[6/16 (Monday) - Afternoon]
[Beacon Academy — Gym Room]
"Alright, everyone! Thanks for coming along!" Yang said, hands planted on her hips as she addressed the group.
Dressed in a simple yellow tank top and yoga pants, she scanned the room—everyone else in Beacon-issued tracksuits—before nodding in approval.
"Ruby and Jaune should've filled you in on the plan, but I'll go over it again just in case."
"I want to make this a weekly thing! With Pyrrha, Nora, and me rotating as instructors every week, we'll get into shape and work on our bods!"
She pointed first to Ruby, then Weiss, then Jaune.
"After discussing with my fellow trainers, we've decided you three are the weakest physically across both teams, no offense—so you'll be starting with cardio until your stamina improves!"
Yang then shifted her finger toward Ren, Blake, and Clerval.
"You three are more all-rounders who prioritize speed, so you'll mainly be doing bench work and dexterity training! Nora'll supervise and spot you during your sessions."
His gaze drifted toward Nora, who stood proudly with her chest puffed out, wearing a simple tracksuit and a pink headband. Their eyes met, and her mouth twisted into a smirk as she barked at him.
"What're you looking at, huh? Drop and give me five right now!"
... He exhaled quietly and got down onto the floor, beginning his push-ups without complaint.
"Meanwhile, Pyrrha and I will be doing some light conditioning while supervising everyone else. We'll be pushing all of you to your limits, so you better try your darn best to get into shape!" Yang added, cracking her knuckles with a grin.
"I'm watching you especially, Rubes! No cheating your way out of this!"
"You fiend!" Ruby shot back instantly.
"Say that once I'm done with you," Yang laughed. "Now run!"
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Staring blankly at the amount of weights shoved onto the thin metal rod before him, Clerval slowly looked at Yang, who was waiting patiently near the bench.
"... Isn't this a bit much?" He asked bluntly.
She responded with a casual shrug.
"It's not that bad. With the medical records that I asked for, deadlifting 220 kilos should be a breeze."
She patted the loaded barbell once, then effortlessly lifted it with one arm. To add salt to injury, she gave it a smooth curl before setting it back down on the rack.
"Plus, we all have Aura. Even if you pull a muscle, you'll be good in an hour-ish."
He had no words after witnessing the display of strength.
Instead, Clerval stepped forward and gripped the barbell. Taking a slow breath, he closed his eyes—
The sound of shattering glass echoed through his mind as he switched Personas, drawing upon his strongest physical-attacking Persona from his limited stock of mainly magic-attacking Personas.
[My strength is thine own, Wanderer.]
[Take as much as thou needst.]
Power from Archangel swelled within him as, with a slight hitch in his breath, he pulled the barbell free from the rack.
The weight came up as the strain instantly made itself apparent. Heavy, but surprisingly manageable... Perhaps he had been overthinking it. This wasn't so bad.
"Good, give me ten deadlifts, three sets!"
Following her instructions, he took a step back and carefully lowered the barbell to the ground before pulling it up again in one fluid motion, engaging his entire body as he lifted.
As he went for his second set of deadlifts, Yang, seated on a nearby bench, suddenly spoke up.
"So, what's your deal?"
He paused mid-motion, briefly confused by the question.
Yang glanced around the gym once before leaning in slightly, lowering her voice just a touch.
"I mean, you're out and busy almost twenty-four seven, you barely join team activities, and you've got this whole stoic thing going on that makes you hard to read." She tilted her head, genuinely curious.
"Heck, we don't even know where you came from or your past. I mean, even Jaune told us his whole life story already, which—honestly—is a crazy one. It's always the nice ones that'd do something crazy." She spoke the last sentence with a knowing smirk.
He had no idea how to answer her question, so he stayed silent as he worked through the question in his mind.
In the end, he did what he did best.
He shrugged.
"I don't know."
"... You don't know? What do you not know?"
"My past."
