Persona EG LTE | Mythril Moth Creations

Today's Horoscope (Virgo): You may not think you're being watched, but you are. You should exercise vigilance and caution today.

Morning

I decide to sleep in late since it's Saturday.

After showering and getting dressed, I select a few shirts from my closet and take them downstairs to the lounge. I then head into the dining room, where two boxes of donuts and a pot of coffee are on the table. The only one in the room is Twilight. As usual, she's absorbed in a book. Her face is covered in donut glaze. With a smirk, I grab a napkin and walk up behind her.

"Don't even think about it," she says.

"Think about what?" I ask innocently.

"Whatever you were thinking about," she says.

"I was thinking you've got donut crap all over your face and it's bad for your skin," I say, handing her the napkin.

She blinks. She reaches up and touches her face. She blushes. "I think I'll just go wash my face," she says.

I grab a donut and pour some coffee. It's still warm.

Rarity walks in. Her hair is as meticulous as always, but today she's wearing faded jeans and a T-shirt. She's also barefoot. I raise an eyebrow. "Laundry day?" I ask.

She frowns. "What? I'm relaxing today. I can dress casually if I want to." She grabs a cup and pours some coffee, stirring creamer and low-calorie sweetener into it. "So, did you pick some clothes for me to work on?"

I nod. "I left them in the lounge."

"I may have to go out and buy material for the patches," she says. "I don't really have much room to store fabric here at the dorm."

"There's really no rush," I say.

"Oh, don't fret," she says with a smile. "This is the sort of thing I do to unwind, after all. Fashion and sewing and design...it's my life, really. I plan to open my own boutique one day."

"That's cool," I say.

Twilight walks back in, face clean. I check the time on my phone. "So, is everybody already up and doing...whatever it is they do?"

"Everyone except Rainbow Dash," Twilight says as she sits back down. "She'll probably sleep until noon." She picks her book back up. "Fluttershy's gone to the park with all our pets, Applejack's brother picked her up a little after sunrise, and Pinkie has a part-time job on Saturdays." She gestures at the donuts. "Hence the donuts and coffee."

"Pinkie Pie has a job?" I ask, incredulous.

"She spends Saturdays working at Sugar Cube Corner. It's a little cafe run by a nice couple. It's a pretty popular hangout." She sips her coffee. "Mrs. Cake is pregnant, and weekends are pretty busy, so Pinkie Pie started working there to help out. Sometimes she works Sundays too."

"What was that about Applejack's brother? Did something happen?"

Rarity shakes her head. "Sweet Apple Acres is about an hour's drive out of town. That's why Applejack lives in the dorm and her little sister is homeschooled. Nobody in her family can afford to spend four hours a day hauling them back and forth to school."

I grimace. "Not to mention that'd be a heck of a lot of wasted gas."

Rarity nods. "But since it's a three day weekend, she's going to spend it at home with her family."

"That's cool." By this point, I've eaten three donuts. I grab one more and pour some more coffee; it's starting to get cold and nasty.

"So, you said something about going shopping today?" Rarity asks me.

I nod. "Yeah...I need a tennis racket."

Twilight looks up. "Oh, that's right. I heard you made the team. Congratulations."

"Thanks." I finish my coffee and wipe my hands with a napkin. "Hey, wanna go shopping with me?" I ask Twilight. "We can maybe swing by the bookstore while we're out...grab some lunch..."

Rarity quirks an eyebrow and smiles behind her coffee cup.

Twilight shrugs. "Sure, I was just planning on reading today. Actually, I could use a few more books..."

A half hour later, we head into town.

Daytime

"It's important to choose a racket that has a comfortable, ergonomic grip and the right tension on the strings," Twilight says as I examine a rack of tennis equipment at the local sporting goods store. "Also, you don't want to get the cheapest they have, but you also don't want the most expensive. The expensive ones are either for professionals or are overpriced because of the brand name or celebrity endorsements. You want to pick one that's somewhere in the middle."

"Anything else I should know?" I ask with a lightly teasing tone, smirking at her.

Twilight blushes. "Sorry," she says, putting her hands behind her back.

Once I've chosen a decent racket, we head for the bookstore. I buy some more comics and an adventure novel. Twilight buys a half dozen thick books. After that, we head to McBurger for lunch.

Twilight is a terribly messy eater. The donut glaze at breakfast was bad enough, but she manages to get so much ketchup on her face she looks feral. And the crumbs...crumbs everywhere!

Funny thing...thinking about it, she isn't usually this messy back at the dorm, or at school.

She must have noticed me staring at her, because she ducks her head and grabs a napkin, wiping her face. "I must look like a total pig," she says with a sheepish giggle.

"Nah, not a total pig," I say. "But seriously, what's up with you today?"

