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Footsteps ripped him from his monologuing and he turned towards the sound, force of habit. He could feel the person looking at him, no doubt sizing him up, but they did nothing more. So he ignored them and allowed himself to wait out the worst of the rain.
Or he would have if someone hadn’t rammed into him and knocked him flat. He didn’t know what was happening and it made his breaths come out as panicked pants. He hated being blind, how he couldn’t see simple threats like others possibly could. It made him want to scream.
He settled for shoving whoever had landed on him with a grunt. Akira’s scowl deepened. Whoever had knocked into him had caused him to lose his cane. Which meant, he was now blind.
Well, more so than usual. Without his cane he was unable to ‘see’ in a sense. Feeling was often better than listening, but it seems as though he’d have to rely on his hearing.
“Goddamned that bastard!”
A boisterous voice, almost directly beside him, shouted. He could hear the heavy breathing of whomever it was, indicating that they had ran. Meaning they had to have been the person to run into him.
Akira turned in his direction and ‘looked’ at wherever the boy’s voice was coming from. It was one of the best ways to get their attention and rub it through people’s thick skulls that he is blind. So he stared and waited for the boy to ultimately turn on him.
He didn’t have to wait long. Only a few seconds before he felt the air displacement of the boy whirling around to face him. “What, you gonna rat me out to Kamoshida too?” He spat the name.
‘Kamoshida...’ Akira didn’t know who in the world that man or woman was. He just wanted this idiot to give him his cane so he could pretend to be a good member of society. He didn’t respond to the boy’s questions. Opting to stare at him.
“Well?”
He sighed before giving in. “I don’t know who you are or who Kamoshida is.”
“Wha-what! How can you not know that self centered asshole!” A pause, no doubt the boy looking him over. “You go to Shujin High?”
Akira shrugged. He had no idea where the hell he went, just that he didn’t like it or the faculty.
“For real! How can you not know, you’re wearing the outfit!” The boy paused, Akira could hear him deflate, all previous energy before lost.
“C’mon, lets go, we’ll be late.” Akira didn’t budge, prompting the boy to turn and look at him in confusion. “What, cat got your tongue?”
“My cane.”
“Huh?”
“You knocked it out of my hands when you walked into me. I need my white cane.”
“Oh, you mean this thing? Yeah I thought it was a weapon. But here you go.”
The thin cane was shoved into his outstretched palm and he pulled it closer to his chest, feeling his heart calm as his ‘sight’ was restored. He unwound it, and began to walk, ignoring the squawks that the other boy made.
Soon, they were walking side by side and he kept feeling something was off. The boy was currently babbling about how ‘Kamoshida thinks of himself to be the king of the castle with Shujin being the castle’, it was an interesting tirade. So he listened.
The air began to feel heavy and he felt the pressure of something pushing even more forcefully on his head. It made him stop, the pain was nearly enough to make him collapse.
“What the...” the boy ahead of him had stopped as well. His voice at a volume that Akira hadn’t believed possible. A day of firsts he supposed.
“I coulda sworn we took the right way, so what the eff is this!”
Akira sighed and walked up until he was next to the vulgar boy. “You didn’t take a wrong turn or something?”
“No!” He could hear a harsh sigh before the boy turned towards him, he could only tell by the movement beside him. “C’mon, we may as well check it out.” And he began to walk, not even waiting for a response.
Akira scowled again, today sucked.
The feeling was almost too much. It felt as though something was pushing in his chest and pulling his eyes. It added to the utter wrongness that surrounded wherever they were. “Hey,” he attempted to put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, he may have missed, “we shouldn’t be here.”
The feeling was getting worse, and to add to it a sudden clank of metal caused him to flinch. It wasn’t the sound of something dropping, no, the sound was rhythmic with footsteps. Someone was wearing metal, or armor he supposed.
“Huh, you a student here or somethin?” The boy obviously didn’t feel the danger in this place.
Akira moved his cane around to feel for the boy’s feet. Once his cane tapped what he assumed to be the heel of the boy, he moved a bit closer. Close enough that he could grab the boy and run or something. He just felt as though he needed to be close enough to do so.
His gut sense was right. A near silent whisper of metal made him immediately shove the boy down, dropping them both to the floor. But that caused the problem of him losing all sense of direction, not that he had much before anyways.
