“Hey did you like any of the dresses? I can still go get them. You can wait right here, I won’t be long.”
“sigh...”
“Mary?”
“Could you... get the one with flowers on it..?”
“Sure thing, hold Elizabeth for me.”
“Mhm..”
I went back into the store to grab the flower print dress and paid for it. As I turn around to leave I bump into another gaudy-looking girl. Compared to the last group of girls she had a natural gift of being gorgeous. Her brunette hair and silky blue eyes complemented her pale skin, but her outfit matched the girls from earlier.
“Oh I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“No biggie, I was on my phone. Anyways, scuse’ me.”
From the back where the dressing room is I heard a girl call out to her.
“Hey there gurrrl! Check out this dress! Bet this won’t look better on you!”
“Shut up, you hoe. Everything def’ looks better on me!”
Ignoring the rest of the conversation I left. Mary was looking through my phone as I approached her, and the moment she saw me coming she put down my phone.
“Did you take my phone again?”
“You left it on your chair this morning so I took it. Finders keepers losers weepers.”
“Well you aren’t gonna find much on there anyways.”
“Sadly, not a single thing about a girl... or guy. I’m starting to believe you’re just a robot or maybe a lizard wearing human skin.” She hands me back my phone.
“Alright you got me… I was a robot sent from space.. to protect the most important human being on earth, my sweet little Mary.”
“Ugh.”
“Let’s get some ice cream from Renni’s Blizzardtown.”
“Ohhh! I’m gonna destroy that rock mountain ice cream again.”
“Sometimes I wonder where all those calories even go…”
Moments before I went to buy Mary’s dress.
She pulls out my phone typing in a password to unlock it.
“Hasn’t even changed the password… which I totally wish he did.. ‘love4Mary_*<3’ sigh... you gotta be kidding me, big bro…” After a bit of exploring through the phone, she taps on the PostYou app to watch some videos as she waits.
A minute in and it glitches out closing the app itself as another app warbles and distorts the rest of the screen.
“Huh? What’s this? Don’t tell me my brother is Actually hiding something juicy for once in his life.” Tapping on the app didn’t open it, it just stopped warbling the rest of the apps.
“Weiirrd…” Looking up she spots me walking towards her, immediately closing and putting down my phone on her lap.
After getting the ice cream we sat outside to enjoy the cold desserts.
“Hey big brother?”
“Hmm?”
“Would you mind if you… take me on a tour around your college...?”
I was a little surprised by the question so I looked at her. She was already giving me a puppy-eye look, even though I know I’m gonna say yes, seeing her with those eyes is overkill.
“I absolutely would not mind!”
“Hehe, thank you.”
“Mmm! Mmm mmm Mmm! This double chocolate supreme is undoubtedly rich with savory sweetness! Mmm!” Elizabeth happily scarfed down her bowl of ice cream set on the table.
Caaww! Caw caw caw! Caaww!
“Isn’t chocolate poisonous to birds?”
“Don’t worry... She’s a special breed, so it won’t hurt her.”
We took the moment to enjoy our ice cream before heading over to the college, it’s now past noon when we arrived at the parking lot. Plenty of students were already walking around as we came onto the campus. All the stalls from yesterday are gone, with the middle courtyard now opened up it seemed like a relaxing place to have a picnic in. I took Mary to the front of the Student Center first. Alex was there out by the front door handing out maps and guides to the passing by students. Strangely enough, a blue door is placed opposite from where Alex stood. An ominous yet familiar aura omitted from it. Unable to resist I went and open the door, entering into the same room from my dreams.
“Welcome back to the Velvet Room.”
“Welcome back, my Master and I were expecting you. Although, it took you an unsatisfactory amount of time.”
“I am a little busy with spending time with my little sister, you know.”
“Hmph, just know that you and your world are at stake here.”
“Hehehe.. Now now. Abel and I shall be assisting you in your reintegration. Whenever you need help with your powers, speak with Abel, he will manage the processes involving your Persona. That is all that I shall provide for now, till then go out and seek more to join your cause. The Metaverse Navigator, I will grant those, who will support you, the power to also travel alongside you. Use it well, Sovereign.”
“I hope you show great gratitude to my Master, and in return I’ll make sure my services are.. optimal.”
“Uh.. yes, thank you very much!”
At least he’s helping, but I feel like he’d rather be doing something else, if not for Igor asking him to help me…
“Farewell, Merlin and again.. try not to die.”
The room disappears along with the door, and somehow I’m still standing back where I was.
“Uh.. is there something wrong, Big bro?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, uh.. Welcome to the Student Center of the LA trade College! Mary.”
