to pry, Mukuro suspecting because she'd already shared something rather intimate about herself and didn't want to impose asking for more.
She gave the other girl a small, faint smile. "You're wondering about that, aren't you?"
"Um..." Yukari wasn't sure how to answer.
"I got it while I was... touring," Mukuro said simply.
"Oh," Yukari said, looking it over. "Fenrir... like from Norse mythology?"
"You know of it?" Mukuro asked.
"What, you think I can't know stuff? I do go to school and want to pass my tests," Yukari said with an amused smirk. "...It's a huge wolf or dog that kills Odin in Ragnarok. The only enemy who was able to end him."
Mukuro nodded. "You're sharp on your lore," she said. "Wolves are excellent trackers and survivors, and though they are known for being fearsome in a fight, they kill for that survival, not out of cruelty. Also, one is formidable they also function as a team against an enemy, and always ensure the safety of their own who are weak or injured."
"Well, I think Fenrir was one-of-a-kind, though," Yukari pointed out.
"Fenrir is a wolf who killed a god," Mukuro replied, giving a small smile again, though it soon faded to a more serious look. "You mentioned Kirijo already read everything, so I may as well share the story behind it... When I disappeared during a trip in Europe, I didn't get lost, I just... left. I knew they didn't care. I just... wanted to get somewhere far away. The ones who found me, and took me in when I finally spoke up asking them to, they were... a mercenary unit."
Yukari's eyes went predictably wide. "A... did you say mercenary unit?!"
"Yes. This..." Mukuro lifted her hand. "...Is their insignia. For all the reasons I said regarding wolves, and using Fenrir, it was because they were the best. One member could handle a mission on their own. I had them train me, I was... a natural at it, I guess, because I felt like I had nothing to lose."
Yukari was silent a moment, a stunned blink of her eyes was the only response she gave before finally speaking. "...I gotta say, with that set of skills, I bet the chairman sees you as quite an investment with what we're doing..."
"Chairman?" Mukuro asked.
"Yeah, you met Ikutsuki, remember?" Yukari asked. "He's... a part of it, too... I kind of suspect if Kirijo-senpai has plans to tell you everything, now, he'll probably be waiting for when you get back, too..."
"To be honest, I had a feeling about him, as well," Mukuro replied. "I just didn't have anything to back it up in a confrontation without it being this "Dark Hour" you described."
"Heh, well, you don't have to worry about that from me, anymore!" Yukari said with a nervous laugh. "...I promise that. Anyway, whatever questions you got left, I'm sure you'll get all your answers from the two of them once you're back at the dorm."
Yukari glanced over at the clock and picked up her bag from its place on the floor. "Well, I should get going, everyone'll want to know you've finally woken up, but I'm pretty sure the doctor's gonna make you stay the night before you return to the dorm, so I'll be back for you tomorrow after school, alright?"
Mukuro slumped down into her covers with an exasperated sigh.
"Oh, don't be so glum," Yukari giggled, reaching into her bag and taking out a folder she then placed on the other girl's lap. "...If you're bored, here's your make-up assignments! You should probably have them done before you're back in class again. I made copies of my notes in case you need them, too. I'm sure the nurses will bring you anything else you need if you ask."
Mukuro gave no response as she stared down in contempt at the admittedly thicker-then-she'd-like folder now resting on her lap, and noticing her own schoolbag sat nearby on the floor next to her bed, which, she suspected, contained her textbooks and other necessities.
"Oh, um... Mukuro?" Yukari asked, pausing as she approached the door and looking back at her.
"If you say "study hard", Takeba, you're getting an eraser between the eyes," Mukuro said, reaching over to pull her bag up on her bed.
"That's actually more Kirijo's thing to say," Yukari said, undaunted by the bedridden girl's threat. "I was gonna say it felt good... getting all that out, I mean, and I'm glad to have gotten to know you, more, too. When you're out and we've got time, why don't we go visit the mall? This time we'll actually do it together!"
