We all turn around and a 15-year-old-looking male wearing a bloody Gekoukan high uniform, with hair that has seen better days, and forever trembling hands covered in the same blood on the uniform staring at us with a sinister smile. Its bright yellow eyes stared us down like a predator with its prey from the bleachers.
???: "You're running away again! Too afraid to lose someone else, aren't you!?"
Yu: "It's Y/N's shadow."
Chie: "What's with the clothes!?"
Without losing eye contact, my shadow jumps down from the bleachers and approaches me.
Y/N: "Why do you look like that?"
Shadow Y/N: "Why wouldn't I!? This is the time you let your true desire out and showed it to the world!"
The Shadow does a spin causing the Gekoukan blazer to raise into the air revealing an evoker in a holster and a sword that could slice weaker shadows into pieces.
Shadow Y/N: "The day you got rid of him holding us back! Where we had control! Where we have the power of life and death in our hands! A power rightfully ours, that you've been holding back!"
Yosuke: "What the hell is he on about!?"
Y/N: "I held back because it is not in my jurisdiction to decide who gets to live and die!"
Shadow Y/N: "That's where you're wrong! That thought is why we lost her! The reason you forget! The reason you can't remember the one friend you made the last time you were here! Ain't that right Chie?"
He begins inching closer to Chie pointing his finger at her.
Shadow Y/N: "Surely you remember... Scratch that I know you remember. The way you look at him seeing if he remembers anything, but nothing. Always disappointed. I am right, am I not?"
Chie: "How the hell? Why's it matter to you anyway?"
Shadow Y/N: "What a shame. Clearly, you haven't got any smarter."
Chie: "Why you!"
Yu/Yosuke: "Chie!"
Chie began to rush at my shadow but was interrupted by Yu and Yosuke.
Y/N: "You said me holding back is why I lost my sister, the reason why I forget. How the hell does that have to do with losing my sister!?"
Shadow Y/N: "You could have saved her! If you took the initiative, you could have saved her, but instead, where is she!? Nobody fucking knows! If you could have done something then all of this mess wouldn't have happened. You can't even seize your own destiny! You know that you are using this situation for your own benefit. You don't give fuck about the murders! Deep down you know you are using your so-called friends as tools to help you!"
Y/N: "Shut up! That's not even, the half of it!"
Shadow Y/N: "But deep down, that is how you feel. You want that control. You crave that control. You want to feel that power of choice you have over someone's life!"
Y/N: "Shut up! I told you that's not even, the half of it!"
Shadow Y/N: "You make this so difficult."
The shadow withdraws the evoker out of its holster and unsheathed the replica of the Manado from his side. Noticing this I rush ahead extracting my sword from its confines, trying to prevent him from attacking the others in the room. As I got close the evoker was already up to his temple finger pressing down on the trigger causing this burst of energy coming out of him and knocking me down. I look up past his shoulder to see Hermes-mnÍmi standing charging an attack towards me.
Teddie: "A persona!"
Yu: "Yosuke! We need to protect Y/N!"
Yosuke: "On it!"
As the cannon of fire was blasted towards me it was interrupted by Yu's and Yosuke's personas, but the attack was too strong causing the personas to fling into the wall behind me and knocking down their users.
Yu: "What the? How is it so strong?"
Shadow Y/N: "Oh, how fortunate. It seems that those two idiots decided to save you. I'll show them a thing or three before having my way with them."
He points his evoker to his head again and pulls on the trigger again causing Hermes-mnÍmi to morph into Castor-mnÍmi. I push myself off the ground using my sword as support and glare directly at the Shadow.
Y/N: "That persona is not yours!"
The shadow just sadistically stares at me with the same smile as a psychopath.
Shadow Y/N: "Those bonds are one and the same, to you and I. These are our puppets that we are to command!"
He commanded Castor-mnÍmi to ram into Yu and Yosuke, but its attack was hindered by Chie's persona knocking the persona off course barely missing Yu and Yosuke. To prevent him from changing persona again I rush at him with a better plan. That plan is Insanity taking over while I think of a better plan. As I run up towards him I feel my eyes go blurry, my arms feel weak, and my blood escaping my body. Everything goes dark to then changes into this void with flashes of my memories playing through, and the current battle right now.
