Prologue - Persona

*Alarm clock sounds

*Alarm clock sounds

*Alarm clock sounds

In a normal house, specifically inside a totally untidy room, an ordinary boy sleepily tapped his alarm clock to turn off the annoying noise it made, denoting his tiredness at waking up.

The boy slowly and carefully sat up on the edge of the bed, his second action upon waking up was to grab a state of the art Sony NW-S205F Digital Walkman music player along with his headphones, the boy listened to his first song of the day, which was a relaxing jazz tune, he slowly got up and headed to the bathroom to relieve himself.

Coming out refreshed and clean the boy continued listening to his music totally disconnected from the world until he reached his kitchen, this space was dirty, the neglect was noticeable, plates, cutlery, glasses, pans and pots totally dirty overflowed from the sink, but ignoring the filth the boy washed a random cup and turned on his coffee pot, when his coffee was ready he poured it for himself and headed to the living room, which was empty, with no one waiting there, it was a bit messy, you could tell the floor hadn't been cleaned in a few days and the furniture was untidy, ignoring all that the young man sat down on the biggest sofa and on a small table next to the sofa he picked up a pack of cigarettes, he took one which he lit with a lighter he had nearby on the same table.

Taking a strong puff on his cigarette the boy proceeded to exhale large amounts of smoke, enough to leave many smokers confused and wondering where so much smoke was coming from or how the fuck the boy didn't have terminal lung cancer, the boy listening to music while smoking and drinking coffee immersed himself in his own world for a good 15 minutes.

The boy then got up and put his dirty cup in the sink overflowing with dirty dishes, he went back upstairs to his room to change into a casual to formal attire, with a white t-shirt that had a long sleeved grey shirt over it, paired with blue jeans and black shoes with minimal white trim, he then put a cap with his school crest on his head.

Before leaving he went to a secluded spot in a corner of his room, he took a carefully framed photograph on a small table that surprisingly was the only clean and tidy piece of furniture in the room, in the photograph could be seen a boy between 8 to 10 years old with strangely blue hair and silver eyes brimming with joy, riding on the shoulders of a man in his 30's with black hair and equally silver eyes, both on a basketball court and wearing Los Angeles Lakers jerseys.

He took the photo out of its frame and on the back read the following words:

"A champion doesn't give up until the clock strikes 0.

Thomas Rosfield."

The boy stood still contemplating the photo in detail, his gaze vacant but exuding an overwhelming melancholy and longing.

He carefully placed the photo back in its frame, went to the living room where his backpack was already prepared on a coat rack and, without further ado, went out.

~MORNING

The streets of New York - Queens are usually bustling in the early hours, people going out to work for a living, young people going to school or just aimless people who are guided by the mass flow of other people to decide where to go.

The blue-haired boy taking a relatively long walk re-lit a cigarette before arriving at his high school, which had a sign at the entrance indicating its name, which was "Midtown High School."

He took a nearby alleyway to quickly finish his cigarette without being seen by any students or teachers.

As the young man sneaked a smoke, he was interrupted by his cell phone, a Blackberry Bold 9000, which appeared somewhat deteriorated, with a cracked screen and worn paint.

He was receiving a call from a contact registered as "Bitch" who had a picture of a brunette woman in her 30s or 40s, the boy clicked his tongue in annoyance and answered.

-What do you want? - the boy spoke in a soft tone of voice but anyone listening could guess that he was annoyed and irritated.

-Is this how you greet your mother now? - the woman got no response from the other line, which made it clear that the boy was not in the mood. - ...I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow afternoon your father's friends will gather at his grave to remember him, it's been three years since his death...*sigh* and I'm still out of town on business so I'd like you to come for me, I promise to come in a few days and spend time with you..... - the woman was still getting no response from her son and just as she was about to speak another voice joined the call from the woman's side.

-...-

-Hey gorgeous, who are you talking to? Get that beautiful ass over here, I want to finish what we started last night. Weren't you so desperate for my penis that you even came all the way from your hometown? Hurry up! - the voice came from a man who looked like a relatively young offender.

-...-

-...-

Neither the mother nor the son said a word, the mother prepared to break the silence.

-Clive, don't...

But the boy now known as Clive was unwilling to listen to the woman and interrupted in a cold, curt manner.

-You'd better die so that you stop sullying my father's memory- With that said, he hung up the call, threw away the butt of his cigarette in annoyance and prepared to enter his school with an unfriendly face.