Mukuro was silent a moment, but remembered what Igor had said to her. Furthermore, it seemed, now, Yukari really did want to try and make a fresh start with her and become friends. At the moment the closest thing she had was Junpei, though he was more an acquaintance from school she'd gotten along with. Yukari was making an effort, and it didn't feel right to turn it down, now, with what they'd been through that evening, and Igor's and even the others at Fenrir's encouragement of it, it felt fair to give her the chance.
"Okay," Mukuro said with a nod, giving her a small smile.
Yukari gave a smile, her lips parting to a small grin. "Great! Also, no need to be formal with me! Us second-year girls gotta stick up for eachother, after all! Just Yukari from now on, alright?"
As Yukari left, Mukuro's own smile faded as she once more looked down at her assignments. Another thing, however, was on her mind as her pale gaze turned towards the window, the sun beaming in through the parted curtains. If the chairman had been the one who'd tracked her down and had a hand in her being sent out here, then there was more to this then simply finishing her education, which she gathered had been why Fenrir deemed it a good idea she come, and likely what he'd used to convince them due to his position at the school, which was apparently a decent one, and as Fenrir services were hardly cheap, then he had to have known of her past at being practically at ground zero during the explosion ten years ago.
She'd thought about what else Yukari had told her. With her father's job, Yukari likely had lived nearby as well. Mitsuru's family owned the laboratory it'd happened in, so it was possible she'd lived in the area, too. It made her wonder, if there was a link between this potential to awaken to and use these "Personas" she and Igor had described and that day. If it was, she wondered what the chairman and Mitsuru's plans were if they'd felt the need to bring her back here after all this time.
This Dark Hour that had been mentioned, that boy student who Ikutsuki mentioned and spoke with Mitsuru briefly that also lived in the dorm, these things called Shadows that preyed on people.
Mukuro wasn't certain yet, but her thoughts made it seem more and more as though she were being recruited into a war. She'd find out when she got back.
A plan in mind, she opened the folder on her lap to get started on her make-up assignments that were certain to take up the remainder of the day.
4/20
Mukuro was relieved to finally be out of the hospital with her assignments all finally finished and ready to turn in tomorrow as she silently followed Yukari up the dormitory stairs. The lounge was empty, though Yukari had told her on arriving to pick her up that everyone would be waiting for them elsewhere in a place she'd not been shown yet.
Wearing one of her spare uniforms and gloves Yukari had brought her to change into before her release, Mukuro's expression, though eager to get the answers that Yukari had only a limited understanding of, remained completely neutral as they reached the door, her pale blue eyes flickering over at the other girl as she opened the double-doors leading inside.
"Ah, there you are!" Ikutsuki said with a welcoming smile. The room was rather spacious, from what Mukuro could tell, and seemed to be renovated from some kind of study. Bookshelves and drawer cabinets lined the walls while large windows stood on the wall opposite of the doors, and at the center of the room, facing the door sat Ikutsuki in a red armchair, while Mitsuru was seated on the couch to the right. On a cushioned sitting stool to the left was a boy Mukuro remembered seeing the other evening that had talked to Mitsuru. Resting on a wood coffee table between them lay a closed silver briefcase that piqued the dark-haired girl's curiosity.
"How have you been doing, Miss Ikusaba? Better, I hope? I wasn't sure what I'd do if anything had happened to you!" the chairman said, chuckling warmly.
"I'm well, thank you," Mukuro replied, entering with Yukari and folding her arms as she stood before the small group. "...I have questions."
Ikutsuki closed his eyes, smirking as he brought his hand to his chin a moment. "I suspected as much. That's actually why I wished to talk to you. Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the sofa where Mitsuru was.
"I've been on my back for over a week. Trust me, I couldn't be happier to be on my feet again," Mukuro replied flatly.
"As you wish," Ikutsuki said with a shrug. "Before we begin, however, I believe I mentioned him earlier, this is Akihiko Sanada," he explained, gesturing to the seated boy.
