I'm back! I was able to update a bit quicker now! Finals are and I don't have worry about graduate school... until fall, now I have to deal with my general laziness to write this fic. The anime is... getting a bit better in Ep. 5, I do like the slice of life segments they put it, and the one thing with the added Akechi scenes is that I have more material to write scenes of him.
I have made some grammar corrections in the past chapters and edit a couple of past chapters revealing Ren's hometown. You'll find out here.
Good news, I have also decided on the Seiyuus for Kazuhiro and Kotone as well.
Kazuhiro: Hiroshi Kamiya (Levi from Attack on Titan... Yes... there are two Levis.)
Kotone: Kana Ueda (Rin Tosaka from Fate/Stay Night)
Here's what I promised, Kotone's awakening! I hope I don't disappoint you all. Enjoy!
Chapter 6: The Golden Lady
"DAMNIT! DAMNIT! DAMNIT!" Ren yelled out in frustration. Teeth gritted, clenched fists tightly to the point his hands could bleed. He was more angry at himself than at Kamoshida. Angry that he allowed her to be taken away. Angry that he didn't pay attention enough. Angry that he failed to uphold his promise to her that she would be fine.
"GOD FUCKING DAMNIT!" Ren yelled ask he punched one of the walls as hard he can.
"Calm down! You're almost as bad as Ryuji" Morgana attempted to reason with Frizzy hair.
"We have to find her!" Ren snapped back at the (not) cat. "We can't let him do..." He turned away and groaned in frustration, not wanting to know the implications.
"I'm not saying we shouldn't. We need a clear head. For all we know, he's using her as bait to lead us to a trap!" Morgana replied.
"Then we'll beat the crap whatever trap he throws at us!" Ryuji cried out. When he started to move, he almost immediately fell to his knees feeling completely worn up.
"What the Hell!"
"That's what happened when you awaken to your Persona, Ryui," Morgana informed the delinquent. "It takes up a lot of your energy, making you feel really tired. Normally, this is when we should head back to rest up."
"We can't go back. We have to find Kotone." Ryuji told the cat as he slowly got up, determined to find his classmate despite his condition.
"I know, but you have to be careful for now. You don't have that much energy last time. One wrong move and you're dead." Morgana warned the newest Persona user. He put his paw on his chin, thinking of the situation.
"Hrm. Considering how quick our fight was, Kotone won't be too far. Best we retrace our path back to where we entered and go on from there." The pair of boys agreed to his plan. "But it is very likely that he'll ambush us to finish us off. So get ready for another fight!"
"Damn, Kotone has all the medicine, we can't heal up," Ren said.
"Don't worry. Zorro! Dia!" The muscular Zorro appeared and with a wand of his rapier, Morgana and Ren's felt a bit better. "It's not much it'll do. I can't heal you all the way. I need to save energy to fight. Sorry, I didn't heal you, Ryuji. We needed more than you."
"It's cool, I can handle it. Let's go!" The three rushed out of the dungeon to find Kotone.
As they left the room crossed over the short bridge, Morgana noticed something shiny as they reached the end of the hallway.
"Hold it. I sensed something." Morgana ordered as he inspected the unknown object. "What is this?" He asked holding up a golden barrette.
"That's her hair clip! Or one of them." Ren exclaimed as he took it from Morgana. After pondering a bit while looking at it, he realized something. "She must have dropped it to leave a trail for us to follow!"
"Clever girl." Morgana sounding proud of her. "There's still hope yet. Look out for more clues!"
The group headed the same path when they enter the dungeon, and found a bottle of medicine at the top of the staircase, near the entrance.
"Another one! Maybe she left the medicine for us to use." Ryuji excitedly cried out.
"You should take it to get ready," Ren told the skulled-face teen who did as told.
As they left the dungeon, Morgana sensed another bottle of medicine that was near to the safe room. They decided to take a quick breather in preparation for the battle to come. Ren and Ryuji sat in one of the table that Morgana was standing."
"I was actually worried that they went the other way when we got out of the dungeon." Ren sounded a bit relieved. "Morgana, how many medicines does she have?"
"Four, I gave her three, and the one that Ryuji gave you, so she has two more on her." Morgana answered.
"Well, it's clear we're heading back to the main hall. Kamoshida's must be waiting for us there."
"Yeah, I'm ready. Though I wished I could have bring another gun here, I had enough money for that shotgun model." Ryuji sadly said.
"Don't worry, you'll get one. I have 13 rounds left in this. What about you Morgana." Ren asked.
"Plenty on this end. So we're ready?" The two nodded in agreement. "Alright, get ready for a fight." They headed their way to the door to the main hall where they'll most likely find Kotone. Ren firmly tighten his grip on his knife.
Hang in there. I'm coming Kotone.
Unceremoniously thrown to the red rug of the main hall. On her fours, breathing heavily, she slowly tried to get up to have her hair forcefully grabbed by Kamoshida and pulled her up standing up to face him up close to his face. Trying to put up a brave face, she glared right back him.
I hope they found my trail.
"Trying to put up a brave face? I can see through it. You're hoping those boys will come to rescue you? Your knights in shining armor?" She only remained silent. "Too bad, it's not a fairytale, I got men ready for them, and you will have the front row seats to watch them die." She spat at him in the face as her rebuttal. Unpleased, he wiped away the gunk and slapped her face even harder than before with his backhand.
