Persona - Mask of Origins

Yuki quietly left his room and went to sleep in her own room.

 

The next few weeks remained the same as always. Zain grew into the same old teenager. His culinary skills went back to how they were and his love of music returned. Though he was 13 physically and mentally, he was very young in actual age.

Listening to Paralyzer on his ipod, Zain almost carefully made breakfast for his sister. Bits of his memory of his parents were returning. Each one made him cry in secret in his room with Ari beside him. He was forever trying to impress and elict a response from a girl who had no emotions.

 

Yuki let Zain handle all the cooking, mainly since she started working.

 

Zain put their food down and stared up at the ceiling until his song had ended and shovelled the food into his mouth. The shots kept coming from Zero and the check ups from Nicholi increased now that he was more physicaly active. Zain picked up his backpack from the floor and called to Yuki, "Hey sis, I'm headin' off to school now. Breakfast's on the table. Oh, and I've got a date after school so I'll be home later. For the love of god, don't lock the door on me." He laughed and waved bye to Ari.

 

"I can't lock you out. You have a key, remember? I'll probably see you late tonight, cause I have work after I get out of school."

 

Zain shrugged, he figured if things went as planned, he wouldn't come back til early morning. Thirteen or not, he felt older and his memories proved that. Experimentation was the theme of tonight. A dark thought crossed his mind, Isn't that what cheerleaders are for in the first pace? Laughing softly to himself he left for school and Ari felt abandoned. "Yuki-sama...Ari's not sure if Zain's ready for public school. Zain isn't Zain-Sensei but he's...begining to frighten Ari. Zain's thoughts are dark, Ari can tell."

 

"What kind of thoughts is he having?"

 

"Ari does not know for sure, but they seem to be more inappropriate than a thirteen year old should be having. Perhaps the elevated hormones of his quickly growing body are more than he can handle."

 

"Probably. Let's just hope they don't get him in trouble." Yuki said before eating breakfast.

 

Ari nodded.

Zain sat through school almost painfully as he waited for it to end. The older girls found him attractive and the girls his own age found him simply as cute. He valued the older girls' attention more as he lightly trailed his finger across one of the girls' cheeks. Unconsciously he made a comment that made her blush and the others simmer with rage. Several teachers witnessed his increased contact with the girls lately. Their angry phone calls home would be intercepted by Zero and Callen's monitoring system. Keeping Zain on the track he was meant to be on.

 

Yuki went to work after school.

 

Zain left school with at least three girls. He treated them to a movie.

 

Yuki left work and collapsed on the couch.

 

Early morning came around and Zain managed to convince the girls to drive him home. They dropped him off with kisses and oddly fond looks. Waving, he started inside. Ari was waiting for him, a scowl pasted onto her face and her eyes glowing a rusty color. "Ari was worried. Ari thought you'd been killed. Zain shouldn't worry Ari so much." "Chill, Ari. I was just out with some friends. We had...a good time." Ari didn't doubt it was a good time...in their beds.

 

"You really should cool your jets sometimes, Zain. You might end up with a kid of your own if you keep letting your hormones take control." Yuki said before taking a swig of coffee.

 

Zain turned to see Yuki and cringed, "Doubtful. I have protection. Don't sweat it, sis. At least I wasn't out drinking. Shouldn't you be happy about that? C'mon Ari, cut me some slack." Ari shook her head and retreated to her room.

 

"If I ever found out that you were drinking, I'd ring your neck." Yuki said after taking another drink of coffee. She got up from the table.

"I'll be staying at Toji's tonight, so you know where to find me if you need me."

 

Zain cringed at Yuki's words and watched her go. "Jeez, I get laid once and suddenly I'm the bad guy." He wandered into his room, filled with the old things of Zain's before. "Everything feels like mine and I remember it so, but...it's not really mine." he sighed and flopped down on his bed.

 

Yuki sighed as she walked to Toji's.

"I feel like I'm acting more like Zain's mother rather than his sister." She said to herself before she walked in.

 

Zain felt the full force of his memories return. The realization his parents were killed by some shadow by Lady Shiv's order's sent him reeling. His head aching, he bolted to Ari's room and curled beside her on her bed. "I'm sorry, Ari. What's wrong with me? Where is the real Zain so he can have his memories back. They're so...depressing and dark. I can't belive all this happened to one guy i'm supposed to resemble and be." Ari rubbed his hair and back, comforting him. Zain isn't Zain-Sensei...but you are close to him. Ari knows because she can feel Zain-Sensei's heart within you. Zain is good, Ari will help you be more like Zain-Sensei and grow up." Zain felt an involuntary wave of warmth toward Ari. He didn't like her that way, he couldn't.