"How ya doin'?" the boy, Akihiko, asked with a pleasant smile. Mukuro took a moment to look him over. Despite his formal look due to still having on his school clothes she could see he was very toned. His features were somehow both soft from youth, yet chiseled from experience and exercise. Mukuro noticed he seemed to be sizing her up as well, though she didn't know why. A small smile came on the girl's face as she gave him a polite nod.
"Now, you mentioned having questions," Ikutsuki stated, gaining her attention as well as that of the others once more. "...I believe the easiest way to answer them is to start with this: Would you believe me if I said a day consists more then twenty-four hours?"
"...Excuse me?" Mukuro asked, confused.
"If I may," Mitsuru interjected. "Ikusaba, do you remember the night you came here? I believe it had been dismissed to you as a "blackout"? Streetlights went out, no electronics worked, and there were coffins everywhere where there should have been people? Things looked and felt as though time itself were standing still?"
"I do remember that, yes," said Mukuro. "I had been certain you were aware of it and attempting to hide it from me, though I didn't know why. I decided to wait and see if it happened again as I noticed the first time it'd occurred at midnight, to confront you on it while there was proof. Yukari referred to it as the "Dark Hour"?"
Mitsuru smirked lightly. "That's very proactive of you," she said.
"Scared me half to death, though," Yukari remarked. "That said, we've gotten that behind us, now, I think."
"...That said, there is more to this "Dark Hour" then what you've seen and experienced," Mitsuru explained. "To start with, your observation is correct that it occurs at midnight, as it is a time period that exists, hidden between one day and the next."
"I wouldn't call it "hidden" so much as it's more something most people are simply unaware of," Ikutsuki said. "...This "Dark Hour", however, does very much exist, and as Miss Kirijo put it, it occurs at midnight every evening. It will happen again tonight, and every night to come."
"See, normal people don't realize it, since when the Dark Hour comes, they're all asleep inside those coffins you saw," Akihiko explained. "...But that's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting. You remember those creatures you and Yukari ran into? We call them "Shadows". They appear during the Dark Hour, and prey on anyone who's not currently asleep in a coffin."
"And what does this have to do with me?" Mukuro asked.
"Well, our job is to defeat them so that doesn't happen!" Akihiko said with a smirk, clenching his fist. "Pretty exciting, huh?"
"Akihiko, why are you always like that?" Mitsuru snapped, glaring at the boy in annoyance. "Need I remind you that you got hurt the other day?!"
"Now, now," Ikutsuki said softly with a gentle, reassuring raise of his hand from his lap. "He does his work exceptionally well, so there's nothing wrong with some enthusiasm for it." The chairman turned to face Mukuro. "To make a long story short, we're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, or "SEES" for short. On paper we're simply classified as a school club, but in reality this group is dedicated to defeating the Shadows. Mitsuru, here, functions as leader, and myself, club advisor."
"As Sanada-kun explained, Shadows prey on anyone not inside a coffin during the Dark Hour. They feed on the mind of the person, rendering the victim little more then a living corpse," Mitsuru explained.
"Those people I ran into those past nights, Iori-kun and I encountered one, we dismissed him as a drunk. Then there was one who walked into traffic, and a girl my age." Mukuro remarked, bringing her hand to her chin in thought. "...So, you're saying they were people who got stranded in the Dark Hour and these "Shadows" did this to them?"
"Yes. It's been described as "Apathy Syndrome" on the news, we refer to them as "the Lost". Shadows are responsible for most of those incidents but not necessarily all of them," said Mitsuru.
"Their behavior reminds me of some symptoms I know are associated with post-traumatic episodes. They were just staring off into nothing and didn't even respond to me when I spoke to them," Mukuro replied.
"I suppose in your past activities you would have some familiarity with that," Ikutsuki said. "This brings me to how this involves you, Miss Ikusaba... while rare, there are those that continue to fully function during the Dark Hour, and may even awaken to a power that allows them to fight these "Shadows". That power is called "Persona", the power you awakened to the other night..."