"Hold her in place, make sure she watches. And after all of this, let's see how quiet you can be after I'm through with you. We're going to have a fun, long time."
"I didn't know you considered 5 seconds a long time!" Kotone mocked him. "Is that why you like 'em young? Cause real women just laughed at your half-inch wonder?" Kamoshida started to look irritated after hearing her comments.
"Maybe that's not the real thing in that speedo! I'll bet 1000 yen that you have a sock in it!" Kotone smiling devilish, reveling in herself from getting a stir out the king. "Maybe that's why you're able to walk around so soon after I kicked you in nads! It was so small that I missed!"
She was only slapped again by Kamoshida to shut her up. She only smiled in return knowing she's able to rile him up.
"Such quick to anger. A sign of insecurity, maybe there is truth to what I said. Tiny dick and getting angry a lot, maybe you've been taking steroids the entire time." That got an extremely irritable look from him.
"Tch, You think you're real clever aren't you?"
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be accepted to Shujin in the first place." She snidely replied.
"Funny you should mention that. Do you really think you got here on your own?"
"What? I came from Gekkoukan High! Last time, I remember it's not an easy thing to get into!" She replied in confusion
"Perhaps, or maybe the Principal wanted something to help boost the school's reputation?" He smiled sinisterly.
"What?"
"When I first saw you in the cell. I did something about picking up your brother's slack. Care for me to explain?" sounding even more smug.
She remained silent. Pick your brother's slack. She remembered those words, she remembered the words the girls were talking about her. The same despaired she felt in the bathroom started to take over her.
"Nothing to say? Oh don't worry, I got plenty to tell after I'll kill those garbage you called friends."
She had nothing to say to counter him.
"Heh, I thought so."
"Kotone!" All attention turned to the source of the voice. It was Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana lined up with their weapons ready.
"Ren! Ryuji!"
"Let her go!" Ren ran with his knife only to stop when one of the knights held a sword up to Kotone's neck.
"One more step and I'll have her throat slit!" The three stared back with an intention for a fight. "Fate has been kind to me, another chance to get rid of you pieces of trash."
"You can try. Persona!" Arsene emerged from his mask. Ryuji and Morgana followed suit as well.
"I'm ready for real this time." With a nod of his head, several guards transform into various creatures. A green lady in a red dress, a green horse with no lower half, a blue creature in a jar, and a gray knight on a horse appeared to face the three.
"Arsene! Eiha!" With a flap of his wings, dark energy erupted from beneath striking the red dressed lady. She returned by shooting releasing an ice beam at Ren who froze completely still before falling in pain, shuddering to the cold.
"Crap! I forgot he's weak to ice." Morgana yelled out. "Need to end this, Zor-Arrrgh!" The jar monster shot an electric blot at the (not) cat, knocking him to the floor, twitching in pain as electricity coursing through him.
"Captain!-ngruh!" Ryuji stumbled a bit, he was too tired to summon his Persona again after his awakening, with no choice, he readied his pipe and lunged at the green horse, striking it in the head, he pivoted clockwise for another strike. Unfortunately, the horse moved out of the way and summon a small gust of wind him. The wind managed to pick the pirate-looking teen from the ground threw across the room, injuring greatly.
The rest of the knight ran over and held them down under their boots.
"No!" Kotone cried out.
"Ha! I told you I would be ready for them. I knew their weakness after that fight. Guess they ran out of steam after their last fight. How stupid of them. Should have just left. Now enjoy the executions!"
Feeling desperate. "You can't! How are you going to explain to the school!? Huh?" She cried out as she struggled to free her arms from the knights' grip.
"This is my castle. I do whatever and whoever I want! Besides, that walking human lard of a principal will find a way to cover this up. I am his star pupil."
"You're a teacher damnit! You're supposed to be better than this!"
"I AM better than all you!" He gloated. "And no one will take my spot ever!"
"You, I'll, I'll" She couldn't find the right words in vain to stop him.
"Or what? Tell the Student Council, because you're in it? Ha! They don't have any power at all! Let me tell you the truth why you're in the Council and Shujin in the first place."
"no" She whispered eyes widened.
"The reason you were even accepted was because of your brother. The Principal wanted to have him to be his star student alongside with Council President. It's one of the reasons why he's in the Student Council in the first place!" He exclaimed.
"But when he failed to meet the Principal's expectation, started slacking, neglecting Student Council, lower grades. He started looking for another student to prop up, and fortune came when you wanted to transfer here." He smiled mockingly at the girl.
"A student from Gekkoukan High! One of Japan's top private school is coming to Shujin! He couldn't pass up that opportunity so he made the arrangement to have you transfer here quickly as possible and gave you a council seat on top of it!"
She remained only silent with tears falling from her eyes, hearing the exact same thing she heard from earlier.
"Face it. You're just a replacement for the boy. A spare."
A spare
"A girl who is easier to control. One who is too dependable on anyone to do anything herself. Let it be your brother, daddy, Miss Class Prez, or anyone."
She fell to her knees in despair looking down.
"Awww, nothing to say now. You were hoping these men would save you? You really can't do anything yourself, can you? If it's not your brother to lean on, it's someone else, even trashes like them."