“Oh hi Merlin and hello miss..?”
“Mary, I’m his younger sister.”
“Nice to meet you, Mary. I’m Alex. I manage the front desk of the Student Center. This building right behind me. Are you showing your sister around, Merlin?”
“Sure am, she wanted to see the place… it’s her big special birthday today!”
“Oh? Happy birthday, Mary!”
“U-uh yeah thank you.” She smiles awkwardly at Alex.
“Well if you’re exploring the college, here take this. It’s the map of the school, nooot exactly a great birthday gift but I do wish the best for you.” Alex hands Mary a student map. “And as our principal Nathon Mahuney would say… Fly high and above the sky!” Doing a somewhat enthusiastic pose he puts his arm up pointing to the sky.
Caught off guard by the cute pep from Alex all I could do is stare. I smile and do the same pose as him.
“Fly high and above the sky!”
“You two look so cute together.” She smiles looking at Alex and I as we do the pep-poses.
“H-huh? Cute.. t-together?” Wide-eyed from Mary’s comment, he feels his face heat up.
“I gotta show you the audio card. It's this college’s traditional theme song! Well anyways, I’ll see you around, Alex. I gotta finish this special tour before my classes this late afternoon.” I wave goodbye to him and take Mary to the Southwest building where most of my classes are held.
“Us... C-cute... Together…?” Flustered and lost in his own thoughts he stands by the door as students pass by.
Following the map, I took Mary to the Athletics and Gym building. She wanted to go inside the Athletics building so we went inside to watch the students train. There is a large track field inside with a group of students running laps. We found a spot on the side to watch some of the students do a few laps, Mary insisted we stay for a bit.
Been years since then… I’m sure she dreams of being able to run again. I’ll do everything in my power to make that dream come true.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Leaving the Southwest buildings we stopped by the Auditorium, a group of students walked up the stairs into the building. There was a sign set up at the bottom of the stairs, ‘Theatre Practice Today!’. A familiar face passed by us as we read the sign, it was the guy from yesterday who knocked the phone out of my hand. Ignoring us, he climbed the stairs into the building.
“Huh, I didn’t think he’d be into that.”
The last bit to explore is the north side. Taking her to the Lab there were a lot of students going in and out. At the entrance is a metal detector and security, seems like only those with authorized ID could go in.
“I wish I could go in, maybe I could find the cure to my legs hahaha....”
“Don’t worry, Mary. I’ll get access and steal the secret formula to cure your legs.”
“You’ll definitely get caught, you’re not the sneaky ‘phantom thief’ type.”
“Good point.”
“Still this whole campus reminds me of some sort of giant mansion. Like if you connect all the buildings it’d be similar to the white house or a multi-billionaire's home. The courtyard is basically a massive front lawn too.” She pulls out her phone to check the time.
“Huh?” Opening her phone, the same red-eye app on my phone is also on her’s, warbling and distorting the rest of the apps. She taps on it, stopping the warbling.
“Hey Big bro.. why’s the app you have on my phone too?”
“What? Huh?! You got the app too?!”
“Huh? I don’t know how, that’s why I’m asking you, you’re the one who has it on your phone.”
“Oh dear.”
Caww
Warble Warble Warble Warble
“INTRUDER ALERT!! INTRUDER ALERT!! NORTHSIDE BUILDING HAS BEEN INFILTRATED!!”
“B-big bro? Where the heck are we?? A-and why are you dressed like that?? Is that Elizabeth??”
“Shhhh, I’ll explain all of this later okay? We need to get out of here first.”
“As he says, lady Mary, we need to escape to safety. We’re in the North side, the base of operations of all these shadows. If we don’t get out soon we’re going to succumb to the sheer number of them stationed here.”
“Check every hallway! They should be around here somewhere! You there, check the left-end hallway!”
“Yessir!”
“Quickly now this way.”
“Hold on. Mary get on my back and hold on tight, it’ll be faster without your wheelchair.”
“O-okay..” Kneeling with my back to her she hops on my back for me to carry.
The footsteps of the blacksuits grew louder as we fled from our spot. Elizabeth led the way deeper into the hallway.
“We found a wheelchair! The intruders must be nearby! After them!!”
We came across a door warbling and glitching between reality and this distorted kingdom. Going inside, it was a normal student lab room.
“We should be safe here for now. We’ll let the guards pass through before we find our way out.”
“Big brother. P-put me down and explain what’s going on here?! Why are we being chased by those things? Why is our pet raven big and able to talk to us? Why are you dressed like some theatre play knight? Where in the world are we?!”