The woman on the other end of the line banged her head against the wall and slid her forehead down the wall until she was on her knees, tears escaped her eyes and she ignored the man who kept yelling at her to hurry up, the regret was visible in her eyes, but lust was her only method of escape from her horrible reality, yet that same lust to which she became addicted sentenced her mother/son relationship.

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~Midtown High School

Classes had begun, Clive had taken his biology class as the first of the day, he was indifferent to what the teacher was trying to teach and therefore only focused on going unnoticed, successfully avoiding the teacher's questions while eavesdropping on music, this time playing energetic heavy metal which contrasted with the attitude he usually displayed outdoors.

The class ended with his teacher announcing an evaluation for next week and with that the first break of the day began.

Clive took his backpack and with the music still playing, unaware of his surroundings he walked through the crowded corridors of the academy, he quickly arrived at the cafeteria where he ordered a simple meal, a ham sandwich with an apple juice, he sat alone at a table relatively far away from the rest to avoid the biggest nightmare of an introvert, social interaction, but he was not far enough away to be labeled as a lonely emo.

But his peace was interrupted by a tall, stocky, attractive student with blond hair, this was Flash Thompson, Midtown's quintessential bully and known as a promising young soccer player, as well as someone from an affluent family.

But contrary to what one would normally think, Flash did not treat Clive badly or anything like that, but this was because Flash was hiding something that had his conscience eaten away and it was the fact that his father was the one who killed Clive's father in a car accident, all in a drunken night that was just Flash's birthday.

The young blond, ashamed of his father's actions, tried to help Clive as much as he could, as he was a boy who lost his mother at an early age, he could understand the pain of losing a family member.

Doing everything he could to try to make up for the unforgivable act of his father, who due to his fortune and number of contacts escaped the clutches of justice "who was going to care about a simple middle class citizen anyway?" he asked. People like him die every day and nobody cares" It was a phrase said by Flash's father which made him lose all his respect for him, dedicating himself from that moment almost as if it were an Olympic sport to squander all his father's money as he could, which indirectly made him popular among the students as someone who might be a lousy guy, but definitely not a cheapskate.

-Hey, how's it going buddy? I hear you have an evaluation next week, need some help with that? I hear your grades are really low and I can always threaten that fat fuck Ned into doing our homework for us -Flash walks up and gives him a fist bump as he spoke with complete confidence, which was justified as Clive greets him by returning the fist bump.

Clive didn't consider himself an unreasonable meanie, despite being skeptical at first and even being aggressive in his responses, he eventually understood that Flash was not to blame for anything and still tried to help him, thus currently being the only person he considers a friend and almost a brother to this day.

-I'm fine... thanks for asking, Professor Campbell has been screwing the whole class lately with his "surprise assessments" and he assigned us one again, but it's nothing I need help with, thanks -Clive politely declined his help as she continued eating her sandwich, then raised an eyebrow and asked a somewhat awkward question. -How's it going with Liz? There's a rumor going around that she's cheating on you with that Peter guy," Flash made an annoyed grimace indicating that the rumors were true.

-I ended our relationship a week ago, I found them almost kissing near the gym and when I asked her why she did that, do you know what she replied? "Your huge ego makes you pay less and less attention to me and lately you seem more interested in soccer and your friends than in me, that's why Peter is much better than you" Sorry for trying to follow my dream, stupid bitch- Clive let Flash vent, after all Flash is the only one willing to listen to him when he has some complaint about his mother, who after his father's death became a nymphomaniac jumping from man to man as if she was going to run out of vagina the next day.

Patting her on the back Clive tries as best he can to lift her spirits. -That was the only logical thing she could think of to cheer up her friend, Flash realized it was an attempt to cheer him up so he pretended it was working to avoid the subject.

-You're right I guess, what about you, any girls you're interested in? You know you look pretty good and more so since you started working out, the only thing that fucks you up is that you should quit smoking -Clive was aware of his looks, exotic long but well groomed straight blue hair that covered his forehead and left eye, fairly slim body but without looking malnourished, soft silver eyes and a face that could be considered above average, that accompanied by a height of 1.76 which was neither too short nor too tall for a 17 year old.

Clive being the son of a beautiful woman and a rather attractive athlete father was not behind Flash in terms of looks thanks to genetics, but a girl is something Clive would never waste his time on.