"Yukari had told me a little about that," Mukuro said. "She explained how Persona-users are the only ones who can fight and defeat Shadows."
"That's correct," said Mitsuru. "Even while your Persona is dormant after awakening to it, its power is still with you during the Dark Hour, granting you strength and protection. Without it, the Shadows would have overwhelmed you in no time regardless of your level of skill in combat, and for that I'm glad you trusted Yukari that these were enemies you couldn't beat and prioritized her safety."
"That big one you faced on the rooftop," Akihiko chimed in. "Pretty impressive stuff once you awakened to yours!"
"Indeed. You were fortunate to have done so when you did. Military training or not, without a Persona... you would have died very quickly," Mitsuru explained.
Mukuro scowled at the indignant thought of that creature's numerous blades fatally skewering her all at once as they nearly did Yukari before she could even land a single blow before she spoke again. "...So you're telling me now that I have this Persona ability, then my skills will now be effective against them?"
Ikutsuki nodded and approval. "Correct! I'm glad you're quick to understand that. As for how this involves you, I'm certain you've figured it out by now, haven't you?"
Mitsuru opened the briefcase on the table, revealing a gun-like object Mukuro recognized looked like the one Yukari had that night which she'd used to first summon her Persona.
"Now that we've confirmed your ability to use a Persona, and you having recovered from that evening, we want you to join us," Mitsuru said. "This is a device specifically created to help summon a Persona, called an "Evoker". You picked up very quickly how to make use of it, I believe? We'd like you to lend us your strength."
"Between your skills you've learned in your time with this Fenrir organization I've read about, and your awakening, I believe you'd make an excellent asset to our team," Ikutsuki explained.
Mukuro looked down at the device, the Evoker as it was called, in the briefcase, before glancing back up at the three people seated before her. "...Then you've read up on all the details on my experience with them?" she asked, hiking down her glove and showing her tattoo on her hand.
"We have," Ikutsuki said.
"Pretty impressive stuff," Akihiko said. "...Can't wait to really see you in action, now!"
"So, does this mean you're in?" Ikutsuki asked.
"One more question," Mukuro said, sliding her glove back into place. "...Why me? It had to be more then just my skill set, you said people who can awaken to Personas are rare, but I'm gathering there's a link between those who can and those who were present in the area ten years ago?"
"...You would be correct," Mitsuru said. "All of us seated here were living in the area at the time of the explosion ten years ago," she explained. "It's not much, but it was a link and your own survival from a traumatic experience lent possibility. Your skill set was an added bonus. We don't know if it's coincidence or if that does link those of us who can both function in the Dark Hour and awaken to a Persona, but it is all we have to go on. Is that a sufficient answer?"
Mukuro gave a nod. "It is. Very well, I accept your offer."
"Wonderful!" Ikutsuki said, clapping in approval. "Exciting, isn't it? A new mission! A new battlefield!" he declared. "Now, regarding your room assignment, why don't we make things easier and have you just stay here in your current room? I don't know what the holdup was over..."
"Yukari already gave me the details on that," Mukuro said, causing the other girl to blush.
"Sorry, I just... after that night I agreed I wouldn't keep things from her," Yukari said, looking down at her hands in embarrassment.
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter either way," the chairman said with a warm smile. "Welcome aboard, Mukuro Ikusaba! We'll expect great things from you on our team!"
Mukuro's mind suddenly felt fuzzy, for some reason, reality seeming to slow to a crawl, the light fading. Mukuro immediately took a defensive stance, she was certain midnight was a long way away, only to pause as she heard the gentle, formal voice of the young man from the Velvet Room speaking within her mind to her.
Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating
Personas of the Fool Arcana...
Mukuro could hear the sound of glass shattering, though it, too, seemed to be within her mind as reality returned to normal.