“What the, that dude almost killed me!”
Great. The boy was slow.
He heard a grunt from the boy but before he could ask what had happened he was hit by a piece of metal that had his head splitting for half a second. His eyes shut, knocking him out cold.
When he came to, he could hear the other boy puttering around. Pacing back and forth in agitation. When Akira sat up on whatever it was he was on, the boy stopped his pacing.
“Hey, you’re up. Are you feeling alright?”
“Yeah, you?”
“I’d be better if we weren’t in this effin cage or whatever.”
Akira stood, feeling for his cane. Only to come up with nothing, it made his stomach drop and his body go cold. They had taken his cane.
“Sorry dude, I think they took your stick while we were knocked out.” The boy sighed. “Today is too weird.”
He could only sit in silence while he attempted to calm his heart. The feeling of helplessness was bubbling forth, here he was stuck in some place without anyway of seeing. It made him feel vulnerable.
“You! You’re the trash that dare enter my castle?” The voice was distorted and held an air of authority that made Akira’s hands clench. He hated the feeling he got here, and now that he thought about it his head was pulsing.
“Wha- Kamoshida!” The boy sounded utterly shocked, but he wasn’t giving up much information by simply stating the name of the- wait, Akira had heard that name. That was the same name the boy said earlier.
“Sakamoto, I can understand you breaking into my castle but who is this you dragged along?” He could hear the voice grinning. “You’re hanging around with criminals now, huh?”
“Criminals?” Sakamoto(?) parroted.
“Oh you didn’t know? This kid killed someone. He’s a murderer.”
Akira grit his teeth in anger, he had never killed anyone. And the fact that this man knew about his record made rage bubble in his chest. He was slowly losing his cool, the more the person spoke, the more he wanted to strangle him.
“He was probably going to kill you too, Sakamoto.” The voice laughed. That was the last straw.
Akira ignored Sakamoto’s shout and lunged towards the voice, shoving aside the people in the armor who attempted to block him. He only stopped when his hand met flesh, he was practically snarling in rage as his unseeing eyes bored into the person below him.
“You don’t know shit about me you fucking freak!” He was practically spitting in rage. Every second he pressed harder on the man’s throat. Ignoring the clamoring behind him. He was focused on this asshole first.
“Guh-guards!” The man barely choked out, “kill him!”
The pressure in his head increased tenfold before he was pulled off of the man and felt cold metal against his neck. That wasn’t his primary focus though, he felt the pressure increase to the point that he began to scream. But he couldn’t hear himself screaming, he only knew because of the rawness in his throat.
“ Are you going to let him get away with that? ” The voice was dark, yet familiar.
“ Death awaits you if you do nothing. ” A dark chuckle.
“ How about we make a pact. ”
Akira’s screams doubled as the pain somehow managed to increase. Spittle was dripping down his chin but he could care less. The voice continued past his pained wails.
“ Very well then, show me your true feelings! ” The pain decreased and memories were pushed to the forefront of his mind. Memories that made his rage flare.
The voice chuckled again. “ Vow to me... I am thou, thou art I .”
The pain stopped as suddenly as it began. It allowed Akira to regain some semblance of speech. He mumbled to himself, responding to the voice in his head, the voice that was him deep inside. “I am thou, thou art I.” He mumbled near incoherently.
The voice laughed and suddenly he could feel another presence. One that sat in the back of his head, in the location of his splitting headaches.
“ Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! ” Power seeped into Akira, brushing all former pain aside. Something formed on his face and he had the overwhelming urge to rip it free.
It was trapping him and he wanted it off . He began to pull it off, warm liquid following the action. As though he were peeling a layer of his own skin.
“ Now, call upon my name and release thy rage! ” The voice laughed, Akira could feel himself laughing along with it. They were one. “ Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself! ”
It was then that the name exploded from his lips. “Arsene!”
It was bright. His eyes roamed over the cell he was in, a boy, three armored things and the man he had nearly strangled.
Wait.
He could see. But it was from a point of view that wasn’t his. He was seeing through Arsene’s eyes. The demon(?) chuckled. “ We are one, so thou gets to see what I see. ”
“Arsene. Kill them.” Akira saw himself thrust a hand towards the cowering man.