I sit her down on a chair next to the lab table as Elizabeth hops onto the table.
“I’m still wrapping my head around all this too, she can explain it better since she knows more than I do.”
“I’ll keep it short. We are in a place called a ‘kingdom’ ruled by a ‘king’, a cognitive world which distorts to the king’s desires. We’ve been teleported here by the app on your phone, called the MetaNav. We are seen as enemies of this kingdom so now the ‘shadows’ that guard this place are after us. Your brother is dressed that way because of a power within him called ‘Persona’. And I’m able to speak to you because I’m a friend of humanity.”
“D-did I eat too much of that rock mountain ice cream this time…?”
“It’s... a lot to take in.”
“I-I somewhat understand… so that means we need to get out of here.”
“Indeed, we need to leave. Now.”
Having Mary piggy-back on me, we make our way through the hallways again. Turning the corner we run into a few of the shadows.
“There they are! Get them!”
“Transform! Persona! Tituba, Agi!” Crimson red flames spouted out of Elizabeth and from it emerged a being dressed in a black corset dress, black hair flowing to the length of its body with it’s skin a russet rich-brown. Covering its eyes with a rag while blood continuously trinkles down its face. It holds up a trinket crudely made from bones. The trinket lights on fire and a burst of flames incinerates the shadows before they could come close.
“You too? Amazing.” In awe from watching her persona appear and take out the shadows
“How else would I survive this horrid place?”
“Elizabeth... you’re… pretty.”
“Yes.. this is another form I take when I fight, I call it ‘Harpy’.” Along with her summoning her persona, she’s transformed and now more human-like. She still has her claws, and wings on her back, even most of her body still covered in feathers. Wearing a black corset dress matching her persona, she also has hands and arms with her face being human. Her eyes still a bright yellow like a ravens, her hair short and black with the same long feather sticking out. The rag, that her persona wore around its eyes, is worn like a headband on herself.
“Wow… she’s pretty.” Astonished and in admiration of Elizabeth’s harpy form and persona.
“Why thank you, lady Mary, Merlin.” She smiles from the genuine admiration from both Merlin and Mary.
“Found them, quick call reinforcements!” Behind us came more of them rushing towards us.
“Quick now, this way!”
Pushing on we ran through the maze of hallways. Some of the shadows had transformed, firing attacks at us while chasing us. I had more strength than ever before, but running, carrying Mary, and evading hits from behind whittled at my endurance. Elizabeth would fire a few attacks back as she flew ahead of us, which did very little when more and more shadows appeared.
“We might have to fight our way through, the exit is up ahead!”
“Can’t you fly us out of here?”
“Don’t stupid, I barely handled your weight. Carrying both of you would be too much!”
Desperately fleeing we made our way into a massive open chamber with a large golden down at the other side of the humongous room. A wave of shadows was already waiting to intercept us. With our backs full of enemies we ran full speed ahead.
“I’ll blast as many as I can, stick close to me and we’ll push through! Tituba! Agi!” Summoning her persona she fires off as many balls of fire as she could, burning a small opening in the wave of monsters.
“Haah… Haaah.. Al... most there!!” Already struggling to breath I’m holding on by sheer willpower to protect my little sister.
“Big brother…” Worried about my condition, all she could do is hold onto me and hope that we’ll make it through this.
“Titu- Ahhhh!”
“Guh!!”
“Ahhhh!”
Before coming any closer to the wall of shadows another blacksuit towering over the rest slams down right onto us.
“You’re not escaping this time, intruders!! Prepare to be executed for soiling the Mayor’s Mansion!!” The force from its floor smash knocks us back a few feet, as it bellows its threatening statement.
“Cough.. Cough.. Lady Mary, Merlin are you two alright? Cough..”
“Agh…! Ngh… cough.. Cough..”
“Big Brother!”
“Cough.. Cough cough.. I’m alright, hehe.. Thank god I managed to catch that attack.”
“Y-you’re not okay! You’re bleeding!”
Blood dripped from the back of my head onto Mary’s cheek. My vision blurred and my ears shot, I slowly stood up to face the dressed giant. Once the dust and debris settled, there were no means of escape as the shadows had surrounded us in that instant.
“Elizabeth!”
“Cough.. Yes, Merlin?”
“Take Mary and fly her out of here. You’ll be faster escaping with her.. Cough cough.. I’ll hold this ugly oversized trash-can off.”
“You dare believe I would leave either of you. Cough cough.. Hehehe.. Besides this shoddy overstuffed muppet, dung-for-a-brain broke my wing! Cough.” Her feathers roughed up. She stood with a limp and her left wing twisted the wrong way.