"Miss Ikusaba, are you still with us?" Ikutsuki asked with a curious look on his face.
Mukuro blinked in confusion at what'd just happened, but didn't want to make a scene over it. "Yes, I just... got lost in thought for a moment." She her hands and gave a polite bow. "I look forward to working with you, sir. All of you."
"Likewise," Akihiko said with a nod.
"When do we start? You mentioned the Dark Hour occurs every evening at midnight?" Mukuro asked. "I can assure you I already have over a week's worth of resting taken care of so I'm free to begin whenever."
"I'm sure you are, Miss Ikusaba," said Ikutsuki. "However, with Akihiko still recovering from injury, and with Yukari still being rather inexperienced, we are not yet at optimal efficiency for the true task at hand."
Mukuro raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? You already know what I can do, and now that I've awakened to a Persona, I'm certain I can make up for the shortcomings."
"What's to come, Ikusaba, requires more then skill of one. You already know Shadows are not like the human opponents you're probably used to, think of this as different as well, you will require backup and support, as well as navigation," Mitsuru explained, taking notice of the other girl's skeptical look and letting out a sigh. "...It will be easier to explain when that time comes, but I promise you will be fully privy to those details then, when I will be able to show you."
"That said..." Akihiko said, standing up and wincing as he nursed what appeared to be a rib injury. "I, for one, kinda wanna see what you can do! Whaddya say, Mitsuru? Why don't we humor her a bit and let her give it a go outside the dorm once the Dark Hour comes?"
Ikutsuki brought his hand to his chin in thought. "If I may, this might not be such a bad idea! What do you think, Mitsuru?"
"It's up to her. Are you fine with that, Ikusaba?" Mitsuru asked.
"I'd appreciate it," the dark-haired girl said with a small smirk and a nod.
"You sure about this, Mukuro?" Yukari asked, concerned.
Mukuro folded her arms as she glanced over at the other girl. "I chose the life I had for a reason, Yukari. I'd like a better, more hands-on idea what I'm up against with what I have."
"Then it's settled. We'll use the street block around the dormitory."
"I trust you recovered my knife?" Mukuro asked.
"We did, yes. I understand if it has sentimental value, but we have a number of other options available," Mitsuru said, heading over to one of the storage cabinets and unlocking it. "What's your preference?"
"I'm proficient in a wide variety of weapons, both melee and firearm," Mukuro said, tilting her head and folding her arms as she regarded the other girl.
"...Like I said, what's your preference?" Mitsuru repeated, opening the double doors of the storage cabinet.
Mukuro blinked in surprise at what hung within.
"Check. I'm on the roof. Do you read me, Ikusaba?" Mitsuru's voice stated from a small communicator on the holster belt Mukuro now wore as she stood outside the dorm courtyard.
"Roger."
"Myself as well?" Ikutsuki asked.
"I read you."
"Wish I could be out there, too. I wanna see this with my own eyes!" Akihiko's voice fumed.
"Don't get so overconfident, Akihiko. With your injury you risk being a liability the moment you aggrevate it," Mitsuru's voice replied. "The Dark Hour will be here in another minute, but our systems will remain online. You're prepared, Ikusaba?"
"I am, yes," Mukuro said, eyeing the streets with sharp focus and a duffel bag over her shoulder. A few people were still out and about.
"Excellent. Takeba and myself will be on standby in case things get out of hand and you need to be recovered," Mitsuru explained. "With what we'll be undertaking once Akihiko is recovered, this may well be an excellent opportunity to truly assess your skills now that you've awakened..."
A thick, oppressive darkness suddenly spilled across the streets like a merciless black fog, Mukuro stood still, on guard as she immediately took in her surroundings. Bloodlike stains now smeared the streets and buildings, the sickly green glow from the unusually large moon once again bathed all. Where people once were, coffins now stood, frozen in place and emitting a faint red glow.
Silence. Dead silence.
