Disclaimer. The rights belong to their respective creators.
The only thing that would count as mine would be this story.
" "Character speaking.
" "Character thinking.
"Word" What the character sees.
(-)
Early: April 6, 2009
Issei woke up to the sound of his alarm, lazily turning it off and rubbing his eyes. He still had a vivid memory of the strange dream he'd had: that blue room, the chains on his wrists, the search for freedom that someone named Igor had mentioned. But as he tried to remember more, the details became blurry, as if his thoughts were colliding with each other, refusing to provide a clear image.
With a frustrated sigh, Issei turned over in bed and noticed his desk. Suddenly, he remembered the letter and the poem he had read the night before. He got up and went to find it, hoping to locate it where he had left it, but he realized it was gone. He searched around, looked through his things, but found nothing. Confused, he scratched his head, not understanding whether he had moved it, if someone had taken it, or if, after all, that too had been a dream.
"Maybe I just imagined it..." he muttered, although deep down, he felt it had been very real.
With that thought, he began to get dressed for school. He was so lost in his thoughts that he clumsily put on his uniform, taking longer than usual to fasten his buttons and adjust his tie. His thoughts came and went, but without finding any clear answers. When he finally finished, he grabbed his backpack and went downstairs to the dining room.
When he arrived, he saw his father sitting at the table, absorbed in his newspaper, while his mother placed breakfast in front of him. As soon as they heard Issei arrive, they both looked up and smiled warmly. That everyday, familiar scene, with the aroma of food filling the kitchen, made Issei feel calmer, momentarily pushing away thoughts of the strange blue room.
"Good morning, Ise," his mother, Miki, greeted him cheerfully. "I made your favorite breakfast."
Issei smiled back, trying not to show his confusion.
"Thanks, mom."
He sat down and began eating in silence. His mother watched him with a mixture of curiosity and concern. After a few minutes, she couldn't help but ask him a question.
"Ise, is something wrong? You seem a little off today," said Miki, moving to sit beside him. "You have this expression... I don't know, like you're somewhere else."
Issei looked up from his plate, surprised. He took a bite and then shook his head, trying to calm any worries.
"Don't worry, mom. It's just... I had a weird dream, that's all."
His mother looked at him with a mix of relief and tenderness, while Gorou, his father, lowered his newspaper and raised an eyebrow.
"How are you feeling today, son?" he asked in his usual serious tone. "The day before yesterday, you were so excited to return to school, and today you seem distracted. You're not getting into anything weird, are you?"
Issei scratched his head uncomfortably and tried to avoid his father's gaze. He couldn't tell them about what he had dreamed; it was hard enough to explain it to himself. He certainly wouldn't tell them about the recurring dreams of a red dragon he used to have as a child.
"No, of course not, dad," he murmured, taking another bite with a forced smile.
"Come on, honey," his mother interjected, giving her husband a light nudge on the arm. "You know Ise isn't exactly a morning person. It wouldn't be surprising if he's a little distracted in the mornings."
"I guess you're right," said Gorou, returning to his newspaper, though he threw one last inquisitive glance at his son.
Issei sighed internally, grateful for the change of subject. He focused on finishing his breakfast, glancing occasionally at the clock hanging on the wall. Time was passing quickly, and he knew that if he didn't hurry, he'd be late on his first day back.
"I think I should go. I don't want to be late," he said, finishing his meal. He quickly stood up, grabbed his backpack, and headed for the door.
Miki, seeing him in such a rush, approached to give him one last piece of advice.
"Ise! Don't forget your umbrella, it looks like it's going to rain later."
But Issei had already rushed out the door, leaving his mother's words hanging in the air. She sighed and looked at her husband with a resigned smile.
"That boy... always so impatient," she said, though her tone carried a touch of affection.
Gorou nodded and folded his newspaper, glancing toward the door through which his son had just left.
"Let's hope he gets back before the rain catches him."
Meanwhile, Issei walked toward school, still lost in his thoughts. The strange room, Igor, Cassandra, the contract... it all seemed like a distant dream, but at the same time, he felt a weight on his chest, as if it hadn't been just a dream. He didn't know if he would see those people again, but the tone in their words had left him with a strange sense of unease.
"What does all of this mean?" he thought, looking up at the clouds beginning to cover the sky.