She just stared blankly at the red carpet, stunned at his words.
"But if you want lean on someone else, better be with me instead. Those low-life delinquents will only bring you down, and you won't have to be dependent on your brother anymore."
"Abandon everyone? Dad, mom, Kaz. Ren… Rei" She whispered. Rei
"SHUT UP! She's not a spare!" Ren yelled out filled with rage at the shadow. "She's not useless! If anything, she has been the nicest person I have ever met ever since I got here! She was only one who's able to calm Ryuji down, she was trusted upon to look after us in this place! You will only make her dependable on you! I'll be damned to see the only person who's ever been kind to me ever since my arrest to be wrapped up with you!"
"Ren." She looked at him struggling to escape.
"The dude's right! For one week in this school, she's the only one who ever talked to me! Even it's school only! She asked that I should stop skipping classes. It's a nag but it shows she cares. Me! The guy that no one in the school cares about!"
"Ryuji." Tears starting flow out of her eyes again.
"Bah. What does your opinions matter anyway? Stick with me and you'll go to places where they can't. Why do you even transfer here in the first place?"
Why did I transfer here? I should have known I was going to be compared to Kaz, the moment I set foot here. Why did I come here? Why did I- She suddenly remembered
"Kotonee-chan!" A young girl's voice rang out loudly in the entire room as she gave her older sister the tightest hug ever.
"I'm so happy you're moving in with us! I hardly see you ever since you went with Mom!"
"I'm happy to see you too! I promise you we're going to make up the time we lost."
"Yay! Big Bro's great, but it's fun to have just girls having a girl time!"
"Hehehe, of course, it'll be, Rei."
Rei
Her face relaxed, hardened, her eyes dried up. She knows now why she was willing to leave one of the best schools in the nation to a run of the mill school like Shujin. She knew she would had to endure all the back talk, the comparisons, the ridicule, everything. She knew it, but she made her choice and had to stick by it with no regrets.
She looked to see Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana at the mercy of Kamoshida. They knew they were at a disadvantage, knowing they could die if they fight again, but they did it to save her. Her fist clenched hard. They saved her life multiple times already, it's time to return the favor.
"Let them go." She softly said.
"What"
"If you don't let them go in the next 3 seconds, there will be Hell to pay." She started to raise her voice.
"Oh, are you back to you bravado bluffing now. Maybe, I should kill one of them now to break your spirit."
"No. You won't" She angrily replied as she gritted her teeth, muscles tightening. A surge of power risen inside of her. The room shook a bit.
"What the?" The Shadow looked around.
"You will pay for everything for what you have done." She said even louder. "And along the way." Her head shot up glaring at Shadow Kamoshida with such intensity filled with malice and hatred at the main causing him stumbled back a bit.
"I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS. YOU PERVERTED DOUCHEBAG!"
[BGM: Awakening]
"Hahahahaha. Finally. Are you willing to-" A sinister female rang out in her head.
"SHUT UP! GIVE IT TO ME NOW!" Kotone interrupted her other self.
"... Okay. Let's form a contact." Her eyes turned yellow. A massive surge of pain appeared in her head.
"Grrrah, Gyaahh! AAA AAH! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" She cried out. She started jerking violently while being restrained by the two knights who are starting to lose their grip on her.
"The other you will grant the independence you woefully desire. I am thou and thou Art I. It's time to ride the storm and kill the sharks. You are nobody's concubine."
As she continued screaming, she freed her right arm from the knight's grip and knock it away with her backfist, it earned a surprised look from everyone in the room. The other knight let go of her left arm and back up in fear but she put her fists together and strike the being knocking it flat on its back.
"Now it's time to show him the wrath of a woman's scorn!"
A blue butterfly shaped mask appeared on her face. Instinctively, she grabbed mask with both hands and in one swift motion, she tore it off, ripping her skin off during the process, leaving a massive amount of blood on her face.
For a brief moment, everything was silent, clear, she felt free. She inhaled.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed to the top of her lungs as a large column of blue energy engulfing her completely, leaving a large carter beneath her feet and a strong gust of wind that send everybody and everything flying, and the entire room shaking due to her released power.
"Holy crap!" Morgana yelled as he spinning through the air before Ren caught him, who's barely trying to keep standing bearing the strong winds. "Never seen such power."
"Heh, she's very angry," Ren whispered in approval.
"What the eff!?" Ryuji trying to keep balancing the wind and the shaking room.
Once the screaming subsided, the blue column remained, everybody looked it in anticipation for what's about to come next.
Out of nowhere, a loud elephant trumpeted the entire room, causing everybody to cover their ears.
"What the Hell is that noise!"
[BGM: Willpower]
The trumpet continues as the blue column dissipates to reveal a giant elephant with a woman dressed in armored robes all covered in golden, wielding a sword in each hand, on riding the elephant like a horse.
In front of the elephant, stood Kotone, her outfit had changed. She was wearing Kasa straw hat, sleeveless white tunic with a blue sleeveless undershirt up to the middle of her neck. A thin red obi sash tied into a ribbon at her waist hanging from her left side, a windswept skirt of the same color with a slit on her right side, and a lotus flower pin attached to her shirt on her top left chest. A pair blue pants tucked into her shin-high boots. A pair of white gloves up to her elbows with a pair of silvers bracers.
