"Thou art I..."

Tenten ran as fast as her short, yet agile legs could take her. It was difficult carrying Bell along and dodging the monsters. Being new to the area, she didn't bother familiarizing herself with the streets since there was only one way back home from the restuarant to her house. The suroundings were becoming to look more and more unfamiliar, it wasn't until she reached the fairgrounds that she realized she made a wrong turn along the way. Lost and exhausted, Tenten took a short break to catch her breath. Bell seemed fidgety in her arms as if se wanted to be let go. Tenten held on to her, whispering in chinese soothing words, which hardly helped any for the frightened and restless cat. She walked forward fast, knowing that the creatures weren't far behind, while still taking in her surroundings. The front sign of the entrance read "Welcome to Harborland" and to Tenten's horror, it was a Hell and demon themed theme park. Her entire body ached, but she forced herself to move forward, she hated to admit that she was scared, even if there weren't anybody around. The first thing the girl noticed was the Bloody ferris wheel. It turned and moved slowly, giving the ride an eerie feel. Other rides were similar, moving slightly, some moving only with the slight breeze. Tenten tucked a stray strand of her behind her ear and approached the entrance slowly. It seemed to be open, however nobody was around.

Behind her, she could hear the creatures coming up fast behind. She knew she didn't havea choice but to fight it or run into death trap wonderland. She smoothly took the kunai blade she kept in her boot and pointed it the monster. It had ten tentacle like things eminating from it's body. each tentacle had a spike and each spike what tenten observed to be some kind of poison sack. the monster grabbed at her but she wasn't going down without a fight. Tenten dodged the first three and even managed to cut one tentacle, but it grew back into place as fast she had cut it. Fuck she cursed, narrowly avoiding a spike. on tentacle caught her off guard and managd to knock the blade off from her hand RUN BELL, RUN HOME BELL tenten shouted in chinese, but her cat stayed in her spot. tenten shook her head Loyal ass cat she thought to herself. The tentacles hand wrapped around her right arm, both her legs and her waist. she felt the spike dig into her stomach. Ignoring the pain and coughing out blood, she warmly welcomed death. at least she fought till the end, she thought, life was worth living. flashes of her mother, Master Udong, and the new kids she met flashed into her mind. the last image was of akihito. Her heart pounded harder as the poison took effect.

Tenten snapped awake, her hand going straight to her chest where the tentacle spike pierced it. she was fully healed and rejuvinated. She glanced around and she saw that she was in a giant big top tent. Like the chinese circus whenever master Udong woult take her outside of the base's walls. The entire room was made of Velvet, pink velvet, simlar to her bedroom back in china. a pudgy man sat in a giant throne looking chair in front of her and smiled "TENTEN!" he called, his voice deep and unreal "I was wondering when you were gonna stop by! it's been years!" tenten eyed the man cautiosly I'm sorry, but do i know you? tenten asked kindly. the man smiled in response and boomed, "Bell! you two little girl! HAHAHAA! welcome welcome indeed! we've been expecting youquite sometime, my dear. both of you" Tenten gave him a questioning look as her faithful partner bell jumped down from her own velvet seat to Tentens lap. "My name is IGOR! and you are in the velvet room! welcome welcome!" he repeated. "I'm sorry, but...where are we? igor laughd again "the velvet room. a place in between dreams and reality. fact and fiction. Between dark and light. Time and space. Etc. etc." he said. Tenten shrugged as Bell purred in her lap, and why are we here exactly?" she asked, defensively. "BECAUSE my dear!" igor boomed "earth is about to be in grave danger...and years ago you my friend and our darling Bell here discovered that you have the potential to use a Persona" "I'm sorry a what?"

"a Persona! you wander around this world wearing a face, a mask if you will of your emotions personality feelings...persona. It is a weapon and a shield. You are special, you both are" Igor said. "Yeah i guess we are Bell purred. Tenten looked down at her cat in surprise, "Bell, did you just....talk? Bell looked up at her master and smiled "yeah, i guess i did. oh youcan hear me? that's odd she giggled once I've always had this ability, i just never thought you listened to me she purred. Tenten shook her head. This can't be real. This isn't real, i'm either dead or dreaming

"In order for you to use your persona, you need to sign a contract" Igor snapped his fingers and two copies of the same paper were laid in front of them along with a pad of ink and pink quill pen. "All it says is that you're taking responsibility for your personas. yadda yadda. You two have always had your marks, you've always had the ability. all you have to do is:: sign" Tenten picked up the quill pen and Bell padded over to the table and stamped a paw into the ink pad. you sure about this, bell? Tenten asked. The cat nodded yes I'm sure! we have nothing to lose, and besides. I like it that youcan understand me at that note Bell stamped a paw into her paper and dissolved away into the air. Igor looked at tenten as if he expected her to sign it. Tenten brushd the quill pen against her chin and shrugged What the hell, i have nothing to lose she mumbled signing her full name in perfect calligraphy.