(-)
"Definitely should've brought my umbrella, "thought Issei as he took shelter under the awning of a small closed shop, watching the rain drench the streets of Kuoh. Students hurried by, protected under their umbrellas as they made their way to the academy. However, he, caught without protection and with his uniform already damp, felt genuinely unlucky.
He sighed, hoping the rain would let up, when a voice beside him pulled him from his thoughts.
"Nice, looks like I'm not the only one," someone said casually.
Issei turned his head to find a blonde boy wearing the same academy uniform, though his looked much more disheveled. The new companion noticed Issei's stare and raised an eyebrow.
"What's up, do I have something on my face?" the blonde asked, his expression a mix of teasing and nonchalance, as if nothing could bother him.
Issei looked at him, trying to remember if he'd seen him before. He felt a vague familiarity but nothing clear. He could just ignore him or say something trivial, but he decided to follow his gut and respond more directly.
"Do I know you?" Issei asked as the other boy crossed his arms and seemed to ponder for a moment.
The blonde let out a soft laugh and looked at Issei with a spark of amusement in his eyes. "Honestly, I doubt it. But you're part of the... what do they call it? Oh yeah, the perverted trio, right, Issei?"
Issei felt his cheeks burn, partly from embarrassment and partly from discomfort. It wasn't as if he was proud of that reputation, and having someone recognize him that way only made him feel worse. He tried to regain his composure, though he noticed the boy watching him with a smirk, clearly enjoying his reaction.
As he tried to pull himself together, he took a better look at him. Though they wore the same uniform, his companion wore it with a careless attitude: shirt half untucked, tie loose, and a rebellious air that contrasted with the other students.
"What's your name?" Issei asked, trying to shift the conversation.
The blonde seemed surprised by the question, but his expression quickly turned into a confident smile. "Interested in my name, huh? Just call me Akira."
They stood in silence for a moment, watching the rain continue to pour heavily. Then, Akira shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed in resignation.
"Doesn't look like this will stop anytime soon. I guess we'll just have to get wet." He turned his head toward Issei and smiled nonchalantly. "Come on, let's hurry before it gets even later."
Issei nodded, and without saying anything else, the two of them dashed into the rain, running together through the soaked streets toward the academy. He felt the raindrops hit his face and the cold seep into his bones, but something about the situation gave him a strange sense of camaraderie.
Despite barely knowing each other, there was something refreshing in Akira's carefree attitude.
As they ran, Issei couldn't help but notice Akira's carefree laugh whenever they splashed through a puddle. That ease in enjoying the moment surprised him; it was so different from the routine and sometimes oppressive feeling he had in his daily life. Somehow, that brief sprint through the rain with someone he'd just met made him feel a little freer.
When they reached the academy entrance, both stopped, panting and drenched. Akira ran a hand through his hair, trying to fix it in vain, and looked at Issei with an amused smile.
"Man, who forgets their umbrella on a day like today? I'd say we have awful luck."
Issei laughed, feeling a bit more relaxed. "Yeah, well... it's not like I planned on getting soaked before the first class."
Akira patted his shoulder, that spark of amusement still in his eyes. "Don't worry, we'll survive. Maybe this year, you'll shake off that 'pervert' label. Or, who knows, you might get used to having a memorable reputation."
Not knowing what to say, Issei simply returned the smile, feeling an unexpected connection. It might have been just a coincidence, but something inside him told him this wouldn't be the last time he'd run into Akira.
Issei and Akira parted ways upon entering the building, and as he walked down the hallways, Issei felt a slight unease. Even though it was the same familiar setting, something inside him felt different, as if the world around him had become more oppressive and the walls of Kuoh Academy felt narrower. "That blue room... the voice... Search for freedom?" he recalled, feeling strange as he thought about that dream. Everything had been so vivid that he could still feel the presence of that distant figure, as if something was calling to him.
When he reached the classroom, he quickly greeted his classmates, including Matsuda and Motohama, who immediately approached him with their usual energy.
"Ise! What happened? Did the rain eat you up or what?" joked Matsuda, pointing at Issei's still-damp uniform.
"Yeah, something like that," replied Issei, with a distracted smile, barely registering his friend's words. Despite his efforts to seem normal, his mind was still absorbed in the questions left by the dream.
Motohama, who always had an eye for details, gave him a questioning look. "What's up with you today, Issei? You seem... weird. And trust me, coming from you, that says a lot."
