Our Real Selves Were Wrong, As Expected (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU x Persona)

So, Avocado and Ricrod were talking about SIs, Kamidori, porn and crazy story ideas when we decided to make a crossover for Oregairu and Persona. Avocado would put the memes and “witty” dialogues, Ricrod made the outline and promised to make sure we actually make it to the end. What you see is our shared brain fart.

All the story is planned, even the plot holes. As you can see the setting is based on the Persona games, although it isn't set in a particular iteration. It's basically an AU.

Beware memes, cameos, flirting, swearing and weird-ass moments from chapter 3 onward. You have been warned.

Feel free to contact any of us if you have something to ask about, say or a request for some character to appear. We do want this to be a fun ride, after all.

PS From Ya Boi, Jackie Avocado - As usual, I still have no clue what I’m doing!

Chapter One: Once Again, The Wheel of Fate Turns

Today’s weather in Chiba was beautiful, the air feels clean, the sun is up and the sky is a clear blue without a single cloud in sight. The packed streets were full with people going to their jobs (some getting back home after a night shift) and dutiful students with early club activities.

This, however, had nothing to do with certain high school student, one currently cocooned within his bedsheets and in focused on maintaining a deep slumber.

RING! RING! RING! RING!

And thus, Hikigaya Hachiman’s alarm went off.

The teenager in question slammed his hand against the infernal device’s snooze button with enough force to be heard two rooms over.

The loner extraordinaire got up with a groan. It was Monday, he hated Mondays. It was a scientific fact that everyone hated Monday.

Monday meant going back to school it meant dealing with teen cliques, stupid assignments, an unmarried teacher with a mean left hook and even with this Service Club crap again. Truthfully, he didn’t despise it as much as he thought he would at the start. Still, he could do it alright without having to listen to the natural born stuck-up or the mindless ramblings of a social butterfly with more chest than brain.

Five more minutes, He decided. If he couldn’t stop his fate, then he would at least stall. Maybe if he ignored it hard enough, it wouldn’t come.

Wishful thinking at its finest.

“ONNNIII-CHAAAAAN!!!” The loud voice of his little sister destroyed what little hopes he has for ignoring reality.

“Urg. Five more minutes.” He pleads.

“Nu-uh. Everytime you say that you try to stay in bed as long as possible.”

“To work is to lose and school means working. As such, going to school is to lose.” His logic is flawless, as always is. Except in the eyes of others.

“But Oni-chan!” She whined in an overly cute voice. “If you don’t get up, you will miss the breakfast I did especially for you. Ah, such a devoted sister I am, don’t I gain a lot of points for this!?”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re the cutest little sister in the world,” He sighed and gave up staying longer in bed. “Give me a minute to get ready.”

“Sure! I’ll be waiting in the kitchen!” She happily said as she walks out of the room. “Ah, and remember you promised to give me a ride to school today, the streets have been dangerous lately.”

Of course, He thinks. Anything for my little sister.

Strangely enough, he does mean it.

[--]

His blood was pumping as he cycled alongside the riverside. He had lost track of time during breakfast, and giving his sister a ride to school left him with little time to go to his school on time. He could still make it, but he needed to speed up if he wants to do so.

Whatever, worst that can happen is Hiratsuka-sensei giving me an earful for getting in late… actually, that sounds terrible. Who knows what that woman is capable of.

He stepped up the pace. While his literature teacher was more approachable than other professors, she was still a force to be reckoned with. Last time he played smartass in an essay for her, he ended up joining some shady club.

He shudders at the recent memory.

Going to school this way wasn’t bad in his opinion. Actually, now that he thinks about it, cycling underneath a blue sky felt quite good. It was just the sort of thing you’d tell someone to get them to skip school with you, and it would work around fifty percent of the time.

And yet, today he felt a sudden dread while getting closer to his school. Something, something inside of his mind was uneasy. Akin to an instinct going overdrive, he started to feel like he could hear a conversation way too far away to make sense of it, but also too close to ignore.

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a blue, glowing butterfly came to his view. Time seemed to slow to a halt, the world seemed to be filtered gray. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, but yet he was still conscious.

“And so, a new journey begins anew.” A mysterious voice said, it seemed to come from the blue butterfly in front of him.

Hachiman would blink if he could. That butterfly couldn’t have just talked, could it? No, it couldn’t have, that’s insane!

“The sixth time already for you? Or we are even further?” Another voice reached Hachiman’s ears, a darker voice. “The fools will surely destroy themselves this time.”

A pitch black butterfly flew into his vision, flying next to the blue one.

Nope, they’re talking, and it has an evil twin brother now.

“Revolutionaries, those who know death, outcasts, upstarts and more. Each of them managed to defeat you once and once again, their bonds overcoming the obstacles in their paths. Can't you see the infinite potential within humanity?” The blue one argued.

“The very same potential that will doom them. Too reckless, too uncaring of consequences. Each generation has become less and less, archiving what their predecessors could, but only with more and more difficulty. It’s come to the point you can barely manifest.” The black one’s voice was particularly smug. “This time is no different. But you will see. Your champion is the weakest so far, and my cards hold the high ground.”

“Ah, but you see one should not underestimate the kindness of someone who has faced difficulties in life.”

“HA! suffering and hate beseech more of the same. An unending cycle. Someone who knows of humanity's ugly side will definitely fight against them.”

The Blue one sighed, “If that is your position in this bet...Then so be it. I hold trust in humanity’s potential for evolution”

“A Wild Card against another Wild Card once again. Will The Fool triumph over The Jester? Or will you finally realize humanity’s fate? I can hardly hold my laughter!”

“Quite. Do I have your word that you will not interfere this time?” The blue one questioned, sounding irritated. “You must already know how useless is to seduce those of weaker hearts.

“Yes, yes, you have my word!” The black one exclaimed in an exasperated tone. “I don’t need to interfere when humans can lead themselves to destruction. Seriously, those kids fly into a tantrum the moment they find out someone...messes with the cards.”

“Well, so long as you have learned your lesson as to not interfere. I shall allow your own to access the Velvet Room.”

“My, my, such generosity.” The black one cackled maniacally. “Having so many successes in a row blotted your ego that much? Such arrogance will be your undoing.”

“We will see in due time. But as of now...”

“Let their journey commence.”

The two butterflies turned to dust, time moved on, the world regained its color.

Hachiman slammed down the breaks on his bike. He stared where those two butterflies were, his face the definition of bewilderment.

“I-I...What…?”

He was at a loss for words, none of what he heard made much sense to the teenager.

He had a bad feeling, that what he just saw wasn’t just some elaborate hallucination born from his tired mind. He felt what he just witnessed was something that truly happened, even if in a corner of his mind, he’s already wishing it was not.

Standing there, he spent more and more minutes being utterly confused. By the time he shook off the strange encounter, he checked the time on his phone.

Hiratsuka-sensei is going to kill me.

[--]

It may be a little redundant to explain now, but the Service Club was supposed to be a space where the members listen to other student’s plights and problems, to offer possible solutions or viable options. A volunteer or counselor club to sum it up.

However, their activities rarely worked towards those goals. Lacking clients today as well, the members of the club were idling around and killing time. Yukinoshita Yukino would read, Yuigahama Yui would spend time messaging on her phone and Hikigaya Hachiman would lose time either reading or finishing homework early.

But today, he is lost in thought.

There’s not a can of MAX COFFEE in his side of the table, either.

“Oh my… I thought you weren’t coming today.” Yukinoshita said, looking over him and breaking the silence that reigned over the room. “You certainly don’t look very focused. Not like being focused would make you any useful.”

“Huh?” He awoke from his trance upon hearing her words. “I would skip this if possible, but who knows what Hiratsuka-sensei will do to me…”

“Geez, Hikki, you don’t have to say it like that!” Yuigahama butted in. “You have been spacing out all day, is everything alright?”

Is it? Certainly not for him. The strange encounter in the morning had been on his mind all day. He ignored all the lectures in class and just went through the motions during lunch. Yet, he couldn’t really share his troubles.

They’re strangers to him. Furthermore, he doesn’t want to deal with his clubmates thinking that he has gone crazy. Also, why did she know he had been spacing out for so long?

For a couple of seconds, he thought up his response. The only sound in that quiet classroom being the tick-tock of the clock. He notices how the setting sun’s light does paint a curious picture of the place.

Totally fitting for a literature club. He thinks, trying to distract his mind.

“Nah, it’s nothing, just some stuff at home.” Greatest excuse a student can give in school. Works every time, since further prying is considered something rude unless you are close to the person giving the excuse.

“O-Oh, I see.” Yuigahama said, sounding somewhat unconvinced.

“Ara, Hikigaya-kun, are you sure you aren’t saying that just to slack off?”

“Hikki, you shouldn’t slack off, or else your grade will get even worse!” Yuigahama scolded.

If it isn’t my eyes they make fun of, it’s my damn grades. Hachiman thought as his eye twitched.

“Bitch, please. I’ll have you know I’m ranked third in Japanese class and my grades in Social Studies are pretty good.” He retorted, he had pride in most his grades dammit.

“T-traitor! I thought you were a dunce like me!”

“Oi.”

“That’s not much to brag about, after all, what’s the third place in comparison to the first ranked in all subjects?”

Of course, my grades aren’t that impressive when compared to the stuck up princess. But they are far from bad.

In any case, Yuigahama was the biggest dunce in the group, a true dolt.

“Awww,” She whined. “So I’m the only dumb character here?”

“Don’t jump to that conclusion just yet, Yuigahama-san.”

“Y-Yukinon!” Yuigahama’s face lit up at Yukinoshita’s words.

“After all, you aren’t a fictional character. Your stupidity is a natural trait.”

“Urk!” Yuigahama clutched a hand to her chest as if she’d been shot with a bullet. “...Your words are as mean as always, Yukinon.”

Yuigahama fell into a depressive pose. “...it’s not like studying helps much anyway. No one ever uses these things in real life.” She muttered.

“Well, that’s one standard dunce line if I ever heard one.”

“There isn’t much point in studying! I swear! High school life is too short to spend it all hitting the books! You only live once!”

“That also means that you only have one chance at it. You can’t screw it up.”

“Oh my gosh, you’re such a wet blanket!”

“I prefer thinking in long terms.”

Someone put me out of my misery already Hachiman thought miserably. I’m losing brain cell after brain cell the more I hear her talk.

“In your case, Hikigaya-kun,” Yukinoshita took her eyes off her book and faced him. “You just fail at every aspect of high school life.”

Hachiman gave her a cold look. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. I don’t care about having friends or some ‘youthful school life’, being alone is enough for me.”

Yukinoshita just put her hand in her forehead, as if she was trying to deal with a headache.

“And that’s why you’re a failure as a member of society too, not only in school.”

“Tsk.”

The atmosphere in the room grew colder.

She isn’t completely wrong here… not like there’s any point in fighting a battle you’re going to lose anyway.

“H-hey guys,” Yuigahama spoke, trying to change the subject. “Have you heard about the latest rumor going around?”

“Huh? Not interested in dumb school gossip.” Hachiman shut down that particular topic.

Mindless gossip is not my thing, and in school is mostly mindless gossip about celebrities or someone hooking up with another. From time to time there are also some dark things going around… but those bring back bad memories so I will refrain here.

“Geez! It’s not gossip! It has been all around the news!”

“Yuigahama-san, I think it was unwise from you to expect that thing to ever watch the news.”

Oi. When did I lose my human status!? Seriously, this girl’s words are too mean. This isn’t even tsundere, but plain old bitch.

“I mean the case with the missing people! My mom has been all worried about me since it started.”

“Indeed, people seem quite a bit uneasy since it started.”

Ah, that. It’s not a rumor, but a normal incident, you know? Truth be told, he knew about it, at least to the same degree as everyone else in Chiba with a functioning Tv.

People disappearing in the middle of the night, sometimes going missing in broad daylight and in crowded spaces. The police and other authorities couldn’t make heads or tales of the situation. The amount of victims was too much for a single murderer or kidnapped, now speculation of terrorist or some cult were in the minds of the general populace.

“Not like there’s much to do about that, but to be careful I guess.”

“Hikki! Can’t you try to be more serious about this!? Mom has been on my case all week and doesn’t want me to go alone to meet my friends.”

Not my problem.

“Sucks to be you.”

“I must concur with Yuigahama-san, you don’t seem to be taking this seriously, Hikigaya-kun.”

He shrugged at that.

“Again, not like there’s much to do. Try to evade secluded areas and hope for the best.”

Standard stuff. Come to think about it, my parents just told me to be careful, but they gave my sister a 30 minutes talk about how to handle this kind of situation when they got wind of the news. Tsk, shouldn’t you guys be more worried about your son? I’m totally not feeling the love here.

He mentally prepared himself for whatever witty remark would come from Yukinoshita’s tongue.

Bang!

The door was kicked open.

Hachiman sighed. Three guesses who did that, the first two don’t count.

“Hello, Service Club!”

Yukinoshita also sighed. “Hiratsuka-sensei, please knock the door before entering.”

Shizuka Hiratsuka’s beaming smile was almost enough for Hachiman to go blind from. Though, her expression quickly changed to something more appropriate for a teacher.

“Now, I know it’s almost time for you three to leave school, but I want you all to be very careful on your way back home. The disappearances are-”

Hachiman cut her off. “You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”

Her eye twitched. “Anyway...I want all of you to keep safe. And make sure you raise your awareness senses to over nine thousand.”

“Yeah...she’s that old, alright.” Hachiman muttered under his breath.

If looks could kill, then the glare Hiratsuka Shizuka sent Hachiman would have turned him to ashes a hundred times over.

“Ah, did my ears deceive me, Hikigaya-kun, or did you say something incredibly rude?”

“I said nothing!” Hachiman blurted out quickly in his panic.

The crazy woman was way too sensitive about her age.

Her eyes narrowed in at Hachiman once again.

“...Sure you did.”

“Hiratsuka-sensei. Could you please tell us the reason for your intrusion in the club activities?”

The teacher gave an exasperated sigh. “Just stay safe on your way home. I better see all of you back here tomorrow. If not, I’m pouring all resources into finding you just to kick your ass. Am I understood? Got it? Good.”

“Is that all?” Honestly, it felt a little strange for the woman to only come here and be worried over nothing.