She lifted her head up at stared at the frighten king and her would-be rescuers… rather she's the one recusing them.
"A GOD DAMN ELEPHANT!" Ryuji yelled out, addressing the literal elephant in the room.
She pointed at Kamoshida. "I made my choices and stand by them. I am not a spare! I know what I am. I am me! Kotone Seta! And you will pay for everything you have done!"
"What you waiting for?" The King yelled at the Shadows. "Kill her! Kill her now!" More Shadows emerged, a blond winged woman in a black leotard, and a red-winged devil appeared ready for a fight.
Wave a wave of her hand, the golden woman riding the elephant charged at the Shadows, leaving an earth-shaking stomp in every step. The Knight on horse attempted to charge at the elephant only to be completely impaled by one of the trunks through the chest. The green floating horse followed up to attack but the elephant reared on its hind legs and slammed it right leg in the horse crushing it to oblivion.
The brief skirmish allowed the three to get up and ran over to Kotone's side, getting ready for another fight.
She slid her thumb across the brim of her hat. A naginata materialized in her hands with a couple of twirls of her weapon, she took a battle stance and pointed the blade at a group of Shadows.
"Lady Trieu. Wipe them all out!"
[BGM Wiping All Out]
Kotone took a glance at her wounded teammates by her and with a wave of her arm.
"Lady Trieu! Media!" She commanded
Bright green energy enveloped the three male Persona Users, wounds healed up, allowing them to straighten up, with more energy in them.
"Nice! I'm pumped up for another go!" Ryuji smiled mischievously, ready for another skirmish.
Kotone charged at the ghostly lady in the red dress at full speed who fired an ice blast her. She stabbed the ground with her weapon and vaulted over the blast launching herself in the air and performed a downward kick to the Shadow's face. The straw-hat student followed up with an overhead slash straight down in the middle as soon as she landed, bisecting the red-dress lady, killing her effectively.
"You won't be freezing him again." She muttered. The Jar Monster summoned a couple of lightning bolts on her. She felt stinging feeling going through her body, muscle tensing up, but she stood firm, gritting her teeth, gripping her naginata, withstanding the attack.
"Zorro! Garu!" A series of wind flew past the girl striking the Jar Shadow, causing it the fall quickly as it was weak to it. Ryuji lunged afterward slamming his pipe on the downed creature, breaking the jar into pieces before disappearing.
Two more Shadows remaining. Ren pulled out his pistol and started firing at them, he was able to hit the red devil knocking it on the floor but missed the winged lady as she charged at Ren.
"Kouha!" Kotone cried out, and with a twirl of her swords, Lady Trieu fired a bright energy blast to intercept the shadow. The blessed attack burned her skin and a scream in agony as she dissolved from the holy magic. With one shadow on the ground wound, Kotone snapped her fingers to command Lady Trieu on one last attack.
"Hama." Thousands of bright glowing ofuda flew in and surrounded the winged creature. With a flash of light, the shadow exploded into nothingness. With the last enemy defeated, nothing is standing between the four of them and King Kamoshida.
"You're next, you cockhead." Kotone threatened as she pointed her blade at the king. "Wanna experience a botched circumcision? Don't worry, it'll just be the tip." She slowly lowered her weapon where it's aligned towards his underwear.
"Remind me not to piss her off." Ryuji whispered to Ren as both crossed their legs.
So that's what you were implying about her, Arsene. Ren thought.
Indeed, that fire inside her burning ever so brightly now. Even I am not immune from her fury.
Still hung up on that hat comment?
… Yes
The King only smiled amusement. "It seems that you don't understand that this is my castle."
And right on queue, a blond girl with pigtails in a swimsuit wear cat ears walked up to his side. To the shock and blush of everybody, including Kotone.
"T-Takamaki?" Ryuji sounded confused.
"Wait, her? How?" Ren turned to Morgana to ask but he saw that the (not) cat is star struck.
"Oh!" Morgana sounded enamored. "What a meow-velous and beautiful girl!"
"Oh boy. Koto-..." Ren was surprised to see her stunned at the sight and more that so she was blushing as well.
You said it cat. Damn! Those are big!
"Kotone! Morgana!" Ren called them out a bit louder, enough to snap them out of it.
Crap! Did he noticed! Kotone nervously worried that Ren might saw a side of her that she didn't want people to know.
"What's going on…!?" Ryuji asked
"Something seems off." said Ren.
"You're right. How did she get here?"
"Wait, Morgana what did you say about cognitions?" Kotone asked the feline.
Kamoshida started stroking her face in front of the group while Takamaki (?) seemed to enjoy every minute of it.
"Hey! Let go of her you prev!" Ryuji yelled out.
"How many times must I tell you until you understand?"
"I think he said it only twice," muttered Kotone.
"This is MY castle. A place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me." He turned facing fully to the thieves, with the bikini-clad Takamaki wrapped her arms around him. "... That is, everyone besides slow-witted fools like you."
"Takamaki, say something!" cried out Ryuji.
"Ryuji! She's not real. Remember the prisoners at the dungeon? Same thing." Kotone reminded him.
"She's right. She's Kamoshida's cognition of her!"
