Smile Acquired [Persona 3]

This Is How It Begins

?/? - ???
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A boy was seen running down a barren road. Puddles of blood splattered underneath his shoes, scattered amongst his city. Huge crystal-like coffins lined the streets, coffins in cars, outside on sidewalks, everywhere. It didn't matter, every place he came across, he saw a coffin where he would normally see people. But the thing that stood out the most was the eerie moon above him. The moon was no longer white, pale and pretty like it was usually, instead it was a disgusting yellow. It was the type of yellow with that mixture of green that made it feel as if you were being watched. It gave him shivers if he were honest.

The boy continued running, he ran from his thoughts, his un-comfort. The one thing he knew was that the clock struck twelve as he closed his eyes. When he had them closed -longer than he intended, of course- he could feel an unnerving stillness that made him feel as if fingers caressed his arms and the slight feeling of being watched by eyes not physically there. So, as he opened them, he found that his parents were nowhere, but in place were two, large boxes in the shape of a cliché coffin.

So he ran, he didn't care about what would happen when his parents stepped out of those coffins, he cared about running away. He cared about running away from the monsters that had arisen from his fear. The monsters that resembled shapes with a multitude of colored masks, but they had hands that had grasped his hoodie multiple times which made him run faster.

He had passed his school, he was running across Moonlight Bridge and was heading towards Tatsumi Port Island. He knew that the place made him feel like a million eyes were watching him in the dark, that there was more danger there. He knew that the island was sketchy, and he knew he was cornering himself. He knew he was walking right into the lion's den.

But he also knew that his legs wouldn't listen to his fatigue, he knew that his body was basically on autopilot, and he knew that something was making him come to the island unwillingly. The boy continued to run, and he didn't stop until he lost all of those monsters.

He had leaned on the nearest wall as his lung felt like collapsing in on itself, almost like his lungs were caving in, his breathing completely unsteady. His insides turned inside out and there was an overwhelming sense of dread and heaviness on his shoulders. Was he disoriented by this new time? Or was it simply him being not the most athletic?

No, it was disorientation. He had been in track before, that possibility would make the most sense. How far had his body moved on its own? What had dragged him to the weird island? Questions pounded into his head, his migraine medicine wearing off easily. He wondered how long this migraine problem last, it was the one thing that would get his mind off the weirdness of today.

---

The boy wandered around the mall, the stillness and eerie green color had stayed, making the new time of "day" very prominent to the boy. The once majestic fountain had blood pouring out and some had overflowed over the side and became another puddle of blood. He stepped into another puddle, wondering if it would stay after it was over.

If the time would actually go away after all.

The boy doubted the blood would stay on his shoe long, with all the walking he was doing.

He sighed before sitting on the bench closest, which was cold and unwelcoming, looking around the mall numbly. He had shopped mostly at the third-hand stores nearest to the residential area, so he never been to the mall, to the island at all in fact.

He sighed before getting up after his short rest, walking back outside to see the eeriness still there. He began to walk back, staying in the corners and hiding away from the monsters. He safely made it back to his house, but he didn't want to walk in.

He didn't want to see his parents in a cold, boxed interior instead of their warm embrace welcoming him. The boy moved on as he knew that the monsters would find him if he stayed in one place for long.

---

He had saved the boy, but now he was even more tired than he was before. As he left from his home he saw a kid who seemed older and heard him taking orders from someone. He was fighting the monsters valiantly, the voice was telling things to the boy as he fought. When suddenly, a chunk of sharp ice had shattered in front of him, letting the monster gain initiative of the fight.

"Akihiko!"

That was the name the voice yelled, so the spectator assumed that was the grey-haired boy's name. They seemed in trouble, it seemed as if the voice was merely supporting him. Even then, with the way this "Akihiko" was losing, the new arrival wondered if the voice was more of a fighter than support.

That was the worst moment as the boy's body ran forward to protect the boy from the attack. The attack hurt, that was an understatement as he had taken the full brunt of it. "Akihiko" eyes widened before he got up, and the voice seemed focused with the new addition. The boy who took the hit simply stood, as if he wasn't hit by the monster head on.

His mind was screaming in pain, but his body seemed for the most part normal. He stood, turning to "Akihiko" who nodded in turn. He walked away from the fight, staying on guard to make sure the enemy never used that weird attack that knocked him down. Actually, it was more of limp but-

If the monster were cast the attack once more, he would jump in, he promised. And since he could rest, he sat down in pain. Or rather, he settled his mind from the pain.

"Excuse me..." The boy turned only to see no one, he then looked to the other side and saw that no one was there either. "Haha, I'm not there. It's part of my power to talk to you without actually being there."

"Oh."

That was literally the only thing he could say. After all, he couldn't believe that he survived that attack when he obviously shouldn't. He couldn't believe this new time of day with weird monsters and even weirder people.

"You're most likely surprised and I'm sorry dragging you into this. I'd like for you to speak to both Akihiko and me after the fight." The one thing the boy noticed was how professional the voice who barely seemed older than he was. Who was he to judge, voices give off terrible impressions.

It didn't really shock him as he knew there was those type of children out there, he just didn't suspect one type of those children would be so close. And he met them by complete chance too.

"Sure. I don't think we should talk outside. You know a safer place?" The boy could feel their eyes widen at his observation skills. The voice stuttered before a quick "humph" came from their lips, "Thank you, you're quite sharp. I do know of a place." Scratch that, the voice lost their composure already.

Are they not used to observative people being around them or something?

The boy nodded before standing, the fight ended after "Akihiko" gave a final punch at it. He turned around and out of the nearest corner came a red-headed girl who the boy presumed was the person who spoke.

"Before we go, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Kirijo Mitsuru," She then pointed her head at the grey-haired boy he saved from the hit, "he's Sanada Akihiko. What's your name?" Both of them stared at the younger boy before he looked down at the green floor.

"My name's [Last Name] [Your Name], it's nice to meet you both..."

---

The reader's going to be a very important social link to Minato, I already have the plans in mind. I'm also going to change the plot a bit since there is a new character, so one would assume that the story would change.

Other than that, there will probably be bits and pieces of minor battles in Tartarus, full fights of the guardians, and obviously full fights of the full moon shadows. So, yes, major gameplay mechanics such as battles and social links will appear. Not much of the status will be shown in comparison, probably as many times as minor Tartarus battles.

-Unedited-