First Curse

[bondsofsuffering]

[Video]

Yo! [Have a teen with mint green hair waving at you, Hinoto-Ri!] The name's Hizumi Mizushiro. I'm new around here, and I've got a couple of questions if people don't mind helping a guy out!

Lessee... Well, starting with the easier one: does anyone have advice on good places to work? I'm only sixteen, but I don't really need to attend school, either, so any place that will accept me should work. Bonus if it gives useful discounts on important stuff like clothes or food or games!

[Wait, but isn't one of those--]

And my second question! [He holds up a hand with two fingers up!! Except... he also has an expression of slight discomfort.]

It's about those Persona things. I was just wondering... Is it normal for people to have deceased relatives as their Persona? I mean, I didn't really know my brother that well or anything--

[Ah. Maybe that's too much information?]

--Anyway, I think I can deal, but I've gotta say it's kind of weird to have part of your inner self represented by your late brother.

[He scratches the back of his head before shrugging it off.]

Well, that should cover it. Thanks in advanced!

[Private Thoughts]

[...And that should also give him a story to fall back on if anyone gets a little too curious about his Persona. Hopefully people will be warded off by the fact that it involves a deceased family member, but if he ends up being questioned about it, he's fairly confident he can deal with them with just enough of the truth to make it believable. As he mulls this over, he could swear there's a small whisper in the back of his mind:

And I thought you had given up on fighting your fate.

His usual smile remains easy on his face even as he silently calculates his response.

'Fate never intended for me to become like you.'

Although his Persona has not been summoned, it's all too easy for Hizumi to imagine his amused grin.]

Comments

[glassworkgenius]

Oh, you've got it wrong, I haven't summoned my Persona yet!

I'm still making sure I can handle myself out there at night. In the first place I still get sleepy before the 13th hour...

[bondsofsuffering]

Haaa, so I wasn't one of the only ones. But it does get pretty dangerous then, so maybe it's better if you stayed inside.

[glassworkgenius]

I want to help Hinoto-Ri.

But I won't start until I'm sure I'm not getting in everyone else's way.

[bondsofsuffering]

Eeh... Even though it doesn't affect you at all? You'd risk your life for everyone here?

That's pretty selfless of you!

[glassworkgenius]

Well... If you think of it in a way where your friends have friends you yourself don't know... Or you could be friends in the future, I can't help but think, everyone should be protected!

Some of the people I've met would also do the same for me.

[bondsofsuffering]

Optimistic, too. [A chuckle.] But it's an admirable thought!

[glassworkgenius]

[ There's an incoming less admirable reason, though! ]

Hehe, but it's kind of cool, isn't it?

You'd be like those heroes in manga.

[bondsofsuffering]

[Oh. He's one of those types, huh.]

Saving everyone and getting praise and rewards afterwards? I guess it would!

But only if you could pull it off.

[glassworkgenius]

Not really! I think your own pride, knowing you're doing your part, is enough reward on its own! It's important not to forget that.

[bondsofsuffering]

[So idealistic...]

Then it really would be like one of those classic manga heroes.

[glassworkgenius]

Right? I'm so done with just being some sick kid, now that I have this unawakened power!

[bondsofsuffering]

...

Sick kid?

[glassworkgenius]

--Aaahh! [ Crap! ]

I didn't say anything!

[bondsofsuffering]

Don't tell me...

The reason you want to help everyone and become a hero is because you spent a lot of time sick and all you could do was read a ton of comics?

[glassworkgenius]

[ Taiyou groans. ]

There really wasn't a lot to do... I mean it though! I want... I want to protect people...

[bondsofsuffering]

[Bingo.]

Well, there's only so much they can let you do in the hospital... [He's read his own fair share of manga on his own trips to the hospital, albeit for vastly different reasons.]

Just don't get too ahead of yourself. Heroes out of comics are one thing, but it's different when it's real life.

Things don't always work out.

[glassworkgenius]

I'll be fine. I'll keep training, and training, and training!

Thanks for worrying though, Mizushiro-san.

[bondsofsuffering]

[It's not exactly worry, buuuut]

Good luck.