"So that explains it." Ren grunted in anger, remembering the time Kamoshida talked to Ann and offer her a car ride, in the guise of a concerned teacher, while in reality, he was lusting for her, a student! "That's how he thinks her. Tch."
"Are you jealous?" The yellow-eyed king taunted the group. "Not surprised. Women aren't drawn to problematic punks like you."
"Tch. Damnit" Ryuji stomped.
"This could have been you, Seta. Too bad you had to squander it with those pieces of garbage."
"I'm sure you'll find something to get over your loss." Kotone deadpaning replied.
"Clean them up this instant!" More knight appeared from the ground in front of the four Persona-users.
"We're outnumbered! We need to get out here before they surround us!" Said Morgana
"We're just going to run!?" yelled Ryuji
"We're tired and in shape to fight, we can't die here." told Ren.
"So shut up and let's go!" followed Kotone.
"Thank god the two of you got a level head." Morgana sounding relieved.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Ryuji relented. "Fine, but we will expose you what you really are, no matter what! Be ready for us!"
The Shadow seemed amused of the young teen's threats. "Hahahaha! I was beginning to get bored torturing the ones here! Come at me whenever you want, if you don't about your life!" Accepting the challenge.
"Ignore him, let's go!" Morgana commended. The four dash away with Kotone flipping the bird at Kamoshida from the Shadows that began to make chase. They were able to lose their trail after they quickly crawled through the vents that they originally escaped from. They were able to take a breather in front of the castle entrance, all were exhausted from all the fights and near-death experience, especially Kotone and Ryuji who just felt the energy drain of awakening their Personas. Ryuji, hands on his knees taking deep breaths, Kotone sitting on the floor trying to regain some energy back, Morgana's just laying face flat on the ground, and Ren's trying to look cool by standing straight with hands on hips taking in a few airs in.
"Anyways!" Ryuji stood up straight who turned to the pair of humans. "I don't remember changing into this!"
"It looks good on you." Ren complimented.
"Thanks, man."
"Yeah, it makes you look like a thug," Kotone added on as she got up. It earned a frown from the blond.
"Should I be happy about that?" sounding annoyed. "Still not as bad as yours, Ren."
"I doubt it. Mine has a nifty coat." Ren teasing replied.
"To be honest, I'm pleasantly surprised that my outfit is pretty conservative." Kotone inspected her newfound clothes, twisting her body to see all the features.
"Not too risque, comfortable, leaves a lot to the imagination." She did a small twirl around to show her outfit. "And a nice hat too!" She held her straw hat in place. She looked down and inspect the lotus pin on her clothes and smiled softly.
It's just like Rei's hair clip.
"Looks good you too." Ren compliment her.
"Admit it. You boys wished it was more, a bit more skin, skin-tight leather showing my curves, and showing some cleavage?" She teasingly asked. It earned a nervous look from both of them who nervously looked away.
"Heh. Boys." She amusingly whispered.
The three stood still in silence when they overheard the castle's soldiers still continuing their pursuit of them, fortunately, they haven't been caught yet. Morgana got up and put his paw on his lips to signify them to stay quiet. After they heard footsteps starting to sound farther, they were able to speak again.
"So, what's going on? I'm completely lost man!?" Ryuji asked.
"Are we going through this again?" Kotone sounding annoyed.
"I said it before, when a Persona-user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens." Morgana's going teacher mode again. "It's to prevent you from being affected by the distortions."
"Is this a skull?" Ryuji felt his mask on his face.
"Oh right." Kotone remembered and pulled off her mask to look at it. "Huh. A butterfly."
"Your appearance reflects your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within…. Not that you get it."
"Nope." Ryuji resigningly hung his head.
"Basically, it means our cosplay will give us a fighting chance to survive in this place." Kotone attempted to simplify it to terms where Ryuji could might understand.
"In a way yes. And just accept what you see for what it see." Morgana as he shook himself.
"Easy for you to say." He scoffed then his eyes widen. "Wait! We're in deep shit!"
"We already kinda are." Ren reminded him.
"Quiet! Damnit!" Morgana yelled in a whispered voice.
"We might have gotten away here but we're still screwed with Kamoshida at the real school."
"That's sharp of you… For an idiot." Morgana praise and insult the blonde at the same time. "But relax, the Kamoshida in reality doesn't know about what's going on here. A Shadow is the true shelf that is suppressed - a side of one's personality they don't want to see."
"Some impromptu psychology lessons. Starting to feel like mom's here." Kotone whispered. "So, we're good here?" Kotone asked out loud
"Did the Kamoshida in reality remember about the execution?" After a brief moment, everybody realized that. "There you have it."
"All right! Now that we know that. All we gotta do is -" Ryuji sound more relaxed and excited.
"Hold up, Ryuji." Kotone interrupted him. "There's something I wanted to do for a long time." She walked to Morgana from behind and kneel down to his level.
"Hey what you-!?" Kotone placed her right hand on the top of his head and her left on his cheek and started petting him. He struggled a bit by waving his arms around.
"You're so soft." Kotone happily said in a higher pitch voice. "And so cute." She continued petting him to his annoyance.
"H-hey! Knock it off! If you touch me there…" A blushing Morgana stopped flailing and starting meowing contently in a relaxed manner, wiggling his tail, while being petted by a giggling Kotone.
