Fandom Persona: Aftershock

[Squad141]

It’s been three years since the quick rise and fall of the phantom thieves, though their legacy didn’t end as their career did. After starting from a bad gym teacher to a corrupt politician, their ideas were widespread, and still exist to this day (though not as prominent as when they were active).

In Tokyo, evil still resides. Though they thought it was gone, palaces have begun to appear again, and a new selection of ‘chosen ones’ have awoken to their abilities, still unaware of each other.

Now, with a new mystery unfolding and new cognitions corrupted, a new group of thieves have to come to steal the hearts of the bad and break the chains of the good.

 

[Squad141]

The day is May 15th. It is currently 1:53 in the afternoon, on a somewhat nice day. The streets are bustling and shop signs gleam as the sun sits high in the sky.

But beneath this mask of a wonderful day, lurks another presence. The darkness that follows this humble day, a shadow, if you would.

Let the game begin.
quadraxis201 K KodomoSekai Veradana Phantom Thief of Hearts xAlter Maki

 

[quadraxis201]

It was somewhat empty in the Akihabara hamburger restaurant where Akari Kishiri worked. The time was almost 2:00 in the afternoon, and the post-school crowd would likely be on their way before the young man knew it. There were some customers still seated in their booths, happily enjoying their food. In the background, a jukebox belted out a particularly jaunty tune as neon lights undulated along its wooden frame.

The restaurant itself was, according to a Mr. Ken Saionji, who owned the establishment, an attempt to replicate the feeling of a 1950's American diner. As Big Bang Burger's future was... uncertain at best, this was the best opportunity to swoop in and capitalize on the metaphorical "black hole" that had was starting to form. It was undeniably popular, and sported a vintage charm that managed to draw in even the roughest of people with a smile on their faces.

Chrome Star, it was called, with it Hamburger Sans-font illuminated sign along its top like a badge of honor.

Akari waited and watched as the last few customers finished their meals before practically swooping in and collecting their plates and cups with a "Thank you, please come again" followed by a small, ephemeral smile. He carefully made his way into the sparsely-populated kitchen and organized the dishes in the back sink-- plates on the left, cups on the right. Right as Akari was about to turn on the faucet, he heard footsteps behind him.

"No need to be alarmed, son, it's just Old Man Saionji checking on you." An older voice spoke with a semi-cheerful tone.

Akari paused for a brief moment before he turned around to see his employer standing there, giving him a wave. Mr. Saionji was a man who was no younger than 60, and dressed up quite nicely - a white business shirt with a red tie, dark slacks and matching business shoes-- the works. Anyone who took a good, solid look at him would immediately know he was a businessman, and while he was known for being an unbelievably hard-working boss who praised efficiency, he was not unkind toward his workers, even letting them leave early at times with full pay. To young Akari, he was like a second father

"Oh... hello, Saionji-san." Akari replied, wringing his hands as his head slowly lowered. "I was just about to finish up these dishes before the schools let out. I realize that-"

Saionji raised a hand. "It's alright." He said with a chuckle. "No need to explain yourself. You can leave for the day if you like, go out on the town, maybe go visit the arcade. Your father can cover the rest. Don't worry, your share of Yen isn't going anywhere... except right into your bank account, of course."

Akari sheepishly laughed, to which his boss chuckled some more and replied, "Oh, you're just trying to cheer me up, aren't you? Well, at least we both realize how awful I am at jokes... if you can even call that one."

Akari looked back up so that his eyes met his employer's. "Um... alright. I don't see the harm in taking a break. I... I realize that break periods are necessary to ensure that the workforce remains productive. It's just that... well..." He scratched the back of his head. "It's a bit strange, I'm sure, but... I wouldn't mind chatting with high schoolers. It's hard to explain, but... I feel more comfortable talking to them than most adults, even if they're new to me. Plus... I don't really have to worry about work at home, so..."

Saionji put a hand to his chin. "Is that right...? Well, you've done a fine job on cleaning duty since you've started working here. How about this: I'll let you serve some customers once you return from your break. Would you like that? You can pull up a chair and... get some socializing in, you might say. Your day's pay is already covered, so why not? I'll even have a milkshake ready for you when you get back, on the house."

Akari nodded and stepped out of the kitchen and into the employee changing room, re-emerging with his sweatshirt look on.

Saionji placed a hand on Akari's shoulder. "Take your time, alright? You can go home whenever you want, no rush." With a gentle push, he added, "Go on, have some fun!"

Though a bit annoyed by the sudden shove, Akari pushed the double doors of the restaurant open and walked out into the electric district of Akihabara.

 

[Squad141]

As the day was coming to a close, Toru rested his head in his right hand, and peered outside to the window to his right. Class was getting dull, as the teacher was a substitute and was teaching a lesson they already knew. School had been at most average, ever since the beginning of May. Since the incident, anyways. He turned his eyes back to the front of the class as the sub said "Hey, you!", directing her attention towards Toru. "Pay attention. Here, lets see what you know, Takehiko-san." Flipping forwards many pages, past what they had actually been talking about, she spoke. "In Greek history, the Trojan war was started between tensions of the two city states, Troy and Greece. How did it begin mythologically?" Racking his brain quickly, and standing up suddenly, he replied. "Eris, the Greek goddess of strife, threw the golden apple of Discord into a feast that the gods were eating at. This caused chaos among them, and their anger took sides as they began manipulating humans to fight." He smirked, not from seeing the shocked teacher trying to hid her expression, but from simply being clever, as he usually wasn't.

As class ended, Toru collected his things, adjusted his glasses, and hauled his bag onto his shoulder. Its been a while, he thought, as he exited the classroom and began traveling towards the stairs. He pulled out his phone, closing the window of the info page he had pulled up on Shinto mythology. As he scrolled through his apps, he found the one he was looking for. However, he didn't activate it. He was simply checking to make sure it was still there. After all, it may have been some strange thing for someone else, like many things he's accidentally obtained. But no, the app remained sat upon his home page.

Grateful, he headed out from Akemi High, and into Tokyo.

 

[Veradana]

Hotaru took a deep, shaking breath and leaned back against the bathroom-stall door. By this point, they had to have already gone home or something, right? She closed her eyes a listened for any sounds nearby, counting backwards in her head until she convinced herself that the people milling around the halls outside were probably not the people she needed to worry about the most. Clubs had already started, and that, at the very least, limited Amu and Mariko’s movements.

No one even so much as glanced at her as she walked through the halls. Either that or they did look, and then they pretended to have never have acknowledged her. Hotaru still couldn’t decide which was worse between that and the direct, confrontations that those two brought upon her. At least people had stopped hanging around in front of her shoe-locker, she thought, as she pulled on her outdoor-shoes, and no one had put anything weird in there yet this year, remembering the day she’d found them full of mud last fall.

Nothing had changed since she’d started high school, and nothing was going to change, not as long as the Principal was whom he was. Hotaru took out her phone and looked at the icon that had been there since the day she’d wandered into that place. She couldn’t go back, not after what happened last time. If the monsters there seriously hurt her, her dad would have a breakdown. She took one final look over her shoulder at the school, shook her head, and pocketed her phone before turning away and heading towards home.