“W-well… I also wanted to see how you guys were doing. Maybe see if you got a new request,” She trailed off, looking at the students with some strange emotions reflected in her eyes. “But I see that there isn’t much progress anyway.”

And with that, she closed the door.

Yukinoshita sighs again.

“I suppose there isn’t much hope for a request today. It can’t be helped, let’s call it a day for now.”

With those final words, we part from the clubroom to our own ways. Yuigahama was being chastised down a little more by the ice queen when she suggested they should go to the karaoke or something. He wasn’t really able to understand how in the nine hells she managed to enter the school.

Slowly, he makes his way towards his trusty bicycle and prepared to go back home. His little sister awaits him, probably, as do a bunch of books and games he has yet to finish.

Just another day.

Carefully, he made sure to ride around areas with some amount of people. Normally, he preferred roads without anyone in his path, but he wasn't going to risk himself over something stupid. His mood was better now anyway, having lost interest and bewilderment over those weird butterflies in the morning.

It was too late when he realized that the sun isn't shining like always. Not because it became night, but because of the sheer amount of dark clouds in the sky. Less like rain clouds and more like black smoke in the form of clouds. Only the smallest rays of light penetrate the black smog that now filled the sky.

“The hell…?”

The color of the surrounding buildings were now covered in a strange light, as if the contrast was completely out of tune. He shook his head around, trying to find some explanation, just to find that he was completely alone. No one else is in sight.

Then he noticed it.

It was dead silent.

Nothing made a sound.

Not a bird, no cars, he couldn’t even hear anyone talking in the distance.

In the corner of his eyes, he noticed something strange. A human figure. Less than two hundred meters from him. He can’t help but panic a little when he notices more of those.

This was unnatural, this atmosphere, this silence, everything.

It’s not right!

Then something happened at long last.

Those shadows in the distance started moving towards him.

He had to squint his eyes to get a clearer picture of who or what was out there.

Hachiman really wished he didn’t.

The thing was like a mockery of a human being, more like abstract art given life by some maniac. Its body was pitch black with unnaturally thin limbs, it didn’t seem like it even had the proportions of a human being. It didn’t have a face, just a blue mask with a frown on it, not even eye holes in it.

Somehow, it looked at Hachiman as if it could see him. He felt as if its gaze was locked onto him.

Then the mask’s frown turned into a smile. It was an unnatural, maniacal, ear to ear, grin filled with fangs.

Hachiman stood there frozen in fear and shock.

...What the hell.

He had no words, no quips, no scathing remarks, he couldn’t even bring himself to make any cynical comments.

All he had was an unmistakable feeling of pure dread.

Then he felt more gazes on him.

His head span around looking everywhere.

There are more of whatever the hell these things are.

They came out of building windows, out of the storm drains, out of back alleys. He could even see them on rooftops and clinging onto the sides of buildings.

All of them had their heads pointed right at Hachiman. All of them had that awful fanged grin.

He held his breath, not he nor any of these things moved an inch.

Then he picked a random direction and peddled on his bike like his life depended on it.

An awful, inhuman howl reached his ears. And as if on cue, the rest of the things howled with it. The sound seemed to span the entire city.

There was only one thought that ran through his mind as he peddled for dear life.

Run!

Chapter End

 

Chapter Two: Shadow of A Shadow

He was running as fast as his legs could carry him.

Without even considering to looking back, he kept on sprinting. His breath was ragged, pain making itself clear in his overworked limbs. He keeps going, unsure of what to make of this situation. Ears ringing, wind sweeping the sweat in his skin. He didn't want to trust his eyes.

The landscape, the buildings, all the scenery around him was the same as always.

But also it is not. The air is different. The sun that shines isn’t the same.

The resemblance is uncanny. Streets look the same. Buildings look that same. Everything is the same as always. Same Chiba he knows and loves.

But there are no people, just these things chasing him. There was no end to them, they were relentless beyond belief.

Hachiman could bob and weave through buildings and alleys, but they just wouldn’t stop, much less slow down.

He could still see them in the corner of his eyes. Their twitchy sporadic movements, the gleam of light reflecting off their fanged mouths. They were still howling. That god awful sound just wouldn’t stop. It was like it was coming from all over the city.

What the hell is happening!?

He was just a few blocks away from the Hanami River. Maybe there, something told him. Maybe if he manages to go there then he will be free of his pursuers.

It’s just an instinct, but he felt like betting on it.

The bridge!

Now he was sure of it! He can get through this and finally get out of this hell hole-

He felt a hand grab his ankle.

Time seemed to slow down for Hachiman as he collided with the concrete.

Ah shit. This is why I hate Mondays. He thought bitterly.

THUD!

“Aurgh!” He shouted painfully as his face became acquainted with the ground.

A strange sound enters his ears. Laughter. Mocking laughter. Slowly, he turns back to see those things. Still smiling, but he can hear it. It’s the same mocking sound he heard from his middle school classmates when he walked down the halls.

These things are...laughing at him.

They...They were just toying with me. They could’ve caught me anytime they wanted! The horrifying realization hit him like lighting.

Hachiman grabbed his bag and in a last ditch effort to get them away from him, he swung it with all his might against the nearest shadowy thing. He wouldn’t stand for this! He refuses to just go down without a fight.

Wham!

The bag impacted against the side of the creature’s head with as much force as Hachiman could muster.

Aside from the contents of his bag now spilled onto the floor, it did nothing to it. His heart fell at the sight.

He wasn't able to hurt these creatures anyway. He was aware of many dangers one couldn’t do anything against. A gun, a bear, a group of muggers with knives and little morals. But he never thought of being in a situation where he couldn’t run.

Fear gripped his mind and heart.

I… I can’t do anything, A treacherous thought invaded his mind.

All he could do was lay there helplessly as the creature brought it’s fanged maw closer and closer. Their mouths grew even bigger. He could see a butterfly in the distance.

And then…

CHOMP!

Everything turned black.

[---]

Hachiman woke up with a panicked yell.

He stood up immediately and started patting himself down, making sure he wasn’t injured.

The last thing he remembered was...

He shuddered as he remembered the gaping jaws of the creature that...that ate him.

A quick look around confused him even more. Sand. Sand everywhere.

Once again, he was not in Chiba. He was in some sort of dessert that expanded as far as his eyes can see, probably more. He looked down, uncertain. He’s on a road, a rustic one that also seemed to expand beyond his eyes can see.

What the shit?

Before he can even start considered the situation he’s in, a figure appeared before him. He seemed unmoving, but Hachiman was sure it wasn’t there before.

The condescending smile on its face was all too familiar.

“Yo,” It said. Its voice nonchalant, almost bored.

That face, he knew that face all too well. Of course he’d know it. It was his own face after all. He saw it every day in the mirror.

Hachiman stared at the doppelganger in front of him with a mix of shock and confusion. He was a perfect copy of himself, except for the glowing yellow eyes.

“W-wha- Who are you?” He finally managed to muster.

“I am your shadow… Your true self… and all that crap.” The double said.

“My true self? What the hell are you on about!?”

“What the hell are you on about? Can’t you see where we are?” The double said, extending his arms towards the unending sand. “If you can’t accept what’s in front of you then you’re even more of a lost cause than I thought! Hahaha!”

“Accept what’s in front of me…?” Hachiman repeated, even more horribly confused than before. “Would you start making sense already!?”

“Bah! Billions of people in the world and I get the retard, just my luck!” The double sighed. “This is you. Your mind, your soul. And I am also you, unfortunately.”

“...” Hachiman stayed silent, trying to process and make sense of what he just heard. He wasn't very successful at that.

“Oh, what’s the trouble, double-double? You scared speechless?” The double grinned cruelly. “Or is that just the isolation sinking in?”

Hachiman blinked. “...Excuse me?”

The doppelganger waved his arms around. “Look around you. A whole lot of nothing. No people, no city, no school, no parents to ignore or nag you Absolutely nothing. You’re alone now. Nothing to bother you. Nothing to reject you. Nothing to accept you. It’s everything you wanted, right?”

“No! That’s… that’s not… This isn’t what I meant!”

“Of course it isn’t what you meant. That’s just some dumb mask you put up the drive people away. We’ve already tried over and over again to be accepted by somebody, anybody, but no, rejection at every turn. No one was willing to give us a chance. So, wouldn’t it be better to make people hate us to drive them away? Hurts less than being rejected, right?”

“Fear rejection? Me!? I don’t fear rejection! I’m a loner!” Hachiman’s blood began to boil.

“Oh, sure you do. You fear it more than anything, and you gave up on trying to get closer to others. You’re a coward! Hahaha! Face it! You don’t want to reveal yourself to someone else because you don’t want to be rejected! Tell me, can you even accept yourself? Can you love yourself when you’re such a pathetic whelp?!”

“Accept myself…? I’m the only one in this damn town that doesn’t act like a complete fake!”

“And that is where you’re wrong!” The double’s grin grew to inhuman lengths. “Being superficial to blend in is just as bad as lying to one’s self, right? Then why do you act superficially to stand out? You already know that you stand out like a sore thumb no matter how hard you try, so why not make yourself as unlikable as possible to make everyone avoid you?”

“I… I am myself. I’m fine with being alone. There’s no need for fakes or superficial nothings in my life...”

“Please, you’re a hypocrite in a world full of fakes, you’re the biggest fake of them all. You’re worse than that blonde bastard, Hayama.”

“What!? Lies! He’s nothing, his clique is formed around him, but none are truly friends. He’s insanely popular, but remains single. I can see it, even if they themselves can’t. He’s nothing but a lie.”

“You hate lies, eh? Then by that logic, you hate yourself, right?”

“I love myself. That’s why I don’t need to change or hide myself. Everyone wears a mask to be accepted by others, but not me. If I changed I would just be doing it to run away from the problem. Better to just accept my past and present by staying how I am.”

“Hahaha! That’s rich. You are really trying to play that card?” The double laughed hysterically. “‘To work is to lose.’ What a bunch of bullshit. Please, you blame everyone else for being the way you are when you yourself never tried to be better!”

“...There’s no point in fighting a lost war. I prefer to be alone than be surrounded by false people. There’s no point neither in trying to change myself to be accepted.”

“Oh? And what about something real, something genuine? You don’t need that either, right? After all, there’s no way that something like that exists for you.”

“That’s…”

“There’s no point in it all! Girls will just lead you astray and dump you the moment they find someone better looking or with more money. You don’t even care about ‘Youth’ you just hate everything. You sad little person.”

Hachiman, in a fit of rage, grabbed his double by his collar.

“Shut. Up.” He growled.

The double only laughed.

“Why did you even come to Sobu High School anyway? Didn’t you just wanted to run away from those rumors in middle school?” The double frees himself from Hachiman’s hands with ease. “Nothing changed in the end. You can run from everyone but yourself and if you want to stay the same, then why would the world treat you differently?”

“...I…”

“Why do you stay at that club, anyway? The worst Hiratsuka can truly do is give you a bad time in her class. Why keep appearances there if you really don’t care about it? Why you try so hard to not see the truth? Tell me, or don’t. I know what’s really happening anyway. Are you really expecting something to happen on its own so you don’t have to put effort into it?”

“No! That’s not it...”

“I am your Shadow. Your true self. I know it. You are but a coward and a hypocrite. You want to change but are too afraid to try. You want friends, but you don’t let anyone in, preferring to just dub them all as fakes. You want to understand others, but instead of trying, you quickly judge them to make yourself feel better. That’s you. Accept it!”

The double took a step forward. Hachiman stepped back in fear.

“Now! Accept me, accept yourself!” The double roars at him.

This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening! He shouted in his head, hoping this was all some sort of twisted nightmare.

Unfortunately, the hand that grabbed his collar and pulled him forward was all too real.

Hachiman looked fearfully into the malicious, glowing, eyes of his double.

“Come on, accept yourself! You’re not getting cold feet, are you? Don’t you love yourself!?”

“No...You’re not-”

“I am you!”

Hachiman grit his teeth in rage. He didn’t think, he acted, his body moving on its own.

He pulled his fist back and struck his double across the face as hard as he could. The double’s head snapped back at the force of the blow, but other than that, it didn’t even phase him.

“So this is how you want to play, huh? Fine by me. I was getting bored.”

The double was then covered by a black mist, completely enveloping him. Hachiman hastily retreated as he saw that, mist somehow fusing with his shadow.

The spot where Hachiman punched him began to crack, almost like a mirror breaking. The cracks kept spreading throughout his body until…

CRASH!

It shatters into pieces.

But the pieces reformed, more shards came out of thin air.

It was now a mass of broken mirror shards that floated in the air. A good chunk of them came together to form a cracked mirror that reflected Hachiman’s face, but this reflection was distorted. Its eyes were now just pools of black, a dark substance leaked out of them like tears. Its mouth was stuck in a seemingly permanent Cheshire smile. The rest of the shards floated behind the cracked mirror like smoke wafting off the twisted abomination.

“I am a Shadow...The true self.”

Gone is his double, now transformed in what seemed like a floating ball made of mirror shards.

He steeled himself. Too much. This is all too much. Not only he was chased down and eaten by monsters, but he also had to listen to some mirror match spouting nonsense. He was done with this.

“Accept thyself, loser.”

“Make me.”

Hachiman launched forward. He regretted never practicing any martial arts, his punch is flimsy and badly done, but still connects with the ‘shadow’.

The exact moment his fist touched that malevolent ball, he felt a punch landing in his left cheek.

Bewildered, he fell down.

“You hit like a little bitch.”

Hachiman groaned in pain as he got up. “Takes one to know one.”

“You will die here, alone. Just like you always wanted.”

The abomination created a spear out of mirror shards and launched them at Hachiman.

“Holy shit!” He yelled as he jumped out of the way.

Hachiman bit his lip as he saw Shadow create more spares.

He couldn’t keep this up. He couldn’t even fight back, the first punch taught him that much.

“Tell yourself the truth. Why you insist so much on being ‘a loner’?”

Hachiman bit his lower lip, consideration heavy on his mind.

Maybe if I throw it something? He eyed the mirror spear stabbed into the ground. That works.

Hachiman made a run for the spear, dodging another one shot by his Shadow. He grabbed the spare and winced in pain as the shards cut his hand.