I watch as Insanity brings his sword against one that is superior in every sense of the way. But that doesn't stop him from trying every possible tactic. However, with every swing of the sword, it would be blocked instantly like it was some planned choreography event.
Insanity: 'You know that I can't take him for much longer.'
Y/N: 'I know. I'm just thinking.'
Insanity: 'I know you don't want to admit it, but he is right. A part of you does want control, but it was formed for a different reason.'
Y/N: 'What could that possibly be?'
Insanity: 'You're smart figure it out.'
Just then I see that Shadow knock the sword out of Insanity's hands causing him to dodge out of the way.
Insanity: 'You have to take over.'
Y/N: 'Okay.'
I close my eyes, to when I re-open them I see the same environment I was in before with that Shadow swinging the replica Mando at me from the side. I quickly grab hold of the outside region pushing against it. I start feeling my hands burning up against the blade causing me to push up the blade to then duck forcing the blade to barely miss me. I then kick him in the chest causing him to drop the weapon and recoil back a few steps, giving me enough time to stand up.
Shadow Y/N: "You little shit! Io-mnÍmi!"
He unholstered the evoker and forced down the trigger, changing the previously summoned persona fighting the others into a blue and sliver colour version of Yukari's first persona. A tornado of green erupts from the ground encasing me and that shadow. I hear the muffled calls of my friends, screaming out to me.
Y/N: "How did you?"
Shadow Y/N: "Are you that retarded‽ I have access to all your bonds and all that could ever been! As you ran away from all your problems! You will always abandon the ones who need you the most!"
Y/N: "I didn't abandon them! They understood that I'd had to leave to find clarity in her disappearance!"
Shadow Y/N: "I'm not talking about them! What about your original friends? You abandon them because you couldn't handle the backlash! Not necessary as you could have just given the cold hard facts and all this shit could have been prevented! But no, you had to run because you didn't want to tarnish the reputation of her!"
Y/N: "I..."
I glance down at my feet, ashamed of the truth. I try to convenience myself that it was just a lie, but all reasoning says otherwise. I look back up at the doppelganger and I see the same child that lost her, the same one that helped me last year.
Younger Y/N: "Why must we run? Do you wish to fail once more?"
Y/N: "Of course not!"
Younger Y/N: "Stand with your reason and face the truth."
The younger me starts aging changing into different clothes throughout my life to then reach change back into my Shadow. My shadow stares daggers into my soul ready to attack at any moment. I sigh, gaining a smirk, preparing myself for an all-out brawl.
Y/N: "So, you're a desire that I've been avoiding for most of our life, correct?"
We both run towards each other and I punch him before he can land his fist on me, knocking him back a bit and also causing the tornado to vanish.
Shadow Y/N: "Yes! You are the reason why you lost S/N! Because you can't admit to your own strength. Your own foreordained destiny."
He recovers from the recoil and tries to throw another punch towards me but I dodge and grab his hand and throw him to the ground.
Y/N: "You're not all wrong, but I can't decide the fate of another man. I can only make sure that they can try to live their best lives... I know you know this... Since you're me. The one I threw away because of cowardice and self-loathing..."
My shadow just stares at me as I let go of my grasp keeping him on the ground and take a step back.
Y/N: "I understand it now. I have to take some control of my life but not the lives of others... I'm sure this is the compromise that we truly want."
My shadow just smiled at me before gaining a blue hue outlining him that swallowed him to then morph into a humanoid persona holding a golden staff with a purple scarf wrapped around him and a crown fit for only the true heirs of Rome. The persona then transubstantiated into the world tarot card that floated down to my dry hands. I then gained this sense of familiarity that resonated within my soul.
Y/N: "I remember you... Justinian..."
Insanity: 'A Greek persona to start off... wouldn't have it any other way to start off would ya?'
Teddie: "That was beartastic, Y/N!"
Teddie rushes over to me and gets up close and personal. I push him back a little bit with a smile, causing him to produce a chuckle.
Chie: "What the hell, was up with your Shadow though? With all the blood covering you, it gave me the creeps."
Yosuke: "Yeah, now that you mention it, why was that?"
