Chapter 10: Need to Know

Disclaimer: I own nothing; this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

'Thoughts'

"Active skill name or magic spell"

'Active skill name or magic spell in thought'

"Activation phrase"

'Activation Phrase in thoughts'

"Speech"

*action*

Time*

Noise*

(Location)

[Skill Name] - Passive or Active - AP cost: or none

Description: Info on skill

[Item Type]: [Type]

[Name]: [Item Name]

Durability: 100%/100%

Quality: Poor - Common - Uncommon - Epic - Legendary - Ascendant

Grade: E-/EX

Value: [System Point]/(Cannot be sold to [Persona System])

Description: Info on [Item Name]

[Extra Info]: [Extra Info]

Chapter 10: Need to Know

Days?: The Starting Line Part 3

(Mistral: Mistral City: 80th Floor Area: Checkpoint to 79th Floor Area: Hidden Path)

I continue to stare at Izaya, who still shouting at me to tell Shigure to get off him. But so far. I don't think that's a good idea right now.

Izaya could end up using his semblance to disappear from our sight, well, my sight seeing how Shigure was able to discover him and manage to capture him.

"Okay." I finally started talking, causing Izaya to stop yelling for a moment and silently look at me, waiting for what's going to happen next. Shigure continues to make sure she doesn't lose her balance from standing on top of Izaya while at the same time holding her [Nodachi].

"Shigure. Carefully move away from Izaya, but only enough for him to get up." I said to Shigure, and slowly she gets off Izaya, but much to Izaya's frustration as Shigure made sure her blade is still close enough to his neck while giving him some space to stand up without escaping.

As both Shigure and I continue to stare at Izaya, who glared at me and sometimes glance at Shigure's blade then at Shigure in wary.

"You two are the quietest people I've met to interrogate someone." Izaya said to us in a casual manner while trying his best to keep calm and not showing any fear at all under a false cheerful smile.

"We...interrogating...someone?" Shigure asks in a confused voice, as she looks back at me then at Izaya, with a small frown, thinking about their current situation right now.

Izaya just sweatdrop at this and feel like he being messed around with. But, kept his mouth shut because there is a very sharp object next to his neck and knew his aura won't be able to protect him less than a few seconds from having his head cut off.

"Well, Izaya does have his life on the line and we are kind of interrogating him I guess." I said dryly.

Shigure tilts her head to the side, then nodded to herself from thinking about rather if this really an interrogation or not, but decided to keep it to herself for now.

"Anyway, how come you were following us and how did you manage to hide us? Is it your semblance?" I look at Izaya with a blank stare while using [Basic Detection Mastery] to detect any lies Izaya may say.

'Now, I see why [Basic Detection Mastery] cost so much. It includes a lie detector and anything else related to detecting.' I thought with joy of picking a good support type [Skill].

"First one, two kids without any adults nearby watching over them is just calling for people's attention either in the wrong or right crowds. Yes, it's my semblance that hides me in plain sight and the unspoken question about what my semblance is a big fat no. Even if you torture me, I won't tell you what my semblance is. Also, not us, it's your little friend here who found me, not you. So, I manage to hide from you only." Izaya answers my questions while keeping his cool as he speaks and at the end mocked me.

"Eh, really don't care if you manage to hide me. I would've destroyed the area to bring you out if I have to." I said to Izaya, causing him to raise an eyebrow at my response as if he knew this is a lie. But, joke on him, since it both false and true at the same time.

False, being not able to destroy the area as of right now and truthfully, for later when I get the higher [Tier] form of [Magic]. Not including my future [Magecraft] thanks to my [Persona].

"Sure..." Izaya looks at me like I'm crazy or something, which is likely true seeing how someone at my age would be still at home and at school, but then again, I'm not an average kid and wasn't born in a civilian family of this world.

"So you were saying how it unusual for two kids out here alone without any adult supervision?" I ask Izaya, and curious if this really true. If so, then this change things for the better or worst, depending on Izaya's answer.

"Heh!" Izaya snorted at me, "Are you kidding me? Wait! Don't answer that. From the look on your face. Of course, you would think having two kids out in the opening alone without any adult nearby to watch them is natural. Are you stupid or what? GAH!" Izaya begins to mock me further before ending up kicked in the back of his head by Shigure, who has an annoyed look on her face.

