The Collective Unconscious [Hibiki Prime Awakening]

It was like a dream... One where you're falling in mid-air, awaiting the powerful slam to the ground. This was the feeling one always had when they were suddenly taken into the collective unconscious. Though the young man who was taken here was merely dreaming, that precise feeling of perpetual falling and inevitable end was a sense that would be all too familiar to him. This world he found himself looking upon was where he was created, like every other human being in the world, and where he would return once his life reached its end. However, he was brought to this colorful world filled with stars because he had a purpose. One that took the attention of the God of Ego, Philemon. Also known as the man who wore the mask. After what felt like centuries of falling, the young man, who's was currently formless and could only view the scene, not interact, was brought before this strange man in the mask.




The masked man was rather tall and stood on what appeared to be a platform made of an unearthly material. He dawned all white, with a mask that held the symbol of a lone butterfly. In a polite manner, this mysterious masked man took a bow towards the formless conscious that was summoned to the strange world. "Welcome." The man spoke with an easy tone that could sooth even the smallest of children. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Philemon, a dweller between consciousness, and unconsciousness." The man in white, noted as being Philemon, ended his bow and folded his arms beneath his chest. "There aren't many that can remember their identity while within this domain. Are you aware of the various selves that you harbor within yourself? The self infused with divine love, the self capable of demonic cruelty; people live by wearing different masks. Your current self may be only one of those innumerable masks. You though, you have a very firm grip on your identity. I respect your strong will." Philemon continued to speak in an easy tone as he praised the individual who could only watch without any words spoken. The masked God would extend a hand, and in it a white light would appear for a second before revealing what appeared to be some sort of miniature tiger with black stripes racing down its backside. "In return, I grant this power: Persona. It is the power to summon the selves within you. The Gods and the Demons you harbor. The time is soon when you will need this power. Your current state of affairs in Ueitawa is soon crumbling, and with it your allies turn against each other. There needs to be a voice of reason, and with this power you will find it." Philemon caused the creature to float in mid-air as a contract appeared within his hand in its place. "Before I can willingly give you this power, you must sign a contract with myself. Do not worry, as this contract simply means you will abide by your fate, and take your life with your own will. With the signing of this contract, the power of Persona will become yours." Philemon now fell silent as he awaited the individual to sign his name. Though the boy did not have the means of writing with his body, with a simple display of will, his name would appear upon the sheet of paper. It was his choice to abide by the contract, and refuse and be sent back home as if this meeting had never occurred.

''What's...this?'' Hibiki was quite bewildered and confused as he suddenly found himself in a strange place, not to mention in mid-air and he was falling down. At least that's what it felt like. He didn't like the creepy sense of falling downwards and slamming into the ground, yet there wasn't anything he could do about it. ''Is this a dream?'' It had to be. There was no logical explanation for a person to be just flung in the air out of the blue. Not like this. While this ordeal lasted for a sizeable amount of time, Hibiki didn't really think much on it. He just hoped it would end already. It did, even though it felt like it took eternity to get to the ground of this...place? Before he could even try to understand where he could be, his attention was stolen by a strange man that appeared in front of him.

Just like the place he resided in, this man was pretty weird. The white clothing wasn't really out of the ordinary, but that mask. Was that a butterfly? Hibiki wasn't entirely sure about anything at the moment. He seemed to be interested in telling him something, and since Hibiki had no choice in the matter, he listened to the man's calm word. ''Philemon? Strange...'' Yes, the man introduced himself, but Hibiki was still confused. He didn't really know what exactly was the meaning of what he was. And then, he talked about identities. While Hibiki understood the words, he had a feeling there was a deeper meaning to this, which he was probably missing. ''Persona....power....what?'' All this was just a little too much to take in. That tiger looked intriguing though, and it was slightly out of place in this setting. It was all so complicated. Philemon spoke about problems araising in Ueitawa and something about voice of reason. The town seemed peaceful from what he had seen. Was something really going to happen?

''A contract...with him?...I still don't know what is this really about...'' It was a hard choice. Hibiki had a feeling he could trust the man's words, but what would it mean for him? Was this Persona power that important? Accepting could turn out to be dangerous, and yet, he was curious to see what it would bring. ''I suppose, I could....'' In the end, there is a risk in everything one does, so why not? He was aware that he could not move, nor speak, but he supposed that if the man made it that way, there was also a way to do this? ''I wonder if this really is a dream ...or not...it seems too real..''

"Suppose is not the answer I am looking for. It is a simple Yes or No. Will you abide by the contract?" The contract remained untouched, awaiting the answer from the soul that wandered into the collective unconscious. Those who were indecisive and could not clearly state a Yes or No, would lose their individuality in this domain. There was a possibility he was wrong in choosing this male to come here into this domain. There were plenty of others who held a powerful will within them, and who would be sure to answer clearly on what they so desired. There were times to be cautious in life, and other times where one needed to take a plunge without knowing what was on the other side. This would be the last time the Masked Individual would offer the power to the young man. If he once again "supposed" then it would be taken from him, and he would awake in his bed as if this meeting had never occurred.

''Oh...right...'' Obvious, wasn't it? Hibiki probably should have thought of that. It was logical to answer either Yes or No, to such a question. Then why didn't he? Tough question. He wasn't entirely sure. It was just, this all was kind of surreal. Maybe he should stop thinking of how weird it was and focus on the matter at hand. It would do him no good to ponder something he couldn't find an answer for right now. If the man wanted a clear answer then he'd have to give him that. He was still kind of pertubed at the fact that it didn't occur to him to do that in the first place. He should stop trying to think ahead too much. ''Then, yes it is.'' This time, he chose not to hesitate in making a choice.

"Very well." The young man's man would appear upon the contract before it'd vanish in an azure light. "Though you have yet to notice, the stability of Ueitawa is steadily falling. You will need to master this power of Persona if you are to find the truth behind the disappearances and to protect the stability of only your world, but the world of others. Now time marches on in your world. I am sure we'll meet again." As suddenly as he was taken to the strange world, the young man's consciousness would be sent back to his body. With this, came the ability of this new power, Persona, aswell. Though this appeared to be nothing more than a dream, his thoughts would no longer be his own. No, instead his inner self, his Prime Persona, would now be a part of him. This meant Hibiki would now be able to view the doors to the Velvet Room and the doorways to Limbo aswell. He would no longer be blind to the other world, and he would now be able to see the Shadows lurking in Ueitawa first hand.

''Truth....disappearances..'' There was a lot of the man's speech that Hibiki didn't understand, at least as of yet. It wasn't every day that he was told the world was in trouble and there was a need of saving it of some sorts. He didn't see any problems himself yet, but the way the man put it, it seemed more like it wasn't happening on a big enough scale for everyone to see at the moment. Perhaps he just wasn't looking at things well enough before? Well, he probably wasn't going to find an answer for that anymore.

One moment, the man was talking how they were to meet again, and the next...''Just what was that?'' he wondered aloud this time, as he found himself awake, not in the strange place anymore. He was going to have to look into this later on...