So cute. Ren and Ryuji thought of that at the same time while watching.
"Umm, I kinda wanna touch him, too." Ryuji spook out.
"Same." Ren followed.
"Hey!" Morgana snapped back to reality as he jump away from Kotone who sadly reached her arms out wanting to continue petting. "I'm not a plush toy!"
"Come back, I'm not done." She begged a childish manner while pouted her lips.
"Focus!" He yelled at them back on track. "Look, I guided you guys as promised. Now it's your turn to help me out now. That's why I was super nice about teaching you guys everything."
"What do you mean?" Ryuji asked sounding puzzled.
"Don't you remember? I originally came here for an investigation. I need to erase the distortion from my body and regain my real form!" Morgana explained. "That's why we must delve deep into Mementos and-"
"Hold up. What are you going on and on about?" Ryuji interrupted.
"And what's a Mementos?" Kotone asked.
"I don't remember saying anything about helping you out." Ren reminded the cartoon feline.
"Huh? Don't tell me… Are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you?" Morgana sounded shock. "Especially you!" He looked at Ren. "You're going to up and leave, even though you're already part of my master plan?"
"You never said anything of a plan." Ren told him.
"Don't worry, we'll come up to meet up." Kotone attempts to reassure the feline.
"Is it because I'm not human…? Because I'm like a cat…? Is that why you're making a fool of me!?" He whined.
"We're busy." Ryuji flat out told him.
"We just got out alive, we don't have the energy. We promise! We'll come back." Kotone gave an apologetic bow.
Ryuji kneeled to Morgana's level. "Thanks for everything, cat. You've got guts, bein' a cat and all! See you around!" He turned and head with Ren following him.
"Again, we promised we'll come back, just don't get caught again!" Kotone turned to follow to the boys back to the real world.
"Hey! What the Hell?" He complained. "Seriously? Why you're wrapping this up like everything's all hunky-dory?" He jumped around in frustration. "Oh hell no! Get back here! Grr… GRRAAGGHHH!" He chased after them.
"You have returned to the real world. Welcome Back." The voice from Ren's phone informed the group. The castle was no longer there, only Shujin Academy has taken its place. Students and pedestrians walking around and in or out of the front entrance. The trio's clothes had changed back to their Shujin uniforms. And exhaustion hit all of them hard.
"... Thank god. We're back." Ryuji sounded relieved as he leaned on the wall. "I dragged you two around a lot, huh? Sorry."
"You owe me one, Sakamoto," Kotone replied. "And I will hold you up to it."
"Fair enough." Ryuji agreed. "Ugh, I'm dead tired… How about you two?"
"I could use a nap. Never thought I'd be happy to go back home." Ren replied.
"Same. Though I could eat before turning in." Kotone added in.
"Me too. Man, I'm going sleep like a rock when I get home." He told a tired breath. "But damn, if what we saw was for real, this is gonna get good!" sounding more optimistic. "I totally remember the faces of the guys Kamoshida was treatin' like slaves."
"Oh yeah, I can get the registration to get the names and make sure we don't mess up." Kotone joined in.
"Right, once we make 'em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida will be done. So, wanna help me look for those guys or any witnesses?"
"I'm in. He's going to pay for what he wanted to do me." Kotone angrily answered. "How about you, Ren?" She turned to him.
"Umm, I want to but I'm already on thin ice, and this won't help." Ren sadly respond.
"What?" Kotone exclaimed. "But you saw what he is, you can't let him loose!"
"Oh, the thing is, if you're thinkin' of layin' low 'cause of your record, it won't help," Ryuji explained. "Everyone already knows. They totally got you pegged as a criminal."
"Damnit." Ren audibly whispered. "That explains the whispers everywhere. How did that happen? I thought it was supposed to be confidential?"
"Kamoshida opened his damn mouth!" Ryuji answered with full confidence.
"A teacher? Ugh, that's most likely the case." Ren leaned back on the wall and hung his head in disappointment.
"No one else besides a teacher could've leaked it that fast!" He claimed
"He's right, only the staff was supposed to know, but some council members already knew about it during our meeting discussing you." Kotone agreed.
"Even before I set foot here." Ren narrowed his eyes. "And here I thought, I would get a second chance for a clean slate."
"It doesn't matter if it's a student or a club; that asshole just wrecks things he doesn't agree with. Just like he did with me…!"
"Yeah, and apparently, I heard that the singing club was shut down due to low funding because Kamoshida made a case to divert money from them to his volleyball team." Kotone crossed her arms in displeasure.
"How does that compare to-" Ryuji inquired.
"I wanted to sing damnit! Now I have to pay money to go to a karaoke club." She pouted.
"Not as severe as my case." But he decided to get back on topic. "No one'll take anything I say seriously. Still, those rumors about him gettin' physical might be real. And after seein' Kamoshida's distorted-heart thing in person, there's no way I can sit back!"
After taking a deep breath. "Why the hell not? The school already hates me so no harm here." Ren decided to join.
"Alright! I'm countin' on you! Don't worry; I'm hyped about this too!"
Ren smiled softly, glad that he had someone he can trust and acknowledge him despite his record, a person true to his word. He can feel a bond forming between him and Ryuji.
Interrogation Room.
