Black Flame09: Great idea, although I feel like Edmonde Dantes would be better for Akira. They share a very similar backstory and would be perfect for each other. As for those ults, those will definitely work better for Ryuji's ult than my idea. I may add in some OC's or even Hifumi as a member of Ryuji's splinter cell later so don't be shocked if I PM for ideas for Personas.
Guest: Yep, this is gonna be an AU. I'll expand on this some more in future chapters, and even have Akira have guilt nightmares. Also, I'm interested in hearing how you think Ryuji gaining a Wildcard would be a copout so please let me know why. BTW you may be slightly disappointed in reading the A/N for this chapter.
Portalus: A good idea, I love the idea of a millitary focused Persona. In my other Persona fanfic, Colliding Worlds (a crossover will COD and some other games) I have a certain phan awaken to a Persona that is the leader of the Satsuma Rebellion. Also, thank you for the positive feedback! It means alot and I hope future chapters are just as good!
Chapter Two
Akira awakened in the Velvet Room. Not quite unusual for him, but the residents seemed moodier than usual. Caroline just seemed disappointed, while Justine was angry, as usual. Most concerning was Igor, his usually wide, creepy smile was now a frown.
"You've really messed up, Inmate." Justine spat.
"It seems your rehabilitation has taken a detour." Igor flatly sighed. "And your bond has changed. It also seems to be the first one you made, Ironic."
"What do you mean it changed?" Akira asked.
"It was once friendship, and now, Ryuji Sakamoto seems to hate you." Igor explained.
"How can I fix this?" Akira demanded.
"That, not even our master knows. It may not even be possible." Caroline sighed.
"Be warned of his new resolve, it may bring about a new ruin for humanity." Igor wisley informed Akira. Akira felt himself slip away from the Velvet Room. He woke up and sighed as he prepared to head to school.
Ryuji put his hand on the door knob and opened it softly. He took off his shoes just in front of the door and he fully entered the home. He saw his mom cooking in the kitchen and felt a sudden wave of sadness when he saw her frown.
"Hey ma, how are you?" Ryuji asked in a happy tone.
"Hi Ryuji, I'm good." Ryuji's mom told him with a weak smile. "Dinner's ready in a few."
"Thank you ma, I really appreciate what you do for me." Ryuji said with a smile. "Please, if there is anything you need, just ask."
"It's fine Ryuji, I don't need anything." his mom said with a smile. "Just work on your homework."
"You got it ma." Ryuji said with a smile. Normally, he'd despise doing his homework and would find any excuse not to, but it would make his mom happy and that's all he wanted. He sat and wrote essays, did equations and questioned the sanity of people who want to be scientists. Dinner finally got finished and Ryuji enjoyed dinner quietly with his mom. He wished her good night after he cleaned and put his dishes away and went to sleep.
"It's almost time, play the music." Margret ordered. Nameless and Belladonna nodded and began to play the music, with Belladonna singing softly and nameless playing the piano. She took a look at the compendium, it was bare again, empty, ready for a new journey. It was one in a million shot, if this human truly had gained a new resolve, he could ruin the impostor's plans. The new guest slowly materialized ahead of her. His blonde hair and unique look was only ruined by the fact that he was a lot more confused than previous guests.
"Welcome, to the Velvet Room." Margret proudly stated. "I am Margret, a denizen of this place."
"What the eff is going on?" the guest demanded.
"Calm down, you are fast asleep in the real world, this place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter." Margret explained.
"So why am I here?" the guest asked.
"Your former friend is unknowingly facilitating ruin." Margaret explained. "When you liverated yourself from his path, you triggered a power rising within yourself, the power of Per-"
"You know what Persona's are?!" the guest yelled.
"I'm surprised you do, most guests here do not understand at first." Margaret chuckled. "We must continue with our business, you need to sign a contract." Margaret materialized a contract and a fountain pen. The guest read the contract out loud.
"I chooseth this destiny and its consequences of my own free will?" the guest stated questioningly.
"All it means is that anything bad that happens to you is only the fault of yourself." Margaret explained. The guest stared at the contract and signed it. Margaret took it and read the name with a nod.
"When do I start?" they chuckled.
"Take this key, it will glow when the time comes." Margaret explained. "Now return to your reality and go forward with haste." Margaret watched as Ryuji dematerialized from the velvet room.
