Equestria Girls RPG: Persona

by Golden Flare


Chapter 3: The Velvet Key

3/25/2016, Early Morning

You wake up and find yourself back in your room, you remember the dream you had and looked in your pocket.

The Velvet Key was there, including the key to the school and that gun thing.

There was no doubt anymore, what happened last night was real.

You get out of bed and make your way to the shower, trying to forget about what happened for the time being. But you can't help but feel this sense of foreboding...

After finishing up in the shower, you decided to head to school with Cheerilee.


3/25/2016, Morning

You entered the school and Cheerilee left you to wander the building until classes started. As you did so, you were getting weird looks, ranging from wonder to astonishment and to suspicion, could your disappearance from the roof when the Nightmare Realm wore off have something to do with this? This speculation was confirmed when you passed a dark hallway and two sets of hands grabbed you and pulled you in, holding you against a row of lockers. From the shadows, you could make out a girl with white hair standing in front of you, you knew this girl to be Trixie Lulamoon, and the two who are holding you down must be her cohorts.

"Trixie demands to know your secret!" she says sharply.

"Huh? What secret?" you say back, playing dumb.

"Don't be coy with Trixie! She, as well as the rest of the student body, saw your little disappearing act last night! How did you do it?"

You didn't know what to do, she had you backed into a corner with no way out, and you can't tell her the truth because she'll either won't believe you or think you're crazy.

You literally have no options!

So you remain silent.

This wasn't a very good choice, however, as Trixie grabbed the front of your shirt and slammed you into the lockers.

"Speak!"

Just then, the first bell rang, forcing Trixie and her partners in crime to release you.

Trixie scowled, "You got lucky this time, but I will find out how you did what you did!"

The trio walked away, leaving you in the darkened hallway.

"Good luck with that..." you utter.

You decided to head to class before the late bell.


3/25/2016, Afternoon

You breezed through your classes, though everything you and the rest of your classmates went over was stuff you already knew, so no knowledge gained there. Speaking of the students, in each class you had, they kept giving you the same weird looks from before, you tried to ignore them and continue studying.


3/25/2016, Lunchtime

Lunch came all too soon as everybody piled out of their classrooms and to the cafeteria. You? You took your time, not only were you not that hungry, but you were also trying to avoid the potential interrogation with Sunset and her friends. When you arrived at the cafeteria, you stuck to the wall, staying out of sight as much as possible while getting your lunch, once you did you headed out to the soccer field for lunch today, more so to avoid the girls and everyone else gawking at you.

Without the surrounding of people at tables, you finished pretty quick and proceeded to your next class early to get a head start on your studying.

Your Knowledge has increased: 9 > 12

You have grown from Aware to Informed!

Your Diligence has increased: 3 > 5


3/25/2016, After School

The final bell had rung at last and you were trying to hurry to Miss Cheerilee before Trixie or Sunset and her friends stop you and demand an explanation, but you stopped yourself when you saw a guy with blue, spiky hair brooding over something as he sat on the front steps. You look around to see nobody willing to approach you, nor any of the girls, you sigh as you knew you were going to regret this and sat next to the poor guy.

"Hey, is something wrong?" you ask.

"Oh, hey, you're the new kid." he looked away, "Sorry, but I'm not in the mood."

"Well, whatever it is you're upset about, maybe getting it off your chest will help a bit."

He sighs, "That's what mom always told me." he turns back to you, "Okay, um...there's this girl I really like..."

You nod, you should've known it was girl troubles, but you said nothing so he could continue without interruptions.

"...But, she doesn't really go to this school, or live anywhere around here, but I don't want to let her go..." he sighs again, "What should I do?"

You sigh yourself as you know with your limited Understanding and Expression that you wouldn't be able to give him the proper answer, but you decided to try.

"I think you should do what you believe is right, listen to your heart." you say.

"You think so?" he asked.

"That's how I've always done things, and it hasn't steered me wrong yet."

He seemed to think for a moment until he acknowledged you again, "Alright. Thanks, man." he stood up and began to leave, but then stopped, "Oh, wait, I never got your name." you tell the guy your name and he smiles, "I'm Flash Sentry, nice to meet you."

You felt a faint bond forming between you and Flash...

!?

Thou art I, and I am thou...

Thou hast established a new bond...

It brings thee closer to the truth...

Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Magician Arcana...

What was...that? you thought to yourself.

"By the way, the girls are on their way out, fair warning."

You jolt at his words as he walked away, making you run to Miss Cheerilee's car and hop inside.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Girl trouble, let's just go." was all you said as Miss Cheerilee drove off, leaving Rainbow Dash, who was chasing after you, in the dust.


3/25/2016, Late Night

It was almost midnight, but you weren't going to sleep this time, no, you were waiting for the inevitable and preparing to go on patrol tonight to search anyone in need of help.

Only a few seconds left...

3/25/2016, Nightmare Realm

It's time.

You grab your keys, gun thing, and weapon, a baseball bat, and leave your room to head for the school, hoping everything is alright on the way there.


3/25/2016, Nightmare Realm
Canterlot High School - Front Entrance

As you walked, you noticed an eerie calm tonight, which was strange since the monsters are usually making a ruckus by now. Something was wrong and you knew it. A scream had rung out across the area and you saw a blue girl with a ponytail running from one of the many monsters that appear in this time period, which was a giant ball with a massive tongue. She sees you and runs behind you for protection.