Sae decided to interject her thoughts as Ren was telling his tale, wanting to confirm something.
"Acting as a Phantom Thief would've been efficient alone. You could've have gone about it that way. However, you did not. There are merits to having associates… That's what you decided." She leaned forward. "Am I wrong?"
"Well, I am a high-schooler, I was bound to make friends." He gave a half-truth answer.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquire a new vow,
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity
With the birth of the Chariot Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power.
Just now, a couple of stomach growling noises came from Ryuji, it was clear he was hungry.
"Oh." He blessed a little. "I haven't eaten anything since lunch."
"Eh, I'm a bit hungry too." Ren stated as his stomach agrees as well.
"It'd be weird splittin' off now, so why don't we grab a bite somewhere?" Ryuji suggested.
"I'll go but I have to do something first." Kotone stated. "The volleyball rally iss tomorrow, I should get the records now if we're going to get talk to them."
"Oh right, you should do that. We'll wait by the entrance when you're done." Ryuji remembered.
"Umm, the thing is." She hesitantly replied. "I want someone to go." She started to blush a little as she looked away in embarrassment. "With me when I go."
"What? You're a student council member! Wouldn't you just go and out?" Ryuji asked while befuddled.
"It's not that!" She snapped. "It's… because…" She quickly whispered. "I'm scared."
"What?"
"I guess you don't want to confront Kamoshida alone if you encounter him again." Ren explained. She nervously nodded.
"Really!? Back in the castle, you were kicking ass! Threatening to chop off his balls!" Ryuji was confused as an angry girl in the castle could be very meek in the real world. "Are you scared?
"S-shut up!" She yelled back. "I-I I'm not scared! Um, I'm just thinking i-it's best that to have backup for a worst case scenario! Okay! I'm thinking things through!" She quickly rationalized her choices while putting up a brave face.
Ryuji looked confused and unconvinced but mostly confused. Ren chuckled softly, knowing full well what's going on in her head. "I'll go with you. Besides, I need to sign up for the cooking club."
"You will?" She sounded relieved. "I mean u-ugh. You will." She changed her tone to a more serious one. "It's best to keep a lookout for him if it comes to it."
"Alright, I'll wait by the entrance while you two go get the records." Ryuji accepted the plan.
"Good, come on, there's bound to be some Student Councils here." Kotone gestured Ren to follow her back to Shujin. The halls were empty now with a few students hanging in the halls while the majority staying are club members.
"It's okay to be scared, Kotone," Ren spoke up to confront her nervousness as they walked up the stairs. "I was scared too back there, I thought I was going to die. But I was more scared that something would happen to you when you were taken away."
"Shut up!" Kotone snapped when reached the top the of the second-floor stairs. "I told you I'm not scared. I just… I have to be more careful now, don't want to mess it again and get you killed."
"It's not your fault," Ren assured her.
"It was!" Kotone yelled back. "If he hadn't taken me, you three wouldn't have to find me and almost got killed!" Ren only looked at her with empathy letting her to blow off some steam. "I-I was a burden to you over there. Needed to rely on you when I needed help over there. It was no different over there and here." She sat down on the staircase, hunched over in sadness, Ren sat down next to her.
"That Kamoshida may have been an ass but he's right to a degree. I have lean on my brother for support for a long time, he was always there for me and Rei growing up, fighting off bullies, studying, food, health, big brother stuff. It was at the point, we're always seen together, people even thought we were twins because of that." Kotone deadpanning smiled.
"He sounds like a caring brother," Ren commented.
"He is, but Kamoshida's right, it has become that I relied on him too much. And back in the castle, I think I relied on you too as well. Even awakening to my Persona, I'm afraid that I would mess up again and that would have you risking your life to bail me out."
"Stop it." Ren firmly told her. "Even before you awaken to your Persona, I never saw you as dead weight. I don't regret risking my life to save you. Morgana and Ryuji agreed to do it as well. He was exhausted after awakening his Persona, no condition to fight, but he decided to do it anyway because it was the right thing to do." Kotone remained silent. "Didn't you said you made your choices and will live by them? Well, I made my choice to save you even if it cost me my life, and I still stand by it."
Kotone sat there thinking about what Ren said to her. It was more than just comfort words just to her feel better, through the tone of his tone, there is conviction in it, he believed every single word that he said to her. He searched through his pocket and pulled out a golden barrette to Kotone's surprise.
"You dropped this when you were kidnapped, making a path for us to find you."
"Oh my God, after what happened, I forgot about this." Kotone took the barrette and held in her hands.
"This shows that you're not a burden even when you were kidnapped, you thought of something that led us to you. We may not have found you as quickly as possible if you haven't left a trail." Ren told her. "And in the end, you awakened to your Persona and saved us instead."
Kotone stared at her barrette, smiled softly, perhaps she was being melodramatic, she just didn't want to be the cause of the group's misfortunes by being too dependable, but she's not, she had to see that they see her as a valued member of the group from the start and believing in herself.
"Thanks, Ren. Maybe I was self-loathing here but you're right. I remembered what my Persona told me, 'grant me the independence that I desired.' I know you don't see as dead weight but I'm going start to pull my weight to the best of my ability! In the castle and the real world!" Kotone's smile gotten wider as she got up from the stairs.