“Guards! Kill him first! I want this trash and purged from my castle!” The man was cowering. It was a sight to see.
Akira stood and watched the ‘guards’ melt into oozing dark goo that began to pulse as it slowly took form in a... weird floating thing.
It didn’t matter. It was an enemy so it will die. “Arsene!”
The demon cackled and shot forward, and Akira saw the other shadow thing quail in fear as it realized how close it was to death. It didn’t even put up much of a fight, Arsene allowed oozing energy to escape from his body with a snapped finger. Setting the shadow aflame.
It was a weird experience. He moved his body, and in extension, Arsene’s, but he was seeing out of Arsene’s eyes. It was something he’d apparently have to get used to, especially since Arsene was apart of him now.
They turned their eyes to the boy. Akira’s was more habitual where Arsene’s was needed so Akira could see the boy he’d saved. Their hair was a shock of light, they stood out so much it was insane. But he’d question the boy later.
“Get the keys!” He/Arsene pointed at the ring on the floor and when the boy scrambled towards the forgotten item, he and Arsene pushed forward and rammed the man into the cage that had previously held them.
Moments later the boy slammed the door shut behind him and used the keys to lock the cell. But rather than keep them like a smart person, he chucked them away, something that made Akira sigh in exasperation.
“What the hell is that!” Sakamoto sounded hysterical.
‘ He did just watch you summon me. ’ Arsene chimed in, unhelpfully of course.
“Question me later, we have to go!” He could still see, meaning that Arsene was staying with him. Which he was thankful for, but he had to do his best to ignore what they saw and focus on running.
As they were running past they came upon a drawbridge but Akira was sick of playing their games. Screw finding a key, he had Arsene pick up Sakamoto and chuck him across the gap. He was about to follow before Arsene turned his gaze to another cage.
One they had thought empty but now held a thing. It was pawing at the cell bars but seemed to lack words. He was about to leave but Arsene held him in place.
“He-hey, mind helping me out?” He felt a pull towards it. Something that made him immediately trust it.
“How do I know you’re not an enemy.” Arsene’s eyes narrowed but the demon remained lax. Floating behind Akira on massive wings.
So he was surprised when Arsene spoke up. “ Vow to us. Join us. ” He was being cryptic, but the thing in the cell seemed to know exactly what he was hinting at.
“Of course. How about we make a deal; I guide you through the palace and teach you everything you need to know and you help me regain my memories.” It stuck out a paw, awaiting Akira’s decision.
He grabbed the keys and unlocked the cell. “Deal.” Was all he said.
“Alright then! First lesson, this bridge is a-“
‘ Chuck him Arsene. ’ Arsene cackled and lifted the weird cat monster mid speech, ignoring its flailing limbs, and threw it. Much like he did with Sakamoto.
The two followed, Arsene carrying him across with ease. When the two landed, he could already see Sakamoto yelling at the cat thing. Somehow the two arguing brought forth a familiar feeling in his chest. One he immediately quashed down.
“Dude! It’s raining cats now!” Sakamoto was having what could only be described as a mental breakdown.
The ‘cat’ snarled. “I told you! I am not a cat!” It was flailing its arms wildly, no doubt agitated.
“Let’s go. Don’t forget our deal.” Akira brushes past the two. Confidence flooding his veins now that he could see, it was exhilarating. If not a bit weird since he saw from Arsene’s eyes but controlled his own body.
“Wait up!” Sakamoto stumbled after him, an obvious limp in his step. And Akira could tell it pained the boy so he slowed down, enough for the teen to sigh in relief.
The cat had taken the lead. It’s paws moving silently, making it a perfect scouter for their odd group. The group didn’t have too much trouble after locking ‘Kamoshida’ in the cell. The number of guards was laughable.
They got into maybe three or four fights but we’re able to escape relatively unscathed. Sakamoto had a bloody cut down his face, the cat thing was limping a bit, and he himself had a few burns. But he pushed forward, ignoring the pain that blossomed with every movement.
“Through here.” The cat pointed and their gaze followed it to a metal grate.
“Wait but I don’t see an exit?” The other teen rubbed his light hair in confusion.
The cat snorted and rolled its eyes. “Amateur.” It huffed under its breath. Silent enough that Sakamoto wouldn’t have heard the petty insult.
