Memories of Us

The Fall of Love

"Kazuichi!"

"Heya, Makoto! Looks like I'm staying in the same dorm as you. Isn't that awesome?"

There in the hallway with bags and boxes were the influx of a new roommate but it was fine with the dorm being so expansion as it was, there were dozens of rooms on the various three floors and Kazuichi would have the room on the same floor as Makoto.

Togami was mouthing words and most were insults because being the student council president carried prestige in his family and not everyone was worthy of being in the same room as him; but it still irked Naegi a bit that Togami could have that arrogance and air of sophistication when there wasn't anything exceptional about him except for his money, as his family was the rival of the Kuruyuru Group. Naegi didn't have much money to his name after his parents' death and even less when he grew older.

"Anyhow, Souda, do you know where your room is?" Togami put a hard edge to his walking and took a slight curve of the spine by leaning against the sofa chair. "Or do you need someone to explain what it means to be civil and well mannered?"

"Hey! I'm not any of that...I'll have you know that I can be just as snotty as you and just because--"

"And yes, just because of his family and his grade above yours, he is your senpai and upperclassmen should be treated with respect, so no lip with Togami. You hear me, Souda?"

Why was Kirigiri so icy? Why the dicing of words? Why the need to be cruel and malevolent in her tone but it was empty, wasn't it? She was completely empty, devoid of any real passion or color.

"Exactly, and if you give me or Kirigiri any trouble, you're be out of this dorm quicker than disconnecting your head from your body."

Bloody. Brutal and such imagery.

"Now, Kirigiri and I must go as we can't always welcome new boarders here. This is a once in a lifetime thing so, be grateful and appreciative that we came."

All the way up to the second floor, Kazuichi's own mouth was opening with obscenities and such pleasantries that Naegi's head felt calm and reassured because Kazuichi felt real. He felt tangible and Naegi could grasp Kazuichi confidently and Naegi did with a single shake.

"Hey, what's up with that?"

"You gotta be more grateful, Kazuichi..."

"Don't sound like them, Makoto and I find this to be the best outcome in the history of the world because we can take full advantage with this." A wild smirk crept on Kazuichi and Naegi felt like shaking his head and face palming.

"How so?" Timidly the voice emerged and he sought some real struggle to begin; A struggle that could validate his own existence and if using Personas were the key to this....? Was this fate or whatever that brought Kazuichi to this dorm? Did he have the potential too? Was that the reason why he came here? Their stay was only for a year as both Kirigiri and Togami would be graduating in the spring and they were the glue that convinced no doubt Fuyuhiko to let them stay in this old dorm.

"Is that your room? Can I go in?"

"No. It's private in there..."

"Whatcha hiding, Makoto?"

All the bags and boxes tumbled down and Naegi didn't have the energy to try anymore, at least for now but Kazuichi didn't push it further. "I guess we all have our secrets."

"Yes, we do and I prefer to keep mine locked away in that room."

"JUST...JUST..."

The voice was muted as the policeman sheltered the young boy from the bloodless scene, from the swinging bodies but why did it occur? Why was this going on now? Shouldn't they be alive? Shouldn't they...? Why did they do this? Why was the young boy lost in nightmare? There wasn't anything to wake him up and no kiss could help because those lips were cold and dead.

"Makoto!"

"Komaru!" The young boy shoved the policeman and had the advantage of being quite small slipped out and with open arms, he clasped his sister tightly. There were no more doorways to what life could be and there weren't illusions to what they both saw and heard. The rope and its musty smell and the utter lifelessness of hope ripped from them and the despair that followed onward.

"Mom...dad..." Komaru sobbed into those arms while having little strength to do little else and this was the nightmare they had shadowing them. The nightmare of those silhouettes outlined in despair and waking hours.

"MAKOTO-PLEASE!"

"PLEASE!"

Naegi opened his eyes again lost in the nightmare of the past, that day death visited and never left. Could he really be special? Could the voice in his head really say that he was special because of his Persona? Could his Persona define him and his abilities?

"So, you're thinking too much, it seems."

"Wh-"

"I kind of see how it's hard to accept being ordinary but you're really extraordinary but my reason here isn't to give compliments..." A younger black-haired kid in striped clothes stood at the front of the bed with a gleeful smile. Surely, Naegi knew who this kid was but slowly the words didn't form and Naegi didn't call out for help, accepting the inevitability of their meeting.

"Every full moon the shadows will be stronger."

"Why are you bothering me with this?"

"You want to validate your existence with your Persona and thus I'm telling you the means to do it. Think of this as another bond that is necessary."

I am thou...

Thou art I...

Thou hast established a new bond...

Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Death Arcana