"Good, we needed someone to keep Ryuji and Morgana from going at each other," Ren said, happy that she's able to find herself again in the real world. "Don't be afraid to ask for help, you're not a Spare Seta to me, you're Kotone."
"Thank you." She meant in the most sincere way possible.
Kotone laughed a bit as she put her hair clip back to her hair. Ren couldn't stop noticing how smooth her hair is as she ran her fingers through them as she fixed her hair, and how they seem to glisten even in a room without sunlight. Couldn't help the feeling of a certain aura around her.
"It looks good on you." Ren complimented.
"I know I look good." Kotone smiled. "But thanks, let's get the records, we don't want Ryuji to wait too long."
"Nice, to see you back to yourself."
Kotone chuckled. "Well, Morgana did entrust me to look after you two idiots. Can't disappoint him."
The two chuckled a bit, glad that they were able to clear up the initial insecurities that Kotone had. Ren felt a bond growing between them, perhaps it was there when they first met a Shujin when he first arrived, the first person who knew about his record and yet showed kindness to him. She continued to show him the same kindness ever since and knew he can not take it for granted. Deep, he knew, this was the start of something special between the two transfers.
Interrogation Room
Sae looked at him with an intense glare. "To have more associates being in the Phantom Thieves would be cumbersome due to increased numbers. You must have someone to be the mediator to prevent conflicts and ensure harmony within the group."
His reply was silence with his fist clenching tightly.
I am Thou, Thou Art I...
Thou hast acquire a new vow,
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity
With the birth of the Aeon Persona,
I have obtained the wings of blessing that shall
lead to freedom and new power.
"Come on, we can talk to Niijima-senpai in getting the volleyball records in the Student Council Room." Kotone gestured her arm to get Ren to follow her.
"So, it seems that Morgana wasn't the only one smitten by that fake Takami," Ren told Kotone whose face turned completely red after hearing that.
"I-I'm just impressed by the… way…. she looks…. it's not weird that women appreciate other women's bodies." She nervously explained.
"True, but you had the same reaction that Morgan-"
"Can we please not talk about this." She told him in a very serious tone. She did not want to reveal anything that she wanted to keep hidden.
"Okay. We can drop it." He was briefly stunned how her mood completely changed when he touch upon that subject. He knew best not to explore that subject as it was a very sensitive topic for her. Maybe for another time when she's comfortable.
"Thank you. Say, since you're from Kofu, you must have heard of the Amagi Inn in Inaba, right?." Kotone decided to start small talk with her new found friend.
"Yes, I did, never stay there, even though I wanted. But my parents didn't want me to go there because of the murders and kidnappings happening there." He answered.
"Yeah, that's still a touchy subject. But it's still a nice place, there's that cute fox that hangs out at the …."
They continued their friendly chatter as they made their way to the Student Council Room.
Fun Fact: Kotone was originally not going to be a Phantom Thief in this, it was just going to be Kaz, with her being support character attending Gekkou High, but I decided to add her in because I wanted a sibling dynamic within the PT.
Story time: Deciding a PT costume and Persona for Kotone was a difficult process. I originally wanted her to be a full-on Kunoichi with Mochizuki Chiyome as her Persona but I couldn't find much about her or see she fits with the band of rebels and thieves of like and I fear she was too similar to Kaz's design. Ideas were floating around in my head like her being a 1930s Gangster with Bonnie Parker, a Wild West outlaw, or an Amazonian or Celtic warrior wielding a shield (like Kanji in P4) with a Boudica Persona (Riding a chariot) , but I decided to have more Asian representation with Yusuke being the only one with an Asian motif.
It was when I stumbled on Lady Trieu of Vietnam. She was considered the Vietnamese Joan of Arc (well, she predated Joan of Arc because it was during the mid 200s), and at age 20, she gathered followers to rebel against the Chinese occupiers and the "Kill the sharks" speech was her response to her brother's attempt to stop her from rebelling and he decided to join in a well. She was known to wear yellow tunics and rode a war-elephant into battle giving herself the title of The Lady General clad in Golden Robe. The fact that Lady Trieu rode a freaking elephant is too good to pass up a for a Persona, and it will be a bragging point for Kotone for now on.
Also, I have to thank Arisato on Discord for helping me to find Ren's hometown. Yes, Kofu is 20 minutes away from Fuefuki, the town that Inaba is based from.
Reviews!
Rosy: I'm going to say this, I am planning to have Kaz awaken during Kaneshiro Arc. I am thinking of an original Palace but part of me wants to move that for a Post-P5 story.
Guest1995: Yep, you got your wish! Thanks for your support (Hell, thanks to all readers here!)
ARSLOTHES: Sorry, I am planning to have Kaz awaken in Kaneshiro's Palace, I felt it would be too cumbersome to have him be part of the original team. But it won't mean I leave him in the backburner til then. Let's just say, he'd be helping with a certain someone during the investigation of the Phantom Thieves. The thing with his mom will be explored with his "Social Link." (If I can write that well.)
WolfLord: I'll find a way to have Ken and Koromaru appear, they are Kotone's friends during her time in Gekkou High. And for your suggestion to pair Ren and Kotone... Maybe. I might write alternate chapters of different pairings for Kaz and Kotone.
See you next time!