"Weird? What do you mean?" asked Issei, trying to hide his discomfort while attempting to act naturally. "It was just a weird dream. Nothing important."
Matsuda quickly teased him. "A weird dream? I bet it had something to do with a certain club of pretty girls. We know you, Ise!"
Issei laughed with them, though he knew deep down that his dream had been different. It had nothing to do with his usual fantasies; that room and the feeling of invisible chains wouldn't leave his mind. The sensation was so persistent that even when the teachers started the class, their words sounded distant, as if he were watching everything from the outside.
As the classes went on, Issei found himself increasingly distracted, trying to understand the meaning of it all. "Was it just a dream... or does it mean something?" He wondered if the letter, with its unsettling warning, had been real or if it was also part of that strange episode.
Looking out the window, he saw the raindrops hitting the glass in a steady rhythm, and for a moment, he thought he could hear the words he'd read in that letter: "Would you be willing to pay the price?" That phrase kept repeating in his mind, unsettling him and making him feel a weight in his chest.
(-)
After School: April 6, 2009
Finally, classes ended, and as the rest of the students left the classroom chatting animatedly, Issei gathered his things, still lost in thought. When he stepped into the hallway, he noticed the rain was still pouring heavily outside the academy, beating against the windows and filling the air with a distant echo that he found almost hypnotic.
Just as he was about to head to the exit, a familiar voice pulled him from his reverie.
"It seems like it won't stop raining. It's a shame, isn't it? Akira said, leaning against the wall near the door, his arms crossed and a playful smile on his face.
Issei, surprised, smiled back. "It seems so... I hope I don't get sick.
Akira shrugged, pulling out his earbuds. "Maybe that makes it more fun, right? Who wants to stay under an umbrella all the time?"
They walked together down the hallway in silence toward the entrance. As they walked, Issei couldn't help but glance at him; even though he barely knew him, he felt a strange familiarity with Akira, as if they shared a connection he couldn't quite understand-something deeper than mere coincidence.
Suddenly, Akira broke the silence. "Tell me something, Issei... have you ever felt like there are things in your life that just... don't make sense?" His tone was more serious, and his eyes reflected a depth he hadn't shown before.
Issei, taken aback, paused for a moment, thinking about the question. "Are you asking for any particular reason?" he asked, though deep down he knew exactly what Akira meant. He recalled the dream, the missing letter, the words of the voice in that strange blue room. Could it be that Akira shared the same unease?
Akira sighed, looking out the window. The afternoon light filtered weakly through the clouds, giving them a melancholy look. "It's just that... sometimes I feel like I'm trapped in something, like there are invisible chains around me. Trapped in a fate I never asked for." His voice trailed off, but Issei sensed a sadness in his words that resonated deeply with him, as if they were talking not just about him, but about something more.
Issei nodded slowly. "Funny you say that.. just this morning, I had a strange dream. I don't know, it was as if something or someone was talking to me about freedom and the price I'd have to pay for it." He looked at Akira, waiting for a reaction.
Akira raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Freedom, huh?" His eyes seemed to spark with interest. "And what do you plan to do about it? Or are you going to let those dreams slip by?"
Issei felt a wave of determination at hearing that question. It was something he'd been avoiding, but he couldn't ignore it any longer. "I don't know... But I feel like I need to find some answers."
Akira smiled and nodded approvingly. "Then, I guess you're not as ordinary as I thought." Then he looked outside, at the curtain of rain. "Come on, Issei. Sometimes the only way to find answers is to keep going, no matter the weather."
They exchanged a look, and in that instant, Issei felt that Akira was someone who understood his own uncertainties, someone who might share the same questions and fears. As they ran through the rain, Issei felt that, for the first time, he wasn't alone in this strange search, and a part of him, though still full of doubts, began to accept that this connection might be the first step toward something greater.
(-)
Night: April 6, 2009
When Issei returned home, his mother lightly scolded him for not bringing an umbrella. Now, as he lay in bed staring at his ceiling, the ticking of the clock seemed to grow louder with each passing second. It was already past midnight, but sleep continued to elude him mercilessly.
He tried closing his eyes, seeking some calm, but every time he did, his mind returned to that vast, dark abyss he'd seen before. The strange version of himself he had encountered there was still etched in his memory, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Then there were the characters from the Velvet Room. Mysterious and captivating, especially the man with the long nose, who, though seemingly kind, radiated an energy that disturbed him. Issei couldn't shake the feeling that they knew far more than they were willing to tell him.
