Story

The story of Morphos Metaphor takes place in Kirimori City, a fictional city in modern-day Japan shrouded in mystery.

Life among its residents has always retained in its normal course until the recent emergence of Reverse Morphosis Disorder (commonly known as RMD) marks the beginning of unsettling and unexplainable events happening in the city:


 * Rumors spread regarding sightings of ghosts and shadowy figures roaming about the streets and in abandoned areas scattered throughout the city.

But these mysterious string of events are caused by what normal people cannot see: otherworldy creatures called Shadows, which feed upon the minds of their victims.
 * Adults and children alike going missing for long periods of time, and show symptoms of RMD the moment they are found.
 * Rise in numbers of patients in a comatose state admitted in the city's hospitals, and
 * Other mysterious and unexplainable supernatural phenomena.

Only those with a high affinity for the supernatural, and with a strong enough potential to invoke the power of a Persona, are able to defeat them.

The Beginning
The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.

They guide you on your journey through life: from the past, the present, and the future, leading to the path of enlightenment.

Your destiny is a potent one, as you plunge yourself into a world embraced in the heaviest fog of mysteries.

''As the most malevolent shadows prey upon the minds of humanity, stand strong among them, and unleash your inner strength to defeat your adversaries.  You, who hold the greatest Potential among many others, are destined to save humanity from the darkest Nightfall.''

But time is not on your side, for you have only one year to fulfill your destiny.

So go forth without falter, trust in your heart to guide you through your journey, and dissipate the fog of mysteries which disrupts the peace of your world.

Fear not, even though the path is unclear.

There is no secret which forever remains hidden, for the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.

Prologue: The Night of the Full Moon
Not long after the opening of school, two students- Keita Nakamura and Yuki Yamada, were found unconscious in an alleyway. Both were members of the Student Council of Higashimori High.

None of them had any physical injuries or trauma, however, they remained in a comatose state and thus, were sent to the hospital... But it seems that this was simply the beginning of something worse...

Headmaster Kazuki's announcement of the incident:

Good afternoon, students.

It is my regret to be the bearer of terrible news, but our dead members of the Student Council, Keita Nakamura and Yuki Yamada, has fallen victim to an unfortunate incident. They were found early this morning in an alleyway, appearing pale and completely unconscious, but their bodies showed no sign of physical violence.

They were brought to Kirimori Hospital immediately. They are alive, but both were diagnosed to be in a state of comatose. I am truly saddened to know such an incident befell my students, but there is only so much I can do to protect my students. I deeply advise that all be careful and alert when you are going out of town, as an added precaution.

As for the student council, we are unfortunate to lose such diligent and hard-working students, but we can only hope for their soonest recovery.

In the meantime, we will be accepting nominations for the different student council positions. There will be application forms available in the Main Office. To those interest, kindly fill them out, and submit to the Main Office. We will be checking the applications in terms of academic standard and good conduct in the school, and will provide a list the soonest possible.

Always take care, students, and do your best this year.

Chapter 1: The Disorder
News of a new mysterious 'disease' called Reverse Morphosis Disorder (RMD) broke out. Medical experts had difficulty discerning the nature of this case.

Victims remain in a comatose, and those who wake up seem to suffer memory loss and become entangled in an apathetic state.

Chapter 2: The Shadows
Despite the recent tragedy concerning the two students, Higashimori High had to continue with its scheduled activities. One of which is the school's yearly Acquaintance Ball meant for forging bonds between the new students and faculty.

The party was however stalled after the attack of strange creatures called Shadows. Students and teachers scrambled with the goal of reaching the school observatory for safety. At the end of the ordeal, they faced off against two powerful Shadows known as the Vigilant Groom and the Ruthless Bride.

Hope seemed lost; until students began calling up a strange power which helped them survive... for the time being.

Chapter 3: Ethereal Dream
The fateful night ended, however, casualties were made. Though, a larger number of casualties was averted thanks to the strange powers students managed to summon.

By the end, they passed out, only to find themselves in front of a strange door. A group of people welcomed them and claimed that they were in the Arcane Court.