He immediately moved his head to the side, another spear grazing the left side of his face.

That was too close!

“I shall ask again, why you close yourself from others?”

Brandishing his own mirror spear, Hachiman threw it at the Shadow. Just before making contact with it, the spear turned back into shards and rejoined the Shadow.

“Did you forget that those spears are part of my body? No wonder why your grades suck. Nothing here will save you, your attempts at combating me are futile.”

The Shadow created a large fist made out of shards and hurdle it at Hachiman.

It was too fast for him the dodge.

“Guh!”

The mirror fist impacted Hachiman’s chest and sent the poor teenager flying.

Hachiman laid there on the road for a few seconds. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of him, he was having trouble breathing. His chest was in agony, the shards the fist was made out of tore his uniform to pieces as well as the skin on his chest.

Blood pooled from the countless lacerations on his chest, not to mention he could taste blood in his mouth too.

He fell face to the ground with a loud thud, pain invading all his body. Adrenaline slowly left his system, as he rolled in the sand, failing to get up.

SHINK!

“Aaaargh!”

A spear was stabbed through his left hand.

Tears fell from his eyes as excruciating pain flooded his body.

“You’re not getting it, are you?” The Shadow sighed.

The spear started to twist, the jagged shards mutilating his hand further.

“Arghhhhhhhhh! Stop! Please stop!”

“If you refuse to hear it from me, then maybe Their voices will work better.”

As soon as it said that, various shards broke off and formed mirrors around Hachiman’s body.

For some seconds, nothing happened. And then, he heard.

"You're such a creep"

"Ewww, its hikkifrogaya"

“Run from the hikkigerms!”

Those voices. He could recognize them, they were classmates from elementary school.

“...Stop.” He said meekly.

"Your eyes are weird, don’t get close to me."

"If you aren't going to put effort on it then fuck off."

“Hey, that’s the guy who asked Orimoto out, doesn’t he know his place?”

“Your name kind of sounds like Hikkikomori, how gross.”

“Get lost, weirdo.”

“He totally confessed to me. I was so weirded out. I mean, he’s, like, so gross.”

Middle school. He can now see faces reflected in those small mirrors, complementing the voices, just to twist even more those old wounds.

“Shut up!” Hachiman yelled, tears falling from his eyes.

"Why did you have to be born?"

"Your sister would be better without you"

"Those eyes of yours look exactly like the ones in a dead fish."

"Seriously Hikki, you can be so gross sometimes."

"You're just running away."

“I SAID SHUT UP!” He shouted in bloodcurdling rage.

Through sheer force of will, Hachiman stood up, forcing the spear stabbed into his hand up with him.

“What’s this, you finally grew a pair?” The Shadow mocked.

“Not like you know about having one.” Hachiman gritted his teeth. His body is shaking, out of adrenaline and sheer rage. “I get it! It’s true. I wanted to have friends, to have a girlfriend to have a good school life! You’re right on that… I wasn’t accepted no matter how much I tried, maybe it was my fault or maybe they were just all assholes… but at some point, I gave up on trying.”

“Then die alone, forgotten. It’s what you want, right?” The Shadow threw another spear.

Despite the agonizing pain, Hachiman ripped out the spear in his left hand and batted away the incoming spear.

“I refuse! I won’t accept just anything! I don’t want just friends, I want real connections with others. I want to know more, to understand it all. I don’t want the same fake shit I see in other’s cliques. Yes, what you said wasn’t wrong… but you don’t know the half of it!”

“Then show me.”

Hachiman rushed the Shadow, spear poised to stab it. Just like last time, the spear split back into many shards and rejoined the main mirror body, but Hachiman didn’t stop due to a lack of a weapon. Pushing forward, Hachiman pulled his fist back and punched the Shadow as hard as he could.

Just like last time, the pain erupted from the side of his face. But unlike last time, he refused to be blown back by the force of the reflecting impact. He maintained his ground and once again, launched another blow to the shadow.

“If you want to push me down… then don’t whine when I push back.”

Another hit lands, but this time he feels no comeback.

So he hits it again.

And again.

And again.

Even when his bones feel like they’ll break. Even when his muscles scream at him to stop. He kept hitting.

CRASH

The Shadow shattered once more. The shards turned into black mist, reforming once again into his original double.

The double showed signs on injury as well, it’s face bruised up and it’s lip busted.

“...” He stayed silent, locking eyes with Hachiman.

“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” He ridiculed.

“Well, I’m you. So that’s a given.”

Hachiman lost all feeling in his legs and was about to fall face first back into the sand.

“Whoa there,” The Shadow caught him before he fell. “You’re not dying on me just yet, are you? You don’t get to talk all big and drop dead right after.”

“Tsk. Smartass… I guess you really are me, huh.” Hachman says, just as his eyelids begin to fail him and his consciousness slips into darkness.

“Yes. Thou art I… and I am thou, from the sea of thy soul I cometh… This one’s name is Hector and I shall be thy strength.”

[---]

The creature that devoured Hachiman began to convulse. It let out panicked cries, greatly confusing the other creatures.

Then it erupted in blue and black flames, its body turning to ashes in seconds. All the other shadows nearby recoiled at the sight.

Hikigaya Hachiman came out, completely unscratched.

His clothes were different. Clad in a suit with a long coat, and a fedora on his head, he glared at his enemies.

“So, these are what shadows normally look like, eh? Time for some payback.”

All was silent.

“Per...”

He held out his hand, a small mirror appearing on his palm, just the right size for him to crush it.

“So…”

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, his “rotten” eyes looking more solemn than rotten.

“Na...”

The shards of the mirror come back together, taking the form of a warrior floating in front of him. Green clothes and light guards on him, brandishing a fully armored arm and a giant spear. The same warrior who proceeds to light a fire in the nearest shadow, engulfing it whole.

“Feeling the burn now, aren’t you, you little shit?” Hachiman scowled.

“Hachiman,” The Persona spoke. “It would be wise to get a weapon as soon as you can. I may be a famous warrior, but an old man like me can’t do everything on his own.”

“I’ll find a pipe or something along the way.” Hachiman cracked his knuckles. “Until then I’m decking all of them all in their stupid, blue, faces.”

“Wow, you’re pretty fired up, aren’t you?”

Hachiman, with newfound strength and speed, rushed one of the shadows and punched it hard enough for its mask to shatter.

The shadow was sent flying through many of its own kind, stopping only after reaching the end of the bridge.

“What can I say?” Hachiman grinned as he looked at his now smoking fist. “I got some shit to work through.”

“Then let’s hope these weaklings can keep us entertained.”

Both Persona and Persona User stood back to back as the shadows began to flood both sides of the bridged. Like an endless sea of black about to consume them.

As if I’d let them! Hachiman thought defiantly as the shadows closed in.

Spear met black flesh, fist met blue masks.

The battle was on.

Shadows came in waves, trying to overwhelm Hachiman with superior numbers. Yet, every shadow that came into his sight was dispatched without trouble. Hector continuously cleaving and burning all shadows on his side. Hachiman used his new found strength to great effect, snapping limbs and throwing the shadows right back at each other.

The two were like a well-oiled machine working together in perfect sync.

It barely took a couple of minutes to dispatch of all shadows around. The bridge was now a small mountain of corpses that Hachiman and his Persona, Hector, stood on.

The teenager sighed as he looked on into the distance. More shadows were coming.

“We got to get a move on. Get the hell out of here.”

“Let’s cross the bridge then. This area doesn’t cover so far. Once you’re out of it, you should be back on your own dimension.”

“So, that’s how this whole thing works? Learn something new every day, I guess.”

“Just the knowledge of an old man. You should get your own way to learn more of this.”

Hachiman shrugged then sprinted in the direction Hector recommended. The faster he got out of here the faster he could collapse on his bed.

As he made his way through the alternate version of Chiba, he encountered more and more shadows, but none were much of a problem for him now. However, the fighting, maybe all those events in quick succession, left him tired. Both his mind and body were starting to cry for rest.

Soon enough, he spotted a white light. Squinting his eyes, Hachiman got a better look at it.

Looks like someone cracked reality right there. The thought amused him somewhat.

“There it is, that’s your ticket out of here. A Gate back to the physical dimension.”

He made a break for the “Gate”, avoiding any shadows that tried to get in his way.

His hand made contact with the “Gate” and then everything was filled with a bright light.

…

Chiba. It was Chiba, his hometown. He’s back.

The buildings, the river, the crowds of people he hated.

It had been some hours, maybe half a day, but it feels like he had been far from here for months.

Fighting back the impulse of falling asleep right there and now. He took a moment to look around. He was right across the bridge, just across from where the ‘gate’ was.

For a second, he considers going back, crossing the bridge again, if only to see if he would be back in that strange world.

“Tsk.” He scowls, deciding to not push his luck anymore, not in his current state.

He began to walk, slowly, back home. Then, a realization strikes him.

Shit. My bike!

Chapter End

 

Chapter Three: The Nose Knows

As exhausted as Hachiman was, he made sure to open the door to his house silently and did so as he closed it. It’s late, already deep into the night. It’s probably the first time he has arrived home so late. A whole new experience… he doesn’t feel like repeating it anytime soon.

I need to be stealthy… it would be bad if Komachi or my parents see me like this.

“Oni-chaannnn~! Why are you sneaking like tha- what the hell happened to you!?”

Well, that was a bust. Let’s try another approach here.

“Some jackasses tried to mug me.” He lied smoothly. “I kicked their asses.”

Not a complete lie, he did kick those shadow’s collective asses. And they were trying to hurt him. So it probably counts.

His sister stays silent for a moment, eyeing him from head to toe. There aren’t any signs of a physical fight, but her brother looks like he just ran a marathon, was rejected by some girl and joined the fight club. All in close succession.

“Oni-chan… you aren’t lying to me, right?”

“No, you know I’d never lie to you.” He felt like a knife stabbed into his heart at those words.

“Mmm, alright Oni-chan. I believe you.” And now he felt the knife twisting. “Do you need some medicine?” She asksed, concerned about her brother’s state.

Hachiman shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. I just need some sleep.”

“Alright…” she nodded, uncertain. “I’ll take care of you if you’re still hurting tomorrow. Ah, doesn’t that score me a lot of points?” She said the last part in jest, trying to ease him.

“Goodnight, Komachi.” He said, as she waved to him and went back upstairs. Strength left his body completely as he fell all over the couch.

Going up to my room… ugh. No. Too much effort.

Within seconds, consciousness left Hachiman as the realm of slumber took him.

[---]

Hachiman’s eyes snapped open.

The first thing he noticed was the giant intrusive nose in front of him.

Just when I think things can’t get any shittier.

“Hello... Welcome to the Velvet Room, I am delighted to make your acquaintance” The nose said. It took Hachiman a couple of seconds to reign himself from screaming.

“...Why am I looking at a talking nose?”

“Oh, so we got a joker here,” The nose answered, unamused.“My name is Igor, and I can assure you, my nose does not talk by itself. Perhaps you need a moment to compose yourself.”

Hachiman was about to retort when he took a look around himself. It’s obvious that he wasn't in Kansas anymore. He sat in what appeared to be the counter of a high-class bar, something that he only had seen in movies and magazines before. The whole bar having a blue and black chessboard theme to it.

In front of him, there was an old man, his nose taking up most of the space in his sight. Hachiman couldn't help but notice how that nose is as big as his whole forearm.

Hachiman sighed, he was still very much exhausted from his day’s ordeal.

“What do you want, Toucan Man?”

“... It seems that this guest’s tongue is as sharp as his eyes,” The nose, calling itself Igor replies.

“I get that a lot.” Hachiman shook his head, half annoyed, half unsure. “Where am I, you fruit loop addict?”

Igor’s eyes twitched. “This is the Velvet Room, a place between dreams and reality, between mind and matter. Only a few are ever granted access here, henceforth, I shall welcome you as a guest… You are destined to hone your special ability and will need my help to do so-”

“Just cut the crap and to the part where you explain what the is going on here.”

“My, my… so impatient. Someone with your destiny should try to practice caution.”

Someone with my destiny he says… Nosy fuck.

“I suggest not angering this guy too much, Hachiman. He’s not someone you want as an enemy just yet.” The voice of his persona resounds in his mind.

Wh-what? Hector!?

“Hey, boss. Don’t mind me, just an old man hanging around in your noggin.”

Urg. Now I have voices in my head. Just great. Fine, if he’s as dangerous as you say he is, I’ll be cooperative for now.

“Do your best.”

Hachiman sighed as he tried to make use of his tired mind. Nothing making sense isn’t very unusual on a Monday.

“You said destiny and how just a few could enter this place… I’ll take that it has to do with personas and those monsters from before.” Hachiman scowled as he remembered the past events of the day. “You have some answers, don’t you?”

“Indeed, young man. It seems that your tongue isn’t the only sharp thing you possess.” Igor chuckled at his response “Answers will come in time, as you embark on your journey. I’m certainly curious of what will happen, your situation being… an unusual one.”

Nope, I can’t do this. He’s being a cryptic asshole.

“Negotiations have broken down, again.”

“So… You get everyone here or I’m the only underage kid in your ‘Velvet Room’? I feel like my chastity is in danger, old nose.” Hachiman snaps. The lack of sleep getting into him.

Igor’s eyebrows twitched various times at that.

“Now, listen here, young man-”

“Ara ara~ what’s happening here?” Igor response was cut halfway when a blue and black inferno erupted next to him, as the fire dissipated, a strange woman appeared at his side. He looked almost as confused as Hachiman. “Is Mr. Igor giving trouble to our dear guest?”

“O-Oh, you know. Just an old nose and an underage teen hanging out in a bar. Nothing out of the ordinary.” Hachiman manages to muster after some seconds pass, he can’t help but appreciate the girl’s figure. It’s inhumanly stunning.

She had a voluptuous body, almost threatening to escape the hold of her clothes- a one-piece black dress with blue accents hugging her figure quite tightly. There were a pair of demonic, black horns on the side of her head that pointed upwards that were engulfed in black flames. She had glowing ice-blue eyes with cross-shaped pupils and long snow-white hair that went down more than the bar counter let him appreciate.

“I-I mean, nothing outside the fact I was kind of kidnapped here.” He continues, as he also continues to stare at the newcomer’s body.