Y/N: "Most of been some sought of symbolism. I've never killed someone in my life before."
Insanity: 'Lie straight through your teeth, ay.'
Yu: "More importantly, your shadow summoned personas. How could it do that?"
Yu stares me down like an interrogator.
Y/N: "It's not my first rodeo you could say."
I return the stare but with a cocky smirk plastered on my face. Yu sighs, gaining a smile on his face.
Yu: "That explains a lot. You will be useful in aiding in understanding this mystery."
Y/N: "I sure I hope do. Be a little disappointing if I wasn't."
Yu: "But there's a catch. You let us help you in your journey."
I glance at Yu and then at the others thinking.
Yosuke: "You know I would like to help whoever you are trying to save."
Chie: "I agree. I would like to see S/N again."
I sigh and wave my hand at them.
Y/N: "Alright, you win."
Yu: "Good. Alright, let's all head back now."
We all just nod and leave the castle to gain some much-needed rest. Once we returned to our world we all agreed to get some food. Unfortunately, as Yosuke sat down he was called to take someone's shift and wasn't able to join us.
Chie: "I'm so pathetic."
Y/N: "What makes you say that?"
Chie: "The next time it gets foggy over here, it is very possible that Yukiko could die, and I won't be able to do anything... Useless."
Yu: "Look you're far from useless. If we have to go back there to save Yukiko, I know that we'll need your help to do it."
Chie: "Thank you. And as a token of my thanks, I'll show you something."
Yu: "What is it?"
Chie pulled her phone to our faces showing a picture of her and her dog together.
Chie: "He's a serious porker and he stinks like nobody's business... but if it wasn't for this guy. Then I may have never met Yukiko he's the one who made a friendship possible."
I then see the Chariot Tarot card float down.
Arcana: 'Arcana: "Thou are I... And I am thou... Thou hast established a new bond... It brings thou closer to the truth... Thou shalt be blessed with the Chariot arcana."
The card disappears with a suddenly excepted blue light, causing me to flinch.
Yosuke: "Yo. How are we feeling?"
I look over to the other end of the table and notice Yosuke, still in his work uniform, overlooking us.
Yu: "I'm doing quite alright."
Chie: "I'm feeling better."
Y/N: "Go to bed, you'll feel better in the morning, is the human version of Did you turn it off and turn it back on again?"
Insanity: 'Oh my God. You remembered the first Google search of shower thoughts. How amazing?'
Yu: "I think I should take Y/N home. He seems a little out of it."
Chie: "You can say that again."
Yu stood up and grabbed the shoulder of my blazer and lifted it up with enough force causing me to follow the propelled force and stand up.
Y/N: "Well, see ya tomorrow."
I strode back to the Dojima residence with Yu never of us talking, until we opened the door and saw Nanako and Dojima sitting on the floor with dinner watching the television.
Nanako: "Welcome back."
Dojima: "I got dinner."
We walk over to them and sit down on our own now unofficially claimed spot at the mimi table, partaking in the meal Dojima bought from Junes. During the meal, Dojima seemed to be eyeing me and Yu, before speaking out.
Dojioma: "Hey mind if I ask something? You aren't getting involved with any strange business, are you? What happened at the station this afternoon... It's still bothering me Is there... anything you're not telling me?"
Yu: "Of course not."
Y/N: "I am, but I can't disclose any of that."
Dojima: "I'll be the judge of that. Well, it's just been nagging at me, that's all..."
Nanako has observed everything that's been going on and decides to interject with her question.
Nanako: "What's wrong? Are you fighting?"
The three of us were surprised by the sudden interruption by the mature child causing us to shake our heads with a negative connotation."
Dojima: "No... We're not having a fight."
Yu: "We're just coming to an understanding."
Nanako: "This isn't the police station."
Dojima: "I agreed to look after both of you. So don't get yourself involved in anything that could get you in trouble, or more in trouble. Got that?"
Yu and I nodded our heads in agreement before we continued to finish our dinner. As we finished our meal, we announced our leave back to our shared room. As I entered Yu followed behind and closed the door and locked it.
Y/N: "Wow, I don't think we're that close, just to let you know."