"What's the big deal?! All I'm stating is facts from what I gather from observing him already!" Izaya shouts at Shigure, forgetting about having his life on the line and the fact that Shigure is releasing killing intent, which is increasing by the second until Izaya finally realizes he mess up a little. As he quickly shut his mouth before he gets himself killed.

"Apologize." Shigure in a monotone, causing Izaya to shiver at the lack of emotions in Shigure's voice.

"I'm sorry! Alright, I'm sorry! No need to do anything we would regret would we?!" Izaya raised both his arms up in a surrender pose as sweat goes down his forehead.

'Ah...shit. I forgot about the important thing in this life of mine. Common sense.' I thought with depression, as I squat on the ground while scolding myself for almost leading mine and Shigure's death or worse. Death would be a mercy and we don't even know what kind of place the lower section of Mistral really is.

Shigure glare at Izaya and pointed at me, "See...you...cause...him...to...be...sad."

Izaya glance at me for a split second, then back at Shigure with a frown.

"Well, sorry if it's the truth and my bad if he has little self esteem of himself." Izaya said in a casual manner, but with a hint of fear of angering Shigure to the point of getting stabbed.

I let out a sigh and get over my self pity, since common sense is kind of lost to me when I enter this world. After all, common sense back on Earth would maybe make me look like a crazy person or something in this world.

As I stand up and straighten my back, I feel myself annoyed the fact that all this time. Neither Shigure and I, mostly myself, don't know much about the unwritten rules that among the people of Mistral know or among the other Kingdoms, along with outside of the 4 Kingdoms.

Well, unless you go to school to learn about it, but thanks to mine, Shigure, and Pyrrha's case. We never did and was homeschooled the whole time. Actually, more like we're not a civilian family in the first place.

'Great. More stuff to learn about this world. The Hunter and civilian side of this world's rules.' I thought dryly from having to deal with two different sets of laws for Hunter and a civilian.

"Enma." Shigure called out to me, breaking me from my thoughts while Izaya was looking at me, with a confused look.

"Huh...I guess you were right. He does stare off into space and mostly annoy his surroundings." Izaya comment mostly to himself, causing my eyebrow to twitch since I knew habits die hard.

Shaking my head, then walk over to Izaya and Shigure as both are now standing, but Shigure still got her [Nodachi] near his neck just in case.

"You still haven't told us why you were following us in the first place." I pointed out and feel annoyed about forgetting something so simple like unknown kids walking in the street without any adult nearby them.

"You two interest me, alright?" When Izaya notices me still staring at him without changing my expression, "Let just say, I have goodness within my heart to decide of my own free will to help you guys out. Since I know how it's dangerous to be alone in this Kingdom compare to the other 3 Kingdoms."

'Bullshit on that goodness, well, if I remember from his kind of love towards humanity. Then yeah, he got goodness in him.' I feel a little disturb about Izaya's personality, but giving him the benefit of doubt because he is a kid, not his older self.

"Sure...goodness within your heart." I said in sarcasm, "Now the real reason?"

Izaya let out a sigh of disappointment and close his eyes, "I'm telling you the truth. I just wanted to help you guys out since most of the kids at my age are either too dumb or just annoying for my taste." Izaya opens his right eye to see my reaction and found out the look on my face didn't change one bit.

"Hmm...maybe I should shoot you to get the answer." I thought out loud, as I go through my bag to hide that I'm actually taking out my [Pistol] from my [Inventory].

Once Izaya realizes I wasn't joking about shooting when he saw me take a [Pistol] out of my bag and remembering he can't escape with Shigure next to him, blocking any escape routes he plans ahead in this situation.

"I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!" Izaya yells at me in a panic voice and look like he would start running away if it wasn't for Shigure to keep him in place.

"And the full truth is?" I raise my [Pistol] at Izaya, aiming directly at his left eye and see if his aura shield would stop the [Bullet] from causing any harm to his left eye.

"Okay! No more half truth or lie! Just please don't shoot me!" Izaya looks like he about to cry and once more reminding me that this is the younger version of Izaya before becoming his older self in canon.

"So?" I didn't bother to lower my [Pistol] and keep it in place, just to be sure Izaya doesn't do anything that could cause harm to both Shigure and me.

"I'm forming a group, okay? I've seen lots of kids at our age in the lower section of Mistral and it isn't pretty. Honestly, I don't know if you two were strong enough to be in my group instead of just lackeys instead of equal members. But, seeing how I'm in a bad situation right now. Sooooo...want to join my group?" Izaya asks both Shigure and me to join his group. Plus, the fact that he was in the lower section of Mistral before should give us a good reason to join him because we're going in blind right now.