“Huh, boss? Her eyes are up there.”

Shut up, it’s just the hormones!

“No, it’s not the hormones, she’s just that hot.”

“Ufufu~ Like what you see, dearest guest?” She says, inclining a little towards Hachiman, giving him a better look of her cleavage.

“Uhhhh…” was Hachiman’s witty and clever response to her teasing. Her eyes lock with his and a big smile crosses her lips.

“Because I like what I see~”

Sweet baby Jesus!

“She’s totally into you, Boss! Hit while the iron is hot!”

“AHEM!!” The moment was ruined as they heard Igor's loud coughing, suddenly remembering his existence.

“Ara~ Sorry about that, Mr. Igor.” She said, sounding not sorry at all.

“Bah.” Hachiman answered too, his brain getting blood back into it.

“This one here,” Igor motioned towards the girl. “Is my temporal assistant, Shelly. She will also help you alongside your journey.”

“Nice to meet you, dearest guest~ Please take care of me from now on, ufufu~”

“U-Uhhhh… Please t-take care of me too, I guess.”

“Alright kids, if you’re done, we still need to go on with the schedule.” Igor deadpanned.

“We could, if you stopped doing your shitty ‘Firekeeper’ impression and just tell me what’s happening.”

Igor’s eyebrows twitched.

“Ara ara~ We can’t reveal too much, you must know that, neither of our creators would be very pleased.”

Igor glared at the woman. “I have half the mind to throw a book at him with all the relevant information and let the brat fend for himself.”

“That would be miles more useful than talking to your nose.” Hachiman quipped.

“Would you stop talk about my-” Igor stopped himself and took a deep breath. “Okay. Here’s what going to happen. We’re to explain to you the situation, and everything you need to know.”

“Finally. You certainly took your time.”

“Argh! Enough of this! You aren’t even -”

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a mirror cracking and a voice in his head. Different than Hector’s this one sounded somewhat like his own.

Thou art I… and I am thou
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to befriend a persona of the Hermit Arcana​

For some seconds, everyone in the room stayed silent.

Igor’s eye started twitching violently.

The super hot assistant woman started giggling.

“No...” Igor muttered. “No, no, no. Not with this brat.” He starts trembling “It’s not even supposed to happen in the first place!”

“Nosy, what in the world was that?” Hachiman asked, not really understanding the situation.

“Ara ara~ This is getting really interesting.” The woman kept giggling into her hand. “From what I know, something like this has never happened before.”

“Just… just take this and get out of here,” Igor threw what seemed like a key towards Hachiman’s face. “I need a frigging drink.”

With that, Hachiman started to feel his consciousness fade away. The last thing he saw was Igor taking a bottle from the counter and Shelly blowing him a kiss while winking.

What a weird day…

[---]

Hachiman’s eyes snapped open.

It seemed to be a recurring thing by now.

He was still on the couch, feeling… not completely rested, but a lot less exhausted than he was before. His body was still sore, probably from sleeping in the couch, but his mind was wide awake.

Slowly, he checked up his phone. The poor illumination of the room corroborated the numbers displayed in that small screen.

16:25

So I was out of it for most of the day… Well, on the bright side, I didn’t go to class! And that weird dream is over! Over! He cheered in his mind.

“Sorry to say, Hachiman, but you weren’t dreaming.”

“Ugh, son of a bitch.” Hachiman cracked his neck. “I’m going to have to deal with that nosy bastard for a while, aren’t I?”

“Believe me, Hachiman, he’s the least of your worries… well, depending on what you choose to do from now on.”

“You mean not mentioning his nose? That’s going to be a little difficult.” He moved towards the kitchen, where he finds a couple of notes in the fridge. He read the first one:

[Your father found you passed out in the couch. We didn’t want to wake you up. There’s some money on the table for a new uniform, try to get one that fits you well. -Love, mom.]

“Well, that too. But I meant-”

“What do you mean then?” He took the other note as he walks to take the money. He'll need to get that uniform soon. If he remembered right, the store closed at 8pm.

[Sorry Oni-chan! I wanted to stay beside you and nurse you back to health, but dad said that you would be alright on your own. He’s such a meanie! :c Don’t worry though, I shall get you something nice after school! -Your dearest and loveliest sister, Komachi]

The note put a hearty smile in his face, it also had a lot of doodles his sister probably drew in a hurry. For all her talents, drawing was not one of them.

Best little sister ever!

Hachiman approached the front door, about to leave the house.

“You’re going back into the other dimension, aren’t you?” Hector questioned.

“Eh, I guess so. Not like I can just ignore it.”

“You can, Hachiman. I can feel it, there isn’t only the rift in which you fell in yesterday, but there are more… If you choose to take this path, your life may be in danger.”

“Danger?” Hachiman laughed. “More dangerous than what I had to deal with last time?”

“Only the beginning, Hachiman. There are many rifts throughout the city, many people will fall into them. Many people will die. But you have no obligation to do anything to stop this. It would be a thankless job.”

“Didn’t you die trying to protect Troy? This sounds a little hypocritical.”

“I chose my path. I risked everything to save the life and people that were dear to me, because the other option was to see them die while I sat motionless… But you aren’t like that, even if others fall to those shadows, they are still able to win their way back, just how you did.”

“So...You’re telling me I shouldn’t go?”

“I’m merely presenting you with the option. For this old man, you’re like Troy, I want to protect you and watch over your progress. As long as you follow your own path with your head held high, I shall give my all to aid you.”

Hachiman stopped, thinking over Hector’s words. He had a point, he had his own life to live, he remembered the fear and pain. The horror he felt as he saw the swarming mass of shadows chase and devour him.

Was he really willing to put himself through that kind of ordeal again?

His eyes then fell onto his sister’s note. What if she fell in one of those rifts?

“You know… I don’t really care about those nameless sheep in the city. If I, of all people, could get out of that, then they have the option too. That nose will probably be happy of aiding them too…”

“So, what’s the plan, this old man is rather curious.” Hachiman could practically see the knowing, easy-going smile on Hector’s face.

“...But, I don’t know if I can let myself sit down here without doing anything, while something like that can happen to my sister. Not if there’s something I can do to prevent it.”

“If that’s what you want, this old man shall accompany you through thin and thick. Just remember Hachiman, you must take responsibility for your own actions and decisions.”

“Besides, my bike is stuck there and they thrashed up my uniform, I’m still in the mood for payback.” Hachiman cracked his knuckles, a vicious smile on his face. “And if I see anyone there, I might as well throw their asses out. I don’t need some random jackass Whining about getting caught in the crossfire.”

“Hahaha! Well said, Boss! You truly are worthy of my spear! Do we have an action plan or we are just going to arrive and trash those monsters?”

“Mmm,” He thought it over. He felt like going and kicking ass, but he wasn't stupid or brash enough to charge in without a plan. What if Hector was somehow unable to help him? He couldn't forget that feeling of powerless anytime soon. No, he needed more information, a plan… maybe a weapon too? No need to damage his hands with those trash mobs… but he knew nothing in his house that could be used as a weapon, unless he wants to go around with a kitchen knife. There goes that route.

“Hand to hand it is for now, I guess.” Hachiman sighed. “Alright, Hector, game plan. We don’t know the full details of what’s going on right now. So, I say we do hit and runs until we get our bearings.”

“First moves to gauge the enemy’s strength and capacity? Now, that’s my Boss!

“Good, you said you can sense those ‘rifts’, right?”

“Indeed I can.”

Hachiman opened the door and closed it behind him, locking it.

“Let’s see if we can get some mobs to trash while I got a new uniform.”

Only a day has passed. Just one day and he feels completely different than before. His shadow had been a complete jerk… but he told the truth. Hachiman couldn't lie anymore, not to himself.

He hadn't changed completely, he knew that. But he wasn’t the same as before. He felt it in his bones, something, deep within himself, had changed for better or worse.

“We’ve got work to do.”

Chapter End

 

Chapter Four: As Expected, The Action was Off-Screen

To change. To deny oneself. Nothing but a lie, just like the concept people give to ‘youth’ these days - nothing but an empty illusion that can’t ever be completely fulfilled. Humans never change their fundamental nature, they just mask it to blend better -shamelessly dubbing it as change. Just like a chameleon can take a thousand colors, it still is a chameleon at the end of the day…

Or at least, that’s what he used to think.

A couple of weeks have passed since Hachiman received his persona and things have gotten rather... interesting in his daily life. Not all in the best of ways though.

On the good side of things, a lot of people noted that his eyes weren’t as rotten as they used to be. He scored himself a new part-time job (for a loose definition of such), and he was getting used to this whole persona thing - it helped that Hector was a total bro.

On the other hand, he had to deal with everyone suddenly questioning his sudden change in personality. Not to mention the frequent, highly enthusiastic walks at night.

Which involved slaughtering countless shadows, so those walks were very enthusiastic. The stress relief he got from just taking out his frustrations on the things was cathartic beyond measure. Hell, killing all of them in any of the rifts throughout the city closed said rift, preventing people from accidentally getting trapped there. He was helping out the city at large and had a healthy outlet for the bullcrap he had to deal with in his mundane life.

His new job was the best!

“Boss, you may be turning into a battle maniac, just saying.” Hector helpfully pointed. “And a bit of a sadist.”

“Hush, Hector, I’m only trying to stab this stop sign through this shadow’s head.” Hachiman said as he held one shadow down with his foot and held another in a headlock, the end of a stop sign being stabbed violently into its head.

“Yeah...total sadist.”

“That shadow provoked me!” He countered.

“You used the same excuse twenty shadows ago when ripped off one of their legs and beat it to death with it. On one hand, great job on being brutally efficient, loving that you’re using anything and everything as a weapon. But on the other hand, I think you need to calm a bit, this power trip of yours is getting slightly out of hand.”

“Power trip?” Hachiman questioned his persona, which he briefly thought was a little weird, since Hector was supposed to be part of his mind or something. “No such thing. See, these shadows are killing people, so I’m killing them before they can do that. Simple, efficient and good for my stress.”

“Yeah Boss… I don’t know how to say this, but have you considered making alliances or friendships with some of these shadows? You never know when you’re going to need some extra help.”

“Hector, who in their right mind would work with me of all people.” Hachiman deadpanned. “This Social Link crap Shelly told me about is arguably the worst power-up system anyone could give me.”

“Boss, it’s obvious that you never had to deal with the Greek Gods. Plus, you only need to get closer to others to win power, you want to get closer to others… So, what’s the problem?”

“I’m sorry, I...just don’t mesh with people very well.” Hachiman sighed. “And I don’t want to just get closer to anyone for power… I want real relationships.”

“Just saying, Boss. It’s not how it starts, but what you make out of it.”

“...I guess.” He pondered Hector’s words for a moment. Yet, he can’t bring himself to completely accept them as the truth they are.

Hachiman’s mind drifted back to when the concept of Social Links were explained to him.

[Flashback]

Hachiman gave a low whistle as he walked back into the Velvet Room. His first time there, he was too preoccupied with the sight of Igor’s grotesquely large nose.

Now, without the distracting and morbid sight, he could appreciate the classy bar that was the Velvet Room. Be the little chess-themed decorations or the obvious high-class mysterious vibe that the bar gave. The blue chandelier that hung above the bar counter was a very nice touch to the place too.

Finding a way back to the Velvet Room had been less problematic than one may think at first. Mostly because he found a way there by accident. He was just staring at his image in his mirror, somewhat baffled about some changes he had undergone quickly after getting Hector as his persona, to be more specific in the biggest of them all: his eyes looked different.

It was a curious thing. His eyes were more of a combination of a perpetual frown and lack of sleep, although, they still looked kind of dead even without that.

While looking at his reflection, the mirror was suddenly tinted blue, and he had to random urge to use that blue key he was given on it. The moment the key touched the mirror, he was transported into the Velvet Room.

He had no clue if it worked on that specific mirror or all mirrors, but it was something that he could figure out later.

“Ara ara~ back so soon?” The assistant, Shelly was there, mildly baffled seeing him there. “Did you miss me that much~?”

And now the blood was rushing towards Hachiman face. Shelly was just as inhumanly stunning as before. Her skin was devoid of any imperfections, her hair adjusted itself perfectly with each step she took. If gods were actually real alongside their otherworldly beauty, then she would be the closest thing to it.

No girl or woman could possibly be so flawless… Something is a little strange here. Although not any more strange than this whole persona and alternate dimension thing.

“Stop questioning things and enjoy the view, Boss.”

“Well, either way, it’s a good thing you came back so soon, dearest guest~” Shelly’s smile grew wider. “There was quite a few important bits of information that we didn’t cover last time. I would have been quite...detrimental for you if you had no prior explanation.”

“Define ‘detrimental’ in context, please.” Hachiman asked worryingly.

“Well, to put it bluntly, you’d probably be dead, rather quickly too.” She said nonchalantly. “Though that is a big no-no, I can’t have something horrible happen to my dearest guest after all~”

“You make it sound like you have another reason to keep me alive, other than the goodness of your heart.”

“Well~ You aren’t really entering those rifts just to help save people, right~?” She purred, hitting the bullseye on Hachiman’s motivations. “Don’t worry, dearest guest. I assure that your safety is my utmost priority. But I will tell you that, yes, there are other reasons why you are allowed in the Velvet Room.”

“Tsk. Out with it, then. I don’t have all day.”

“Yes~ I can see that~” She giggled a second later of seeing Hachiman’s figure. He had been in front of the mirror before entering the Velvet Room and was… a little less than ‘presentable’ at the time. Mostly because he was shirtless.

Shelly brought out a deck of tarot cards. “Now, let’s start with the personas.”

She spread twenty-two different cards onto the bar counter.

“Personas, as you may already know, are the manifestation of one’s personality. The mask a person’s given physical form if you will. Personas are similar to shadows in a way, while shadows are the manifestation of one’s inner thoughts, persona are the same manifestation but tamed and trained.” Shelly explained. “There are many personas, each one of them falling into twenty-two categories, all of them corresponding to the Major Arcanas in the Tarot.”

“And yet… there are exceptions to the rule, multiple of them, in fact.” She picked up two cards and held them up, both cards had the number zero on them.

