Is he a Reaper or a Thief? [Persona series Fanfic]

[Cypherxk2]

"Igor.... What's it been, five years since my last visit?" A voice called out from the back of the blue colored subway car, punctuated by the tap of a boot on the floor, "Did I fuck something up again like I did that time when I double-tapped Adachi in the face after he annoyed me too much?"

"No, nothing of that sort." A another voice answered, one that was as eerie as it was wise, "While that was an.... inconvenience.... to the other guest we had at the time, it was easily corrected."

"Yeah, I followed them the second time and dealt with the Reaper as they dealt with Ameno-sagiri." The first voice snorted, an amused chuckle in it as the past was recalled.

"Be that as it may, it seems Fate has ordained to give you a second chance at a meaningful journey." The second voice said, a knowing tone in it as a tablet burst into existance overhead, "Take this as a token of this new beginning."

The tablet drifted downwards, landing gently in the hands of a young man who's eyes had narrowed in suspicion. The man was naturally suspicious of things, but "Fate" deciding to reverse itself for anyone was unheard of. It made him wonder what the owner of the second voice was up to. Considering his distrust of most everyone, it wasn't hard to imagine what his shadow covered face looked like.

"You will not be alone in this journey this time, as the persons whom represented the Chariot and Priestess Arcana with be starting out with you." The second voice, or as the young man have called it earlier, Igor spoke as the young man started to grow sleepy, "When you last saw them, you had to watch as their memories of you were purged. This was merely to set up for a partial Compression of Time so that your journey could begin in earnest upon such time as your thread of Destiny would not be bound to that of other with the Potential to wield the Wild Card."

"You mean...." The young man started to say only to lose his train of thought as his vision started to fade.

"Rest now, your questions will have to wait upon your next visit here." Igor said, a small grin on his face as the young man slowly disappeared from the Velvet Room, "You've given so much to other guests' journeys, you are now ready to begin your own.... Shin Kazuhira."

 

[Cypherxk2]

He jerked awake in his seat, immediately drawing the attention of the long, black haired girl sitting next to him as he looked about wildly for a moment. His heart was beating fast in his chest, almost bursting out of his ribcage with how suddenly on edge he was. Only the touch of the girl eased him, acting as a salve for his raging emotions as he looked at her then up at the short brown haired girl whom had almost climbed over his seat to look at him as well. For a wild moment, he didn't believe the concerned looks that gave him. Almost didn't believe that they actually remembered him until it registered that the girl with long black hair was whispering his name.

"Shin-Senpai? What the matter?" She asked, confusion playing across her face as he covered his eyes wearily.

"Nothing, Yukiko. Just feel like I walked right into a nightmare out of a horror movie." He replied, reaching up with his right hand to flick the second girl between the eyes, "I'm fine, Chie, I'm fine. I still can't believe you both opted to come with me."

Wait.... I was alone went I opted to leave Inaba. Why is Chie and Yukiko with me?, He found himself thinking, sudden alertness flaring within him as he cradled his head, They were the first ones to forget me after Yu defeated Izanami on okami. What's going on?

"Yo, Shin, you've been acting distant since Narukami left a year and a half ago." Chie spoke up, hopping over the seat to his right to sit next to him as Yukiko put her hand on his shoulder, "We all knew it be difficult to say good-bye but you seemed to take it the hardest."

Did I? He wondered, trying to recall but unable to, It was hard on everyone... Rise couldn't stop crying and I almost kicked Teddie onto the train tracks for his stupid bear puns.

"I rather doubt that.... I couldn't stand being around Narukami for very long." He said drily after a for seconds of consideration, "I did respect his leadership skill though."

"Narukami thought highly of you." Yukiko spoke up, taking one of his hands away from his face as Chie punched his arm, "He once told me before we saved Naoto-kun that if we'd have had to split up into teams to clear one of the floors in the Midnight Channel, he have put you in charge of the second team."

This was moving to him in an unnerving way. The sense of trust from Yu that he was reminded of making his distrusting nature seem shallow. Now that his memory had been jogged a bit, he remembered how Yu had taken intricate care to get his opinion in the investigation after rescuing Rise Kujikawa. He recalled how driven he'd been, almost suicidally reckless in getting to her. That was when he hadn't cared if he was alone. That was before his heart....

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Narukami..." He grunted, glancing at both girls as he resolved to discover why they were with him on this train to what felt like Hell, "Anyway, I'm counting on both of you...."

"Right!" Yukiko said, nodding as she smiled at him.

"You got it!" Chie spoke right after Yukiko while throwing an arm over his shoulders.

I am thou, Thou are I

Thou has reaffirmed the bonds that strengthen thy heart

These bonds will be the light that shines upon the truth thyth seek

You will be blessed when creating persona of the Chariot and Priestess Arcana.​

Why do I get the sense there is gonna be a long road ahead of me?

