Persona - Mask of Origins

"Off to Yuki's then, I suppose."

 

Callen nodded as Zero passed out, giving most of his full weight to Zain. Zain struggled, "Holy cow, how much do you weigh? Ugh, this guy feels like a bag of bricks!"

 

Yuki led them inside.

 

Zain and Callen set Zero down on the couch after spreading sheets down. Callen knelt beside him and glared up at the others, "Fetch me something to stitch him up with and bandage it. C'mon, move!"

 

Yuki tossed him a needle and thread, along with some bandages.

 

Callen, threaded the needle and it burst into flame. Blowing it out, he gave Zero a determined look and glanced to Zain and Toji, "Make sure he doesn't move too much." Zain couldn't have understood until Callen started to stitch Zero up. The hot needle threading through his skin and Zero screamed. Zain grabbed ahold of Zero's shoulders, keeping him still. "Stay strong for me, my son." Zero gritted his teeth through the pain.

 

Yuki went to her room, not wanting to watch.

 

After Callen had finished and bandaged up Zero. Zero had worn himself out and lay still. Zain's cell rang with an eerie ringtone. "Hey, that's Nicholi's ringtone." Listening he heard Nicholi's labored breathing on the other end, "Nick, where are you!? Come back to Yuki's." "Can't...gotta stay...hidden. I'll be...back soon. Zero and...father are...safe, no?" "They're here with us. They'll be okay. But Nick-" "I'll be alright. I've got help with me so don't worry." His voice was stronger but Zain still worried as he hung up and slumped to the ground next to Callen, "Well, what now?"

 

"We get some answers. Why were you three attacked?" Yuki asked Callen as she came downstairs.

 

Callen laughed at Yuki's question. "Why not attack us? Three different shadows living in a real house? Unaffected by the side-effects of being turned into a shadow? We're walking targets." Zero opened one eye, "He means, it was shadows that did this to us. Human's, I'd be able to kill in one hit, shadows are another matter. They saw us recreating Zain and they thought we were continuing the Doctor's research. In a way...we were. Nicholi kept us working on another subject. I think he took it with him. She wasn't complete but he kept mumbling about her when he went to sleep." "Who is she?" Zero hesitated to answer.

 

"It couldn't be his mother, could it?"

 

Zero flinched and Callen looked down. Zain shook his head, "What the hell! You guys are trying to recreate your own mom? Isn't that against the rules?" "Would it matter to you!? It's not your mother, Nicholi had brought back!" Ari bounded down the stairs and whatever else Zain was going to say was lost again. His eyes were rivited to her like metal to a magnet.

 

"Could you run to the store with Ari, Zain?"

 

Zain ripped his gaze away from her, "Wh-what!? I...." he sighed and reluctantly grabbed his jacket, "Fine. What am I getting anyway?" Zero looked up, "Could you pick me up some pain killers. I may heal faster than normal but this is getting ridiculous that I have to still be in pain." Zain gritted his teeth and watched Ari skip to his side. "Ari's ready to go anywhere with Zain." He mumbled something under his breath and started for the door.

 

Yuki watched them leave.

"I swear he's stubborn."

 

Zero grinned, "I see he's developing at a remarkable pace." Callen frowned and stood, "That woudn't be the first display of attraction toward Ari would it? I don't suppose he's been unusually active with females has he?" Callen moved to follow him but stopped at Zero's tone, "You leave it alone, Callen. Zain is progressing as we hoped. He'll be himself in a matter of weeks now."

 

"He's been far too active with women, if you ask me."

 

Callen growled at Zero and glared at him. "That's not normal behavior, Zero. It's not who Zain was. Did Ari ask you to put that into him? How much have you added to his code!?" Zero lifted himself slightly off the couch, "It was only a little bit of shadow hormone. He's handled it well if you ask me. No, she didn't have to ask. I could see it in her eyes! Ari wanted him to love her and now he will! Everyone will be happy once he settles down and lets the hormone balance out." Callen gripped Zero's shirt and yanked him up, "It's not normal!"

 

Yuki covered her face with her palm.

"I can't believe you'd do something like that."

 

Zero grimaced with pain, "It won't change him! He's human, this I made sure of! It was Nicholi's idea. We both saw how much Ari desired if only for a sliver of emotion from Zain toward her. Giving that to her has made her happier than I've seen her before." "How can you tell? She never shows any emotions! Ari is dead inside! Zain loving a shadow is unnatural! We're unnatural. I should've left you there!" Zero snarled.