“There are only two cards with the number zero. The Fool - the start of a journey by someone with only luck on his side, and the Jester - a perverted version of what the Fool represents.” Shelly cupped the side of his face affectionately, though the look in her eyes changed, it was obsessive, almost crazed in nature. “And you, my dearest guest, are the Jester.”

Shelly set one of the cards down in front of Hachiman.

“Furthermore, you have a very special power tied to you.” She grinned even wider. “To name, you hold the power of the Wild Card, the void from which all things begin. Unlike others who are tied to a single arcana, you hold limitless possibilities for your future.”

Without him noticing, she has closed the distance between both, now her face was mere inches away from his, something strange, indescribable was up in the air between both. Something that promised both pleasure and pain.

Hachiman felt a bead of sweat fall from the side of his face. The look she gave me was fucking intense. I got the feeling she may not be completely sane.

“Thanks for the info dump, but where’s the nose? Isn’t he supposed to be here?” He said, as he retreated a couple of steps, giving some distance between the two.

“Jeez~ We're alone together and you have to mention someone else? Should I punish you for those manners~?”

“Please don’t,” He pleaded, nothing good could come from being played by a creature like her. “And that doesn’t answer my question.”

“Poor me, my dear guest is more interested in a giant nose than spending quality time with me…” He could tell she wasn't being sincere, but her demeanor became serious less than a second later. He really didn't understand her at all. “If you really want to know... he’s dealing with someone else at the moment.” She said, now offhandedly. However, Hachiman noticed how strange is for Igor -an apparent resident of this place - to just vanish like that. Multiple options ran through his head, all kind of scenarios that explain the situation and how he should react. It didn’t take much for him to realize that something was amiss, that his mind normally isn’t this sharp.

“You said something about multiple personas, right?” He tried to derail the conversation a little, to pry for further answers.

“Indeed, dear guest.” She responded happily, giving him the impression that she knows what’s on his head. “You see, the ability of the Wild Card allows the user to possess more than one Persona, and you probably understand how useful this skill is.”

Multiple Personas. Which means new Skills and Spells to use in battle. Hector’s powers are incredible already, but he doesn’t have it all -and he already told me that shadows vary a lot in themes and attacks.

“In any case, Personas and Shadows possess the same in origin, which lets you convince Shadows to ally with you, then becoming your Personas. Of course, convincing them won’t be easy and mostly depends on your affinity with their respective Arcanas and your Social Links.”

“Wait a minute. ‘Affinity’? Social Links?”

“Ara ara~ You will come to understand your own affinity with certain Arcanas as time goes on, it’s not something I should explain to you right now.” She said, smiling coyly. “As for Social Links, you already formed one with Mr. Igor, last time you were here.”

Hachiman remembered the strange voice that ringed the first time he appeared in the Velvet Room… The Hermit Arcana, if he recalled correctly.

“Oh yeah, that was… ominous.”

“Ufufu~ It was something really unexpected to happen. You really have a talent for going against all expectations… although I wonder if that will always be a good thing for you.”

“So, those things aren’t a good sign.”

“Not at all. Social Links are just that, your bond and understanding of others and the Arcana they carry. The strength of them will greatly impact your journey. No man can do everything alone, after all.”

His face paled when the implications such words carried hit him.

“Don’t friggin tell me its the damned power of friendship.”

“Ara ara~ You don’t seem very pleased with it.”

Wasn’t that a complete understatement? Such thing… it carried more than he was willing to put up with. Not by itself, just… friendships made for power… wasn’t that an oxymoron?

“Of course there’s many more things for you, the Velvet Room exists to aid you in making complete use of the Wild Card. So, if you will…” She then takes a fancy file with some documents. It’s close enough to him to see that it was a contract of some kind. “This contract is-”

“No.” He cut her off.

“...Excuse me?” Shelly asked, head tilted a little to the side.

“Look, I’m not sure what’s the deal here, but be sure that I won’t sign a contract from this place.”


Suddenly some shady contract from some shady place, one about powers that can -and probably will- have extremely strange consequences? What kind of idiot would sign something like this? Especially after she just tells me about weaponizing my bonds with others… not like I have any of those that matter.

She stares blankly at him for some seconds.

Then, she casts her gaze towards the floor while trembling a little.

Soon enough, Hachiman can hear a soft, contained giggle from her.

Not a second later, she erupts in full-blown laughter. Which scares him more than he will ever admit.

It takes a whole minute before she gradually stops, going back to ‘normal’.

“...That was really funny, dearest guest.”

“It wasn’t a joke, you know?”

“That’s what makes it funny, ufufu~” She chuckles a little, but it stops before Hachiman can fear for another fit of maniacal laughs. “As you wish then… You should still be able to access The Velvet Room and gain minor aids for your future endeavors. Although it's a shame, you can’t be fully supported by Mr. Igor without a contract.”

“...” Hachiman didn’t answer. He was far too preoccupied with the implications of her previous words. He didn’t like the situation, not at all.

“Sadly, my dear, it seems that there’s little I can do for you right now…. Unless you’re up to have some fun with this lonely girl here~” Her voice became flirty right at the end.

“Yes! - No, wait… I should go now.”

[Flashback End]

“Don’t get distracted, Boss.” Hector’s voice awoke Hachiman from his little flashback. He’s still in one of the Rifts, he can’t get caught off guard.

“Relax. I got everything under control.”

Chomp!

Hachiman deadpanned as one of the shadows sank its teeth into his shoulder.

“I hate Murphy so much right now.” The dryness of his tone made Hector laugh.

“Hahaha! Boss, this is what happens when you let your mind wander in the middle of battle.” He chastised while laughing. “If I wasn’t here to keep you focused, you’d probably take any chance you get to monologue in the middle of a fight.”

Hector was right, Hachiman noted as he grabbed the shadow biting him -some sort of demonic looking lion- and tossed it to the side, crashing through a nearby food stand.

All rifts Hachiman had encountered until now had only two ways out. Either a small exit near the ‘border’ of the rift or by destroying every damn shadow in the vicinity. Both had its pros and cons, namely: the former was unstable since the rifts were in constant expansion and the latter incurred in having to defeat some overpowered Shadow in the middle of it.

He only managed to defeat one of those until now. Just like facing his own shadow, it wasn’t something he was looking forward to doing again.

Even with crazy superpowers, my life is still as troublesome as ever. Hachiman thought bitterly.

“How many shadows are left?”

“Can’t say for sure, Boss. If this is like the last one, then at least a dozen more. That’s without counting the big one.”

“Tsk.” Nothing to do, then.

“You’re almost out of Spiritual Power. Seems like a good time to call it a day. It’ll be better for you to rest up first before trying to take on the big one at the center of this rift.”

Hachiman sighed. “That low already? Fine, it’s getting late anyway, might as well go home and sleep. All this exercise is freakin’ exhausting.”

“You’re taking this a lot more casually than I’d expect, Boss.”

Hachiman shrugged. “Eh, it’s more of a chore than anything, really. I get to take my frustration out on these little shits and they drop money and other items for some reason. Seriously, what’s up with that? Did my life turn into an RPG or something?”

“Doubt it, Boss, probably just a side effect of the rifts. Since this dimension is becoming closer to fusing with your dimension, things might cross over in a way. Small things like items of the currency the Shadows have may become part of your world.”

“Huh, fancy that.”

“Boss… Aren’t you going to ask more about the situation? You seem a bit content with this war.”

“It will last until I manage to destroy all the Rifts in the city, won’t it?”

“… alright, Hachiman.”

Chapter End

A/N: Originally both the info dumping and the mirror allegory were supposed to be more subsided and told over the course of various chapters. Then again, it’s not something.

 

Jackie’s A/N: WE BACK HOMIES!

Ricrod’s A/N: Where the waifus at?

Chapter Five: Baby Steps

Of all things to suffer in hell, I’m sure school ranks pretty high. To say that he was bored in class would be an understatement. There’s just too much of a discrepancy between going around killing shadows to relieve stress and being chained to a school desk while listening old people splurt words he really didn’t care about.

Sure, he knew how important knowledge is, and how getting good grades could affect his future, but as any teenager can tell you, it doesn’t feel real at the time.

And so, as soon as the last bell rang, he stood up to get out the school grounds…. Or he would have done so, if he hadn’t been interrupted midway, barely after exiting the classroom.

“Hikky! Wait a moment!” The overly cheerful voice of one, Yui Yuigahama, was heard as he saw her walk towards him from the corner of his vision.

Hachiman sighed. “Mm?”

The Service Club was a dance he didn’t want to play. He had gotten somewhat away with skipping club activities until now because he convinced Hiratsuka-sensei that he had found a part-time job that he enjoyed a lot and paid well. It took a lot of time and what amounts to begging to get her to agree and even then he promised to still hang around the club, helping any requests sent their way… if not, she would have some ‘words’ with him.

“Are you coming to the club today? We barely get to see you come in more than a few times a week.” Yui said with a hint of sadness.

“Well…” Hachiman thought over that for a moment, sure he wasn’t keen on losing his time in a club when he had better (and more interesting) things to do, but he had promised Hiratsuka-sensei to go and this was a good opportunity to get out of the club. “Yeah, sure. I’m going today.”

Yui’s face all but exploded with happiness. “Yes! Finally, whatever good left in Hikky’s creepy personality finally shone through!”

Hachiman’s eye twitched. He had half the mind to just walk out of the school, Hiratsuka-sensei be damned, at that alone.

“Mm… Say, can we go together to the club, then?” She asked shyly.


“Sure, we’re both going the same direction anyway.” He shrugged, not giving it much thought.

The walk to the old building where the Service Club was couldn’t have been more awkward. Yuigahama was shooting curious glances towards him, as if she was building up the courage to ask something. She, however, never got the chance, nor he was courteous enough to prompt her.

They reached their destination without a single word uttered between them.

Inside the room, a black-haired young girl sat while reading. Hachiman remembered that she was in the exact position she was when they first met… not really that long ago.

“Yahallo~ Yukinon!” Yuigahama launched herself into hugging Yukinoshita.

Yurigahama and Yukinoshita… Heh, I wonder how close they got while I was away?

“Oh, Yuigahama-san, it seems that you were followed here by certain trash that skips club activities. Be careful to not get infected with his lack of responsibility.”

“Meh.”

“Yukinon~! Don’t be mean. I mean, Hikki’s here now, isn’t he?”

“So, are you finally prepared to be a productive member of this club? I must say that it certainly took you a while.”

“Meh.”

“Wow, Boss, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say she likes you...but that Yukinoshita is being a bit of a bad influence on her.” Hector said sarcastically. “Just the droning words of an old man.”

Shut up, you old dinosaur. The last thing I need is a relationship with her of all people. You really think I want to deal with backhanded insults every time she opens her mouth?

“Easy there Boss. I was talking about the pink-haired one.”

...I know. And arguably, she’s worse because she usually means every word she says.

“Hachiman. You really don’t understand women.”

Hector, you live in my head. What speck of gray matter in there makes you think I want to understand women anymore?

“Maybe the fact that I live in your head and know about your true self. You can deceive everyone but yourself. Trust me, that never goes well.”

Hachiman clenched his teeth as phantom pains assaulted his body. If there was one thing he’d never forget for the rest of his days, it would be the day he confronted his Shadow-Self.

I am… I am not deceiving myself. I’m certainly not looking for a girlfriend right now, and even if I were, neither of these two would be my first choice… even if I virtually don’t know any girls besides them.

Hector huffed, but accepted that answer. That’s how it goes. Hachiman couldn’t lie to him, he couldn’t be insincere or deceitful. Hector came ‘from the sea of his soul’ and he knew when Hachiman didn’t speak truthfully. It was a strange relationship.

Hahciman sighed. “I’m just here for a little bit before I have to leave for my job. My boss is a total hardass and hates it when I’m even the slightest bit late.”

“A part-time job?” Yukinoshita blinked, looking slightly surprised. “I doubt someone in their right mind would hire you, and even if so, your duties as a student and member of this club take precedence. Please order your priorities right, Hikkirresponsible-kun.”

Hachiman shrugged. “Well, tough luck, Ice Queen, the world doesn’t spin the way you want it to. I’ve got my own responsibilities and priorities, some of them are way more important than this dumb club.”

Yukinoshita looked possibly furious, but whatever retort she had on her tongue was cut off by Yuigahama’s own.

“Hikki! Don’t say mean things like that… We’re all here to help people, not fight with each other.”

Hachiman rolled his eyes. “Tsk. Whatever, I just came here to formally quit this club.”

“Denied,” Yuikinoshita said. “Do I need to remind you that Hiratsuka-sensei installed you here so I can fix that rotten personality of yours? Until that happens, I’m afraid that you will have to attend club activities. Maybe that way you will see the error of your ways.”

Normally, if this was before the situation with the shadows, persona, and not to mention the whole deal where he got the shit beaten out of him, both mentally and physically by his Shadow Self, he would have gotten mad. Or, at the very least, a bit teary-eyed at Yukino’s unbearably harsh words.

But after everything he’s dealt with for the past few weeks. Yukinoshita’s insults and harsh words didn’t even phase him anymore.

“Boss, don’t try to get the upper hand by returning the insults.”

...You know what, Hector, you’re right. I can do better than that.

Without a word, Hachiman picked up his bag and turned around, walking towards the door.

“H-Hikki!?” Yuigahama exclaimed, panicked.

“Look, I’m all better now. I got a job, I got a… friend. I don’t really need this club and it takes more time than its worth. So, goodbye.”

“So,” Yukinoshita began. “You’re admitting defeat, just like that? Are you running away?”

“What are you even talking abo- oh...oh yeah.” Hachiman remembered the ‘bet’ Hiratsuka-sensei had forced on them the first day. He had forgotten about it, not like mattered anymore. “Sure, you win, whatever. Just don’t bother me anymore.”

With that, he just exited the clubroom wordlessly, closing the door as he did so, without looking back.

...And, not even ten steps in the hallway, he came face to face with the last person he expected. Mostly because he didn’t know him.

“Oh, OH! My comrade! I see that the winds of fate have brought us together once again! Such a fateful meeting dictated by destiny itself!” A large, tubby guy greeted Hachiman with flare, talking loud and making strange movements with his body.

“Uh...Who are you?”

“I see, you foreign ignorance. But I will entertain your false forgetfulness, Hikigaya Hachiman!” He exclaimed with a dramatic flare. “Surely you couldn’t have forgotten the face of your partner? You could never have forgotten those hellish time we had to endure together.”