Frustrated, he sighed and got out of bed. Maybe a glass of water would help clear his mind and, hopefully, let him sleep. However, just as he was about to take his first step, he felt an almost imperceptible change in the atmosphere. At first, it was just a slight pressure in the air, as if something invisible was surrounding him. But within seconds, the atmosphere in his room became suffocating, heavy, as though an unknown, powerful presence was materializing around him.
A sudden dizziness hit him, and he had to lean against the wall to keep his balance. "What's happening...?" he thought, feeling a knot in his stomach as he struggled to clear his mind.
He looked around, and to his surprise, noticed that his room was no longer the same. The walls, once a light color, now seemed faded, covered in dark shadows that crawled slowly, as if they were alive. Everything around him felt strange and ominous; the furniture, usually organized and familiar, now looked worn and ancient, as though it had been abandoned in some forgotten corner of time.
The curtains swayed slightly, even though the windows were closed. Looking closer, Issei noticed that the view outside was completely different: instead of the usual street, there was now a dense fog that seemed to stretch endlessly, blocking any view of the outside world. The clock on his desk ticked with a stronger, slower rhythm, as if each tick was a warning.
Trying to control his panic, he forced himself to take a few steps toward his bedroom door, feeling how each step became heavier, as if something were trying to hold him back. His hands trembled slightly as he reached for the doorknob and turned it. Taking a deep breath, he hoped to find the hallway of his home, but when he opened the door, what lay before him was something completely different.
A long, dark corridor stretched out in front of him, seemingly endless. A long, dark hallway stretched out in front of him, seemingly endless. A dim, disgusting green light illuminated the space, with no apparent source. The walls of the hallway seemed to pulse, as if breathing, covered in strange markings that looked like arcane symbols or abstract drawings, giving the place an eerie, supernatural atmosphere.
"This... can't be happening..." Issei murmured, his voice shaking. Instantly, his own voice seemed to echo back in the absolute silence that surrounded him, returning with a distorted echo. Behind him, he heard the dull sound of the door closing. When he turned, he saw that his bedroom door had disappeared. There was only a wall, with no exit, as if his home no longer existed.
Swallowing hard, Issei forced himself to move forward, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. Each step felt like he was crossing an unknown threshold, venturing deeper into a place that did not belong to him, yet seemed to call to him from the depths of his own soul. In the silence, he occasionally heard indistinct whispers-words he couldn't understand, but that made him shiver.
As he walked, the corridor twisted, as if it changed and moved at will. The walls seemed to draw closer and pull away, and the symbols on them would glow briefly before fading. Issei felt his heart pounding, increasingly uneasy, as if the very air he breathed was filled with something unknown and dangerous.
Finally, as he rounded a corner, he found himself before a large metal door adorned with dark, gothic details. It was imposing, with engravings that seemed to depict human figures trapped in chains and shadows. In the center of the door, an inscription in an unknown language emitted a faint blue glow.
"What is this place...?" he whispered, unable to comprehend what lay before him. But before he could decide whether to open it, the door opened on its own with a heavy creak, revealing a new space within, as dark and vast as the abyss from his dream.
Feeling a mixture of terror and curiosity, he took a step forward, crossing the threshold as the door closed behind him with a final, resounding thud.
Suddenly, he heard a dull sound, like a distant heartbeat, thundering in his ears, strong and deep, resonating in his chest as if it were his own heart. And then, a voice, low but intense, pierced through his mind:
"Seeking freedom? Who told you such nonsense!?"
Issei froze. He recognized the tone of the voice; it was familiar, yet it carried something darker-a mix of his own thoughts and something strange, much more sinister, as if it came from some corner of his subconscious.
Who are you? Show yourself!" he shouted, though he wasn't sure who or what he was addressing. His voice echoed against the walls of that hallway, but the echo quickly faded in the oppressive silence surrounding him. Then, the voice responded with a small, cold, mocking laugh.
"Do you really expect to understand everything immediately?" The voice seemed to revel in his confusion. "I admit I would love to respond to that demand... but why rush? Why don't we take a little tour first?"
Suddenly, as if part of a macabre show, several lights flickered on in the darkness, illuminating a path that stretched out before him. The lighting was pale and ghostly, casting long shadows that danced around, giving the corridor an even stranger appearance. It was a clear, almost taunting invitation to continue down that unknown path.