"Shigure?" I ask for Shigure's opinion before I gave my own input.

Shigure tilts her head to the side and think of the pros and cons if she should agree to join Izaya's group. After a whole minute, she nods at us in an agreement to join.

Even though Izaya can't tell with Shigure's blank expression he feels like he dodges a bullet just now, or with Shigure, losing something important like his head.

"Alright, we'll join your group." I agreed along with Shigure to join Izaya's group and lower my [Pistol], much to Izaya's relief.

"However, before that. What's the other reason to form a group in the first place? Can't you join one that is already formed?" I ask Izaya more curious than concern if this group is worth it or not.

Izaya blankly stares at me, then burst in laughter, "HA! You crack me up!" Izaya wipe his tears away and give me a big smile, then turn into a serious look instantly.

"First thing you should know about the people living below the 51th Floor Area. You need a stable connection with others and make sure it's a good one or you get stabbed in the back when you least expect it. Even if you do make a connection, there's a chance of you being betrayed by that person." Izaya said in a serious tone and pause for a moment to see if we're paying attention. Once, he knows we are.

Izaya continues, "Seeing how I've only been there for at least a month now and no I won't tell you my reasons for going down the lower section or which Floor Area I had been living before. If you want a reason, I'll say it to gain experience like others who use the lower sections as a training place. And from the looks on you two's faces. I would have to say you guys are doing exactly that. So in a way, I have close to zero connection to the people of the lower section and decided the best options are to form my own group before continuing staying in the lower section. Which I decide to pick the kids around our age, who didn't enter the 50th Floor Area yet. Which a bit easier on us to create a bond together."

I stare at Izaya with wide eyes in surprise and Shigure is in the same boat as I am. Neither Shigure and I know anyone in the lower section, and I berate myself once more for forgetting that having a connection with another is very important as well. Because there may be a time that we would be in a dangerous situation and may need some help from others or a case of something we don't know will lead to getting us kill.

"Alright. We're in." I finally agreed to join Izaya's newly formed group, then pause for a moment when a thought hit me, "Wait. Is it just us 3 or there is more?" I look at Izaya with an eyebrow raise while Shigure put her [Nodachi] away when Izaya wasn't looking.

Izaya rubs the back of his head and look away from my stare, "Well...you two are the first kids around my age to appear on this Floor Area and it was by luck that I found your friend over here."

I nod my head at him, then glance behind me where the hidden path that Shigure found.

Rethinking to myself if this really the only option we could go through as of right now. Looking back a few minutes ago, I must have a death wish or something to even consider picking this route.

"Hey, Izaya. You won't happen to have a way to get us to the 50th Floor Area without having the physical copy of the papers we need for the Checkpoint?" I ask Izaya in the hope he does have a way to get us to the 50th Floor Area. Because I rather not go down a ladder without any safety features.

"Yeah, I got one. In fact, why did you two come to this dangerous path? Were you guys planning to go down that ladder? Because if so, you guys are very lucky to have me right now. Because this is where some types of grimm staying down there. You should know there is a reason why there's a Checkpoint in all Floor Areas. Only the best and bravest people would ever go through those emergency ladders." Izaya looks at us with a shocked look and honestly thought we were just luring him out here, even if he is caught already.

"Well, I don't know if Shigure only found this one or there more, but Shigure decided to pick this one first to show me." I shrug at Izaya, who look back at Shigure, with a disbelief look and Shigure didn't look like anything is wrong.

"Good...training..." Shigure let a small smile appear on her face, causing Izaya to shiver a little.

"Good training, she says, yeah, like getting yourself killed is a good training method. If this is what you consider good training. I don't want to know what your version of a bad training is." Izaya scowl at Shigure, who just shrugged at him.

I glance at the cliff and really need to consider if Shigure was the one who stops me from developing any common senses. 'Then again, I've read something in a book, that a family of Hunter would make using this hidden path a training exercise.' I thought dryly, and wonder if I should make a landing strategy just in case I end up falling over a cliff.

I feel like my new life mindset is overwriting my old mindset, which I should be glad it's happening because if I wanted to keep my old mindset, then I should have stay a civilian than be whatever I'm trying to be. I rather not be a Hunter if I could help it and the only reason I'm heading to the academy is because of Pyrrha.