Hector, who the hell is this again?

“He’s the guy you ended up getting paired with in the last gym class.”

Oh… Hachiman’s eyes widened. Oooooooooooh. Oh no.

“Gym, right?” Hachiman deadpanned.

He nodded gravely. “A truly hellish custom of this demonic curriculum! None have brought me more grief as it has. Pair up with whoever you like?” He chuckled darkly. “I am a man who could perish at any time, I have no time for friends!”

“That’s groovy and all, but what do you want here?”

Slam!

Hachiman saw the tubby guy - whose name he still didn’t know - practically jump three feet into the air as the door was slammed open.

“Hikki, wait!” The ever so familiar sound of Yuigahama yelling echoed through the hallway.

Hachiman looked over his shoulder. “What is it, I’m already being held up by...” He turned to the odd guy. “What’s your name?”

“Hmph, so you truly have forgotten, how despicable, Hikigaya-san!” He moved his arms as if he was holding a katana. “I am the Kengo Shogun, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru!”

“...Held up by this tubby chuunibyou. What do you want?”

“Ack!” Zaimokuza held his chest as if he’d been shot. “As expected of my partner, your words cut deeper than any blade possibly could.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“What’s with all of the irritating racket?” Yukinoshita complained as she walked out of the classroom, a book in her hand. “Hachiman, why are you still here?”

Hachiman blinked. “Good point, why am I still here? Well, I’m leaving.”

“Wait!” Zaimokuza blocked his path. “Hachiman-dono, this is where I might find the Service Club, correct?”

“Yes, this is the Service Club.” Yukinoshita said.

Zaimokuza paused, not looking her in the eyes.

He turned back to Hachiman. “Then Hiratsuka-sensei’s words of wisdom are to be believed! It took me a week, but I’ve finally found to elusive Service Club.”

Yuigahama gasped. “Isn’t he that creepy guy that was in the clubroom last week!?”

“It would appear so.” Yukinoshita agreed.

“Ack!” Zaimokuza sustained critical damage once again.

“Well… that’s the Service Club.” Hachiman said, pointing to the girls outside the clubroom. “Have fun. I got other things to do.”

“Wait! My comrade! Aren’t you part of such council?” Zaimokuza Yoshiteru asked, perplexed.

“Nope. Not anymore. Just go to them and do your thing.” The girls visibly flinched at that. No, wait, Zaimokuza did so too.

Wait. He’s not talking directly to them or making eye contact. He also seems distraught of me not being here to see his embarrassment…

“Maybe he’s just shy?”

He snorted at that. Nah, this tubby bastard probably has even less experience with girls than me.

“Quite the feat.”

Quiet you.


Hachiman just took it as a sign and started to walk away again. This time he managed to make it out of the school without being bothered again.

Well, that went as well as I expected. Not…. Whatever, ready to kick some Shadow ass, Hector?

“You know it, boss.”

[--]

Another day, another penny. Well, not really, each day farming in the multiple ‘rifts’ across the city gave way more than pennies. Usually about 50,000 yen at minimum, but that seemed little compared to the other ‘treasures’ some shadows left after their demise. From soda cans to charms, weapons were pretty rare and he even got some clothes once.

It was a pain in the ass to hide all those things from his sister when he came home. Although, she was coming home late these days. It was good if she was spending time with her friends, but he was worried about any ‘bug’ trying their chances with his sister.

That kind of thoughts passed across his mind as he went thru the motions in gym class. They were getting paired again with another class and there was little to do but normal exercises and running across the place.

“My comrade! We encounter each other yet once again! Such a twist couldn’t be anything but expected of my fated rival!”

Oh right, this guy… erhm… whatever his name was.

“Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, Boss. He was there yesterday in the Service Club. Cute name, by the way, nothing that needs some phrasing or whatever.”

Hush, you.

“What do you want?” He asked dryly.

“Erh… well, I… uh,” Zaimokuza trailed off, seemingly unsure of what to say. “You see, I…”

“That was a great conversation. We should do it again, now goodbye.” Hachiman attempted to cut him off.

Zaimokuza's face turned to one of despair.

“Ah, come on, Boss, at least give the guy a chance. He looks like a kicked puppy.”

Hachiman sighed, he was doing that a lot lately.

“Fine...Just tell me what’s wrong, Zaimokuza.” Hachiman offered, making the guy’s face light up in excitement.

“Fufufu… I shall allow thee to gaze upon my manuscript, a piece of modern art that surely will change the way of literature for years to come!”

Hachiman turned his back to him.

“W-w-wait! I mean, please take a look at my writing!” Zaimokuza pleaded, and Hachiman quickly put two and two together.

“Ugh. Why me? Didn’t you go to the Service Club for this?”

“W-well…”

Going by how he was acting yesterday, he probably got cold feet with Yukinoshita and decided to try his chances with me… Still, what a pain.

“C’mon, Boss. Nothing to lose by giving it a try. Feedback is always welcome for a writer... and you need more people to talk with”

Well, you got a point there. He reluctantly agreed to his persona’s words.

“Just hand me the damn manuscript after class.” Hachiman instructed.

“Ah-ha! I knew someone of your caliber would be up to this most important of tasks!” Zaimokuza exclaimed excitedly. “Truly, you are the greatest comrade I have ever known!”

Hachiman nodded, feeling somewhat happy about being helpful. At least, until time seemed to froze off and a voice echoed directly in his skull.

Thou art I… and I am thou
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to befriend a Persona of the Magician Arcana.
...The hell, again?
​

Hachiman didn’t listen to the rest of Zaimokuza’s rant, as he contemplated what just happened.

[--]

After some relaxing school activities such as slamming a steam roller repeatedly over a group of shadows like a certain flamboyant, yellow vampire. Hachiman spent the rest of his free time reading the manuscript given to him.

...It was almost painful to read honestly.

It has been a week since he formed a ‘Social Link’ with Zaimokuza, who proved two things about himself. One, he sucks at writing, probably Twilight levels of bad. Two, he actually shared similar tastes in anime and manga with him, enough that they trade and read each other’s light novel collection. Hector’s advice of giving him more ‘constructive criticism’ instead of just blurting his thoughts aloud was also a good one. The tubby writer didn't seem like he could handle negative comments very well.

At the very least, he was as friendless as himself and proved to be a nice company when they meet outside class.

So today, once again, he’s relaxing in his usual spot for lunch, the noon sea breeze a comforting normalcy. He enjoyed better food now, ever since his daily monster-slaying was giving him lots of money. Even his Persona agreed that warriors needed a full stomach to function correctly.

Now, if only he could find some use for the random materials and nick nacks a lot of the shadows gave him.

The hell am I supposed to do with five random bars of steel?

“You hit some assholes in the head with them? Or get them melted and sell the metal? Really Boss, use your head a little more.”

Well, whatev-

Hachiman thoughts were interrupted as a certain someone entered his field of vision.

She was sporting the gym clothes of Sobu High, with such a small, cute frame.

“Huh… Boss?”

Her short, silver hair waved around with the wind, the small drops of sweat dancing around and sparkling.

“Boss, I hate to rain on your parade, but this one is…”

Hachiman was smitten. Infatuated. His stupid crush in middle school didn’t matter. His ex clubmates didn’t matter. That weird assistant in the Velvet Room didn’t matter. Hell, shadows and personas didn’t matter. Not at all.

“Hachiman. That’s a guy. Stop. Get some help. And Quit acting like a Greek.”

I wonder if she has a boyfriend...

“What kind of God did I piss off to deserve this…?”

Wait...did you say she was a guy!?

“Oh thank goodness, I thought I lost you to the dark side right there.”

“Uhm...Excuse me.” The girl- erh, guy had closed the distance between them before he knew it.

It is criminal for a guy to look this cute.

“Hachiman, that’s a Greek thing, not a Troyan one. Stop this at once!”

“Hi…” Hachiman greeted, locking eyes with the...thing in front of him. “What do you need?”

“O-oh…. Well, I…” The very cute guy (who Hachiman still refused to accept it was a guy) trailed off, playing with his short hair for a moment. “My name is Totsuka Saika, we’re in the same class.”

Hachiman raised an eyebrow. “Okay…?”

“A-Anyway, Hikigaya-kun, you’re pretty good at tennis.” Saika praised.

Hachiman blinked. “I am…?”

“Yeah, you have really great form.” The guy nodded and smiled sweetly. “I saw you practicing in class a couple of times.”

Hachiman blushed. “Awwww, you’re embarrassing me.”

“Boss, he’s a dude. Remember that.”

Saika then sat down right next to Hachiman. Close enough that he could feel his warmth and smell his scent.

“Boss!”

I can’t fucking help it, Hector, how the hell was I supposed to know that Traps could exist outside anime and manga!?

“FIGURE IT OUT!”

“I think you already know, but our tennis club is really weak and lacking people…” Saika started talking again. “This year, when our third years graduate we will have even fewer members.”

“I see.” Hachiman acknowledged, starting to understand why the trap had approached him. After all, people always acted with their own best interests in mind. This was no different.

Ah, so it’s just another ploy to where I’ll be used and thrown away.

“If you don’t mind, Hikigaya-kun, would you join the tennis club?” Totsuka Saika finally asked. “I wanted to ask you before, but you seemed to avoid people… It wasn’t until I saw you hanging out with Zaimokuza-kun that I thought of approaching you.”

And there it is…

“I would, Totsuka-san, but I have my job after school to worry about.”

Hachiman tried to refuse. He wasn’t going to be used by another one, no matter how cute they may be. However, the quivering, sad visage of Saika made it feel like his heart was cracking in two.

“Ugh...I know I’m going to regret this, but...fuckin’ help the little bastard.”

No need to tell me twice.

“H-hey… Look, I can’t really get into practice every day because of my job, but I can join half of the week and other days, I think. Would that work?”

He wasn’t even halfway with is offer when Saika started positively beaming in happiness.

“Yes! There are many who do that. I’m sure you will join full-time eventually, playing tennis is really a lot of fun!”

“...Sure. I guess.” He agreed, if only as a reaction. Suddenly, for a third time, time went still and a voice echoed in his head.

Thou art I… and I am thou
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to befriend a Persona of the Sun Arcana. ​

This is the only one of these Social Link things that I’m glad to have.

“Of course it is, Boss.” Hector sighed, not sounding very pleased at all.

[---]

The rest of the week passed without any grand events.

Turns out that he wasn’t half bad at tennis. Even if had never practiced with others.

To be fair though, being good at sports is a given considering his massive boosts in physical abilities. Hector didn’t only make him stronger, but also faster and more dexterous. It was almost cheating, except that Hector was part of himself and thus it wasn’t cheating! Even if it was, no one could ever prove it, a perfect crime!

He hadn’t stopped going around for shadows, but he took a break a couple of times after getting tired in tennis practice. That too, was great for stress relief.

One thing that stood out, was how welcoming the other members of the group were. The third years especially, they were overjoyed of having a decent player joining the ranks and even made a small party to welcome him. Hikigaya Hachiman was definitely not a ‘people person’ but even he could appreciate the gesture.

His mood was at an all-time high.

However, it turned a little sour after Saturday's practice, while relaxing in a family restaurant with Saika, when he saw his sister with some boy entering the place.

Alright, all those fancy Persona powers? Time to use them.

Chapter End

Ricrod’s A/N: I’m back from work, happy to see you all. You may be wondering about Hachiman acting like a jerk to the Service Club, being weirdly nice to Zaimokuza and gay with Totsuka. It’s mostly Hector’s influence and the fact that he never got to bond with them properly in this fic. About Saika...

Jackie’s A/N; THIS WAS GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

 

Chapter Six: Innocent Consequences

For Hikigaya Hachiman, studying for tests had always been a solo act, after all, most subjects just need some repetition to memorize and some others are basically just practicing how to properly apply the formulas. It wasn’t something he would do with someone else, not like he had anyone to study with, anyway.

Until now, that’s it.

Today, Hachiman was studying together with his clubmate, Totsuka Saika, in the commodity of a family restaurant.

“C’mon Hachiman, say ahh~” Totsuka said, extending a piece of cake towards Hachiman.

“Ahhh~” He answered, happily. This time, the cake was not a lie.

“Whatever Boss. I give up on this.”

So far, there wasn’t much studying being done.

At the very least, Totsuka and the other tennis club members aren’t trying to drag me into karaoke again. Hachiman thought bitterly. It wasn’t a bad thing per se, but it was just not his thing, it made him uncomfortable. The tennis club was definitely friendly, but it would take a while until he could feel at ease with them.

He was a fighter, not a singer. Well, even that on its own was debatable.

“I keep telling you that I can train you to the standards of my soldiers.”

Hush, you.

Hachiman would have trained like a Trojan, but with all the shit he was already dealing with at the moment, that would have to wait. There were more important things to deal with at the moment, like being fed by Saika. That’s important. Very important, indeed.

“D-do you like it?” Totsuka asked him bashfully, referring to the strawberry cake.

“Y-yeah, it's good...” Hachiman manages to answer, blushing all the way.

How in the world is he a guy!? Hachiman shouted in his head.

“Why… of all people… my Boss had to be so Greek…” Hector’s laments went ignored. Ever since he joined the tennis club, Hachiman and Saika had started to hang out regularly. Despite his reluctance, he ended up accepting all the offers Saika gave him to hang out.

Bitch, please, I read up on the Trojans, you guys were just as gay as the Greeks!

“Bullshit! We were manly men! Not like you know what’s that supposed to mean… I swear, what happened to Japan!? All the popular guys look like chicks!”

“O-oh?! Onii-chan?” A voice suddenly interrupted the mental banter Hachiman had with Hector.

“Ah!” Hachiman yelped in surprise. He turned to see his little sister, Komachi, and sighed. “Oh, a wild little sister has appeared.”

Komachi was clad in her middle school uniform, she looked like she just walked in the restaurant, some gray-haired kid walking next to her.

“Onii-chan, I’m not a Pokémon”

“What nonsense are you saying, Komachi? Of course you’re not a pokemon. You’re a rare card for my collection!”

“No, Onii-chan, I’m not a collection item either - No, wait! Since when do you crack those kinds of jokes!? And who’s with you!? Did you get a girlfriend while I wasn’t looking!?”