“Help me remove the grate on the vent shaft.”
Akira watched himself move forward, still unused to seeing himself or seeing in general. And gripped the grate before pulling it off in one smooth motion and gesturing to the cat(?) and Sakamoto(?) to go through first.
Once they all made it through, Sakamoto got stuck so it took a bit longer than he’d have hoped, the questions began. Now they were out of immediate danger, the other two couldn’t keep their curiosity down any longer.
“Okay, dude, what the eff is that?” Sakamoto’s voice pitched at the end of his question. Akira could see the boy’s hand pointing towards him, or rather, Arsene who hovered behind him with an air of uncaring around him.
“Arsene.” Was his only answer.
The boy looked at him as though he were insane. “Okay then... what the eff is that cat thing?” He pointed towards the cat thing.
It scowled. “I told you, I am not a cat! I am Morgana!” Akira and Sakamoto stared at it.
The boy wasn’t through his hysterics yet for he rounded on Morgana once he heard it speak. “Okay then, why do you have one of those things!” He was gripping his hair now.
Morgana looked at him like he was stupid. “They’re our other selves. The us we keep hidden from the rest of society, our Personas.” Morgana’s eyes squinted at Arsene. “Normally though they only stay out for battle, so why are you still here?”
Arsene didn’t answer, but Akira could feel the demon/persona grinning down at the cat thing and Sakamoto.
When Morgana realized he was going to get no help from the persona he turned his attention to Akira. Arsene’s gaze shifted with him, allowing him to look at the cat albeit indirectly.
“Arsene is out still so he can assist me.”
“Wha-“ Sakamoto was still in hysterics and couldn’t use his words apparently.
“I’m blind.”
The two across him froze. Sakamoto’s face went pale and he began to stutter, but no coherent words were able to make it past his lips. Only incoherent sounds and stumbling half words. Whereas Morgana’s eyes widened as he realized why Arsene had continued to stay out.
“But if you’re blind, how were you able to fight like that?”
Arsene’s grin widened. “ He sees through my eyes, Magician. ”
Sakamoto’s head shot up and his eyes were like saucers. “Oh god it talks, I’m going insane. I have to be.” The boy moaned dramatically.
Akira snorted and stepped forward to shove the boy, causing him to flop on the ground. He sat next to him, Morgana trotted towards them and sat as well. Leaving them in a triangular formation.
Akira shoved Sakamoto. “So who was that?”
“Kamoshida. He’s the volleyball coach. I don’t know why he’s here though.”
“That’s not the real Kamoshida,” Morgana piped up, “we’re inside his heart. This is how he sees the school and it’s students no doubt.”
Akira hummed rather than answer. His body was going numb and his head was pounding. Arsene was also beginning to waver, the chains surrounding him constricting as each minute ticked by.
“Ryuji Sakamoto.” The blond boy stated, catching Akira and Morgana by surprise.
“What?”
“My name, it’s Ryuji Sakamoto. But you can just call me Ryuji.” The boy rubbed the back of his head, it seemed to be a habit of his. “What’s yours? I don’t think I ever got your name.”
“Akira Kurusu.” He leaned back and tugged on one of Arsene’s chains. “Have either of you seen my white walking stick?” Arsene’s power began to bleed back into what could only be called a mask.
Ryuji shook his head, “no, sorry man.”
Akira hummed but didn’t say anything else. He could feel the mask solidifying as Arsene returned back to the small spot within his mind. They weren’t strong enough together for his persona to stay out too long. He had already pushed it, and Arsene was starting to get uncomfortable by the chains constricting him.
Everything was blank again. But he was used to it, it was familiar. “So, Morgana, how about we add to our deal?”
Morgana was silent for a moment before presumably nodding his head with a questioning hum. “Sounds fair.”
“I’d like for you to return with us and help guide me around. You’ll make up for the loss of my cane until I can get a replacement.” Akira stuck his hand out and waited.
He didn’t have to wait long before he felt Morgana’s paw land in his hand. The deal was set, he could feel a faint echo in his head but it was hard to focus on.
The air around him began to pulsate with energy, but it was weakening. It was only when it was gone that he felt a pressure lift off his chest. He hadn’t realized how awful the atmosphere was in that weird world, his body had just grown used to it.