-None and I don't care either, every woman I meet ends up being a bitch who's to say I won't end up tangled up with a bitch like Liz or my mother? I have better things to waste my time on- The reality is that Clive didn't have better things to do, he just didn't want to end up with his heart in pieces for falling in love with the wrong person, a fear that slowly but steadily invaded his heart every time he saw the most unpleasant facets of a human being.

Flash briefly agreed with Clive -So bad is your luck with women that it ended up rubbing off on me, well, I'm off now break is about to end, I have practice all day without a break any plans for later after school? -.

-...I won't comment anything about it, as for my plans then the usual, go to work in Junes and then replenish my pantry, maybe I'll find something good to eat at a moderate price...-.

Flash just lowered his head in low spirits but quickly pulled himself together and shook his fist at Clive. -Clive gave him his fist and with that Flash left the table where they were, leaving him alone again.

-'I guess I'll get going for the next class' -.

With that he finished eating and proceeded to finish his school day.

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~AFTERNOON

~ Junes Coffee Shop ~

- '*sigh* how I wish I was a millionaire and save myself this hassle, if you force me to live a shitty life at least give me some money to drown my sorrows on top of it'-'

-Rosfield get off your ass and go to table 4!!! Watson don't just stand there and go do the dishes!-

This was Clive's job.

Needing a source of income for his own expenses as he refuses to get money from his mother after she found out about his affairs, he therefore applied for the job at a super popular coffee shop in Queens where the pay was $50 an hour, good enough as he would start his shift from 2:00 PM until 9:00PM.

-Hey you, the faggot with the blue hair! Where the fuck is my double burger with order of fries along with my volcanic chocolate ice cream and a complimentary 2 Liter Pepsi!"- A fat, bald, acne-faced man in a sweaty t-shirt that read "♡Amo World of Warcraft♡" complained to Clive.

Although Clive constantly wondered if it was worth the mental toll, at some point he contemplated committing genocide against the customers.

-In a moment your order will be delivered sir- Clive simply said that and walked away from the customer whose garlic smell was overpowering.

-Rosfield, would you like to switch stalls? I just had my nails done last night for an audition and I don't want them shredded cleaning the dishes- a red-haired girl tapped Clive on the shoulder as she gave him the suggestion.

Clive turned to see that it was his co-worker Mary Jane Watson, they studied at the same high school but Clive only talked to Flash so he used to ignore her despite being very popular.

-Clive used to do this with Mary Jane, he used to cover her shifts or change responsibilities in exchange for money, this way Clive earned extra money and Mary Jane avoided being fired or took off the most strenuous job.

-Thanks Rosfield you're a sweetheart, I'll give you the money tomorrow when I come in- with that the beautiful redhead left to attend to people while Clive entered the kitchen, where he was greeted by several cooks and a sink comparable to his own house in terms of dirt.

-'Fuck, no wonder that fucker didn't complain about the $15 *sigh* I should have taken $20 from her'- with that Clive spent the next two hours washing the dishes..

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~NIGHT

~New York Subway Station - Queens~.

It was already dark in the Big Apple and Clive not wanting to run the risk of being bumped off by some thief on a walk home or getting involved with some stray "super", wisely decided to take the subway to the station closest to his home.

After all 11 and 12 PM were taboo hours for wandering the streets of New York, normally he wouldn't leave so late but taking so long to do the dishes made his own shift stretch until 10:30 PM, then going to get food for his empty pantry at a 24/7 store made his return home stretch until midnight.

Sitting listening to music with his grocery bags on the side and waiting for his subway and ignoring everything around him made Clive miss several things.

Right at 12:00 AM.

The environment seemed to have adopted a green filter, the people who were waiting for the subway or just passing by turned into standing prostrate coffins, the lonely atmosphere and the green color of the environment was as if it was a backroom, the other thing that went unnoticed by Clive was that there was someone sitting next to him.

The stranger was looking straight ahead calmly with a relaxed smile, as if the recent events regarding the nearby area had nothing to do with him, as if it did not deserve minimal attention.

Clive continued to listen to music quietly without noticing anything, immersed in his own frustration and sinking into his thoughts.

-Our meeting has finally come to fruition, Clive Rosfield.

Said loud and clear the strange guy in Clive's ear, the strange thing is what happened before, the guy was sitting down, but out of nowhere without any previous movement or sequence he was now standing up and leaning in such a way that his face was next to Clive's so he could speak in his ear.

It all happened, with no prior actions, like a teleportation or a speed so fast that it was imperceptible to the world itself.

