Life at Windian High (Part 2)




Nighttime in Windia...

Guilt is an emotion that can overcome just about anyone. In fact, it's been eating away at two teenagers for the past day. Chris Fallon fell victim to this emotion earlier in the night, and now Frank Maynard was feeling its effects as well. Ever since talking to Chris about the bowgun, it's been bothering him.

The Persona User was tossing and turning in his bed. Not only was guilt eating away at his conscience, but his Persona was also bothering him as well.

"How could you, Frank! She's your friend! And your co-worker!"

Katt... please... I feel bad enough as it is...

"You should! Ladon Frank... that was cold! I would have never expected anything like that to come from you!"

Frank sat up in his bed. He didn't dare turn on the light, since Neko-Chan was sleeping peacefully.

Katt... I'm sorry... I'll apologize to Diane first thing tomorrow at school... I'll catch her on my way there... Dammit... I feel so bad...

"Frank... you're gonna have to do more than that... You hurt her... she's your friend, and you just lied to her!"

Hang on... let's talk face to face, Ms. Chuan... Give me a second...

Frank got out of his bed and stretched. He was about to Persona Break, when Neko-Chan woke up. The nekomata let out a cute little yawn and turned to her guardian/sibling, with both tails waving around in interest.

"Myah? Frank? It's late... Meow... what are you doing up?" Neko-Chan stretched in her own bed before getting out to look at the Persona User. "Meow... wait... this has something to do with how you were feeling all day?"

"One second, Neko-Chan..." Frank raised an arm and spoke quietly. "Persona Break!"

Immediately, wind and magical energies kicked up around the Persona User and billowed through his shorts and t-shirt. A circle of golden light appeared underneath Frank, and soon after, a column of gold light embraced his body. An image of Katt Chuan floated from Frank's body, before a bright white light filled the room. When the light died down, Neko-Chan uncovered her eyes and saw Katt Chuan standing in front of the Persona User.

"All right..." Katt said as she looked at Frank. "You've got a lot of explaining to do. What possessed you to do something like that???" By now, the woren's tail was flicking angrily as she gave Frank a dangerous glare.

"Meow? Frank was possessed?" Neko-Chan turned to look at the Persona User carefully. As she did so, her whiskers and her tails flicked about in interest. "Myah... He looks fine to me... Purr... but something has been bothering him all day..."

Katt just smiled at the innocence that the nekomata was showing. Frank, however, interrupted her thoughts.

"No, Neko-Chan... I wasn't possessed... but with what I've done today... I may have well been..." Frank said with a sigh.

"... You're truly sorry, aren't you? But still Frank... that's not like you at all! Why?" Katt asked the Persona User. In all honesty, she was curious as to why Frank had done something like that. The Persona User that she knew wasn't like that at all.

"I... don't know, Katt... I just remembered what she did when I was working on that one gun... the Western Custom... And... I... I just don't know why I did that..." By now, Frank was starting to cry lightly. Immediately, Neko-Chan took him into a sisterly hug. Katt too was overcome by emotion, and realized something about Frank: He's not perfect.

"Frank... I shouldn't have snapped like that... I'm sorry. But still..." Katt said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Frank looked up at Katt, and noticed her piercing gaze behind those fierce, yet gentle green eyes. "You've got to apologize to Diane. You hurt her feelings today. What I want to know is..."

"How I'm going to do it, right? That's a good question... I have this feeling that Chris has already apologized to her... so it's my turn. I just don't know what to do... I hardly doubt that just an apology would do..." Frank said quietly.

"Myah... you know..." Neko-Chan said as she lightly made a pawing motion. "She's really into weapons and such... meow! Why not a new weapon?"

"That would be good... but... she's already gotten a ton of those from me... Lessee... her twin knives, the ice slasher... Not to mention the M500 Shorty that she got in Lunarvale... and the gatling gun that Alex received... Another weapon would be impersonal..." Frank said thoughtfully, before taking a seat at his desk.

"Well, she's got all that gear..." Katt replied as she strode toward the Persona User. "But does she have anywhere to store all of it?"

"... Katt, I could kiss you! That's the answer right there! Thanks! In fact..." Frank got up and kissed the woren on the cheek. For once in her life, Katt Chuan actually blushed.

"Er... thanks Frank..." Katt said as her tail began to lash about in embarrassment. Neko-Chan was behind her just giggling.

"I'm going to need help from both of you... I want to get this finished tonight..." Frank explained to both the woren and the catgirl.

"Tonight??? Ladon! Can that happen?" Katt said as she eyed the Persona User in near disbelief.

Frank just nodded at the former destined woren. "It can. I've got great help with me right here..."

"Meow... you can count on us, Frank! Purr..." Neko-Chan smiled at the Persona User as her tails waved around happily.

"Hmm... building things..." Katt said as she held her Meow staff out. "Isn't it like this?" The woren gave a couple of swings of her staff, which made both Frank and Neko-Chan facefault. "Kidding, kidding... I know what to do..."

Frank just chuckled. "All right... let's get to work then..."

The trio made their way downstairs into the R&D room of the Reverse Edge. With the help of Katt and Neko-Chan (and later on, Brad, Yuki, and Jess, who were all curious as to why he was up so late), Frank managed to make a display case for all of Diane's weapons. It came complete with locks, drawers for ammunition, and a felt lined display, complete with a hinged, lockable, glass top.

"Perfect..." Frank said as he stretched. "I'm sure she'll love it..."

"Myah... it's great... but Frank... meow..." Neko-Chan was about to fall over, before Frank caught her.

"Son..." Jess said as she looked at Frank. "You've got to get to bed... If you go now, you can get about four and a half hours of sleep." Jess had that look behind her eyes that seemed to say, "I mean it!"

"All right mom... Thanks for the help... when Brad and Yuki wake up in the morning..." Frank said before yawning.

"What he's saying, Ms. Rorins..." Katt said as she looked Jess. "Is that he'll thank his friends in the morning..."

"What about you Katt? I've got another guest room... or if you'd like, I'll get the cot for you..." Jess's tail was waving slightly as she regarded Katt.

"I'll take the cot... I'd like to stay out for awhile... instead of returning to Frank's soul immediately." Katt replied.

"Well... We're going to bed... I'll see you in the morning, okay? Night mom, Katt..." Frank said before scooping up a sleepy Neko-Chan and heading upstairs. After awhile, Katt followed suit and went to sleep in Frank's room. Before letting sleep overcome her, she noticed that the Persona User was now looking better.

"Well..." Katt said quietly. "I don't think his conscience will be bothering him about that anymore..." Finally, the woren went to sleep, dreaming of her own, vivid past.


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