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The wind swirled by as I took careful steps towards the large ship, running through the ends of my scarf and dragging it along with its current- the only thing keeping it from flying away was how it was bound around my neck.
Defiance of fate... Not many could actually defy their fates, but yet I find myself sensing one here who has. That's what brought me here.
I am... Not as strong as I once was, most of my power was lost after that fight, and due to the nature of the Seal, I couldn't just leave. I found that, in a weaker state, it is easier to go back and forth... Which is why I almost feel nervous about going inside. I'm practically human... But, maybe enough of me is Shadow that any inside will not dare to fight me...
About twenty minutes later and I swiftly find out that is not the case, but with an old friend's sword in hand, and the bit of Shadow left in me, so far they weren't too difficult... To, escape.
I sigh deeply as I shut the door of the relatively strange room, at least, strange when compared to the rest of the ship, behind me. I crash to the ground without a word, taking deep breaths.
"Am I really that out of it...? I'm supposed to be good at this..."
I lift a hand and run it back through my hair, feeling the, somehow still slick and smooth strands slip through my fingers.
"Mm... Or is it that I don't have a Persona...? I heard you need a Persona to fight Shadows, but I thought... Hm..."
This room appeared relatively safe, even with the Shadows not far off, they hadn't entered this room at all and it felt... Different. I sigh, pushing myself to my feet and going over to a nearby chair and crashing into it for a moment.
"No wonder Makoto was always tired... I thought I understood already but I did not understand at all... But I suppose taking a nap here would be an awful idea..."
I sigh again, before sitting upright and pulling out an old notebook. How I had it, after all this time, I don't know... But, I could make note of things I have experienced so far, at least. One of which is that these Shadows are blind as bats... The tiniest bit of cover is good enough to hide you from them entirely... I certainly remember Makoto struggling more with the ones in Tartarus...
"I swear, Shadows these days..." I write in the book, before chuckling to myself. Of course I was simply joking, I was quite appreciative of the fact that they were so awful at perception, or else I would have certainly had far more trouble than I have had...
But, I still had a goal here... I can still sense real life in here, not one of those Shadows or someone's twisted cognition of someone, an actual, living person... I just need to find them. That said, I think this particular world has deemed me an "actual, living person" as well. That's problematic, but it should work out.
Back on the move, slipping through the darkness and hiding from Shadows as I tried to find whoever I was sensing in here. I could definitely tell I was getting closer...
When the stench of blood reached my nose.
I straighten myself out a bit more before carefully making my approach, seeing the young man putting pressure on a pretty severe looking wound. He was dressed in black and purple with a strange helmet. I approach carefully, and his crimson eyes shoot up to look at me before I can say a word, their color piercing, despite the helmet.
"Who are you?"
"Just a friend, which you seem to be in need of..."
He huffed and rolled his eyes.
"I don't need fri-" his complaints were cut off by a wince of pain, he tightly shut his eyes and I quickly moved closer, kneeling down by his side.
"How long have you been stuck in here?"
"I don't know..."
"Hm... We need to get you somewhere where that can be properly treated. But the way out is going to be tricky..."
"So has staying alive this long, as it is..."
He growled lightly at me as I helped him up and put an arm around him to stabilize him.
"So, what's your name?"
"Just call me Crow, while we're here."
"Crow, huh? Well then! If we're doing bird based nicknames, you can call me Raven."
"It's not a nickname, you idiot..."
I give him nothing more than a slight chuckle as I start to lead him out.
Staying alive for as long as he did, bleeding out while surrounded by Shadows... Not many can so simply defy fate, but I take it as a good sign... It's been a long time since someone made me think of him.
[THUD!]
Ouch... That hurt...
These Shadows are real tough, huh? But I'm just trying to make sure Crow gets out of here in one piece. That might be easier said than done...
Crow was trying to fight, but was simply too weak for it at the moment, meanwhile I just didn't know what to do. Apparently being a Shadow- er... Part Shadow, now, I guess, does not make fighting them any easier. I push myself up off the ground, picking up Makoto's sword from way back when...
He dropped it, after that one fight. When he took on Nyx herself... He had that sword in hand, and fought her with all he had. When I decided that I wanted to leave that place, I took it with me... I guess I just wanted to have something of his, but also be able to defend others. I wonder if he would be proud of me, for wanting to keep people safe...