Clive who heard his name immediately stood up causing his phone to fall to the ground and looked at the owner of the voice, preparing himself in case he was a thief or some other kind of criminal.

-Cautious as always...but why? I can tell you don't value life, in fact, you seem to abhor it, why give yourself a false sense of security that you don't need? When you yourself desire your end, why? It's something I've been wondering, that's why I've been waiting to meet you for so long "Wildcard"-

The subject was a man with brown hair tied in a relatively short ponytail, brown eyes with hints of Violet, he was wearing a white trench coat resembling a lab uniform which had underneath a gray turtleneck shirt, his face was covered with a mask that covered ¾ of his face, leaving exposed the lateral part of his jaw on the left side, the mask had the design of an orange butterfly wing on the right side of his face, the subject emitted a pressure too abnormal to Clive's senses, as if he knew this person, the words did not come out of his mouth, this same pressure prevented him from speaking.

(Philemon / Persona 2: Innocent Sin)

-Everything will become clear when you sign the contract Clive, you must do it because this was already prearranged, you have nothing to fear.-

The man took out a contract and gave it to Clive who in an automated way took the paper on which it was read.

"You will be given one year to avoid 'The Fall'.

You will do so at any cost and with no excuses.

Only man can stop his own fears.

He will tap his unlimited potential as a human being.

You will have your destiny at your disposal for one year.

But then you will have to respond.

You will be forced to strengthen yourself.

But as a benefit, this contract will help you.

You will find the value of your life and realize it.

That neither all the power nor all the money in the universe is worth more than life itself.

Sign here. _______________"

Clive was confused, but one thing was for sure and that is that this contract is not normal, not in the sense of a stranger at the train station asking him to sign it, it is the contract itself, as if its inscribed words have power, the power to fulfill everything it says.

Since his father died Clive felt that a part of him was going with him, he was his idol, his figure to follow, the best man there could be in this world according to Clive, that was the idealized figure of his father that he had to destroy years ago when he died, he felt his life lost meaning, everything he did to make his father proud and to be able to see him as an equal someday vanished the day he left the earthly world.

That dream died along with him and the current Clive Rosfield was born, with no reason to live and infinite bitterness rooted in his heart, the people he considered as other role models didn't do him much good either, when his father died he could see their true faces, His mother is a whore who consoles herself by sleeping with the first man she sees, his father's friends are hypocrites who abandoned him to his fate when they said he was like a son to them, only to show up on the day of his death to get drunk at his grave and his relatives are practically non-existent.

Clive hated his current life and in his mind everything lost value when his dream was taken away from him in the cruelest way possible.

This contract assured him of finding the meaning of his life, the atmosphere, the pressure emitted by the strange subject, the strange aura emitted by the contract, everything seemed very real to him, so real that he felt that everything this paper said would be fulfilled.

With a trembling hand he took the pen that the guy offered him, when he touched the pen he felt as if something was taken away, a strange sensation, then he saw how the ink of the pen overflowed, the thing is that it was not ink but blood, the pen somehow drew blood and that made him wonder, were those guys simple mutants or something like that?

But there was no turning back now, with the pen between his fingers he moved the tip to the part of the contract where the signature was required and wrote his full name.

-Thank you for accepting the weight of 'The Fall' on your shoulders, believe me when I tell you that you will be pleasantly rewarded the moment you do your part, for now enjoy your second chance, Clive Rosfield.

Clive could not understand, his consciousness was fading, a place was calling him, opera music was playing, a high pitched voice was singing and the sound of a clock was accompanying him.

It was a pleasure to meet you at last, my name is Philemon, an inhabitant of the crack between consciousness and unconsciousness of all existing and non-existing beings... I am you, you are me, I will always take care of you from the inside... good bye.

And as if nothing, as if he did not exist, the man disappeared along with the whole environment.

Leaving Clive unconscious with a kind of gun that appeared out of nowhere in his inert hand, a very elegant one that had words inscribed on its metallic structure.

"Memento Mori."

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Hee ho~!

How's it going people? Looking for a good story? Well stay here motherfucker because I got some good shit and you're using it right now motherfucker and you haven't even paid!....

*sigh* you've already finished the prologue...

You know what? Give me my review along with your power stones and get the fuck out of my sight.

But before that.

Did you like the chapter?

1-Yes.

2-Of course you did.

3-Perfect as always, at your service General Pochitalover.