Issei looked around, finding no other way out. Feeling as if something was watching him from the darkness, and with no clear alternative, he began to walk, each step resonating strongly on the floor. With each step, the pressure in the air seemed to increase, and the sensation that something dark and ancient awaited at the end of the path grew stronger.
He continued forward, trapped in that strange labyrinth, unsure if it was a game or a trap. But one thing was clear: something, or someone, had plans for him.
As Issei walked forward, the corridor transformed again, leading him to a familiar yet distant schoolyard, bathed in the cold, diffused light of a morning. He recognized the place instantly: it was his old elementary school. He saw his younger self, a boy of about eight, sitting alone on a bench in a corner of the yard, hugging his knees and quietly watching the other kids playing around him. The expression on his face, a mixture of sadness and resignation, was one he could never forget, no matter how hard he tried.
The echo of other children's laughter resounded, indifferent to him. Issei remembered how, every time he tried to join in, it always seemed like his classmates had already formed groups, as if every spot was taken before he even had a chance to ask.
Standing there, watching from outside his own memory, he felt the air grow thick, almost suffocating. The unknown voice spoke again, soft and mocking, as if it wanted to deepen his wound.
"There you are... the lonely boy, the one everyone ignored. You were never interesting enough for them, were you? Always... on the sidelines."
Issei gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to turn away from that scene, though he knew he couldn't. He remembered the pain of those endless recess hours when he tried to join a group only to be rejected or, worse, ignored as if he didn't exist. Sometimes he would end up playing alone, drawing in the sand or throwing a ball against the wall, pretending he didn't care, though deep down he felt a sadness he didn't know how to explain.
The scene shifted once more. Now he was in the classroom during a group activity. He watched his younger self walk from desk to desk, looking for someone who would want to work with him, but each time he approached a group, someone would give him an excuse or simply say the group was already full. Finally, young Issei gave up and sat alone at the back of the classroom, pretending to focus on his things while the others laughed and shared together.
The voice continued, with an almost compassionate tone. "Since then, you learned to hide that emptiness, to fill your life with any distraction you could find. But at the end of the day, the loneliness was always there, wasn't it?"
Issei felt a pang in his chest, watching his younger self glance sideways at his classmates, wishing he could be part of something that always seemed just out of reach. He remembered how every day he'd return home feeling invisible and would try to tell his parents he had a good day so as not to worry them, even though he knew it was a lie.
Years passed, and though situations changed, the feeling of isolation persisted. As he entered middle school and then high school, he tried to act strong, carefree, building a facade that made him seem less vulnerable. But deep down, that lonely child remained inside, afraid that no matter what he did, he would always be on the outside, always alone.
Suddenly, the memory faded, and he returned to the dark corridor, but this time, the weight of those experiences seemed to envelop him even more. The voice returned once more, whispering almost into his ear.
"So tell me, Issei... what's the point of seeking freedom if all you find is the emptiness of being alone? Maybe... maybe it's best to accept that fate, to surrender to the loneliness that has always followed you."
Issei felt a lump in his throat and closed his eyes, trying to push those thoughts away. But he knew that loneliness was something he had always avoided confronting, burying his feelings beneath distractions and shallow friendships. Now, faced with his own past, he understood that to be truly free, he would have to accept that pain and overcome it, no matter how difficult it was.
When he looked forward, he saw it. It was himself, but a darker version, with a cold, empty expression and thick chains extending from his wrists into the dense darkness. Issei's shadow observed him with a disturbing calm, as if it didn't need words to reveal what he already knew.
Issei looked away and down at his hands, clenching his fists. He searched for something-a memory, a feeling-that would let him contradict this shadowy figure that challenged him, reflecting his own fears back at him.
"How many people have you disappointed?" the shadow murmured in a harsh, almost mocking voice. "No matter how much you want to ignore it. You can see the disappointment in Mom and Dad's eyes... even if they try to hide it, you feel it. You know it. You always end up ruining things."
Issei felt the blow of those words as if it had pierced his chest. The doubts, the times he felt he wasn't enough... all of it was there, crashing in his mind. He lowered his head as the words from his shadow wrapped around him.
"It was your fault Dad didn't want to go fishing with you anymore. Remember? One afternoon was all it took for him to be disappointed. And the people at school... you know what they think. Everyone talks about your reputation, about how pathetic you've become."