Even if I am so miserably failing, and of that I am reminded when, for the second time, I am launched backwards into a wall. Another loud thud as I hit it hard and crumble to the floor.
"Stupid... Raven... Just get out of here... You're going to get yourself killed..." Crow huffed.
"Can you Wildcards stop being so self sacrificial?"
I try to push myself back up but...
Wow that, that really hurts...
The thudding of the footsteps of Shadows made me look up quickly, seeing them approaching Crow...
No- no no no- I came all this way to help him... Did I just deliver him to his fate? Would he have been better off if I just stayed away?
I am Death... By my presence alone, have I sealed his fate? Like a drawn card of tarot, my Arcana is known...
"Now now, tell me you aren't giving up that easily..."
A sharp pain flooded my head and I crashed back down, an involuntary whimper of pain slipping from my lips as I started to tremble, writhing in pain in the floor as Shadows continue to close in on Crow, paying little mind to me.
"Just like you gave up when fighting for your friends? 'The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed'- an excuse you hide behind in your weakness, your unwillingness to defy fate. Are you really going to let another fall before you? Are you truly that pathetic?"
A trembling whimper covered my soft whisper, a whisper only I could hear.
"Louder!"
"No..." I repeated, only barely louder than the first time.
"Let them hear you! Stop hiding behind the cards of fate, burn them away and leave nothing but ashes in your wake!"
"Leave... Him... ALONE!"
The strength surging through me was unfamiliar, yet familiar... I could recall feeling it once before, maybe back when I was one with Makoto... But even so, I found myself back on my feet, though my hands trembled- but more importantly, the eyes of the Shadows had been turned to me.
I felt... Something. It was suddenly formed on my face, a mask... I grabbed it, struggling with it, trying to pull it off. I could feel feathers and cold steel under my fingertips as I moved my hands to get a better grip, it was like it was attached to my skin... I grabbed it, pulling as hard as I could, and ripping it off- it tore my flesh, blood starting to seep down my face, but not getting in my eyes as I faced the Shadows. It hurt, but it felt... Exhilarating. Then blue flames formed, enveloping my body.
"That's as I thought! Don't let them make you kneel in defeat, don't let the fate written by another prevent you from carving your own path! No matter if you must travel through the territories of enemies, with the strength of will, even Poseidon is sure to crumble! Now, seal our contract! I am Thou..."
"And Thou... Art I..." I set the mask back upon my face, and ready my sword again. "Let's leave them like the ruins of Troy, Odysseus!"
Fighting Shadows with a Persona is MUCH easier. Especially when they happen to be weak to Curse and your Persona apparently specializes in that...
But, I was absolutely exhausted afterwards. I stumbled a little, but I knew I had to keep moving...
I go back over to Crow, who hasn't said much about what just happened so far.
"Hmph... From that outfit and your mask, I suppose Raven is a fitting codename..."
"Huh?"
I give my outfit a once over- oh. Oh! Oh wow! I found myself wearing all black and blue, with a chain on my jeans, decorated with black and blue feathers, a black shirt with long sleeves and some cool zipper stuff going on, with a dog tag that had 十三 written on it, Kanji for 13... Black gloves, with more chains hanging around my sleeves and feathers hanging from, but what possibly stood out the most was the billowing, feathery cloak I now had, looking almost like wings... It was black with a blue glow to it, and it even had a hood! It was pretty neat! But, there were more, pressing matters...
I helped Crow back up.
"Come on, let's go..."
"Very well..."
Flash forward and a decent amount of time had passed, he was in recovery, and there were some friends of his who stopped by- well, I say they're friends, Akechi-kun refuses to call them that himself. I don't know what went down between them all but they came to make sure he was okay... That means something, right? Or is this just another case of humans being confusing? They do that a lot, but I can't help but adore them anyways. There briefly was a man, though, who said he was here to visit... I don't know why, but when he showed up, I actually believed Akechi-kun about him not being a friend. I didn't leave his side during that meeting, needless to say... I couldn't really stop him, after all... I think he could tell I didn't like the air around him, by how he kept looking at me with a glare, but Akechi-kun seemed a bit more tolerant of me after that. I just really didn't like that guy...