A Zoo in the Fog (PersonaxZoophobia)

I'll Face Myself

          The day passed normally, and Jackson found himself going to school as usual. Though more people seemed to be looking at him. He looks around nervously, hiding his face from the crowds. He didn't like drawing the attention of people unless it was during a music show. Even then, that might be a little much for him at points. He kept away from others mostly until he came to Zill. "Everyone's staring at me..." He muttered, looking to Zill for assistance.

Zill had been gathering things from his locker. Kayla was there too. She seemed to pipe up and ask "Oh, I didn't know you needed glasses Jackson. You look good in them." She gave a bit of a smile. Jackson looked at himself in his phone screen. Sure enough, he was wearing the tv world glasses. He didn't mean to, it just happened to be by his bed.

"Yeah he got them yesterday. That was why he was out." Zill didn't seem happy to lie to his girlfriend, but continuously spreading the word to people who know little to nothing about this would be dangerous. To that person more so than to Jackson or the other's that know a little more.

"Well, I think it's a fine change, but wear contacts too. We need to see you without them too." Kayla smiled a bit and began heading off to her class, not without giving Zill a kiss on the cheek before going.

Zill would chuckle before saying "Getting powers and stealing my girl? You're full of surprises."

Jackson would simply roll his eyes and say "Please, like girls would date this." He gestures to himself. The patchy, dirty fur, the shy exterior, the many superstitions, the list went on and on to Jackson. But not to Zill. He just saw a kind and fairly misunderstood jackal that needs someone.

"Don't put yourself down like that. You're awesome. So, what do you think you're doing after school?" Zill says, leaning up against the lockers and holding his bookbag in his free hand.

"Well, I was thinking of investigating that other world. The monsters, the fog, the... everything I guess. We know too little." Jackson almost whispered, trying not to be too loud so that passerby wouldn't hear them.

"Yeah but it's still dangerous." Zill tried to keep quiet as well. "You can't just go alone."

"Well I can't take random people. Besides, you don't have a persona." Jackson sighed. He feared going alone, but there wasn't much else he could do. Bringing Zill risks him getting hurt like before, or maybe even worse. His train of thought was interrupted by the bell. As the two head off to class, Jackson was pulled aside and pushed against the wall. He looked up at who grabbed him and began shaking a bit. It was Rusty. Though, this time Autumn was beside him. He looked awful. His eyes had bags like you wouldn't believe, his hair wasn't even pushed down to resemble brushing, and he was very pale as well. Jackson would ask if he's alright, but he isn't able to ask those kinds of questions currently.

"Look jackass, we know you're hiding something about Camilla. So out with it." Rusty growled, keeping Jackson against the wall.

"What are you talking ab..." Before Jackson could finish, he was slammed against the wall once more. The impact dazed him, and he tried to keep his focus.

"Ruben, that's enough." Autumn said softly, pushing Rusty aside. He didn't want to beat the truth out of Jackson, it's just the thing that Rusty often resorted to. "Jackson, I just want to know what you know."

Jackson looked up, fairly scared now. Autumn seemed off, like he would snap at any wrong word and he has never seen Autumn truly angry. The most he saw was him being generally annoyed by Rusty. "I-I want to, but I don't know how much you'd believe." Jackson looked down, trying to find the right words to explain it all.