Issei closed his eyes, trying to resist the weight of those words. He knew he had disappointed his parents at some point, that his failures weren't just his imagination. Yet the shadow seemed to be savoring each of his insecurities, and that pushed him to lift his head with a spark of determination.
"Yes, I know I've made mistakes... and that I haven't been what everyone expected," he murmured, feeling the truth in each word. "But... I've also had moments you don't mention. Tell me... why didn't you talk about Shidou?"
The shadow faltered for an instant, as if the mention had taken it by surprise. Its eyes narrowed, as though trying to understand why Issei would bring up Shidou at a moment like this. And, before it could respond, the environment began to distort. The darkness slowly faded, and they were both transported to a memory long buried in Issei's mind.
Issei found himself in the yard of his old elementary school. It was an autumn day; leaves were falling around, carried by the wind, as he sat alone on an old wooden bench, watching other kids play and laugh in the distance. The scene was always the same: him, in silence, waiting for the day to end. He had stopped trying to approach the other kids, after so many disdainful looks, so many times they had left him aside.
"That was me..." Issei whispered, recalling the loneliness he felt in those days. He felt as if something inside him was empty, as if a part of his being was destined to be alone, to be invisible to others.
But then, something unusual happened.
"Hey, why are you sitting here alone?" A voice, full of curiosity, broke his thoughts. Issei looked up, surprised, and saw a boy smiling at him with a friendly expression. It was someone he had never seen before. "What's your name?"
For a moment, Issei hesitated, unsure how to respond. He was so used to loneliness that the boy's approach felt confusing. Finally, he gathered his courage and whispered, "My name... is Issei."
The boy smiled even wider, as if he had found something valuable in that simple exchange. "My name's Shidou! Hey, Issei... why don't we play together?"
Those words echoed in Issei's mind, a reverberation that seemed to stretch beyond time. It was like a beam of light piercing his isolation, a spark that showed him he wasn't doomed to be alone, that someone had decided to reach out and see him as a friend. From that moment on, the schoolyard was no longer a lonely place for him. Thanks to Shidou, Issei discovered the meaning of friendship, and although the hard days continued, he was no longer alone in his world.
The vision faded, and suddenly Issei found himself back in the same park. The sun shone gently between the trees, illuminating the space with a comforting warmth. Turning his head, he saw his shadow, but it was no longer the dark, chained figure from before. Now, sitting before him, was a young boy, the same age as Issei had been back then, with the same face he had worn as a child. The boy looked at him with a mixture of melancholy and a touch of curiosity, as if looking at a stranger.
Issei offered a weak smile at the sight of this younger, more vulnerable version of himself. Slowly, he approached and sat beside the boy on the bench, noticing that his shadow was staring at the ground, not daring to meet his gaze directly.
"So... you're me," Issei said, breaking the silence. His voice sounded soft, almost as if he were speaking to a barely recognized memory.
The boy nodded slowly, without lifting his eyes. "I'm the part that was always alone," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "The part that nobody wanted... and that was always afraid that, in the end, you'd abandon me too."
Issei looked at him with compassion, feeling the weight of those words. For a moment, he recalled the long hours he had spent in that same park, waiting -waiting for something or someone to change his reality. "And why did you think I'd abandon you?" he asked gently.
The boy finally lifted his gaze, looking at him with a pained glint in his eyes. "Because... I tried so hard to be what others wanted, but it always seemed like it was never enough. They told me I needed to change, that something about me was wrong. And at some point... I thought you'd think that too."
Issei sighed and shook his head. "You know, I used to think I should ignore that part of me. That if I did, you'd disappear." He looked at his younger self and smiled. "But I've learned that I can't run from you. You're a part of me that will always be here... and I don't want to leave you behind."
The boy looked at him in surprise, as if those words had brought a long-awaited relief. After a few seconds, he dared to ask in a soft voice, "Do you really not want to leave me behind?"
Issei shook his head. "No. You're the part of me that endured the hardest times, the one who was always there when no one else was. Thanks to you... I found the strength to move forward."
The shadow, now a child, smiled for the first time, a timid smile filled with hope. "Then... do you think that, someday, I'll be able to be happy too?"
Issei nodded, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Yes, I do. We'll work on it together."