She blushes. "Eheh...sometimes I..." She looks at the messy napkin and grimaces. "Sometimes I just...have piggy moments. Usually when I'm eating junk food."

"I see..."

After lunch, we head back to the dorm. I spend most of the afternoon practicing my guitar in the lounge. Twilight is there listening and reading. Fluttershy comes back in the middle of the afternoon with Spike, Opalescence, Angel, and two animals I haven't seen before: a tortoise in a little red wagon and a tiny alligator that's sitting on the tortoise's shell, staring vacantly with huge, bright purple eyes. Rainbow spends half the afternoon shuffling around the dorm barefoot and wearing baggy shorts and a loose tanktop; she's on laundry duty today and doesn't look terribly happy about it.

"Are you sure you have a crush on me and not Rainbow?" Twilight asks sharply after the third time Rainbow wanders past. "You sure are staring at her enough."

"I can't help it," I say, trying not to sound defensive. "I see a cute girl, I look. It's hard not to when I'm surrounded by cute girls."

Twilight arches an eyebrow.

"B-but...that's not all I care about, of course," I say hastily.

"Uh-huh," Twilight says.

Evening

A little while later, Pinkie comes home, carrying huge bags of Chinese takeout. She looks tired...well, relatively speaking. A short while later, everyone (minus Applejack) is in the dining room.

"I'll have your shirts finished up tomorrow, Flash," Rarity says as she breaks apart a set of chopsticks.

"Thanks," I say. I turn to Pinkie. "So, how was work?"

"Exhausting," Pinkie says. "I never thought I'd be sick of whipped cream, but I topped off enough lattes today to float a battleship."

After dinner, I grab a book and sit in the lounge. A little over an hour before curfew, I receive a text from Cadance.

New Message From: Nurse Cadance

Say you're going out for a walk, then head over to CHS

Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie are the only ones in the lounge. "I'm...gonna go for a walk," I say.

Twilight frowns. "It's awfully late, isn't it?"

"I won't be gone long," I say. "I just need to stretch out a bit."

"Do you want some company?"

"Nah, it's cool. Thanks anyway."

I leave the dorm and walk to the school. Cadance is waiting in front of the statue in the courtyard. There are some things leaning against the statue: a knapsack and a fire axe. "What's with the axe? Are we breaking into the school?"

"Of course not," Cadance says. "I...I know your Persona will be doing the fighting, but...I thought it might be a good idea if you had something to protect yourself with. Just in case."

I pick up the axe and test its weight. "Alright, I'll buy that. Will this even work on Shadows, though?"

"It should." She hands me the knapsack. "Here...there's some bandages and ointment and stuff. Again, just in case."

I sling it over my shoulder. "So, we're doing this?"

She nods, pulling out her phone. I pull mine out as well. I'm about to open Canterbook when something catches my attention:

My phone has another new app on it, which has appeared out of nowhere. A glowing blue door...

The Velvet Room?

"Ready?" she asks, pulling me back into the moment.

I take a deep breath and nod. We both tap the Zodiac app...

The world goes still and dark...

Zodiac

Canterlot High looks like an edifice of blood in the red-black stillness of Zodiac. Once again, the crawling text is everywhere.

Man I wanna tear his balls off

Fuckin snitch

See Nurse Cadance if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours lol

"Ignore it," Cadance says, hugging herself tightly and looking down. "Just...ignore it." She sighs and slides the Persona app onto her phone's screen. "I'll have to provide support from here...I can't really move around once I call Aphrodite." She takes a deep breath and touches her phone. "Persona!"

The card image on her phone explodes into glowing blue fragments, and Cadance is surrounded by a pillar of light.

A giant, heart-shaped crystal clamshell appears in the air above Cadance. Standing inside it a gorgeous woman with pale skin and impossibly long hair, in the same three colors as Cadance's, but translucent and crystalline, which fans out all around her, just barely covering her otherwise bare breasts. The only article of clothing she wears is a wispy sarong wrapped loosely about her hips. A tattoo of a crystal heart is positioned just below her navel, with a pair of gold branches tattooed on her stomach surrounding it—I recognize it as the same crystal heart brooch Cadance wears almost every day. She has a serene expression on her face, her eyes are closed, and a large, glowing pearl hovers above her outstretched hands.

I stare at Cadance's Persona. "Whoa."

I hear what sounds like radio frequency static, then Cadance's voice is echoing in my head. //Can you hear me?// she asks.

Huh? "How are you doing that?"

//I don't really know,// Cadance says. //I just...know it's something I can do, somehow.//

"Well, it's working."

//Good. I'm not picking up any strong Shadows, but this is your first time exploring Zodiac, so be careful, okay? Remember: don't summon your Persona until you need it to defeat a Shadow.//

"Got it." I look around. "So, um...where do I...?"