Yu just sighs, walking over to the couch to sit down with his eyes interrogating me.
Yu: "You know why I locked the door."
I realise one exacerbated breath before leaning on the wall next to my futon.
Y/N: "That I do... What do you want to know?"
Yu: "How long have you known about personas?"
Y/N: "For a very long time... ever since I was young."
Yu: "How did you find out?"
Y/N: "Can't say."
Yu: "Why's that?"
Y/N: "Legal troubles that I don't want to add on."
Yu: "Okay... those personas. Are the-"
Y/N: "Yes they were personas I was able to use. I'd gained some of them through the bonds I formed, but some were just through chance."
Yu: "Okay... Can you care to tell me about this S/N?"
Y/N: "My sister... I've told you I had lived here before, but I was not alone... We got in some trouble and now she is stuck in a world abstained from the truth."
Yu: "Sounds like a wild story to the average person."
Y/N: "You don't say... but I trust where I got source I have... I think you may know her."
Yu: "How?"
Y/N: "I mean she wears blue clothing, white hair, and sits next to a big-nosed man. Are you sure, you wouldn't recognise someone like her?"
Yu: "You know about the Velvet room?"
Y/N: "Yes and I know the true potential of that power you possess."
Yu: "So does that mean you're a wild card."
Y/N: "No... As you most probably already noticed, I am the World Arcana. The World Arcana means completion and closure. It is the end of the fool's journey."
Yu: "But, today shows that you haven't found that closure or completion."
Y/N: "I found that closure long ago when I swore to find her and today was just a reminder of that vow I made to myself. I am complete now, me and Insanity are one of the same when he is a part of me."
Yu: "Insanity?"
Y/N: "When the blood came out of me like it was Moses parting the Red Sea to exit through the fire escape. Yeah, that's Insanity, he's my and many other people's desire personified. I think he just forgot it."
Yu: "You insane. I just thought you were an idiot."
Y/N: "Very funny, got any other jokes."
Yu: "Not right now, come back later."
I let out an exuberant breath before laying down on my futon. I stare at the ceiling noticing all the minor details as I think about today.
Y/N: "So, tomorrow are we going back to save Yukiko?"
Yu: "It depends on how Chie is."
Y/N: "Based on today, I think she'll be back at it tomorrow."
Yu: "I have the same hunch."
Y/N: "So are we going back tomorrow?"
Yu: "Depending on Chie, it seems so."
Y/N: "That's good, Insanity and I might be able to teach you guys a thing or three."
I flail my arms in the air as if I was using a weapon.
Yu: "And what knowledge would you two know."
Y/N: "Not too much, but still there are things to learn."
Yu then vibrated for a split second, identifying me his world arcana increased.
Insanity: 'You're giving them too much credit.'
Y/N (thoughts): 'Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not.'
Yu: "I think that's enough for today. I'm going to go to sleep now. Night."
Y/N: "Night."
We then began our drift to slumber, which didn't technically last long as I awoke to the sound of a familiar piano cord. The vast blue library of my current Velvet Room surrounds me with the small white-haired attendant standing beside a large brown table.
Lavenza: "Welcome back. As you noticed you've been called here again. Unfortunately, my master's is currently occupied at the moment but instructed me on what to tell you."
Y/N: "Hopefully nothing bad."
Lavenza: "Not the case. This a congratulations on regaining more of your potential. You have signed the contract to fight for the truth, which will ensure secure your path to unveil the mysteries that are on said path."
Y/N: "That's good. Anything new come along with me accepting my other self?"
Lavenza: "Nothing new, but your power is restricted."
Y/N: "How so?"
Lavenza: "The personas gained last year are not available-"
Y/N: "So, I've lost them?"
I was concerned that I wasn't able to use those personas again causing me to interrupt Lavenza, which she didn't take too well.
Lavenza: "Well if you were able to let me finish. You are unable to use them since you don't have access to an evoker."
Y/N: "So I've got to bring an evoker, ok."
Lavenza: "Do know what will happen if your guardian finds out if you brought an evoker. Furthermore, what would Mitsuru ask if she heard your request for your evoker?"
Y/N: "You make a good point."
Lavenza: "It's my duty to help you after all."