Mukuro smelt the air, it felt stagnant, yet wrong, her body felt the faint coolness as she remained where she was, gripping her weapon in her bag while her new Evoker remained holstered and ready for use.
"Penthesilea!" Mitsuru's voice suddenly called from the roof, Mukuro turned briefly, a flash of light emitting from above.
"Ikusaba, my Persona is active. It possesses tracking abilities so I'll be able to keep watch from here," Mitsuru explained through Mukuro's communicator.
"Understood," Mukuro replied, stepping out of the courtyard and on to the street.
Minutes passed. To the young soldier, though, it felt like forever. No sounds, no screams.
"Ikusaba!" Mitsuru's voice suddenly shouted. "I'm detecting three! They're coming straight for your position! Dead ahead! Get ready!"
Taking a stance, Mukuro let her bag fall as she brandished her combat machete at the sounds of wet slithering and unearthly croaking ahead of her. The sounds' owners soon became visible: Grotesque beings like those she'd seen surrounding the dorm the other evening, bodies like animate tar with long, spindly arms with boney fingers pulling them across the pavement at speeds much greater then one would expect, no other discernable features other then those pale, blue metallic masks that passed for faces as they advanced.
The one in front made a low gurgling sound as they suddenly bolted towards her, Mukuro immediately dashed forward, springing into the air and swinging her blade as she struck the lead one across where she gathered passed for its neck before landing behind them. The creature let out an agonized croak as it toppled over, its arms flailing as it dissolved away, the young soldier noticing red heat from where she'd struck it, smoke pouring from the wound.
The others turned, Mukuro was ready, however, as she used her free hand to unsheath her combat knife as one lunged for her.
It staggered back, the blade buried in a smoking wound in the mask that made up its face, Mukuro using the momentum to flip over it as she pulled it out, before doing a spin to slice the other in two.
"Four more, Ikusaba! Stay put and get ready, these ones' readings are stronger!" Mitsuru's voice shouted.
She turned, just in time for two to come charging at her at incredible speed, letting out unearthly roars. Mukuro stood ready, both blades brandished.
The one at the lead paused, its body inflating as it suddenly let loose a snowy gust of frigid air from its mask's eyes and mouth.
The young soldier's eyes widened, barely leaping out of the way in time as the creature exhaled the chilling blast, the sudden cold biting her skin as it blew by.
"So, they know spells," Mitsuru stated. "This isn't like the ones from the other night. The others will be there any second!"
Mukuro cursed as she leapt out of the way of the second one's icy blast. With two wet splats, two more had joined them, though they merely attempted to advance on her.
Gazing at them, the soldier deduced the second pair were weaker, it'd be best to neutralize them immediately to reduce numbers. Mukuro crouched as they lunged, springing into the air again as she plunged both her blades into their foreheads, the creatures spasming and burbling as she pulled them out, smoke spraying from them before doing a sweeping motion slashing into their backs as they dissolved away while she turned to face her final two enemies.
Both let out low growls, unleashing their icy blasts at her and forcing her to move out of the way.
New tactic, she thought to herself as she sheathed her knife and yanked out her Evoker.
"ORPHEUS!"
With a click of her Evoker's trigger, metallic figure emerged above her in a flash of blue light, shooting a blast of flame from the speaker on its midsection and engulfing her foes.
The creatures shrieked, their tarlike bodies smoking as they spasmed weakly in place.
Mukuro didn't give them a second longer as she swung her combat machete, the blade biting deep into one as it gurgled, its long fingers wrapping around the blade like tentacles and pressing back with abnormal strength. Gritting her teeth, Mukuro pulled the machete backward, cutting its hands as she turned and plunged it into its forehead, the creature promptly dissolving.
The other had just stopped spasming from its burns as it turned to face her, gurgling in aggravation and clearly willing to engage again. Mukuro's gaze narrowed, these two were stronger, and unlike people, seemed able to tolerate injuries that would incapacitate or kill a human easily and keep coming. She saw it take in breath but she thrust her machete forward into its chest, or what part of its unnatural anatomy served as it.