And for a moment, they both sat in silence, sharing a peace neither had experienced before. Issei, the young man who had known loneliness and darkness, and his shadow, the child who had borne the weight of those memories. Both now in a place of mutual understanding, where the shadow was no longer an enemy but a reflection of his own growth.
Issei and his younger self exchanged a warm smile, but just then, the scene began to change. A soft, warm glow enveloped the younger version of Issei, as if a mysterious energy was surrounding him. The boy looked at him with a mix of serenity and determination.
"Thank you, Issei," the boy said in a whisper, his voice resonating with a maturity that seemed impossible for someone so young. "Now that you're no longer afraid to face me... I can show you who I truly am."
Issei took a step back, surprised. Before his eyes, the boy began to rise, dissolving into a silhouette of light. The childlike form was slowly replaced by a tall, majestic figure. The energy around him intensified, taking on an imposing form, with fiery arms and a deep, wise gaze that inspired both respect and empathy.
The figure had the bearing of a legendary titan, with broken chains hanging from his wrists, symbolizing the release from old restraints. His presence radiated a blend of compassion and defiance, a fire that burned not just with power but with the will to resist and protect.
"II am thou and thou art I," declared the figure in a deep, resonant voice. "From the sea that your soul comes... I am Prometheus, the one who defied the gods in the pursuit of freedom. The one who gave fire so that humanity could find its own light."
Issei felt an intense, powerful connection, as if the pieces of his life were finally coming together. He understood that Prometheus was not just a mythological figure or a symbol of defiance; he was the personification of Issei's own fighting spirit, the reflection of every time he had persisted, even when the world seemed to turn its back on him.
Prometheus extended a hand toward him, inviting him to accept that part of himself. "Issei, you have also faced loneliness and the chains of others' expectations. But now is your time to take this fire, to free yourself, and to find your own path."
With a mix of respect and gratitude, Issei took the hand of his Persona. At that moment, he felt a comforting warmth, as if a spark of energy was igniting within him, illuminating everything he had feared to face. The sensation was not just of strength but of an inner peace he had never known before.
Prometheus nodded, and the bond between them was sealed. "Walk forward, Issei. Use this fire to light your own destiny. And remember: whenever you need it, I will be by your side."
And so, Prometheus's figure faded into a burst of sparks, leaving Issei standing in the park, feeling a renewed sense of confidence. He was not alone. Now he carried the power and wisdom of his Persona, ready to face any challenge that came his way.
But then, everything crumbled. When Issei blinked, he found himself still in the park, but this time it was nighttime, and a cold breeze brushed against his face. Around him, the world seemed to have fallen into a strange, silent limbo. The trees cast long shadows under the streetlights, and the bench where he had been sitting looked deserted. A chill ran down his spine as he realized he was completely alone in the place.
"Why am I in the park...?" he murmured, incredulous and somewhat disoriented. The last time he had been conscious of himself, he was in his room, recalling fragments of his childhood and confronting his own shadow, which had taken the form of a child. Now, everything felt like a distant dream.
With nothing else, Issei decided it was best to head home. The streets of Kuoh were silent, and the echo of his footsteps resonated with every stride as he ran under the flickering lights of the lampposts. As he crossed the cold, empty avenues, he tried to organize his thoughts, but it was as if his mind was wrapped in a thick fog, confused and exhausted from what he had experienced. Despite his attempts, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything he had just witnessed was more than a simple fantasy.
Finally, he let out a long, heavy yawn, feeling the adrenaline in his body beginning to fade. He knew that as soon as he reached his room, he would collapse onto his bed. But just before his mind surrendered to exhaustion, one last image flashed through his mind: the chains stretching from his shadow's wrists... and the melancholic look of that child.
When he reached his front door, Issei hesitated for a moment before entering, glancing around once more as if hoping to see some sign, a hint that what he had experienced made sense. But he found nothing out of the ordinary.
Sighing, he finally entered his home and climbed the stairs to his room, where he let himself fall heavily onto the bed. As his eyes slowly closed, his last question hung in the air.
"What do I really want... freedom? From what?"
(-)
End of Chapter One.
In this chapter, I decided to develop the story in this way, seeking to explore Issei's past, adding elements that I think fit well for this story.
What do you think about Prometheus being Issei's main and first Persona?
Honestly, at one point I considered using Orpheus or Sisyphus, but without a doubt, Prometheus had more valid reasons.
What did you think of this chapter?