//Go inside the school,// Cadance says. //The front doors are open. Be careful, there are Shadows inside.//

"Right." Holding the fire axe at the ready, I walk up to the front entrance and open the doors. I walk through and stand in the entrance hall. The inside of the school looks just as creepy as the outside. Almost immediately, the glowing text starts parading around the walls.

This school sucks

Celestia can eat a dick

I wanna kick Luna's ass

Interesting.

//I'm picking up a Shadow on your left.//

I turn to the left and creep along the wall, wary and alert. Up ahead, illuminated by the glow of a rather vulgar text about Principal Celestia, I see a bulging mass of shadows which appears to be moving along the floor.

Suddenly, the shadowy mass turns around, letting out a rumbling gurgle as it splits into three writhing blobs. Ghastly hands sprout from each blob, along with a pale mask fixed in an expression of sorrow.

//I'm detecting three Shadows! They're not very strong, but don't let your guard down!//

One of the Shadows launches itself forward, swiping at me with its claw-like hands.

Slash Attack

I dodge and bury the blade of my axe in its mask.

Strike Attack

The Shadow collapses like a souffle, scattering into a black mist which fades away with a rush of noise.

The other two Shadows slurch back warily. One of them starts to glow a faint blue.

Bufu

A terrible, numbing cold surrounds me. I look down to see ice crystals forming on my arms and the handle of the axe.

//Are you alright?//

"Yeah," I grunt. I won't lie, it hurts, but compared to what Virgo did to me on my birthday, it's nothing.

//The enemy's weak against fire. Try summoning your Persona.//

I pull out my phone and tap the Persona app. "Chiron!"

The card on the screen of my phone explodes into glowing blue fragments, and Chiron emerges in a rush of blue light. Snorting steam, he raises his flaming axe into the air.

Agi

He swings it at the nearest Shadow, loosing a tiny fireball which engulfs the Shadow. It lets out a hideous screech as it melts into nothingness.

The third Shadow screams in terror and flees, melting into a dark wall. Chiron fades from view. I let out a shaky breath.

//Good work!//

"Thanks." I set my axe down to rub warmth into my arms. Once I'm ready, I pick up the axe again and make my way carefully down the hall.

A short while later, Cadance warns me that another Shadow is nearby. I press my back to the wall and look around warily. A blob of darkness drips down from the ceiling above me. As it falls, it morphs into the shape of a head without a face. Long, tangled hair grows out of it, topped by a giant crown that's twice as tall as the head itself. A butterfly mask with the Roman numeral II stamped on one of the wings covers the top half of the "face". It bobs in the air, regarding me stonily.

"Hey Cadance? This one's...different."

//I'll see what I can find out.//

It's hovering out of reach, so I can't hit it with my axe. I summon Chiron once more; he unleashes another fireball.

Agi

The flames singe the edges of the Shadow, but it remains intact. It returns fire; I brace myself to be burned, but the flames impact Chiron, who braces the attack stoically.

//It doesn't look like fire is much good against this one...//

"No kidding!"

Chiron stows his axe and, just like that first night, pulls a bow out of thin air, firing an arrow of light at the floating Shadow.

Single Shot

The arrow pierces it just beneath the mask, knocking it out of the air.

As the Shadow lands on the floor, I rush past Chiron and smash my axe right into its mask.

Strike Attack

The Shadow melts away into inky nothingness.

Chiron salutes me with his axe and disappears again.

I'm starting to feel winded. My arms ache, and my heart is pounding.

"I can't be this out of shape," I huff. "I didn't feel this bad after an hour of tennis practice yesterday!"

//Hang on a second,// Cadance says. I lean against the wall to catch my breath. //Flash! I think using your Persona to fight places physical and mental strain on you. Your Persona seems to draw its strength directly from your mind and body.//

"Great...so what does that mean?"

//It means you probably shouldn't spend too much time fighting Shadows. At least, not until you get used to this power.//

In the time we've been talking, I'm already feeling less winded. "I think I want to spend just a little while longer here tonight," I say.

//Are you sure?//

"Yeah...I'm okay," I say.

//Alright, but stick close to the exit,// Cadance says. //You won't be able to leave Zodiac if there are Shadows nearby.//

"Aren't there any out there with you?" I ask.

//Most of the Shadows I've seen only appear in enclosed spaces. It's only the ones like Virgo that show up anywhere they want. I'm not sure why that is.//

I look around and notice the glowing text. It seems to be ignoring me entirely; every text message streaming past me is about Principal Celestia, Vice-Principal Luna, or some other teacher. I tell Cadance this.

//I've notice that too,// she says. //It's strange, because out here, it's all still about me.//

I remember something from that night...

"Hey, the night that first Shadow appeared, I tried to wake up the girls. The stuff on their doors was insulting them. And the stuff on the door to your apartment was insulting you and Coach."