He could hear Ryuji groaning from somewhere behind him. A soft furry bundle was in his arms, probably Morgana seeing as how Ryuji kept calling him a cat.
“Hey, what’re you two doing cutting classes?” A sharp voice cut through his hazed thoughts.
Ryuji stuttered an answer but it seems as though the person who asked the question wasn’t focused on the light haired boy. Instead Akira could feel his gaze piercing through him. He clutched Morgana closer to his chest in response.
“I just got lost.” He lied. “My friend here was late and decided to help me find the school.”
“How could you get lost here.” A different person snarled.
Akira turned his sightless gaze towards the people. “I’m blind.”
That seemed to shut them both up because the only sound following was Morgana’s breathing and Ryuji’s pathetic groaning.
“Well, just be sure to go straight there.” The first voice coughed.
Akira just smiled and reached out to Ryuji, waiting for the other teen to grab his hand. As the two walked away Morgana crawled onto his shoulders before laying himself across. Making it easier for him to alert Akira of any incoming obstacles.
“Wait, if you’re blind why didn’t you say anything earlier? You know, before we ended up in that weird hell?” Ryuji sounded petulant.
“I don’t just tell everyone around me that I’m blind, you know.” Akira rolled his eyes. “Plus, I had my cane with me. Most people know what that means.”
Ryuji’s response was a grumble.
“Look up, it’s that guy from the castle.” Morgana’s voice was a hissed whisper. Ryuji halted suddenly, causing Akira to halt as well. He waited, irritated once again that he was unable to see or even hear what was going on.
“Cutting classes again, Sakamoto?” The voice, Kamoshida’s, made the hair on his neck stand. “You were such a better student when you focused on track.”
Ryuji tensed and Akira could feel the stupid insult being formed in the teen’s brain. So he stepped in.
Smiling in the direction of the voice, he tightened his grip on Ryuji’s arm. “He was guiding me to the school. If anyone’s to blame it’s me.” Akira ducked his head a bit.
The teacher didn’t respond, he could feel the rage emanating from the person. No doubt they wanted to take the bait, but there were too many witnesses. Akira was daring him to.
“But it wouldn’t look good for you if a blind transfer student were to be utterly lost without anyone to guide him around.” Akira continued, pushing the man further. “I’d like for him to be my note taker.”
Kamoshida choked, a halted breath as though he were about to say something. He couldn’t help but wonder what, and he realized why Kamoshida had cut himself off. The counselor was there. Morgana was already proving useful, he’d have to treat the cat to something as thanks.
“Amazing idea!” The counselor practically crowed. “It’d be a mistake not to show off your generosity and allow these two boys to be in the same class. I’m sure Kawakami wouldn’t mind.”
The counselor had unknowingly backed Kamoshida into an even tighter corner. Leaving the man no choice but to agree, his voice grating as he sent the two off.
Of course things weren’t so easy. As Akira moved past him, he could feel the man shift and it was only through him ducking that he was able to avoid whatever Kamoshida had attempted.
“No pets.”
Akira’s grin widened. “He’s my service cat. Very well trained. If you need the documentation for him I’d be happy to oblige.”
He could feel the tense air surrounding the surly P.E. Teacher. “No need. Just get to the faculty office. Ms. Kawakami is waiting for you.”
Morgana’s heart was beating faster than before, but Akira didn’t mention it. Allowing the cat some semblance of privacy and time to go over what had nearly happened. No doubt it had terrified him.
“Dude.” Ryuji finally found his voice. “How the fuck did you do that?” He spoke in a hushed whisper that was colored with awe. “I’ve never seen someone do that to Kamoshida.”
Akira shrugged, having to listen and dodge the man put him in a sour mood. The rest of their walk was in silence, his hand still on Ryuji’s shoulder as the boy guided him to the Faculty office. Students whispered around them and he could feel Ryuji getting more and more tense as they walked further into the school.
“There you are!” The voice startled him, making him nearly drop Morgana in surprise.
“Sorry, Ms. Kawakami.”
So it was his homeroom teacher. Akira turned towards her voice, shifting Morgana so he wasn’t digging his paws into his throat. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
“You’re more than late. Somehow you’re half a day late.” Her voice was clipped, no doubt she was frustrated. “And why haven’t you gone to class yet, Sakamoto-kun?”