“Big brother… Elizabeth please…” Mary sat up as the two face the massive shadow.
“YOU LITTLE INSUFFERABLE BUGS, I’LL CRUSH YOU INTO THE GROUND!” Twitching and gurgling it implodes into it’s true form. A slithering serpent with countless tails loomed over them, matching the size of a couple charter busses.
“YOU SSSSSHALL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMESSSS!” It rears its head high up and whips it’s tails at us.
Elizabeth dodges to the left then charges at it, launching her barrage of fire balls. I take my stand and use Arthur’s light attack to hit the serpent’s face as I guard against the tails. Momentarily blinding the serpent, I charged head on with my shield up to push through the flailing attacks of the tails while Arthur rains down more light attacks on its body. With a loud hiss the beast whips its head back in agony from the attack. The tails are now being pushed backed from my shield bash and Elizabeth’s fire bursts.
“Elizabeth lookout!!”
Sneaking behind was more of the serpent’s tails, but luckily she already caught wind of the surprise attack. Pulling out a war fan she swiftly evades the tail swipes and slices them to bits. Shooting more fire attacks to clean up the attacking tails.
“Thank you, Dear!”
“Elizabeth!!”
Aside from perfectly countering the sneak attack she wasn’t ready from the sheer amount of tails re-emerging and springing towards her. Grabbing hold of one of her legs, it pulled her straight up then crashing her down onto the ground.
“Elizabeeetthh!!”
Losing my focus on the giant for a moment gave it enough time for the serpent to rear its head back, open its jaw and propell a fire breath. I catch sight of it a second too late, I put up my shield blocking part of the attack before getting blasted back. Sent flying back to Mary, I threw up blood as I pushed myself to get back up.
“Cough cough ngh.. I’m gonna protect.. cough.. you no matter what, Mary.. cough I promise.” I feel her grab a hold of my leg hugging me tightly.
“H.. how will you keep your promise if you’re dead! B..brother please don’t leave… please don’t leave me alone...!” Burying her face into my leg crying, she pleads.
“Y… you’re the only one I have left! I don’t wanna lose you the same way I lost mom and dad! So please…”
“HAHAHAHAHA No need to cry, I’ll sssssave you the trouble and finissssssh you all together!” Hissing loudly it flings Elizabeth to us.
Landing by us, Mary takes a gentle hold of her.
“Cough cough.. I’m very sorry, lady Mary cough dear Merlin...” Passing out from the pain.
“You did a great job cough hold onto her..”
“Eliminate them!!” Like a rain of arrows, attacks from all sides came down on us.
“Arthur! Shield of Retribution! Cough ngh Shield of Retribution! Ngh Shield of Retri- tribuion!” Within the non stop barrage of death I hold my guard as best as I could. Relying on the only skill to protect me and anyone behind me, my strength slowly diminishes.
“Big brother…” With Elizabeth heavily injured in her arms and her brother desperately keeping them alive, all Mary could do is watch. Watch as the one person who’s protected her for so long, struggle to stand his ground. The giant serpent laughs in enjoyment as it continuously whips it’s countless tails, giving me a difficult time defending everyone.
“Elizabeth.. Big brother.. They’re gonna disappear.. I’m gonna lose them… I-I’ll be alone.. All alone again...” Flashbacks surge her mind of the day her and her parents going through a car accident. Instinctively, she reached out for me as I guarded her with my life.
Is this what you want?
“H-huh?”
The dreams you and your brother had dreamt of, does it end here? Didn’t you promise to fight? Will your history repeat itself and lose the very person you swore to live for?
“I… I did promise… I promised to live! I promise to never lose hope! I won’t lose anyone ever again… I’ll continue to fight to make damn sure our dreams come true!!”
What burning passion. Chosen by the almighty, I shall grant you power. Power used to right the wrongs, be strong for the weak, and fight on no matter the cause!
A silver metal headband appeared in the hand reaching out to her brother.
I am thou, thou art I…
Feeling the beckons of the headpiece to wear itself.
As called upon God, there can only be one True King…
Upon donning the armor, intense pain bubbles through her entire body. “Ngh! Mmf!”
thou shall lay waste to the devions of evil and spring forth a new age!
Like a bonfire lit beneath her, she feels her entirety screaming in agony. “Ahhh!!”
Take thy sword and strike justice, ring true to thee!
Blood flowing from her head, she held onto her headband to keep herself sane.
For thine blood spilled, the divine shall never waver!
“Peerrrsooonnaaaa!!”