Tales of the Otherworld � Chapter 6: Shadow

Hubert was walking to the Dorm after he finished up at the Kendo Team's Practice that day... He didn't feel like going to the Mall or anything for some reason. He felt like he was just slump or mud and wanted to go to sleep till the next day. On his way to the Dorm... He saw Takuma Saiou walking down the street... The boy from before...

�Now practice! I don't care that you even took out Reiki! Could have been Beginner's Luck! Get your armor on and get going!�
�I don't think he was trying to hide that he had said it.�
�I still don't see it...�
�If that's the case... Then it is you.�
�Reiki... You sure it is him...? Just doesn't seem like it...�
�You're being mean.�
�P-Power....�
�Takuma Saiou. Third-in-Command Captain of the Scaliene High School Kendo Team. Head of the Defense Training on the Team. Most people call me Saiou.�

Hubert didn't want to say anything to Saiou... He felt that he was going to get yelled at like before or when Reiki was screaming the top of her head off at him... Then he ran up to Saiou and said, �Ummm... I'm sorry about earlier...�

�I don't care about your damn apology. You can't anything about Reiki being injured!� Saiou increased his tone in his voice.

�S-Sorry about that... I didn't mean to hit so hard....� Hubert turned his head away.
�I guess I'm sorry... It's not like that Reiki won't recover...� Saiou apologized to Hubert.
�Or there's a curse and she doesn't,� Hubert grinned.
�What did you say?!� Saiou grabbed Hubert by his collar.

Saiou lifted him off of the ground and there was a rumble coming from the Dorms. Saiou was shocked because he didn't realize how late it was at night. He said to himself, �I... F-Forgot!! I have to get to the Dorm!�

He dropped Hubert and ran down the street to Hubert's Dorm. Hubert was confused because he knew that Saiou didn't live in his Dorm. He just ran down the street, too, following Saiou.

When they got to the Dorm, without thinking, Saiou tried opening the door. When he realized it was locked he turned to Hubert and asked, �Isn't this your dorm?!�

�Y-Yea!� Hubert handed Saiou the keys without saying anything else. He didn't want to almost get strangled and yelled at again.

�Um. Thanks,� Saiou quickly took the keys and turned back to the door to open it up. When he opened it, he thought he felt something. Hubert walked in right after him and said, �That's strange... Aren't Yuri and Flynn supposed to be here...? And isn't Cress supposed to...?! I thought I saw him going to the Dorm, I know it!! And... Where in the world is Rutee...?!�

�Wait a second... Cress is in the freaking Dorm?!� Saiou turned to Hubert surprised.

�Y-Yes! It's me, Yuri Lowell, Flynn Scifo, Cress Albane, and Rutee Katrea!� Hubert repeated the names that he listed off before.

�I-� Saiou was cut off by a loud screaming from upstairs. Hubert recognized the voice and yelled, �Th-That's Rutee's voice!! What's going on?!� Hubert ran up the stairs to the roof where he thought it came from.

�H-Hubert!!� Saiou was practically flying up the stairs to catch up to Hubert.

Before Saiou even thought of it, it was already night time... They really were outside for longer than they thought... He thought that it was weird that it would already be this late at night... But he wasn't too worried about the specific time. It was that it was night...

They ran out onto the roof after Hubert opened the door and found Yuri, Flynn, and Cress on the ground next to the room that leads to the roof. Rutee was facing a giant shadowed figure that none of them could make out. Hubert ran to the three boys and yelled, �Are you guys okay?!�

�H-Help...� Yuri started...
�...R-Rutee...� Flynn finished his sentence.

�H-How-!!� Hubert was cut off by a shattering sound. He looked around to see if he could find where it was coming from. But, to his extreme surprise, no one around him was moving... Even the shadowed figure was standing tall in front of Rutee. Hubert then said to himself within the frozen time, �Is... Time frozen or something... They aren't moving or anything... What's going on...?�

A voice started ringing from the inside of Hubert's head...

Thou represents the Fool...
Yet empty...
Yet infinite...

Time was shortly moving and Saiou fell to his knees as the Shadow attack him and said, �The Spirits... of this world... You should know...�

Thou has infinite possibilities...
Redeem the destruction...
Yet seen light...
I shall bestow thou's power...

�...Their true name is...�

Unlock thou's heart...

�...Per...�
�...So...�
�...Na...�

Hubert stepped back and grabbed the air in front of him as though he felt something and yelled, �Unlock my true heart!! Please, lend me your power!! Persona!!! Come out, Frucious!!�

Hubert's hand clutched a card and shattered it. A blast of light was surrounded him and a lightened figure appeared above him like before. The dazed Yuri and Flynn watched it happen. That have never heard of this happening before or any of it. Cress was leaning on the wall now with Saiou standing next to him. The Shadow was holding Rutee and then Hubert took out his weapon from before...

He gripped It and charged at the Shadow yelling, �Leave Rutee alone!!�

As Hubert jumped for the attack, the Persona above him did the same exact thing with it's weapon.

�Now, Falsebound Incinerator!!� A light of blue and white were flashing around Hubert's weapon and he slashed right through the Shadow...

The Shadow disappeared in an explosion and Rutee fell from the air. Hubert ran over to where she would drop and caught her. He walked back and asked her frantic, �R-Rutee! What happened?! Are you hurt?!�

�N... Nothing serious...� She had a small smile on her face. Hubert was sort of blushing.

It was all cut short when three extremely smaller shadows appeared where the big one was. Hubert turned around and shouted, �Not finished yet?! Then, bring it!�

Saiou just stared at Hubert fighting... He thought he heard a voice echoing shortly before Hubert summoned his Persona. No one really knew but Saiou can read Tarot Cards, or the Arcana themselves...

Rutee just sat on the ground as she watched Hubert fight. She was smiling at her savior. No one else did anything to help, not that they could...

�Take this again! Falsebound Incinerator!� Hubert let out another slash at the final Shadow. Then he heard echoing again:

To the sea of your soul...
Your very heart...
We shall meet again...

A Tarot Card appeared in Hubert's hand as his weapon and Persona disappeared. He stuck into his pocket hoping no one saw...

Hubert was suddenly feeling weak and fell over on his back. He was staring at the stars in the sky now... The Shadow vanishing cleared the sky back up. Saiou got up and walked over to Hubert and said, �Are you okay...?�

�I think... Just tired...� Hubert said as he closed his eyes. Saiou sighed and picked Hubert up into his arms. He walked over to the door to the roof, turned to Yuri and Flynn who were standing up, �Do you mind if I move into this Dorm? There is a special investigation going on and we need a base of operations close to target. I hope you don't mind...�

�N-Not at all...� Flynn said weakly.
�Yea... If it has anything to do with that Shadow thing... I don't want to worry about anyone getting hurt again,� Yuri said as he helped Flynn as they opened the door.

�That's great,� Saiou said with a smile.
�Guess you're stuck here,� Cress smiled as he walked after him. Rutee kept close to Saiou because he was holding Hubert. She felt safe with him now...