Also, having [Amakusa Shirou Tokisada] as my [Persona] isn't helping much, with the feeling of saving mankind, which I seriously don't want to do as my career.

"Well, I don't know how long it would take for your methods to travel down to the 50th Floor Area, but it's getting dark." I said to Izaya, "Also, how come you're on the 80th Floor Area? Shouldn't you be in the 51th Floor Area instead to look for kids our age, who haven't entered the 50th Floor Area yet?"

"Look. I'll gladly tell you almost everything, but there is some stuff even I won't say. Not because I'm scared of someone out to kill me, which is a good reason, but not the actual reason. Also, please don't ask any more questions." Izaya raised a hand to stop me from asking any further questions.

Shigure walks over to my side and stare at Izaya, waiting for him to continue.

"Trust me...you will find out my reason once we reach 51th Floor Area and before you even ask about why not above 51th or below the 80th Floor Area. Between the 51th and 79th Floor Area. These Floor Areas are filled with at least 90% civilian. Compare to 80th Floor Area, which has at the minimum of 50% filled with both Hunter and civilian families. Not to mention if those kids were even good enough and not faking it." Izaya didn't go into the reason why not start at 51th Floor Area, but at least explain why he didn't go into the 51th to 79th Floor Area to recruit other kids.

"How about above 80th Floor Area?" I ask Izaya, who blankly stare at me and felt annoyed that I ignored his previous request of not asking anymore questions.

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Izaya growl at me, and starting to rethink about adding us to his group.

"Nope. And this is one of the two last questions I'll ask you." I promise Izaya this and another is my last questions.

Izaya narrows his eyes at me, "Fine. I was planning to go the 81th Floor Area, but I found out that I require a special permit to even enter the Checkpoint let alone purchase a ticket to go to the 81th Floor Area. Before you ask about the special permit, I only that you can only get it through a very few family and it cost a lot of Lien. Even if you have the Lien to buy it from one of the families. You would need a special status as well to meet those families in the first place or the guards will just kick you out."

I let this information sink in and wonder if either Shigure or my family is one of them. I debate if I should use this as my last question, but I decided not to. Plus, I could just ask him on a later date instead of now.

"Okay, my last question is." I pause for a moment to think it over, "Do you happen to know a place we can stay for the night?"

Izaya blink a few times at us, then started laughing and almost look like he about to cry. But, he still has enough control not to laugh too loud or it will draw in some people he wouldn't want to come near this area right now.

"Well, thanks for the laugh and my guess if you two truly belong to a Hunter family is getting higher by the second." Izaya wipes the small tears away and took a deep breath, "Yeah. I got a place we could stay for the night and don't worry about the cost to stay. Come on, I'll show you guys the way. We're lucky I found it a few days ago."

30 minutes later*

(Mistral: Mistral City: 80th Floor Area: Unknown/Abandon Warehouse)

"And how we're lucky again?" I ask Izaya in a dull tone, as I look at the Abandon Warehouse in front of us and it looks like it hasn't been used in years. Plus, we're like at near the edge of the outer side of the mountain.

"Another thing you got to know about in the Mistral Kingdom. If the ceiling and the wall don't look like it going to break and fall on us. Then it's a safe place for us to use as a resting area. The only thing we have to worry about is the grimm or people coming near us with hostile intent." Izaya said to me, then walk to the front gate and push the side to open it a little.

"You guys coming? I don't feel like having other know someone is staying in this Warehouse right now." Izaya looks back at us, with a raised eyebrow.

I roll my eyes at him and follow him inside the Abandon Warehouse, with Shigure following right behind me. As we stay here for the night.

next day*

Days?: Hostile Incoming!

(Mistral: Mistral City: 80th Floor Area: Unknown/Abandon Warehouse)

"Hey, uh...Enma was it? What you got there?" Izaya came over to my side, to see me working on a drawing.

Of course, it isn't a simple drawing, even if it does count towards my [Basic Jack of Crafts Mastery]. What I'm drawing is an outline for a [Bounded Field] I gained through my [Persona]. Sadly, without a [Magic Circuit]. I can't even activate this [Bounded Field] if I wanted to. It's pretty much a paper with a drawing on it.

What my plan is to get used to making [Bounded Field] right now from using the knowledge belong to my [Persona]. This way, in the future when I manage to create myself a working [Magic Circuit]. I will have a decent level to create a [Bounded Field] and not create something that may lead to many problems, with so many error been placed during the drawing phrase.