The creature growled deeply, its attack countered but still not down as it grabbed the blade as well, pushing it back as it took in breath. With one last trick in mind, Mukuro released the blade as she knew what was coming, and moved herself away from the intense, chilly gust, feeling its cold as it went past her in a focused cone as she brought up her Evoker again in her sitting position and pulled the trigger.
Orpheus swung its harp like a club, striking the beast head-on as it howled loudly, gripping at the wedged blade again only to get immolated by a blast of flame, letting out one last, pained cry as it dissolved away, leaving the machete behind as it hit the pavement with a resounding clatter.
"All targets neutralized," Mukuro said, her gloved hand taking back up her machete.
"You certainly didn't disappoint," Ikutsuki's voice responded. "I think that'll be enough for now."
"Yes, you did well. Return to the dorm immediately before more arrive," Mitsuru said.
"Report back to the command room once you're inside, Ikusaba," Ikutsuki added.
"...Understood." The young soldier gave a nod, taking up her bag and looking back one last time at the desolate streets before silently making her way back to the dorm and heading inside.
Ikutsuki finished typing up his reports as he heard the knock at the door. "Oh, good! Come on in!"
"You wished to speak to me, sir?" Mukuro asked as she opened the door and entered.
"I did, yes!" the chairman said with a warm smile. "I wanted to personally congratulate you on a job well done!"
"No need," Mukuro replied, approaching the armory cabinet to put the machete away.
"No, no, keep it. We never know when the dorm may come under attack again, after all!" Ikutsuki said. "...Should that happen, you'd want to see to it Shadows get the point, correct?" he chuckled.
Mukuro's brow furrowed ever so slightly at the chairman's joke. "...Was there anything else?" she asked.
"Oh, yes, of course," Ikutsuki said. "I suspect you're still curious about what "mission" will be coming that Mitsuru and I referred to, aren't you? Akihiko's injury did delay things, but at this rate I have faith it will come sooner then we thought. I also saw those Shadows still did have a few surprises for you, didn't they?"
"...They did, yes," Mukuro replied.
"As I expected. Even the finest soldier can be overpowered by an enemy they neither know nor understand, and even to us, Shadows are still full of numerous unknown factors." The chairman steepled his fingers as he turned from the consoles. "Hopefully, with our upcoming task, we will finally be able to change that..."
"We're going out to investigate them?"
"Something like that, but somewhere very specific. Everything else pertaining to that is entirely need-to-know basis," Ikutsuki explained. "...If only because, as we mentioned, it'll be much easier when we can show you, as with the Dark Hour and Personas."
"Very well," Mukuro replied, a hint of disappointment beneath her accepting words. "I'm no stranger to such a concept on briefing."
"I suppose you wouldn't be," Ikutsuki said with a small, merry chuckle. "Your Persona is quite combat-suited as well. I also suppose you've not seen Yukari's or Mitsuru's. Yukari's is more suited for support, while Mitsuru has other tasks. Until now, we relied mostly on Akihiko for combat, not that he seems to mind!"
"I did register that from him," Mukuro remarked. "I'm not overly familiar with the name, however."
"Orpheus?" the chairman asked. "A figure of Greek Mythology, he failed to save his loved one from death, and spent the remainder of his life wandering in grief and despair, seeking nothing else but for death to come for him, as well," he said, looking at her from behind his glasses. "Eventually, he got his wish, and they were reunited in death after."
Mukuro gave no response, though her eyes briefly wandered away from the chairman in thought. It was something she couldn't help but relate to, and Igor's words about the nature of a Persona now made a little more sense to her. Her gaze flickered back up at Ikutsuki, wondering if he suspected, or had already deduced such a similarity from her if he already knew her past.
"...Well, at any rate, with there being school tomorrow, why don't you go and get some sleep? I need to be going soon, myself. If I may say, to brighten the mood, as amazing as your combat skills have shown themselves to be, you should try and enjoy a little "slice" of life until comes time for your true mission! Ohoho! I'm on a roll, tonight, aren't I?"
