A Zoo in the Fog (PersonaxZoophobia)

Cold Trail

            Jackson once again found himself in the Velvet Room, Igor and the siblings playing away much like before. Igor looked up from his piano, his ever persistent grin unnerving Jackson even more after the worry he had just experienced. "Well, it seems like your journey has truly started young one." Igor gave a soft chuckle. "I suppose now would be a good time to explain the purpose of this room." Before Jackson could ask a question, a persona card appeared before him. It wasn't the Headless Horseman, but that of a small pixie in blue. Jackson took a hold of the card and looked over it. "You hold the fool arcana, represented by the number zero. Zero holds... many possibilities for you to grow your power."

"So, I can hold this and Headless Horseman?" Jackson let the card vanish, being added to a set of cards. There were eight in total, and besides the two he owned, they were all blank.

"Yes, and you can hold many more if you hone your power, and the bonds you hold with others. Your bond with Zillion allows you to create personas that flourish after creation, giving them tremendous power." Igor's words flowed as he continued playing away at the piano.

"My bonds with others..." Jackson said to himself. So, his personas grew as he spent time with others? That'll be a bit of an issue for an introvert like him. That and he didn't know what would really help the power grow beyond Headless Horseman and Pixie.

"I believe it is time to explain our duties." Theodore spoke, the bow on his cello gliding its way across the strings effortlessly. "My sister and I shall give you requests, if you are so inclined to finish them, rewards will be yours."

"As well as these." Margaret held out a set of keys. Each held a different color. Red, yellow, and blue. "Each of these keys allows you to take on a trial of strength and prowess to further extend your power."

"Against what?" Jackson asks. He knew his powers were fairly impressive, but all this sounded like it was currently out of his league.

"That, we cannot disclose as of this moment. Our apologies." Theodore gave an apologetic bow.

"It is simply the will of our master." Margaret says simply, continuing her melody.

"We may also offer the skill of persona fusion to you, a means of creating new personas. The two you use may be lost, but the new persona will grow as intended." Igor says.

Jackson considered it yet shook his head. "I'd... like to keep Headless Horseman for now."

"It is all your choice." Igor gave an understanding nod after he spoke. The melody sounded like it was ending. "The time grows near where you must return to the real world. Please, feel free to stop by." Jackson gave a little nod, before slowly closing his eyes.

Last night was a bit blurry, but Kayla and Zill had both stayed over and watched the TV. They must've moved Jackson to his bed, as he woke up in his room, small rays of sunlight making their way through the window. Jackson gave a long yawn before getting up and looked to his bedside clock for the time. It was 10:34 in the morning. Jackson slowly worked his way to the living room, finding Zill and Kayla were still there. He gave a light sigh of relief as he heads to the kitchen. Kayla looked over to him.

"Jackson, Zillion refuses to get up...I might need some assistance." Kayla sighed, trying to nudge Zill awake, who refused to even open his eyes.

"Just do what you normally do." Jackson said, beginning to check his wounds to see how they're healing. "Waking him is like poking a bear."

Kayla sighs. "Since the gentle way doesn't work..." She gets up, getting a glass and filling it with cold water. She then dumps it onto Zill's head. That got him up immediately.

"Ahh! Mal sueño! Ahh! Estabas allí! Ahh! pizza se ha ido!" Zill immediately shouted out as he woke up.

"... Can you translate Kayla? My Spanish is a little rusty." Jackson says, rubbing his eyes of tiredness.

"I think it goes something like, bad dream, you were there, the pizza is gone." Kayla said, tilting her head. "Either that or some weird reference involving pizza."

Zill sighed as he realized what just happened and stood up. "Well, it's both." Zill took a breath. "It's Butterfly and Dogkitty."

"Another show we binge watch on the weekends." Kayla gave a little smile. The two of them would watch musicals, TV shows, and other such thing when the weekend came around.

"Well, if you say so." Too tired to really care, Jackson drank coffee he was making while it was still hot and black. It burned, but he would get over it. The other two looked at him concerned but Jackson just took another sip of the scalding coffee and walks off to get ready.

Zechariah was never the type to get any rest with the work he already has, but now with the murders, he's juggling drinking coffee, doing vice principal work, and doing his now extended peacekeeping duties now that the murder had been committed. He had worked day and night with very little sleep. His more recent housemate, Cameron Walden, was worried with how little sleep he was receiving but he would manage. So far, they could only point to a cause of death being contributed to some unknown poison. The way the body was positioned, the killer wanted the body to be found. Like it's either some warning sign or a calling card. There was also some unidentified blunt force trauma, but that wasn't the cause of death. It was all puzzling to Zechariah. All the signs pointed to something otherworldly, but there weren't many things this otherworldly that he wouldn't be able to name it. Zechariah sighed, almost dozing off until Fabian knocked on his door.

"Zechariah, the department delivered those papers you asked for." He said, slowly peeking into Zechariah's office.

"Come in..." Zechariah struggled to stay awake, going over to Fabian.

"Zechariah? You look horrible. Did you sleep at all?" Fabian set the papers down, looking over the cheetah that is about to pass out.

"I'll be... fine..." Zechariah didn't help his case as he almost slumped over.

"C'mere..." Fabian helped Zechariah sit down and sighed. "You need to take care of yourself too, as tragic as this is."

"I mustn't... not while there's still work to be done." Zechariah yawned loudly, leaning against his desk.

"Please Zechariah. If there is anything about the case you need to report, tell me. I'll get it written down and sent over to the departments." Fabian tried to convince Zechariah. Zechariah took a moment and realized no work would be done like this.

"Well, you know the details of the body, but it all happened after a long rainy day, then..." Zechariah let out another yawn. "There was a thick yellow fog, unlike any other foggy day in any of the districts."

"Is that all?" Fabian asks, going to write it all down.

"Camilla, had a televised dance competition recently. Maybe a jealous competitor? A fan?" Zechariah was letting the gears in his head turn, even if they were breaking slowly from how tired he was.

"I'll have someone take you home. You're in no condition to work." Fabian sighs, going to call Cameron to help take Zechariah home. Zechariah sighed. Fabian was right, but they knew too little to stop here. Zechariah felt like he was missing something. Something big that's going right under his nose. He just needed to find out what.