Well, at least in designing the [Bounded Field] for practice. I still need to get materials to create the foundation for the [Bounded Field] or it ends up as a temporarily one and a weaker version too.

"Just a project of mine." I said to Izaya and he knew to drop it when I put away the paper containing the [Bounded Field] on it into my bags, and in my [Inventory] once it's out of plain sight.

"Must be some project. Anyway, I got us the tickets we needed to go through the Checkpoint. Here yours." Izaya passes me a ticket.

Taking the ticket from Izaya and carefully look at it. The ticket happens to be half the size of a Lien and is made of paper. I guess I will have to be careful not to tear it or this ticket become useless before I could use it.

"How did you get us tickets?" I ask Izaya, who just rolled his eyes at me and knew I would ask him.

"Unlike you and Shigure. I bring all my papers and anything I could bring with me. And I know some people, who aren't scammer that sell them to me at a decent price and get these tickets to me fast. Seriously, I can't believe you didn't bring your documents since you guys still count as a civilian right now." Izaya shook his head in disappointment.

I raise both my hands to show that I get what he saying and take the blame when I could have got Shigure's family to give us all the documents we need, but at the time, I wasn't thinking about this stuff besides surviving.

Looking to the other side, we could see Shigure is putting away her [Cleaning Kit] she used for her [Nodachi]. And when Shigure notices us looking in her direction, she blankly stares back at us for a whole minute and gone back to packing up.

"Come on. We don't want to miss the Airship." Izaya said to me, then walk out of the Abandon Warehouse we stayed for a single night.

Both Shigure and I follow Izaya out of the Warehouse and head towards the Checkpoint.

20 minutes later*

(Mistral: Mistral City: 80th Floor Area: Checkpoint to 79th Floor Area: Entrance)

"Oh yeah, I don't know if you had your ID with you. So I made sure to get us tickets that reserve a seat without having an ID since we're already in the system." Izaya said to us and puff his chest out with pride, when he notice that we look at him with a surprised expression. As Izaya manage to hack into the system or know someone who could.

"What's with that look? Anyone with the right amount of Lien could do this easily and no one from the upper section will care about it unless we're some dangerous criminals that will cause harm to their lives." Izaya explain to us, to make sure we understand that even we could buy this kind of tickets from the right people, with the right price.

"Okay then. Remind me to ask you sometime in the future about who to go to get this kind of tickets." I said to Izaya, who just smirk at me.

"They're 70000 Lien a ticket for going down or up a Floor Area. As for other types of ticket. I don't know about them or have the right status to even know what they are. The only reason I know there are different types of a ticket is because I overheard a few people and actually seen them before." Izaya replied to me, as we hand over our tickets to one of the security guards.

Once the security guard verifies our tickets, they gave them back to us after they stamp a number 1054 on our tickets.

"Your Airship is on Block D and you will see your Airship's number that's the same as the number on your ticket." The security guard said to us before they input a few command on their scroll to open the gate behind them.

(Mistral: Mistral City: 80th Floor Area: Checkpoint to 79th Floor Area: Lobby)

"Now, the easy part is over. I need to remind you guys the need to know the unspoken rules among the people unless your family told them to you already. If not, I will explain later and if you want to ask me something. Don't. Not in an open area where we are right now." Izaya whispers to us while continuing walk forward and leading us Block D.

Both Shigure and I silently follow Izaya to Block D, where the Airship we taking. Looking at the people around us, I'm a little curious that there a decent amount of faunus among us and there was a few security guards that are also a faunus too.

I guess this is an area where faunus could live a normal life. Well, on the surface it might look like the faunus are alright with living in this area of 80th Floor Area.

In the background, I don't know if the faunus are being treated right and wonder if there is a White Fang branch in Mistral like Vale.

(Mistral: Mistral City: 80th Floor Area: Checkpoint to 79th Floor Area: Block D)

"Ticket please." A white female color cat faunus asked us in a bored tone, for our tickets.

Handing over our tickets to the cat faunus, as she enters it through the machine and only took 10 seconds each for it to finish scanning, then hand us back our tickets.

Once that is done, we head inside the Airship along with other people. As I glance around, I notice there more faunus than human as security guards in Block D.

'Maybe the people are using faunus' senses to detect anyone entering without a ticket or a real one.' I thought to myself, as I enter the Airship with Shigure in front of me.