Y/N: "What do you do in your spare time?"
Lavenza: "Why does that concern you?"
Y/N: "Just curious, that's all."
Lavenza: "Well, I don't do that much. All I really do is just learn more about you from Margaret and practise fusions."
Y/N: "Does Margaret speak well of me?"
Lavenza: "She does. More worry than anything bad."
Y/N: "That's nice to hear that she cares about my well-being. If you want to know more about me we could go out and talk outside."
Lavenza: "Really? Are you sure?"
Y/N: "Sure, I can show you around Inaba and tell you about me, as it would help you in aiding me in my journey."
Lavenza: "That would be wonderful."
I feel a burst of energy overcome me as a Tarot card floats down in front of my eyes.
Arcana: 'Thou aren't I... And I am thou... Thou hast increase their bond... It brings thou closer to the truth... Thou hast increased the Strength arcana to their second level.'
The Tarot card vanishes out of existence and I return back to my conversation with Lavenza.
Y/N: "I'll come and get you when I'm not busy."
Lavenza: "Till then, good luck."
I blink and in that split second of darkness, my environment changed back into Yu and my room. I get off my futon noticing that Yu is still asleep and head into the bathroom with my school uniform
18/4/16 Yasogami High, Early Morning
Yosuke, Yu and I are engrossed in conversation wondering about Chie's health.
Yosuke: "I wonder how Chie's doing. Too much stuff happened yesterday. I hope she's back to her usual self..."
Just then the classroom door opens as Chie walks through. She notices us and joins the conversation.
Chie: "Oh, mornin'."
Y/N: "You okay?"
Chie: "Yep. Um... Thanks for everything yesterday. It's kinda embarrassing, ya know? You three were right there to see my hidden feelings and all..."
Yosuke: "Don't sweat it."
Chie: "The same thing happened to Yosuke, right? Soooo... what was it like?"
Yosuke: "Huh? Uhhh, how should I put this... Oh, I nearly forgot! None of that happened when yours awakened, huh? Hmm, could that be because you've got nothing to hide?"
Yu: "That's what seems."
Chie: "Oh? So nothing happened for you? I gotta agree that you seem like a pretty open guy. There's a funny air about you... I dunno, I guess that's what draws people to you, or something like that."
Yu then gives himself a quick sniff before looking back at Chie.
Yu: "Did I put too much on or too little?"
Chie: "No it has nothing to do with that."
Y/N: "I think you have a good amount on. Can't smell it from my desk and you smelled good this morning."
Yu: "I thought we weren't that close yet."
Y/N: "Shut up."
Yosuke: "What are you talking about?"
Chie: "Anyways, what's most important right now is to rescue Yukiko. I'm dead set on coming. Remember... You promised."
Yosuke: "Well there is no point arguing now."
The bell then rings signifying class is about to begin.
Yosuke: "Oh crap, I still haven't gone to the bathroom!"
Yosuke rushes out of the class trying to avoid peeing himself. Meanwhile, the three of us just stare at each other.
Yu: "Hey can we have your contact info for the investigation?"
Chie: "Oh... right. You'll need this from now on, huh?"
The three of us pull out our phones and exchange numbers with each other.
Chie: "We have to be careful of the fog that sets in after the rain, right? Let's try and save her today before that happens."
Y/N: "That'll be smart since she might be more tired than we were when entered. So the quicker the better."
Yu: "If that's the case. Today we will save Yukiko."
Chie: "Alright. Here we come."
Y/N: "No opposition from me."
The doors open once again as a man who emptied his blatter is followed by a dickhead of a teacher, yelling at everyone to sit down and shut up.
Hello everybody it's me, again. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I didn't have breakfast this morning, not important but just wanted to tell the world for some reason. Personally, I think it is weaker than the others because I couldn't convey the ideas I had in my head for it. I'll most probably come back to this chapter at a later date and try to fix the parts I don't like. If you have any suggestions, I might (most likely) add them when that rework comes along. I recommend not predicting a new chapter coming soon as I only have the main premise of the chapter and some ideas. I hope you can understand. Anyway, I hope you have an amazing rest of your week.
Also, the title is a reference to something.
wordcount *3946*