//Hmm. That's interesting.//

Suddenly, two more of those blob-and-mask Shadows erupt out of the wall right in front of me. Without wasting any time, I tear into them with my axe.

Strike Attack

One hit each is all it takes, but the second one actually manages to claw at my arm before I kill it. Cursing, I sit down and rummage in the knapsack, pulling out a roll of gauze.

//Are you alright?//

"Yeah, just a scratch." Once I've bandaged my arm, I get up and walk back toward the entrance.

Cadance gasps. //Be careful! There's a Shadow right inside the entrance, and it's stronger than the others!//

As I near the entrance, I see...a table.

It's a freaking table.

A square, four-legged wooden table with a checkered tablecloth. There's a mask affixed to the tablecloth on one side, with the Roman numeral I engraved into it. Above the top of the table, four objects are dancing...or being juggled? A sword, a gold coin, a wand, and a shining cup.

"What the fuck?!"

//Flash!//

"No. Seriously. It's a table. A flippin' table."

The sword dancing above the table suddenly darts out at me.

Slash Attack

I narrowly dodge; it cuts a shallow gash in my right arm.

"Oh hell no. I am not getting beat up by a goddamned table." I charge forward, letting out a yell as I raise my axe over my head and smash it into the table.

Strike Attack

The blade skids off without even leaving a mark on the tablecloth.

"Nngh..." I try again, hacking away at one of the legs. It's no good. I can't even chip the thing.

The wand floating over the table points at me, unleashing a blast of wind that sends me tumbling down the hall.

Garu

//Careful!//

I gingerly push myself to my knees, pulling out my phone. "Persona!"

Chiron appears. He charges the table, bright flames wreathing his axe. He slams the blazing axe into the table.

Cleave

Nothing happens.

//It doesn't look like fire is any good against this one!//

"Well if chopping it with an axe doesn't kill it, and fire doesn't kill it, what the hell does?!"

//Give me a second, I'm trying to find a weakness!//

Garu

The table slams Chiron with another blast of wind. As Chiron is sent flying, I double over, clutching myself in agony. That...that really hurt!

//I've got it! Its weakness is...oh no...//

"What? What is it?"

//It's weak against ice! But...//

"But all I've got is fire."

Chiron turns to me and shrugs helplessly, then disappears.

The table's sword lashes out at me again.

Slash Attack

I manage to parry with my axe, but my strength is flagging.

I need to get past this stupid table! But how...? If only I had some way to exploit its weakness...

Just like that night, I feel a pressure in my head. It feels different...it feels...cold?

My phone's screen flashes. I look down at it. The Persona app's card image flips over, revealing...

I tap the screen. "Persona!"

The Magician card explodes into shards of blue light, and...

Hee-ho!

What.

There's a fat little snowman...jester...thing standing between me and that obnoxious table.

I'm Jack Frost, hee-ho! Chill out and let me take it from here, hee-ho!

//Uhh...Flash? What...what's going on? I'm picking up a strange reading...//

"I'm...not entirely sure..."

Is...is this what Igor meant?

Is this...really...another Persona?

The table tries to impale Jack Frost with its sword.

Slash Attack

Jack Frost laughs as it dances out of the way, making goofy faces at the table. Then, it takes a deep breath and breathes a thick plume of frost and snow at the table.

Bufu

The stuff dancing around in the air falls flat as a thin crust of ice forms over the table. Jack Frost snaps his thick, stubby fingers, and the table explodes into shards of ice and tendrils of blackness.

Jack Frost vanishes, and the Persona app on my phone returns to normal.

//Are you okay? What happened? I'm not picking up the Shadow anymore!//

"It's...it's dead," I say. "I think...that's enough for tonight."

I'm sore all over. I'm exhausted. My head is killing me. With the way clear, I trudge toward the doors and leave the school. As I do so, the normal colors, sounds, and smells of night return, and Cadance rushes over to me.

"Let's...let's go home," I grunt.

It turns out Cadance drove over to the school, so I ride home with her. She's glancing at me worriedly on the drive home. I pull out my phone to check the time. "Huh. That can't be right."

"What?"

"It should be a lot later than this. I was in there for a while..."

"Oh, about that." Cadance pulls up to the dorm. "Time doesn't pass normally in Zodiac. It's like...when you're inside Zodiac, everything stops. Or...maybe it's more like..."

"Zodiac exists outside of normal time?"

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it."

"That's good to know."

Cadance enters her apartment through the back way. I go into the dorm. Twilight is sitting in the lounge.

"Were you waiting up for me?" I ask.

She opens her mouth to say something, then stops. Her gaze drifts to my bandaged arm, and she gasps. "Oh my God! What happened?"

"Just a scratch." I yawn. "I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

I can tell she wants to ask more questions, but right now, I just want to sleep...I'm completely exhausted.