Chapter .. A attempt at life

The Author wakes up. He takes a shower and brushes his teeth, while doing so, he feels a spot in his mouth where his tooth is almost fully gone and broken.

He feels bad, looking down at the sink.

At such youth . . . if only I had brushed my teeth more when I was younger . . .

He looks up and sees the woman shrouded in the dark floating behind him, carrying with him the weight.

To her right, Daki, and to her left, Persona. His frown flips into a small smile and he gets dressed, and heads to the door.

On his way there, he passes by the mirror . . . he notices all the weight he has on . . .

It's a lot . . . if only I had taken better care of my body . . .

He freezes in place . . . a reflection of all three appears, urging and pushing him to keep moving forwards.

. . .

He finally reaches and stands in front of the front door. He turns around and starts walking back, and then sees the three of them standing together, and facing him.

He turns around and faces the door again.

Take deep breaths.

He clenches and unclenches his hand and paces in front of the door, hyping himself up. He looks at the clock . . . something whispering to him. If he just buys a bit more time . . . he can use the excuse that he won't make it to the bus on time and not go, and then he gets to stay home . . .

"Go!" all three of them finally shout at him.

Without thought, he opens the door and steps outside into the light. He runs and runs, trying his best to make it to the bus.

. . .

Standing in front of the bus, he wears Persona and gets on . . .

Sitting in class with people younger than him . . .

If I had not gotten addicted to them . . . maybe I would have graduated with my friends . . . I also feel left behind and that I need to study what I forgot . . .

A voice in the back of his mind whispers.

Just leave it . . . why bother anymore? You wasted all that money, why waste more? Just give up and leave . . . go do something else. How about you go back home and **********? Better than being here after all.

The Author clenches his pen tightly.

Daki looks at the Author in contemplation.

And the woman notices Daki in focus and asks, "Is there something?"

". . . Maybe," he says.

. . .

The Author returns home . . .

Later that day, all three of them look at him sitting and tell him to go outside for a while. He looks out and sees that the pool is empty, and the sun is setting.

Reluctantly, he goes down and enters the pool area. He falls in the water and . . . thinks of starting to swim a little . . . to lose some weight and so he does.

One lap in and . . . he feels heavy.

Not that he is tired or that it is his weight . . . he just feels hollow.

What's the point? I'll just fall again . . .

The shadow of his past and failed years grabbing him like shackles and dragging him back . . . exhausting his will . . . and then his want . . . bringing him to a halt.

He stops halfway, his face down into the water, looking at the floor. He then sees three things swim by very quickly from beneath . . .

"Move . . ." he whispers underwater.

"Move," he says louder.

"Move!" he screams at himself, and his legs start to move on their own in response. Slowly . . . but surely, he starts to swim more and more, dragging his past failures and his exhaustion with him.

Her and him . . . both push on.

Done swimming, he exits.

He notes the day in mind, and they help him do some work and tell him that should go to sleep.

And so, he does.

. . .

Someone stands at his side, looking down at him sleeping on his back.

"I will cut your faith, I will reap your beloved, I will tear from your consciousness, they want to live," says the figure.

He looks at the Author's phone and jumps into it.

Daki and the woman silently spy from the ceiling above.

. . .

Sitting out in the balcony in the early morning, he looks at the beach, enjoying the view. Daki and he sees someone taking their dog on a walk.

"A you say once that he intends on being in full submission and committed to your master," says Daki.

"I still intend on being so . . ." says the Author.

Daki hums, "Judging by your actions, I would say that that man is more committed to his dog than you are to your master,"

"As a matter of fact, it seems that you even serve different masters based on actions than the one you claim you want to serve," he continues.

. . .

"I agree . . . I can see that as the case from a perspective," says the Author, his face lazy and sad, "I want that to be otherwise someday . . ."

"I hope I get to meet (that) you as well,"

"If you do . . . help him stay and hold on, please," requests the Author, closing his eyes, "Until then, help me become him . . . as it seems there will be hurdles in my way. . .perhaps even another fall. . .lets try our best"

He takes a deep breath in, enjoying the wind and the warmth of the rising sun.

Persona to his left.

The woman to his right.

And Daki floating above.