Minutes later she's back at the same scene with the monster gripping her tightly. The mark she had on her wrist of a cat's head with bells glowed brightly and it pained her. TENTEN! FIGHT HARD, SUMMON YOUR PERSONA! bell yelled from the sidelines, a mark on her flank glowed, a set of bells.

His heart was thundering inside his chest as Akihito ran and ran away from the creatures. He kenw for a fact that there was no way that he could win against them, they weren't the kind of creatures taht could be downed by only the physical attack form a human. Besides he had his wooden sword. Wooden swords would be more and useless against those things. It was some kind of large shadow creature. It had arms extending from it's whole body and Akihito could not say he wasn't the littlest bit frightened by the events that were coming to fruition right before his eyes. What the hell was happening to the world before him today. He ran through the streets those shadow like creatures hot on his tail. As he passed he noticed something wrong. The people in the area were all gone. All the lights were out and these black coffins were everywhere. There were so many of those things that Akihito did not even wish to count them. He pulled out his cell phone and then noticed that it was not working. He looked at his watch and it was still stuck at twelve o clock midnight. His was a normal watch that would show the hands and the seconds ticking by. It was not moving at all. Of course it was a digital display but it was still aan old style one. So far tyhe only thing that Akihito could gather was that somewhere along the line time had stopped, the world became hell and demons were running around the city with coffins that justr gave the rest of the city a creepy vibe. The demon had a weird blue mask that seemed to remind Akihito of somethign but now was not the time to be trying to remember these kinds of fact. He had to make it out of there.

He was running and to tell the truth he was in great shape. He did not really run out of breathe easily and he kenw how to keep pace. But if he did not run any faster that thing would catch up with him. This was also bad cause if he ran faster then he would slow down and the shadow would catch him either way. He had to find a way out of this and fast. He needed a place to hide and that was somethign he hated the most. Why must he need to find a place to hide. He was the son of a yakuza boss yet he was running away. However the role of Yakuza boss never prepared him for somethign like this. This was not in the job description and Akihito was not having fun with this kind of thing. That was when Akihito heard panting coming from somewhere else and then saw a figure running and a shadow following it. It was Ten Ten. This was bad, Akihito knew she could take care of herself but followed suit anyway. He had to help no matter what happened to him. So he ran and now found himself heading in the direction of Haborland. Were the shadows luring them there or something. If he had kept goiung the way he was he would most likely have made a turn that brought him here as well. Thinking in this kind of situation was Akihito's specialty. He was always calm and composed about something that was until now and it was not because of the shadows. He was worried about a friend. He ran hard to catch up with where Ten ten was. He could feel it in his bones. If he did not come and help she was going to die. He did not know why, he feeling was just to intense to ignore. He needed to get there now.

He forgot about the shadow that was following him especially when he caught up to her. The thing taht was following her had gotten her. and peirced her stonmach with a spike. Akihito was consumed in a rage and ran at the monster. He cut the arms that were holding her and dug the spike out. He held he rin his arms as she coughed up blood. That was not going to be good at all. Shit fi only he were faster. He glared at the new shadow. the one that had put ten ten on death row. there were two shadows now. the one that had hurt Ten Ten and the one that had been following Akihtio. This was bad he was not thinking correctly. He shoudl have left her behind and got away himself. However he knew he could not do somethign like that. Man was he a failure of a Yakuza member. He gave an uneasy smirk as he stood up andtook up a defensive stance "YOU WANT SOME OF THIS BITCH". He screamed at the shadows as he was preparing to charge but int that moment the room changed. He found himself in a room that was purple. "Oh it's you my boy, long time no see, I would like to again welcome you to the velvet room". He looked down at a man that was hunched over in a chair and had an outrageously long nose. A bell rang in Akihito's head when he saw the man but nothing came to him. His face screwed up. "No need to try and remember, trust me you won't", The man had stated "My name is Igor and you have a special gift that sleeps within you. You wish to save that girl out there but you can't do it. Those shadows will kill you just like they did her". Akihito was livid. She was not dead not yet anyway.

Igor put up a hand to forstall Akihito's anger. "Your right she is not dead, not quiet yet atleast. The only way to save her is by using your special abilties. All I ask in return is that you sign a contract stating that you take all responsibility for your actions". Igor continued. It seemed like he was not going to expolain where exactly Akihito was. Of course he must have expected him to know this already. *This was a place between reason and fact, mind and matter*. the was the thought Akihtio had when he first entered the room. In either case he did not care about all of this anymore he wanted to save Ten Ten. If he did not do this they were both dead. "The ability you will sign for is called Persona, it's the embodiment of what you are and what you could become, be careful for once you learn it's secrets you will never be able to go back to a normal life again" Igor said this with one hell of a creepy smile. Akihito took a pen and signed the contract. Suddenly he was back at the scene, Ten Ten laying motionless on the ground but breathing and the shadows before him but he felt something different tug from inside him this time. "When the darkness rises, only darkness can destroy". The voice he heard earlier rang in his head. His heart started pounding and he could feel a power well up.