"Please help me! I don't know what's going on!" she said.

You nod and pull out the gun, "Persona!"

Agi

Terror came out, laughing manically as fire burst through the monster, only to do a minimum of damage. The monster rushed to you and tried to lick you, but you grabbed the girl and dodged the disgusting attack.

You leveled the gun to your head again, feeling a rush of power, "Terror!"

Cleave

He came out again and slashed through the monster with his sword, destroying it in one hit. Once it was finished, a tarot card appeared, flew at you, and phased through your body, giving you the feeling of a new power. You turned to see the poor, shaken girl staring at you in awe and fear, you put the gun away and hold out your hand to help her up, which she accepts.

"Thanks. For realizes." she says.

"Anytime." you say back.

"Can...Can you tell me what's going on here?"

You sigh, "I wish I knew, I just started doing patrols around this place when I discovered my power."

"Your power...?"

"What you saw earlier."

"Oh yeah, that creepy king skeleton thing."

"So do you know why you came here?"

"I don't know, I was just walking with my friends, and then THIS happened."

"Where are they now?"

"Follow me, I'll show you."

The girl guides you back to the place she ran from, but you couldn't shake this feeling that you were being watched...


After a few minutes of walking, you both arrived at where the girl's friends were and not surprisingly, they were stone statues like everyone else.

"Are they...gonna be okay?" she asks, worriedly.

You nod, "Yeah, this'll wear off in less than an hour, that how long the Nightmare Realm lasts."

"Nightmare Realm?"

"That's what I called this place; an hour of nightmarish creatures coming out to terrorize those not incased in a stone statue, right now your friends are safer than we are."

She breathes a sigh of relief, "Good."

"Nightmare Realm? That's an interesting name for it."

You and the girl jumped at the sound of a new, yet blunt, voice, you both turned around to see five other girls, all of whom were wearing the same uniform, the one with the fancy-looking pigtails walked up to you two, making the girl cower behind you as you whip out your bat. She stopped and stared, almost as if she was studying you, then turned her focus to the bat in your hand, and back to you.

"Normal weapons won't work in this realm." she bluntly said.

You tighten your grip on the bat, "Why's that?"

"Don't know, it just is."

"So what do you recommend, Miss..."

"Sugarcoat. Just Sugarcoat. No 'Miss' or 'Madame'. Also, you're making a grave mistake if you think you can fight us and win."

You grit your teeth and prep yourself for a fight.

"We're not here as enemies, we were sent here as envoys."

"Envoys?"

"Yes. Our leader wishes to have you join us."

"And if I say no?"

"...She figured you'd be resistant. But regardless, we have a gift for you."

The uniformed girl with a pair of goggles on her walked up to you and handed out a great broadsword that reminded you of a famous franchise.

"She assumed that you didn't have a proper weapon and sent us to give you one, she wishes to observe and see what you can do."

"And how, pray tell, am I going to lug around a sword that big?"

"Persona-users like us have their strength increased somewhat during what you call the Nightmare Realm."

"Persona-users?"

"It's too early to give you all the information. Just think about our leader's offer. We'll be waiting until the next full moon. Have your answer ready by then."

You were reluctant, but nod and accept the sword. Surprisingly it felt very light...!

"Farewell."

A bright light shined through the area, when it died down, the uniformed girls were gone. You turned to your new friend and asked, "You okay?"

She gulps and nods, "Are you...are you sure you can trust them?"

"No. But I may not have a choice. You think you can make it until the hour's up?"

"I...I don't know...but I'll try."

You nod, "Okay. I'll see you later then."

"Sonata Dusk."

"Huh?"

"That's my name, but just call me Sonata."

You smile, "Okay, Sonata."

You felt a faint bond forming between you and Sonata...

Thou art I, and I am thou...

Thou hast established a new bond...

It brings thee closer to the truth...

Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Hanged Man Arcana...

Again? you thought, but pushed it aside and bid Sonata goodbye for now.

The time for the Nightmare Realm to wear off is coming soon, with that in mind, you decided to return home and rest...

3/25/2016, Late Night

With the Nightmare Realm over for now, you plopped onto your bed, immediately passing out.


3/25/2016, ???

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

It seems you've returned to this place, but Igor doesn't seem to be around, just Gloriosa.

"My apologies, my master had some urgent business to attend to and won't be joining us right now, but I have already registered your newest Persona for you."

Newest Persona? you thought.

"Next time before you go to sleep, use the Velvet Key and visit us for assistance. Farewell for now."

You began to black out again before you could ask anything...


Meanwhile, in an unknown area...

"Did you give him my message and my gift?" Principal Cinch asked.

"Yeah, he took it," the goggles girl said, "but a blue girl was with him and she didn't look insane."

"Hmm...we may have another chosen for the potential, but I can't make any definitive conclusions."

"We'll do as you said and keep watch on the two of them." Sugarcoat said.

"Good, now leave me."

The group of girls left Principal Cinch with her thoughts as she dug out a file on CHS's newest transfer student, reading the contents thoroughly.