Persona - Mask of Origins

rio looked at zain "do you ever lisen to me zain?"rio asked

 

Zain's purple eyes flicked up to Rio and assessed the boy's lack of courage and comprehension of the situation, "No not really. Daieko...I'll take your job. If it means it'll help you find a cure for me and I get to hunt those things, I'll do it."

Daieko grinned, "Nicely chosen...Dark Hunter. Now, your lance is a nice weapon but if I were you I'd practice your magic more often."

Zain gave him an annoyed look, "Fine."

 

Yuki yawned. She had not slept in days.

"Just don't do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed out there, Zain." She said bluntly.

 

Zain smiled gently and reached across the table to her, "I promise." He was glad at least that his claws could be hidden by the illusion Shemhazai put on top of the other one he had to hide the more severe parts.

Daieko grinned and stood, "Then I shall take my leave of you, today you rest, tomorrow we begin training. And then...you become what you were born to be. At least that's what you should think. Shiv made you a shadow to be apart of the army of shadows someone is creating. You are not the only one she's made like this. We hunt those like you."

Zain growled, "I'm not okay with hunting humans, half shadow or not."

Daieko's laughter echoed down the hallway as he walked toward the door, "Then you've no problem. They aren't human in the slightest bit now. Not after giving themselves over to the darkness like that." He left them and Zain dropped his head to the table mumbling incoherent things.

 

Yuki soon passed out on the couch from lack of sleep.

 

Zain waited for a while until he was sure Daieko was gone before picking Yuki up from the couch and carrying her to her bedroom. "Good night Yuki, hopefully you have sweeter dreams than I do." He left her and sat in his room as darkness fell. The potion had worked, he didn't feel a twinge and quietly wrote down journal entries into a notebook.

Daieko hummed to himself as he walked home, "We did good Shemhazai. He believed every word. Now...all that's left is to collect the samples and finish this horrid thing. My father was wrong...I can finish the experiment by myself." Shemhazai grumbled quietly and pawed the ground with a metalic hoof, And of Zalera? Will you keep him locked away like this forever? Away from Eden? Daieko refused to answer her.

 

Yuki slept, tossing and turning from nightmares she couldn't wake up from.

 

Zain listened, he could hear Yuki. Hesitating at her door, he shook his head and went in, "Yuki?" Seeing her tossing about he gently shook her awake, "Yuki, wake up! It's only a dream."

 

Yuki awoke in a cold sweat. She was visibly shaking, frightened by her dreams.

 

He wiped the sweat from her face and wrapped his arms around her, "It's alright Yuki. I'm here." Shemhazai's illusion fell from him as Daieko fell asleep. Zain hadn't realized the more severe changes of his body showed through his illusion. Spines had ripped from his arms and along his spine.

 

Yuki started to cry.

"I wish these dreams would stop. I feel like I'll go insane.

 

"yuki stop it okay you are really being a baby okay!!!!!!!"rio said

 

Sakuya came up behind Rio and roundhouse kicked him in the face. "No one calls Yuki a baby. Especially not some kid who thinks he's tough." Sakuya went to Yuki's side. "It's going to be okay, Yuki-chan."

 

Yuki wiped her tears and smiled at Sakuya.

 

Sakuya smiled at her. "I'll be there for you. After all, who defended you from the bullies when we were six?"

 

"You did. I never was much for violence."

 

"Right. And no matter what, I'll always be there. Isn't that what friends are for?"

 

Yuki nodded.

"I'm gonna get some coffee. There's no way I can go back to sleep now."

 

Sakuya nodded and stretched. "How bad is the dream lately?"

 

"It was horrible. These dreams have been getting worse by the day."