Dark Half {Persona 5}

Chapter 3 - Astray

A/N: thank you for being so patient with me while I had personal problems amongst the issues of general life. As a gift, these are the first THREE chapters, not just one. I hope I'm able to update quicker next time.

"Akira? Akiraaaa! Yo!"

Akira started at Ryuji's voice yelling at him, and the sudden movement cause him pain in several parts of his body.

"Hey, you alright? You were spacin' out or something.." Ryuji frowned slightly at his friend, who just waved a hand in response, offering a small smile.

"Nah, I'm fine, sorry! Just thinking about when we can go out for ramen next."

"For real? Don't scare me like that, dude.." Ryuji sighed, hunching his shoulders, "we can go for ramen as soon as you're feelin' well enough to get out of bed and get there. My shout, I promise."

Akira smiled at Ryuji again. He'd been bedbound for almost two weeks now, and he was starting to wear thin. He couldn't stand being in one place for so long, and now his wounds were slowly healing he was anxious to get out again. Especially since he needed to be able to protect them if Igor were to come down on them, not that he could ever mention this to any of them.

He sighed to himself, shifting up a little more to adjust for the pain of his still broken ribs. His movement was getting better, sure, but he still didn't feel confident attempting to stand. The pain was one thing, the other was how lightheaded he became even if he sat too far upright. He didn't want to aggravate any of his injuries again because he tried standing too soon and collapsed. He didn't ever want to experience that agony again.

"Akira!"

Looking back at Ryuji, the blonde sighed.

"Are you sure you're okay? Lately it seems like somethin' is bothering you.." Ryuji looked his best friend dead in the eyes, and Akira had to try his hardest not to look away, "I know they put you through a lot in that place, and I know you prolly don't wanna talk about most of it, but hey.. just let me know if you ain't feelin' good at least, yeah?"

Akira felt his heart being pulled apart again. He wanted to tell them, so desperately. To tell Ryuji, and get his support. To get Ann's comfort. Makoto's opinion on what to do next. Futaba's best attempt at being there for him. Yusuke's strength. Haru's kindness. And Morgana's constant companionship. But he couldn't. It was just safer that way. Safer for all of them.

"Sorry.." he found himself apologizing before he even realised.

"Why are you sorry?" Ryuji seemed taken aback, "I just don't wanna push you into discussing shit you ain't comfortable talkin' about, but at the same time I don't want you to suffer in silence, y'know?"

Akira truly was grateful for Ryuji. He may be slow at times, but he was the most loyal friend Akira could imagine anyone having.

Smiling and nodding at Ryuji, Akira then pointed at the game system.

"Wanna have a race?"

"Huh?" Ryuji looked over his shoulder to where Akira was pointing, then gave him a quizzical look, "yeah, sure, but don't change the subject like that."

Akira shrugged, and Ryuji went about setting the system up, putting the game in, and when it didn't launch first go, he swore under his breath and began blowing into the cartridge.

"You know that isn't good for it, right?" Akira chuckled, and Ryuji waved him away.

"Yeah, yeah, but I gotta get it goin' somehow."

Akira sat with a small smile on his face, watching as Ryuji continued his attempt to boot the game up, and realized he felt rather cold.

As he reached out for his blanket, his breath caught in his throat. A flash of pale blue light pierced his vision, and he felt even colder after that.

Ryuji heard the grunt Akira hadn't realized he'd let out, and dropped what he was doing to turn to his friend, but even his reactions were too slow to stop Akira as he fell backwards off his bed, and everything faded almost in slow motion to black.

~~

"Ugh.." Akira placed a hand to his head as he sat up slowly.

He was still cold, and shivered slightly, but as he went to wrap his arms around himself for some warmth he realized his hands were bound. Chained.

It then began to occur to him that, despite the unusual darkness, he was in the Velvet Room. He felt a mixture of fright, anxiety and sickness all at once.

Taking a few steps towards the cell door, he noticed his injuries were gone here. He didn't struggle as much to move, or feel any pain from broken bones and open wounds.

But as he reached up to grab the bars on his door he saw a familiar sight; his hand was seemingly fading away.

"Wait.. what's happening..?"

"Relax, inmate."

Caroline appeared first, then Justine, both staring directly at Akira, their faces emotionless.

"Yes, your heart has stopped. However, you will be fine. It was our Master that did that, to bring you here to us."

"He stopped my heart?! What do you mean?!" alarm bells rang in Akira's head, yet he was powerless to do anything about his situation.

"Quiet. Our Master wishes to speak with you."

Akira gritted his teeth, and raised his eyes to the centre of the room, where a dim light hid most everything other than a wicked grin, a flash of white teeth, and now a pair of bloodshot eyes. These were the only features of Igor he could make out, and his blood ran cold.

"Welcome back."

"What do you want?"

"Watch your tone!" Caroline scolded.

Akira bit his lip, and looked up to Igor again.

"I told you I would give you more information when the time came. And now it's time to give you the next piece of information.

"By bringing you here in a semi-ethereal form, you have connected with this place. Connected with myself, who is the Master of this place. I have seen your memories. Your pain. I have seen what makes you carry on through hopeless circumstances, and what gives you strength in the darkest of times."

After a moment's pause, Igor finished his sentence. As he did, Akira's knees went weak, his breath caught in his throat and his heart felt as though it had stopped.

"And they who make you strong, can also be your greatest downfall."

"W-what do you mean..?" Akira asked shakily.

"All in due time, prisoner. For now, I need your help. Your body is too weak currently to enter the Metaverse, but once you are recuperated I have your first task.

"You are to take the life of a single person. Who it will be, I will leave to your discretion. If it feeds your morals to take the life of a person who lives a life of sin, so be it. This is simply a test for me."

"Kill someone?! Are you mad? I won't do that!" Akira screamed, bashing his fist on the steel bars.

Igor simply chuckled, and Akira began to shake.

"You have no choice. It is them, or someone you know."

"This can't be happening..." Akira spoke more to himself than Igor, running a shaking hand over his face.

"I will return you now, with a healing aid. You will be well enough to carry out your task in one week. From there you have three days, or I show you what happens if you defy me.

"Now go. Return to your fleeting rest, and prepare yourself for what must be."

"No.. you can't.. this..." Akira muttered to himself as Igor continued speaking.

"Just remember that those who go astray are destined for misery, and ruin."

As the world went black again, life slammed into Akira like he was being hit by a truck.