“Um...I-I’m a guy.” Saika corrected shyly.

“Wh-whaaaaaat!? Onii-chan turned to the dark side while I wasn’t looking!? He got a boyfriend already!”

“See! Even your sister gets it!”

You shut your whore mouth.

As Komachi was staring at Saika in muted awe, Hachiman noticed a gray-haired kid about Komachi’s age standing rather close to his sister and staring at them.

“So, Komachi, who’s this guy?” Hachiman asked, gesturing towards the kid.

“Oh, this is Kawasaki Taishi, we go to the same middle school together,” Komachi explained. “He was asking me for some advice.”

“Oh. I see.” Hachiman glared at the ‘Taishi’ boy with the same passion of a man about to get revenge for the Uchiha Clan.

“Hachiman, be nice. I’m being serious here.”

Tsk. Whatever.

“Well, Taichi, I’m Komachi’s older brother, Hikigaya Hachiman and this-” He gestured towards his companion, “Is Totsuka Saika, a fellow clubmate from the tennis club.”

“Nice to meet you!” Saika greeted the boy cheerfully. Hachiman scowled.

“L-likewise.” Taishi tried greeting both of his seniors.

Hachiman’s eye twitched. “The feeling isn’t mutual.”

“Hahaha...” Taishi laughed nervously.

Komachi rolled her eyes. “Don’t let him get to you Taishi-kun, Onii-chan here is just being an overprotective sis-con.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” Taishi said. “Like that one light novel I’ve started reading recently.”

“Tsk. Whatever.” He would never let this punk knew he approved of light novel reading, especially if it was dumb trashy light novel reading.

“Why don’t you guys take a seat with us?” Saika offered, “We weren’t doing much progress studying in any case.”

Hachiman felt a bit of sadness at having to lose alone time with Saika, but he couldn’t pass that opportunity to torture- erh, to interrogate his sister’s companion.

“H-Hikki!?” A familiar- and annoying - voice exclaimed.

“Huh?” Hachiman looked towards the source of the voice, just to find both Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita standing over the entrance.

Huh, what are they doing here? The midterms are closing in and while a place like this can be used for a study season… but I just don’t see Yukinoshita coming all the way here just for that. Hell, she seems like the kind of student that doesn’t need any extra study time to ace all the exams.

“You should take a page from her book, then.”

Shut it.

“Oh, hey...uhhh, what’s up…?” Yuigahama asked awkwardly.

“...Yo,” Hachiman mumbled quietly.

“If it isn’t, Hikigaya-kun. What could you be doing here?” Yukinoshita asked, but her tone made it clear she was just being polite.

“What’s up with this awkward atmosphere... ?” Komachi mumbled under her breath.

Hachiman had neglected to tell his sister that he had...stepped out of the Service Club and joined the tennis club instead. Well, it’s not like she knew much about the Service Club to start with.

“U-Uh, hi, I’m Kawasaki Taishi, nice to meet you.” Taishi tried to introduce himself. Hachiman thought that it could have worked if the younger boy didn’t do it while staring so obviously at Yui’s...Yuis.

How does a high school girl even get a chest that big? Hachiman questioned.

“Hi there! I’m Hikigaya Komachi! Thanks for getting along with my brother.” Komachi greeted them with a cheerful smile. That had been one of her fortes since young, the social ability that her brother was lacking.

Yukino took the break in the tension to introduce herself. “Pleased to meet you. I am Yukinoshita Yukino. Hikigaya‐kun is my… what is Hikigaya‐kun to me, I wonder…? He is not my classmate, nor is he my friend… I do loathe to admit it, but he is my acquaintance, I suppose?”

“We’re former club mates,” Hachiman sighed. “Hiratsuka-sensei roped me into the Service Club before I joined the Tennis Club.” He elaborated a little, upon seeing his sister’s confused expression.

“Hachiman is really good too!” Totsuka exclaimed with stars in his eyes. “I already knew he had good form before he joined, but I never knew he was so good at tennis.”

Hachiman ruffled Totsuka’s hair. “Thanks, buddy.”

“Wait, What…?” Yui mumbled under her breath in mild shock.

Totsuka then pouted. “Though I’m still upset that you won’t spend more time with the club outside of practice.”

Hachiman groaned. “And for the last time if the stars align and you actually get me into a karaoke booth, all ears will bleed, I guarantee it.”

Komachi gasped. “You were invited to karaoke and didn’t go!? And you didn’t even invite me!? I’m very disappointed in you, Onii-chan!”

“Why is everyone so determined to see me play karaoke!?” Hachiman exclaimed.

Both Komachi and Saika gave him the most heart-melting set of puppy dog eyes in the universe.

“Ugh...” It was too damn cute. But he could hold out, he could get through this-

“Pleeeeeeeeeease~” They begged in sync.

Hachiman threw his hands in the air. “Fine!”

“You fought valiantly, Boss.” Hector comforted. “On another note, I think I got diabetes from how sugar-sweet that was.”

Don’t worry, I think I’ve got enough insulin for both of us.

“Ehhhhhhhhhhh!?” Yuigahama all but shouted. “Hikki is acting normal for once!? B-But you’re still so anti-social in class!”

Hachiman blinked. “Not really, I mostly just talk to Totsuka-san most of the time. Everyone else just leaves me alone. Kind of awkward to talk to anyone else in class since I’m not apart of anyone else’s group.”

Yukinoshita stepped forth. “ I’m impressed Hikigaya-kun, you found a group that can tolerate you and you’re unsightly eyes.”

Hachiman gave her a dry look before taking a sip of some MAX COFFEE. “Yep.”

He’s wisely turned his attention from Yukinoshito and brought it back to poor Taishi. The kid looking hopelessly lost in this cluster fuck of a situation he’s unwittingly brought himself into.

I honestly feel a little bad for him. And despite him hanging out with my sister, I’d rather hear him talk than the bitchiest bitch in the universe.

“So, how’re you doing Kawasaki-san?” Hachiman asked, hoping to change the subject as far away from him as possible. “My sister never really talks to me about her friends, so this is the first chance I get to tease her.”

“Onii-chan...” Komachi whined, much to his amusement.

“A-Actually, she told me you could help me with something,” Taishi stated.

Hachiman blinked. Me? Help him?...I’ve been helping a lot of people lately, first Zaimokuza, then Totsuka, and now he wants a piece of me too?

“Uhhhh...” He gave a confused sound. “I’m...not exactly the best person to come to for help, but despite every fiber of my being telling me this is a bad idea, shoot, kid.”

“Nee‐chan’s an eleventh grader at Soubu High…Oh, and her name is Kawasaki Saki. Nee‐chan is… How do you put it…? A delinquent? She’s turned rotten…?”

“Does he mean the Kawasaki Saki in our class?” Yuigahama asked in a hushed whisper.

“Kawasaki Saki‐san…” Yukinoshita uttered that name and cocked her head slightly, which showed how little she knew about Kawasaki.

“I can feel the love and respect you have for your sister from those words alone,” Hachiman said dryly.

Taishi looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “N-No, I love my Nee-chan, it’s just that...she’s changed. Er, uh… it was probably around the time nee‐chan entered Soubu High since she was a super serious student back in middle school. She was relatively nice back then and often made dinner and stuff. She didn’t change much even when she was in her first year of high school… she changed only very recently.”

“So it was when she entered eleventh grade?” Hachiman enquired.

Upon hearing that, Yukinoshita’s interest was and began to ponder. “In regards to changes when she became an eleventh grader, does anything come to mind?”
“This is just a generic answer, but she didn't change her class? It was after she entered class F.”
“In other words, it was when she became Hikigaya‐kun’s classmate.”
At that Hachiman let out a long frustrated sigh.

“Ooooh, and you were in such a good mood today, Boss.” Hector grimaced.

The Jester turned to Yukinoshita. “Am I some sort of virus or something?”

“I said nothing of the sort. You take your persecution complex too far, Hikigerma.” A slight tone of smugness in her voice.

Hachiman’s eye twitched. “You know what? I don’t need to deal with this shit right now.”

He got up from his seat, grabbing his bag.

Yuigahama blinked. “Hikki…?”

“O-Onii-chan?” Komachi stared wide-eyed at the events unfolding before her.

He turned to Taishi. “Sorry our talk was so short. Hopefully whatever’s going on with you and your sister gets fixed soon. Those two,” He pointed to Yuigahama and Yukinoshita. “Would be more than delighted to help you. Latter.”

As Hachiman exited the restaurant Hector spoke up.

“We’re going to be in the Shadow Realm for a while, aren’t we?” Hector asked, already knowing the answer.

“That training of yours better be intense enough to make me forget about this crap.”

The persona gave a hearty laugh. “You’ll be gasping for breath on the floor by the time I’m done with you.”

“...I thought I was the one being super gay.”

“You little shit!”

[]

In lieu of the exams, most clubs had ceased activities for the week. Only those with a serious aspiration of following a career related to the club were still attending. Hachiman fell to the nagging of Hector and used his time to study for the tests. It was a shame that Totsuka kept attending to the club, however. He vaguely realized that he was processing the information far better than he normally would, but didn’t pay much attention to that detail.

There were much more pressing matters at hand.

He had been ambushed.

The say of his last test, as he was preparing to exit the classroom and blow away some stress by killing Shadows, he was attacked by an enemy he had forgotten about.

Now, he was sitting on a couch inside the teacher’s lounge and cursing his lack of foresight

“Ironic, because you see her almost every day,” Hector said. “Mm, this old man can feel the possibility of something more here… If only the Boss could stop being so passive.”

“You shut your trap. There’s no way in hell something can happen with that hag.”

“Hikigaya. Are you thinking of something rude?” His modern Japanese teacher, Hiratsuka Shizuka, interrupted his internal conversation, cracking her knuckles and showing a bloodthirsty face.

“I might be.” He replied, calmly.

Not even a second later, Hiratsuka’s fist was halfway towards Hachiman’s face. At the last possible second, he shifted his weight around and pushed slightly the incoming attack with his palm. He wasn’t a martial artist, not by far. Hell, until recently all his fighting knowledge could be summarised as some judo classes in school and some manga he had read in his spare time.

Then again, Hector was one hell of a teacher. And the Shadow Realm was one hell of a training ground.

“Tsk. You have been training?” His teacher asked, disbelief and pleased surprise evident in her voice.

“Eh, something like that. Impressed?”

“Just a little. Don’t get over your head.”

Deciding to ignore the matter for the moment, Hiratsuka sat lazily in the couch and took a cigarette from her breast pocket. It wasn’t the first time Hachiman had seen her doing that, it was the same as the time she dragged him to the Service Club.

Falling into the memories, he failed to see the first drag of smoke, which hit him right in the face. He managed to not cough, if only barely.

“Do you know why I called you here?” She asked.

“Who knows? To congratulate me for getting better grades in the latest exams?”

“Hehe, you cocky brat. You aren’t completely off-mark.” She took another drag. “Indeed, it seems that not only you managed to improve your grades and rank in the year… but also that you joined the Tennis Club, I heard about it last time I went to check on you and Yuikinoshita.”

“Ah… so it was about that.”

“To be fair, we already knew that,” Hector sighed. “Don’t be a disrespectful jerk, Boss. There’s no reason for it… just tell the truth.”

“... Look, the Tennis Club was looking for members and I filled the bill,” Hachiman started explaining, his voice was calm and even. “Between that and my new part-time job, I don’t have time to waste in the Service Club…”

“No time to ‘waste’ you say?”

“Since they were lacking members, I have more time for working and the people in the club are all very understanding…”

“If it’s about timing, I’m sure you could have worked something out in the Service Club, and if it’s about the company… aren’t two beautiful girls in the same room as you almost everyday preferable?”

“Mm… Yukinoshita and Yuigahama… or Tosuka and the rest of the guys in the club… decisions, decisions.”

“Please choose the girls. Please choose the girls. Please choose the girls… At least in your thoughts....”

“Totsuka!”

“Fuck this gay earth.”

“Well, between something like a friend against an airhead and a snobby bitch, I don’t need to detail who would win, right?”

Hiratsuka just locked eyes with him for the longest time, initially shocked at his words, then angry, eventually calm and scrutinizing, to finally something resembling empathy and sadness.

Thankfully, there was no pity in her gaze. Hachiman wouldn’t have accepted that.

She released a long sigh.

“Hachiman… just some months ago you weren’t able to look me in the eyes while talking… you truly have grown quite a bit.”

“You were looking at her breasts, right?” Hector asked.

“Ye.”

“That’s my boy! Not everything is lost!” Hector cheered.

“I may have been a little forceful when getting to join the Service Club, but I still think my reasoning was on the right track. You wouldn’t have wanted to change if I had left you alone.”

True. Hachiman had to admit. His change came from having to accept himself, his own hypocrisy and weakness. He changed when he had to confront his own shadow.

But he also knew, he had slowly being pushed to change while in the club. It wasn’t as direct as in the Tennis Club, nor it was as powerful as the confrontation in the Shadow Realm, but it had been there. Most likely, he realized, being there was not only for him, but also for the others in that room.

“I don’t think I need to explain it at this point, but I will do it anyway… The reason I got you to join the Service Club was as much to have fixed that rotten personality of yours as well as having you help Yukinoshita with her own troubles.”

“... So I was a tool?”

“Nothing so mechanic or intricate. I just thought that both of you were similar and different enough to help you grow each other,” Hiratsuka’s eyes softened, as if she was looking at some faraway scene. “I guess things didn’t go exactly as planned.”

“Really?” Hachiman interjected. “I don’t think so. I’m certainly better than I was before, and Yurikinoshita has Yurigahama to make her company.”

“Well… I think in a way it was a partial success, after all… Hehe, Yurigahama and Yurikinoshita, you got some guts to call them that.” She laughed softly. “But, you know, Yuigahama has been going less and less to the clubroom lately. Aren’t you curious as to why?”

“No. Not really.” Hachiman answered, honestly, but vaguely sad about it.

“I see.” His teacher reacted with a similar tone.

“Is that all?”

“Yes. I will take care of your official dismissal from the Service Club…. Just one more thing I’m curious about.” She said, walking slowly towards him and looking him into the eyes with a rare serious expression in her face

“Hmm?”