“He’s going to be my note taker.” Akira jumped in before Ryuji could say something stupid. Or something to piss her off.
Apparently these two don’t have a good history by the sound of it. He ignored the tension and shifted his shoulders, making a scene of looking for Ryuji’s arm.
He could hear the frown in Ms. Kawakami’s voice. “Let’s hope you don’t fail then.” A sigh, “fine, let’s just go. Sakamoto-kun can be your note taker. Just don’t fail my class.”
The three followed her to the classroom. Well, more like Ryuji followed her and lead Akira who was holding Morgana. But, they all were going the same place so it didn’t matter.
When they entered the classroom Akira could hear the silence, it was so loud. Students who had previously been gossiping or arguing had stopped. All had stopped to stare.
“This is our transfer student, Kurusu-kun.” The attention was suffocating. “Why don’t you tell the class something about yourself?”
He tilted his head in thought. There wasn’t much to tell that could be called interesting or unique. So he decided to use Morgana. Gently nudging the feline, he whispered in his ear to tell him about his plan.
“My name is Akira Kurusu and this is my cat.” He felt Morgana crawl onto his head and balance himself up there.
It had the exact effect he had wanted. Everyone’s attention moved from him to Morgana, who appreciated it more anyways. So he didn’t care, as long as they all stopped staring at him it was fine.
“You owe me.” Morgana grumbled. Only he and Ryuji could hear him though, to anyone else it just sounded like regular old meowing.
“Sakamoto-kun, please guide Kurusu-kun to his desk. You can sit beside him and be sure to focus.”
As the two walked to his desk, he felt a foot tap his leg. Catching his attention and he focused on the location the tap came from. It wasn’t accidental, he knew that much.
“I saw you earlier.” A voice hissed. It was the tapper.
Akira didn’t bother answering, instead he continued to his desk. Ryuji tried to help him sit but he shoved the vulgar boy away, he knew how to sit. Morgana leapt off his head as well, relieving his neck of the pressure.
School was boring. Even more so when you can’t see the diagrams the teachers wrote. But he still listened and took notes, even though Ryuji was his ‘note taker’ he didn’t trust him to actually take good enough notes. Also the fact he cannot read them was another thing.
So he did it himself. Or tried at least, he could feel the attention of those around him. All focused on the tool he used. It was beginning to make him mad, he was getting sick of all the stares and whispers like they didn’t know he could hear them and feel them staring. He grit his teeth and ignored them.
“So where’re we going now?” Morgana was perched lazily on his shoulder, shifting his weight in time with Akira’s steps.
“Home.” He was tired and wanted to sleep. Morgana hummed and left him to his thoughts.
When he walked through the entrance of the café he could feel Sojiro’s stare. And he knew the man wanted to talk to him so he sat at a booth and waited. Running his hand down Morgana’s back and talking quietly to the cat about his life.
“No pets.” Sojiro‘s voice was stern, but Akira could hear the undertone of gentleness. The man seemingly already loved Morgana, but tried to brush it off.
“I need him.”
“What do you need a cat for?” Sojiro stressed the word ‘need’ no doubt wondering what the cat could do.
Morgana huffed and walked upstairs. Akira had told him where his extra cane was and to grab it. He returned moments later with the smooth cane in his jaws. Dropping it in front of Sojiro before jumping back onto Akira’s shoulders and winding himself there.
“He just came a bit late.” Akira ran his hand down Morgana’s spine as his gazed pierced Sojiro.
“Just keep it with you. I can’t have it walking around during hours.”
“Yes sir.”
Morgana was silent, no doubt observing the room. He wouldn’t find much in it, Akira had no use of decorating, but maybe the cat would like it.
“You live in this dump?”
He snorted. “I dunno, what’s it look like?”
Morgana didn’t respond.
He sighed, “look, it’s fine Morgana. I’m blind, I joke about it, don’t worry about stepping on my toes, alright?” He held out his hand in the general direction he had heard Morgana’s voice before.
The feeling of a soft paw was drowned by echoing words. Words that flittered throughout his mind.
I am thou, thou art I–
Akira groaned. What mess did he just get himself into...