Persona - Mask of Origins

Ari's eyes were glued to Zain, now standing over the writhing shadow and twisting his lance in it's heart, "We'll see just how much pain you can take." Zero was murmuring in his ear, but it didn't seem to be changing Zain's actions.

 

"That's enough, Zain. We've done what we've set out to do, now finish it off."

 

Zain snarled again and pulled his lance from it, "No, he doesn't deserve the release of death. You deserve to live in agony." Zero pulled him away from the shadow and toward Ari and Yuki. "Let's just get outta here, before they come back." "Come back? They're dead." Zero gave him an incredulous look, "Not all of them. That was about a tenth of their force. You don't really believe that little possy could hurt me, Nicholi and father in one night, do you? No....that's not possible." Zain gathered Ari into his arms, murmuring his apologies that she had to see him like that.

 

Yuki sighed in relief as she headed home.

 

Nicholi greeted them with an unusual colder manner. "You're not dead...warm yourselves, it's cold out tonight." Zero hovered around his brother and Zain slowly fed Ari his own secret soup to warm her. "You're alright now, Ari. I promise they can't hurt you anymore." Ari glanced at Yuki and back to Zain, "You used to have a Persona. Now that you're a copy, you don't have one. Isn't there a way to get another one?" Zain froze and Callen laughed.

 

"Not that I know of. Persona normally find their users though, so maybe another one will come to him."

 

Zain nodded, though he doubted it. He did miss the familiar chatter of Orphan and Eden's singing. Remembering music, he picked up his guitar and plucked out Yuki's Song.

 

"I'm surprised you still remember that song. I never get tired of hearing it."

 

Zain smiled, "Of course I remember it. I remember everything else, why not this too. It was almost the first thing to come back. It must have rided on the original Zain's mind every day. Though I doubt I'd ever be able to create something so beautiful."

 

"You probably could. I imagine you'll end up writing a song for Ari at some point."

 

Ari blushed and Zain faultered in his song. "Ah, I imagine that song would be quite different than yours."

 

"I would hope so." Yuki said as she ruffled Zain's hair. "After all, you want the song you write for her to be special, right?"

 

Zain turned a bright red, "Well, yes, but...Yuki.." he sighed and continued the song.

Nicholi poked at Toji's notes. He'd gone through the ones they'd taken from his father a thousand times.

 

"Any reason why you're looking through my notes?"

 

Nicholi felt the urge to snarl an supperessed it. "They're the Doctor's notes and I thought since he recreated Zero and I so well, he'd have something on how he did it...but it's not here. Recreating our mother is the only reason I'm still alive. I'd rather die if I can't do this." it sounded depressing but in Nicholi's mind, it was right and the perfect reason to live.

 

"I imagine my father has that information under lock and key at his home. We can probably get it easily."

 

Nicholi tensed, "I can't go back there. Last time, I saw what remained of my original mother. It all comes back when I set foot there. I can get you inside, past the guards, but any further is up to you."

Zain set aside his guitar and closed his eyes, feeling exhaustion wash over him. "With all this fighting in the middle of the night, I forget to sleep. I should do that now..."

 

"You don't have to go. I can manage it by myself."

 

Nicholi shrugged, "I'd insist, but I truely hate the place. If you wish. I'll see you when you return then." he almost added in why he was doing so much for a shadow but held his tongue. He knew the answer and didn't wish to hear it out loud.

 

Toji went to the lab and found the vault where his father kept his important notes. He began to pick the lock.