“What kind of person you see yourself growing up into, Hachiman?” She asked, completely serious.

Hachiman understood and processed the question. Once, two, three… seconds become minutes. Until the air became too unbearable for him.

“....I don’t know.” He admitted. “I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Give it a thought. You will find that it makes a lot of things easier in the long run.” She said.

“I’ll think about it, sensei.”

[]

Once again, Hachiman was in the Shadow Realm knee-deep in the bodies of various shadows, and as always, he was having the time of his life.

Hector’s training may be a literal hell, but the results spoke for themselves.

“Now remember, Boss, lock your arms around their head, and twist as hard as you can.” Hector reminded.

Quick, effective and ruthless. That was the style of fighting Hector had been teaching him. Surprisingly good against humanoid monsters, even more surprising was how quick Hachiman was at learning it. Most likely another point for that terrible training.

His feet moved quietly, even when the floor was covered in broken glass. He was out of his hiding spot and striding towards his next prey. He didn’t know the official name of that Shadow, but it was humanoid enough and within the acceptable height.

A countdown. Three steps. Two steps. The last step was a jump directly to the back of the shadow. Hachiman positioned his hands the same way his persona had instructed earlier. The monster had reacted, of course. But it was a poor attempt to break free, the footwork was poor, rushed, and its arms waved around uselessly.

A second later, Hachiman had finished breaking its neck.

Critical damage and the shadow was out of count.

“Took you a little too long, Boss. We should practice this more. Fifty tries should suffice for today.”

“You’re pure evil, Hector!”

“You’re the one who wanted my training.” The Persona reminded. “Now, what did I tell you about getting distracted? Do I need to double your training today.”

Hachiman paled. “No, sir.”

“Then pay attention to your surroundings! You must be ready for any unexpected occurrences.”

Just then a shout cut into their conversation.

“SOMEONE HELP ME!!”

“...Like that.”

Hachiman sighed as he began walking at a leisurely pace. “Let’s get this poor bastard out of here. Odd though, this is the first time we’ve ever seen anyone else it these damned places.”

“Boss, I suggest we hurry up.” Hector’s voice was more stern than usual. “We must get to this new individual quickly before the worst comes to pass.”

The former loner rolled his eyes. “No need to be so serious, Hector. We’ve been able to handle these places just fine. If someone like me can do well here, anyone can.”

“That’s because you have me, Boss,” Hector stated. “And I doubt whoever that was faced their Shadow Self and got a Persona.”

Hachiman opened his mouth, but stopped as he realized that Hector was right. He was someone with superhuman abilities and training from an ancient Trojan warrior.

...Whoever this was had none of that.

And here was Hachiman Hikigaya, dragging his feet while someone was in mortal danger.

“Who knows.”

Indeed, out of all possible outcomes, Hikigaya Hachiman had stumbled upon a rift, was swallowed whole by shadows and confronted his ‘shadow self’ after which he obtained Hector as his persona.

Nothing of that had been planned, but merely a coincidence. A stroke of luck.

There was no saying what could happen to the poor soul that was trapped there now. Maybe he was someone with the same luck as himself and would come out just fine.

...but what if that wasn’t the case?

Hachiman only grunted and leapt forward, trying to identify the source of the scream.

The jungle of concrete that are modern cities are, without a doubt, the closest thing to a labyrinth these days. The mirror versions that appear inside the rifts, that strange yet similar scenario would throw off many that aren’t familiar with it.

However, for Hachiman, who has been using those places as a personal training ground, and has lived in Chiba all his life, getting lost here wasn’t really possible.

Thus, it didn’t take more than a couple of minutes before he identified the place from where the scream came off and reached it.

It was a small, dark alley, the kind of thing you’d see at the beginning of any cheesy horror movie.

The hurried and panicked footsteps echoed loudly through the block.

It was a Soubu student. Average height. Average looks. If one were to take a guess, one would say that he also had average grades, was in some average club and had one average social circle.

All, except for the last one, were true.

Despite the distance, Hachiman could make enough of his ragged face. He was someone he had seen one of twice in his classroom, a classmate with whom he never crossed a word in his life.

Ooka… something, was his name. One of the filler cronies in Hayama’s clique.

“P-Please, help me!” The boy, whose first name Hachiman didn’t know shouted again.

It was odd though, there didn’t seem to be any Shadows chasing him. Though that alley was pretty dark.

Hachiman let loose a breath he didn’t know he was holding and let himself relax. He was alright, there was nothing to be afraid of.

“Oi.” He called to his classmate, who immediately showed his relief in his face. “Don’t worry. I’ll take you out of here.”

One step. Two steps. Hachiman slowly walked towards the figure of his fellow student who was still trembling. Three steps. Ten steps. Something changed when he was close enough to him.

From the borders of the alley, inside the shadows around the walls, something moved.

Hachiman reacted instantly, reading himself for a battle, expecting the enemy to attack.

“Boss, watch out!” Hector shouted in warning.

It was too late when he realized.

A small circle of light appeared in the floor below his feet. In less than a second, the light covered him whole and consciousness started to fade.

“W-What the hell!?” He explained in confusion.

“It’s a Light ability, Boss. It’s our Weakness!”

He could barely understand Hector’s words, as his knees gave up and let his body fall to the ground.

From the corner of his eye, just before darkness claimed him. He could see numerous giant hands appearing from the ground. They had almost completely covered the poor guy before…

Shit! Shit! Shit! I have to get up! Get! Up! He shouted in his head, he didn’t even have the energy left to speak. Get up goddammit!

Crunch! Riiiiiip!

The cracking of bones and ripping of flesh reached his ears.

Drip...Drip...Drip.

He could smell the blood that pooled onto the floor, he could feel the pieces of gore and blood that splattered onto him.

His muffled screams didn’t reach Hachiman’s unconscious ears anymore. The last thing Hachiman saw before darkness took him was his own reflection in the pool of blood that used to be one of his classmates.

Chapter End

A/N:

Jackie: Hey, hey, nerds, we’re back again with my usual shit. Delayed updates on fics! Not that Ricrod was being any help in this situation either since we both suck at writing Yui and Yukino and had a bit of writer’s block

Ricrod: I don’t even remember when was the last time we updated this. Blame Jackie and his legion of fics to be updated. Or blame me and my lack of focus… Hey! I didn’t have a writers’ block! I would need to be a writer to have one of those!

Jackie: (Looks at all the fics he hasn’t updated on FF and on QQ) Sure you don’t.

Ricrod: I will write a new fic to shut people up. This will have catgirls! And girls with big boobs! And maids! And cat girl maids with big boobs! It will be great!

Jackie: It’s Omamori Himari, isn’t it?

Ricrod: Ye…. want to help?

Jackie: (Looks at all the fic I haven’t updated along with all the new ideas in The Rabbit Hole) Eh...Will it be an SI and or Crack?

Ricrod: Well, it's me so… most likely.

Jackie: Fuck it. I can find some time to help out while I’m doing the new [PROTOTYPE] x Highschool of The Dead SI fic...or should I go [PROTOTYPE] x Kyochuu Rettou....Eh, I flip a coin!

 

Jackie: Well, it’s been a few months...holy fuck. I’m so sorry everyone, life has gotten in the way a lot. Now here’s Ric insulting me for being a lazy fuck.

Ricrod: I like this guy. Full homo. That doesn’t mean his schedule isn’t a mess. If you ever want faster releases, go bug him.

Jackie: That never really works, I usually ignore that shit, not even Zelretch can get me to update faster.

Ricrod: Meh. Most of this chapter has been done by months already. Next part *should* come out soon.

Jackie: Don’t jinx us.

Chapter Seven: It Comes In Waves

It had been the first time he saw someone die in real life. Truth be told, Hachiman didn’t know Ooka much, it was one of his classmates he never paid much attention too. He was in some sort of sports club, closer to a guy named Yamato, part of Hayama’s clique in class, but was basically an add-on for them.

It was surprising the amount of information he could remember about him, as the scene of his death played once again. He died in agony, being ripped apart by strange shadows he couldn’t defend himself from.

[---]

Hikigaya Hachiman’s eyes snapped open.

“Ah!” He got up with a startled yell.

Frantically, but still dazed, he scanned his surroundings. The ceiling was familiar, the walls, the bookshelf, the computer in a corner. His room, he was in his room, back home.

‘A nightmare…?’

A relieved sigh escaped Hachiman’s dry lips. Nothing but a bad dream, he had gone home after classes because he was tired. There hadn’t been any training that day. It was all a dream he had.

Nothing bad happened.

He scoffed. His body felt like lead. The room was obscured and a quick look at his phone revealed that it was barely 10 pm. He must have gone to bed early. Nothing too strange, despite his progress, he had been more active these days than in all his life.

It was only natural that he would be tired.

He needed to clean up a little, maybe eat something.

Slowly, without even turning the lights on, he made his way towards the bathroom. Idly, he wondered if his sister, Komachi, was still around. Lately, she had been more active and social with her friends, usually coming home far after him.

He had to make sure there weren’t any ‘bugs’ around her.

As the lights came to light and he saw his reflection in the mirror.

Dried blood was splattered all over him, tainting his uniform, making it look surreal. The sight made him sick to his stomach as the memories came rushing back in perfect clarity.

He all but threw himself to the toilet to hurl up the remains of his past lunch and whatever else was in his stomach.

As the last remnants of his consciousness faded away, only one thought plagued Hachiman’s mind:

‘I… I killed him.’

[---]

“Onii-chan, are you being bullied?” His sister’s voice was filled with… something, maybe worry, as she was helping him to treat some bruises he had.

When he had sustained those injuries? After he let his classmate die? Before? Did it matter at all?

He felt sick again.

Hector was still around, he could feel it, but he had yet to show himself. It was strange, his persona was… dormant, sleeping, inactive or some equivalent.

“No, I’m not...” Hachiman pondered how to answer that, what to say without spilling the truth. Lying wasn’t something difficult, not normally. “I just had a small accident.”

“Oh, a ‘small accident’ you say? Really, brother dearest? Is that the best you can come with?”

Indeed, Hachiman couldn’t help but sneer at that. His sister had been right. Getting someone killed was not some ‘small accident’, not at all.

The blood.

Those shadows. Those monsters.

The screams. The cold floor.

Memories flashed again in his eyes.

He had been useless.

His empty stomach threatened to spill whatever it could once again. It took a considerable effort for him to not break down then and there, in front of his little sister.

“I’m not being bullied or anything, really.” He managed to spit out those words. It was the truth.

“... Alright,” she conceded, after a small, deliberate pause. “I won’t pry anymore about how you got so hurt, onii-chan.”

“Thanks.”

He stared at the ceiling. “I...I think I need some sleep.”

“Fufufu… Goodnight, Onii-chan. I’ll take care of the rest.”

‘The rest…?’ Did she meant explaining to their parents why he appeared back home in a puddle of blood? Maybe taking care of that bloody uniform? It was the blood that he let be spilled.

How did he get home, anyway?

“...Komachi?”

She tilted her head cutely. “Yes, Onii-chan?”

Hachiman stared at her for a few seconds. “Nevermind. Uh, thanks for...looking out for me.”

‘She seemed rather prepared for all this.’ He walked back up the stairs and shook his head. ‘No, I’m just overthinking this.’

There was a sizeable gap of time between the death of Ooka and him awakening in his room. His sister may have worked in between that time.

She was his little sister, after all. While he had been an anti-social slacker without any prospects in life and who caused the death of someone, she had always been helpful, thoughtful and prepared. Even if she wasn’t as bright as him, she shined far more.

It just drove in how little he actually changed from his encounter with his Shadow Self. Sure, he had changed, but it only ever so slightly. In the end, he got someone killed.

Hachiman let out a long sigh. He needed someone he could talk to, and Hector was asleep or something right now. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his key ring, and eyed a familiar blue key.

He shook his head. “Bad idea, like they’d even want me back there after this mess.”

He tossed the keyring onto his dresser and stripped off his bloody clothes, and threw them in a basket. He took a moment to glare at those bloody clothes and what they meant. Where was Hector, anyway? He could barely feel his connection with him.

“I’m too damn tired for this shit right now.”

Perhaps, after sleeping some more, he would be able to actually do something. Maybe. Probably. Hopefully. Not like he could go to school like this, getting a classmate killed and all that wasn’t something he was supposed to do.

And so, Hikigaya Hachiman drifted into sleep, in his dreams, a single scene kept repeating once and once again.

[---]

The next day came and he noted how his clothes were clean and ironed. As if they had never been bloodied to begin with. As if the whole thing had been nothing but a bad dream. That was a lie, however, and Hachiman couldn’t stop reminding himself of such.

It had happened. Someone had died, and because he had been too damn arrogant to take the situation seriously.

Hachiman let out a shaky breath. “Dear God, what have I done?” He started trembling, while his breathing became erratic. The images wouldn’t playing again and again in his head.

“Boss. Get a hold of yourself.” Hector said, the first words he’d spoken since the event.

“How the hell can I get a hold of myself when I...” Hachiman cut himself short as his breathing quickened.

“... Stop whining. Hachiman, you failed and someone died. That’s a fact, crying about it won’t change it.”

“And!? What else I’m supposed to do!?”

“Become stronger.” Hector said, his voice a mix of seriousness and coldness. “Prevent this mistake from happening ever again. You messed up, and someone paid the price. You can’t change that, but you can change yourself.”

“...Change? What a joke… People don’t change, can’t change.” Hachiman snapped back. “I can’t… I can’t do…”

“Are you running away then?” Hector said, annoyment clear in his voice. “You fail once and give up? So what now? Are you going to hole yourself away while more people die? Even when you are clearly capable of helping? Only because you don’t think you can change? That you don’t deserve change?”

“Shut up!” Hachiman shouted.

Hector was right, and Hachiman knew it. How could he not? After his encounter with his own Shadow, change was something Hachiman couldn’t deny. He doesn’t want to admit it, however. Those words had more weight than he could handle.

“I’m but the shadow of your true self, the mirror of your own subconscious. You know what you have to do. Deny it, curse it, accept it… I can’t tell you more than you already know.”

With that, Hachiman felt Hector disappearing. He was there, somewhere, but the feeling was faint.

Hachiman clenched his fist. “...Damn it all.”

Chapter End