Chapter 4: Rendezvous in Higashimori
While peace seemed to have returned, many questions were left unanswered. The damages created on the school grounds had been repaired, and classes have resumed. Though, this didn't mean everything had ended. Explanations were finally given by the school's headmaster; about the discovery of the faculty's Persona, their investigations and the like. Those that experienced the attack of the Shadows were given a choice: to fight or to stay back.

New students, unknowing of the recent events had also enrolled in the prestigious school. Somehow, the caught wind of stories and rumors floating around...

Chapter 6: Rumors and Rumormongers
Rumors about strange noises and happening have floating around Yamihara Grand Hotel. Students, some out of curiousity, others out of suspicion set out to investigate.

There, they discover the place to be infested with a powerful Shadow with the appearance of a cowboy pig- the Corrupt Chairperson.

Chapter 7: Turning of the Wheel of Fortune
Things have gone to a turn for the worse as an ominous message visited the school. 'They' have been watching the Persona-users, and threatened to bring their Shadow-fighting to a stop. Followed by that, some students started to disappear.

At the same time, rumors on an old Japanese mansion in the city, the Akagi mansion spread. Students came along to investigate the presence of Shadows once more; particularly, to find those who went missing (though others winded up there by mistake). Somehow, they ended up in groups of the same suit.

Soon, they make an encounter with the so-called Winged Ones who easily subdues the students in battle, only for them to leave. Things don't end there however, as another powerful Shadow, The Crimson Blade reveals itself. While the battle was tough, the Persona-users prevail, finding a note left behind.

Meanwhile, those who disappeared, students under the suit of swords, were found in the mansion. They account their stories as being kidnapped by 'Winged Ones' , encountering their Shadow selves.

The events brought about a loss this time however, as two of the kidnapped students turned up dead...

Chapter 8: Shadow Moon Illusion
Students acting strangely...

Reports of missing people...

Increasing victims of the RMD...

The threat from the previous chapter was definitely not to be belittled.

Given the recent events, the police decided to take action into assisting the school, forming a group of Awares called the Occult Reconnaissance Squad, or simply ORS.

Students were sent messages about a sighting of a girl in the Nishimori Forest, as well as Shadow sightings. With that, students grouped up yet again in order to fight off the Shadows and save the aforementioned child.

During their exploration, Winged Ones appeared once more, though left immediately after leaving a group of Shadows to battle the Persona-users. The Shadows were no ordinary ones however, given that they took the form of the friends of the students.

After defeating their friends' Shadows, they finally encounter the Emerald Serpent who held the sighted child from before under its control. The battle ended with the Persona-users gaining victory.

Meanwhile, students of the Suits of Wands were actually kidnapped and were switched out with their Shadow selves. During that time, they caused havoc in their respective counterpart's social life. Though, like before, they also managed to defeat their Shadow counterparts and got their bodies returned.

... Or at least most of them, given that six students never made it out alive...

Chapter 9: Penumbral Psychosis
A special team of those working in the medical field called the RMD Research Team, led by Dr. Kumori Himura, was formed for the sole purpose of finding a cure for the rampant illness. Through their efforts, the team managed to create a drug called Absinpirdine, said to be a potential cure for RMD victims. However, it hasn't been fully tested yet and was not released in market.

Not long after the proclamation of the creation of the said drug, the supply was stolen by the Winged Ones. Knowing that they had something to do with it, Higashimori's headmaster as well as the police chief came to Dr. Himura for a temporary Alliance.

At the same time, it's been discovered that the Minamimori Hospital housed some Shadows. With that, the Persona-users were dispatched in the dungeon, to fight the Shadows and retrieve the remaining drugs. While things couldn't seem to have gotten worse from the last encounter, it just did. Again, the students encountered Shadow versions of their classmates, but this time, they were sickly green. Alongside them, was the Sapphire Sangrail who emitted nauseating green smoke, further hindering the Persona-users.

Amidst all the problems, some students have gone missing yet again. This time, those under of the suits of Chalices. Just like the previous instances, they too faced their own adversaries. As it turned out, the stolen drugs were used on the students. Because of this, they fell in the Shadow realm. Their Personas were corrupted as well. Though, unlike the previous encounters, this time, they faced several versions of their Shadow selves...

By the end of it all, the Persona-users managed to defeat the Shadows at the hospital, and rescued some of the kidnapped students. The chapter does not end without fatalities however... as eleven students were never found, being deemed to be beyond salvation...