He looked at the monsters with pity. They would not be able to handle him now that he could see victory. His eyes became luminescent. He was not going to allow anyone to bring harm to the people he cares about and his will was answered. "Per.....so......na" A black mist arose from Akihito's body and began for form a dragon like shadow like thing. This was going down now.....

Bell was yelling something. "Use your persona, tenchan! you have to" She felt as if somebody had picked her up and held her tightly, she felt...Akihito. Her heart pounded hard and fast. [i]Bell can talk. It wasn't a Dream. I. am. dying she felt the gaping hole in her chest where the thron struck her. A dragon had come out of a dark sillouhette of a boy. If she didn't help him, he would die too, and therewas absolutely no way she was going to let him suffer the same fate. per....so....na she whispered with the very little energy she had. In her mind she screamed "WHEN THE DEATH BELL TOLLS: DARKNESS ARISE...THE HOUR HAS ARRIVED" out of her body rose her twin. The girl had the same face as she did. The same black hair, only this girl wore a bell around her neck. She wore a frown on her face, as if she appeared bored. Tenten loocked down at the gaping hole at her chest, and then back at the girl who looked just like her. This should be interesting she mumbled

The black smoke, rose off of of akihito's body and started to form a massive dragon. "Thou art I and I am thou....When darkness arises darkness must must destroy it. I am Bahamut, the pure destroyer. ". Bahamut rose out of Akihtio's body, a massive black dragon with Crimson eyes bore down on the enemy. Akihito need not say anything. He was going to destroy these things with the power he was given. Never again would he be a weakling to these creatures. A nasty side of his personality was showing. His killing intent was apparent. He was going to kill these things. Bahamut summoned two Black and blue flames and fired them at the creatures consuming them in a sea of darkness. Akihito's whole body was trembling with excitement. He remembered ten ten and ran back to her. He was now in slight confusion. The black dragon was still hanging above him, fierce and destructive and before him were not one but 2 ten ten's. He arn to the one that was on the ground. "Hey, hey are you ok? Say something you crazy little girl" Akihito was in a frenzy. He had worked himself up used osme power he just got and now there were two of the same person. It was almost too much for him to handle. His eyes still glowed the Crimson Red as e stared at her willing her to wake.

Tenten looked into the boy's eyes. Akihito. "This really wasn't a dream" she thought to herself. The Nekomimi clone that was her persona stood by, a bored look on her face. Tenten forced herself up. She wasn't giving without a fight! Looking around the area, she saw the girl from the cafe that left early (and gave quite a generous tip), Squall, akira, and Akihito. The pain was becoming unbearable and she wished it would just numb down a bit. Every one was fighting but her, and she was not about to lose out on a battle, injured or not.

All o fa sudden, the bell on her persona's neck chimed and an instrument made of shadow appeared on her hand. It was a silvery flute with floral engravings. Bell. Upon closer observation, the Nekomimi's ears were actually made of her own hair. "your name is Bells" she said. Bells nodded in response. Bell, the cat crawled up beside her and jumped onto Akihito's head "I sense trouble" She spoke. "there area few more shadows on the way and a really big one. Persona can fight them~! I'll guide you! Tenten nodded, "i need to heal she said. Bells, whom was waiting patiently at their side, pulled the flute up to her lips and began to play a beautiful and soothing melody. silver and pink magick flew from the end of the flute covering the wounds of both Akihito and Tenten, healing them. Tenten was amazed. She felt energized as the poison no longer slowed her system. She stood up and drew the dagger she kept in her boot. "No more missus nice girl" she threatened your ass is going down! at that thought, the flute in Bells's hand transformed into a pink and black electric guitar. it is on

Items/abilities gained::
Silver Flute of Restoration- (level 1) can heal wounds and restore 20% of HP for an individual ( -5SP per individual)
pink and black Electric guitar- (level 1) lightning based Attacks

Akihito looked around and was amazed by what he saw. Why was it that these specific people gathered in this area during this kind of time. This was utter madness. Bell, Ten Ten's cat had jumped onto his head and started talking. This was becoming too much. And fromt he conversations that he had overheard he had to conclude that he was the only sane person here. Why did everyone seem to be taking all this in stride. This kind of situation would be enough to overload anyone's logic processors but these guys seemed like it was the kind of thing they were waiting for and that made Akihito a little apprehensive. He noticed the power he had but he also took note that the power he had was also a danger if people did not understand how to use it. It's going to have to be something he would have to look into. He also took notice the differences between the persona that each person had. He noticed that many of them took upon a human appearance except his for some reason. He noticeably frowned at this turn of events. Why did it seem like he was some kind of monster while the others seemed more human. Again he would have to look into this whole persona thing. Ten Ten had been healed by something and he decided to let it be.

He stood up and looked at the new creature that had entered the area. His dragon Persona hovered above him. Bahamut loomed above everyone. He was definitely a big one, even when compared to the others and it seemed menacing. He could tell this one was dangerous, even if it were just in temper. It looked mean and if this was born form him he wasn't sure how to take that. But in the end he was still more worried about the things unfolded. Then something started coming this way. It was another one of those things but bigger. This was going to be bad. He readied himself for battle. Baamut stared it down.