 

[Cypherxk2]

Their destination happened to be Tokyo, which was where he intended to stay for a bit to gather some things. Still being on the train, he discovered some discrepancies with what was happening and what he remembered. Apparently, Yukiko had been in the process of getting ready to take over her family's Inn when her parents stepped, which lined up with what he remembered, but her parents told her out of the blue that they wished for her to life her life unshackled to the Inn. This last bit of information was the discrepancy he noticed, since as far as he know her parents wanted her to take over the Inn. It confused him a great deal to consider that.

For Chie, the explanation was much more simple and even harder to swallow. Yu, before his departure, had asked her to keep an eye on him. A small and difficult task to do, as Chie had informed him, but one she'd taken to heart. Additionally, he was stunned to hear that she and he had, for a brief time, been dating but broke it off after they realized her friend Yosuke Hanamura wasn't really accepting of them being together and appeared to like her himself.

His response to that was just to distance himself from everyone but Chie and Yu. The problem was that that plan backfired almost instantly due to Yukiko, Rise, Kanji Tatsumi, Naoto Shirogane, and Teddie all bugging him non-stop when he suddenly missed school for a week. He couldn't remember having so bad of a migraine for so long. It got to a point he started keeping a running tab of the number of times he threw a pillow at someone just to make them leave. Out of all of them, Yukiko had had the most pillows thrown at her and still refused to leave him to his own devices.

That cemented his relationship with Yukiko because, as Yu pointed out to him, she was like a foil for him where family was concerned. She'd become something of a little sister to him, becoming the family he never really had. She gave him someone to turn to when he had no one at first. He'd been grateful to her for as long as he could remember. He'd even taken a part time job at her family's Inn to help her out.

He bonded with Chie over training. It started out as just them watching each other go through progressions. Then it progressed into them giving each other pointers on what could be worked on. Eventually, it progressed to full contact sparring matches where they both had bumps and bruises by the end of it. He learned some martial arts moves from her while she became better at avoiding melee attack. It got to a point to where they had to stop because rumors started spreading about Chie being abused and Yosuke's got on his nerves.

"Are you okay, Shin-senpai?" Yukiko asked, making him wince internally with how her hair fell over her shoulder, "You were spaced out again."

"Just not feeling too well." He spoke, sighing as he shook his head slightly, "Regardless, are you both sure you're okay with little a small town for the big city with me?"

"Trust me, it was kinda scary to consider...." Chie stated as she fiddled with the portable DVD player that she brought with her, "But when I really thought about it, I knew I had to because we're partners. You could said I was driven to come with you."

Partners... I bet Yosuke would lose his lid over that.

"Truthfully, I'm not sure why I chose to come along." Yukiko admitted with embarrassment as she looked at the hem of her skirt while plucking at it, "After hearing what my parents told me before hearing you had decided to leave, my heart told me that I should go with you because you'd need me more than ever...."

Okay, that could be taken the wrong way. I'm leaving that one alone.

All of a sudden, the area rippled around them as the train car became gloomy and splattered with blood. He bolted to his feet, a sword materializing into his closing right hand as his clothes changed. Noticing this, he whirled to see Yukiko in a witch outfit with a fancy yet wicked looking fan in her hand and Chie in some kind of skimpy armor with greaves on her shins. Face palming, mostly to cover his eyes becauce of Chie's new outfit, he realized they were in trouble. Trouble that they'd have to face head on.

"What the hell is going on?!" Chie asked in horror as she knelt to cover herself.

"I don't know, but if I'm right..." He said calmly as he gave the sword a few practice swings clear of the girls, "It's the Midnight Channel all over again..."

 

[Cypherxk2]

A/N: At this point, I'm accepting applications for open Social links and possible party members. Pm me with a basic character sheet of your character(s) and what Arcana you want them associated with. I'll message the accepted characters and work out story arcs for the social links.
End A/N

Social Link list

Arcana Name
0. Fool
I. Magician
II. Priestess
III. Empress
IV. Emperor
V. Hierophant
VI. Lovers
VII. Chariot
VIII. Justice
IX. Hermit
X. Fortune
XI. Strength
XII. Hanged Man
XIII. Death
XIV. Temperance
XV. Devil
XVI. Tower
XVII. Star
XVIII. Moon
XIX. Sun
XX. Judgement

---

"Try calling your Personas." He said looking up suddenly, a hard analytical look in his red eyes as something occurred to him.

"A-alright.... Persona!!" Yukiko said, following his sudden order and calling her Persona.

He was expecting to see Sumeo-Okami. Instead he saw Konohana Sakuya appear behind Yukiko. Chie followed suit soon after, Tomoe appearing instead of Haraedo-no-Okami. This information made him feel sick, as it meant that they were in real trouble. Something was repressing the girls' Personas, and it had to be powerful. They had to get out of this. As he looked around he felt something watching them.