Mukuro's brow furrowed again, refusing to dignify him with a response as she silently turned and left, heading down to her dorm room to get ready for bed.
The Dark Hour had not yet ended. Mukuro wasn't entirely sure when it would as she didn't have anything functioning to tell the time. She wasn't even entirely sure how much time had passed since she'd gone to bed, or if she were in fact asleep and dreaming she was awake.
The young soldier turned to her side, her head resting on her arm as she faced the door, only to pause in shock and reach for her sheathed combat knife under her pillow at the sudden presence of a shrouded figure at the door.
"Hello again," the voice was soft, young, male. She recognized it. The figure stepped into the green moonlight from the window, revealing itself as the young boy she'd met when she'd first arrived.
"...How are you?" he asked gently, his head tilting in curiosity.
Mukuro slowly released her grip on her weapon. He did not give any indication of being threatening, but his ability to enter her room without her being aware of it had taken her by surprise. "How'd you get in here?" she asked, glaring at him with suspicion and keeping her hand under her pillow.
"I'm always with you," the boy said, his tone still soft and gentle as before as he gave a chuckle before is expression became solemn.
"Is there something you came to tell me?" Mukuro asked. "I imagine you have a reason for being here when I'm trying to sleep."
"Yes," the boy said. "It's that soon, the end will come. I remembered so I thought I should tell you."
"The end? What's that supposed to mean?" Mukuro asked, confused and growing irritated.
"I'm not sure, honestly," the boy replied, a hint of remorse in his otherwise soft, impassive tone. "I don't know for sure when or how. I just know that it will come, and it will be soon."
Mukuro wondered if Shadows and this impending mission Ikutsuki and Mitsuru spoke of had something to do with it, or opposing it, whatever this end may be.
"Hm, I see you've awakened to an unusual power, as well!" the boy remarked, staring at her with intense, almost glowing blue eyes.
"You know something about that, at least?" the young soldier asked, sitting up and glaring at him in suspicion.
"It's a most remarkable power. It takes many forms yet is bound by none," the boy said. "...It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."
Mukuro sighed, hoping there'd come a time where she could get more straight answers. Her pale gaze turned towards the boy again as he approached the side of her bed, sitting on its corner and putting his hands on his lap.
"Do you remember when we first met?" he asked, tilting his head again. "I expect you to honor your commitment."
"I'm a soldier," the dark-haired girl stated dryly. "Commitment is everything to me... one form or another."
The boy chuckled a little, his form seeming to glow a little. "Then I'll be sure to continue watching you, even if you should forget about me!"
The boy vanished, along with the Dark Hour itself, leaving only an ordinary, quiet evening in its wake as Mukuro quickly deduced it had not been a dream after all. Laying back down, Mukuro Ikusaba silently closed her eyes, sleep at long last finally taking her for the night.
A/N: Thanks everyone who has supported and enjoyed the story so far! To answer a few questions: No, the story does not exist in the same verse as Heart of Justice(though the Strikers-based sequel I mentioned in HoJ Chapter 41's Author Notes will be), this one's its own story. Also decided Theo as the attendant since he's Phem See's canon attendant and we don't see him used as often, and it'd be especially fun to have him and Mukuro play off eachother given his entertainingly naive and proper personality. Also, I had initially considered Ares, being the god of war, but then remembered Ares's thirst for battle is defined by his massive ego and bloodlust. Mukuro, while ruthless, was never sadistic, and is a competent fighter unlike Ares, who is depicted in Greek mythology as being practically all talk and loses frequently. Also I do plan some other DR characters making appearances like in HOJ or even as a social link or two(the temptation to have Taka as the Student Council SL, for instance, is strong) Next chapter, TARTARUS!
0 - The Fool: Rank 1
Mukuro's Personas: Orpheus