Yang narrowed her eyes, studying him carefully. After a beat, she let out an amused huff.
"... Wow. That's the most bullshit I've ever heard. You don't know your past? What a joke. Next thing you're gonna say is you don't have any memories or something—"
"I don't."
The words landed cleanly between them.
"Claiming amnesia?" She chuckled. "You're a joker, Gray-Gray."
"..."
"..."
The rhythmic clang of the barbell touching the floor continued to echo through the gym as Clerval carried on with his deadlifts.
"..." Her eyes widened slightly. "You're not joking."
"No."
"Seriously? You have no memory at all? Then how did you even get to Beacon—"
"I don't know."
"But—what?!"
It was her turn to look confused. Clerval offered another shrug.
"I woke up on the Bullhead to Beacon with nothing but a set of clothes, a sword, and a fake gun. I have no idea how or why I got into Beacon in the first place."
"... And no one knows?" She tilted her head back toward the rest of the group, who were currently suffering under Nora's oppression.
"No one asked." Well, no one had ever asked about his past. It wasn't as though he made an effort to hide it. He personally thinks that his unique circumstance is the reason why the headmaster was looking to have a chat with him.
A brief silence settled between them.
Yang let out a long, exasperated sigh.
"What the fuck."
She rose from the bench she was on.
"Keep going with your deadlifts; you've still got a set left. After that, Nora'll take over. I'm—I'm gonna get some fresh air."
As she turned away, she paused for a second and glanced back over her shoulder.
"... I'll keep it to myself. Until you tell everyone."
He nodded.
A strange expression crossed her face before she turned to look at the door.
"Not knowing who you are... Yeah. I guess I can relate to that." She muttered quietly, heading for the exit and calling out something about needing water as she passed the others.
["I am Thou,"]
["Thou art I."]
["Thou hast established a new path,]
[bringing thee further into your odyssey."]
["With the birth of the Strength Arcana,]
["Thine soul shalt be blessed to call forth stronger Personas of the Strength Arcana..."]
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[6/16 (Monday) - Evening]
[Beacon Academy — Dorm Room]
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Feeling sore all over—especially in his legs—he knew that while his Health and Spirit had improved from the intense training, he was going to be in for a world of pain once dawn arrived.
To relax for the day, he was midway through a rented TV program about an investigation team of teenagers solving supernatural murder mysteries around their town when the broadcast was interrupted by a string of notification pings from his Scroll.
Pausing the show for now, he lifted it up to read the messages sent from Yang.
[Conversation with: YANG-XIAO LONG (Online)]
[Yang: Hey! It's Yang.]
[Yang: About earlier this afternoon... I have this contact in a club.]
[Yang: He's an info broker that knows the ins and outs of Vale well.]
[Yang: Wanna head there to find out more about yourself?]
[Yang: There should be records of you somewhere, right?]
[Clerval: Are you sure?]
[Yang: Hell yeah! I gotta help you with your past!]
[Yang: Plus, it'd be exciting, don't ya think?]
[Yang: Just hit me up during the evenings; Yang Xiao-Long's got your back.]
[Yang has sent a sticker of a shining golden female with dragon horns winking playfully.]
[Clerval: ...]
[Clerval: Thanks.]
[Yang: No probs, Gray-Gray.]
[Yang: See you tomorrow!]
[YANG-XIAO LONG has gone offline.]
Shutting his Scroll down, he let it flop onto the bed and continued watching the TV series, his Knowledge improving as he got better at anticipating the "whodunit" twists of the story.
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SOCIAL LINK RANK UP!
STRENGTH (XI): Yang Xiao-Long
Level 1 / 10
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NEXT UPDATE: 1 July, Wednesday
A/N: Hope I portrayed Yang well in this chapter, the 'mask' that she wears shattering slightly to show insecurity. Personally, the Strength Arcana fits Yang like a glove.
Had to rewrite this chapter three times, didn't like the first two drafts. This one, though, I am satisfied with.
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