"We better move.... Something's here...." He said, looking towards the front of the twisted train as a familiar voice cut him off.

"Finally got through to you all..." The voice said, a serious tone in it as he moved past Yukiko into the aisle, "I've been searching for anyone to help me get out of this place."

"Kujikawa?" He asked, moving towards the front of the train, "I thought you were on tour..."

"There's time for that later," She snapped, and he got the distinct impression that she's stomped her foot at him at the same time, "Just get to the second car from the front, I'll guide you there."

He nodded to the girls, whom nodded back despite their changes of clothes while following him. Yukiko seemed relatively okay with her outfit, and actually seemed to pull it off in his opinion. Chie was more flustered but was coming around to the outfit pretty quick as she learned of how much range of movement she had available to her. He was blushing slightly because of both of them but quickly got over it as he opened the door to the next car.

"It's showtime, Let's gets going." He said, sword at the ready as he unknowingly took the first steps of his Journey.

 

[Cypherxk2]

He found himself and the girls forced to sneak through a majority of the train cars, seeing as he couldn't call his Persona, Critias. Despite him saying he would be fine and could sneak past the shadows they found roaming the aisles, he could feel the girls staying closer to him than he'd like. Their protectiveness was both an annoyance and comfort to him as he'd always put up an air of independence and invulnerability back when they met him. It felt surprisingly uplifting to know that they were looking out for him.

Still, he felt like he was dragging them down. Something that he hated with a passion. Of all things, he hated feeling like a burden to others. It never sat well with him. Nor did not being able to stand his own. It was like handcuffing him to a car and telling him to free himself in 15 seconds while having only 7 seconds before said car went off a cliff.

"SHIN!!"

He whipped around, only to be launched to the end of train car he was in after being smacked by the long barreled revolver of a shadow whom he recognized. The wind was knocked out of him as he hit the door leading the next car. He landed in a heap as his weapon lay embedded in a seat nearby. Unable to think or recover his breath, he was completely at the mercy of the shadow before him.

Are you really gonna yield that easily? To a second rate piece of shit shadow like the Reaper?​

What more can I do? I'm useless without a Persona.

Oh, so it's my fault you've grown weaker.​

What? No, how....?

Cause the first ever scooter crash into the Shrine in Inaba? My fault. Send Ryotaro Dojima into a tail spin while on a wild goose chase trying to find his daughter whom Yu specifically said to him would be spending the day with you at the Samegawa Flood Plain? My fault. Accidentally grope Yukiko's breasts during during a power outage while stumbling and causing Yu, Yosuke, Teddie, and Kanji Tetsumi to all get slapped for no apparent reason all. Ho oh oh, my fault!​

How is it your fault?! Those are things that happened to me!

Yet they wouldn't have happened had you not met him.​

Minato Arisato.... He pushed me to.....

That he did but by giving up you shame his wish for you. Do you remember what it was?​

Yeah.... I remember..... And his sacrifice for me wasn't wrong.....

He found himself rising to his feet, almost feeling the essence of the person the voice in his mind had mentioned within his body as his eyes settled on Yukiko and Chie. He could see two pairs shadows in the form of men, one part of the pairs restraining each girl as the other prepared to violate them sexually. Energy gathered around him as his red eyes turned golden. It was the moment of his evolution. Things would never be the same. His instincts would drive him from here on.

"Ravage them, Messiah!!" He yelled, the Shadow with revolvers drifting away from him as the Shadows manhandling Yukiko and Chie were drawn towards him with the amount of power he was putting off, "Megidolaon!!"

 

[Cypherxk2]

There's burns the fire that thou once held in thy breast!! I will answer thy call.... With a savage roar!!​

His new persona obliterated the shadows that held the girls, erasing them with stark ease as he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. Still, he forced himself to stay up right. the battle wasn't over, and The Reaper had survived and was defending itself in preparation for another attack. They needed him, and he couldn't let them down. They were his friends, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for them.

"Yoshitsune!!" He called out, Messiah fading out as a samurai slashed the Reaper with a quick draw slash as it appeared, "It's over!!"

"I am thou... There!!"

"Come!! Hi-ya!!"

The slash appeared to have hit eight different times, as the Reaper recoiled from eight nigh instantaneous physical strikes before bring frozen and set ablaze simultaneously. It surprised him, as he wasn't aware of much else besides the rattling chains the Reaper had as it swiftly, if not stiffly, fled. His body felt numb, almost frozen with weariness as he realized it had run away. The Reaper never ran from a battle. So why did it do so now? He wouldn't know until later.

"Shin!!" He heard faintly as the persona he'd summoned vanished, another one of a Arcana he couldn't yet make out looking back as him as his vision became black the same moment he felt arms close around him, "Don't close your eyes!! Shin? SHIIIIIN!!!"