The day was finally over and Ryuji stepped out of his classroom bored. He could see Akira preparing to walk over to him, so he wandered up the stairs to the roof. As he entered the roof, he saw the girl he saw in the Palace. He held in a sputter as she looked at him.
"Oh, hello there." she beamed. "I'll be gone in just a second, I'm almost finished with the plants."
"No it's fine, I'm just up here to avoid someone." Ryuji responded.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry." She gasped. "By the way, thank you for last night."
"What?" Ryuji deadpanned.
"Thank you for admitting about the Phantom Thief stuff." She explained. "If there's any way I can help, just tell me."
"It's fine." Ryuji responded. "I never caught your name, by the way."
"Oh, sorry, how rude of me, I'm Haru Okumura." She said in her usual soft tone.
"I'm Ryuji Sakamoto." Ryuji responded. "Maybe you heard of me? I'm not sure."
"I can't say I have." Haru admitted.
"It's fine. Better you don't." Ryuji sighed.
"Why's that?" Haru asked.
"I'm kinda considered a thug." Ryuji admitted.
"Why would you be a thug?" Haru asked.
"You remember that stuff about Kamoshida?' Ryuji began. "He disbanded the track team after I hit him cause I found out he was abusing the rest of the team and started making comments about my parents."
"Oh my, I'm so sorry." Haru apologized genuinely. Something about her apology made a faint smile form on his face. It was broken when he heard the door open.
"You know you aren't supposed to be up here." Makoto blankly stated.
"You didn't have a problem with it before." Ryuji spat.
"Do you two know each other?" Haru asked inquisitively.
"We were once friends." Ryuji sighed. "Kinda had fallout though."
"Is there any reason you're up here?" Makoto asked, obviously dodging the question.
"Well, I uh-" Ryuji began before Haru interrupted him.
"He just came up here to move a fertilizer bag, they can be a bit heavy sometimes." Haru started with a slight smile.
"Alright, you know, if you decided to keep helping Haru, you might as well just start a gardening club." Makoto informed Ryuji before she left. Ryuji stared at Haru.
"Why'd you cover for dude?" Ryuji asked.
"For walking me home last night." Haru informed him. "And being willing to target father."
"Uh, I have no idea what you're talking about." Ryuji bluffed. It obviously didn't work as Haru just raised an eyebrow at this.
"Were you not in that strange place with what you called Shadows?" Haru asked.
"Fiiiiinee, I was there." Ryuji admitted. "Is there any way I can repay your kindness?"
"I would like you to allow me to help you steal Father's heart." Haru stated.
"Sorry, too dangerous." Ryuji responded.
"I don't want to sit on the sidelines, even if I just carry medical supplies I can still help." Haru stated. Ryuji sighed.
"Fine, just be careful, shadows can be really dangerous." Ryuji responded. He left the school with her and took her to Untouchables, the shop where Akira frequently bought airsoft guns.
"Hey, welcome, tell me if anything looks good to you." The shop owner muttered darkly.
"Just find something small, you're only a beginner, after all." Ryuji stated as he went to look for a new shotgun or maybe a club.
"These look good!" Haru excitedly stated as she picked a model of an M32 grenade launcher and a pick head axe. Ryuji's jaw nearly dropped.
"That's Huge! And really expensive…" Ryuji sighed. "I don't think I can afford that."
"Why's she buying airsoft guns anyway?" the shop owner asked.
"I told her about it at school and she wants to try it out." Ryuji bluffed.
"Huh, just make sure she wears some good safety gear, grenade launchers and axes can be tough to use." they sighed. Ryuji picked up two new pieces of gear for himself while he was at the shop, an airsoft Mossberg 500 and an Actual Halligan Bar. They paid for their stuff, leaving him a couple thousand Yen in the hole. He guided Haru to the Okumura Foods corporate headquarters.
"Did you notice a strange app that you can't uninstall on your phone?" Ryuji asked.
"Yes, it was very odd." Haru responded.
"It's gonna get a whole lot stranger, Senpai." Ryuji stated. He opened the app and spoke into the phone.
"Kunikazu Okumura, Okumura Foods Headquarters, SpacePort." Ryuji said just before pressing the navigate button.
Haru could not believe she was back here. The strange place looked like it was straight out of that American movie Father showed her while they were in America for the global expansion.
What was it called? Haru thought to herself. Space Wars? Star Wars? Oh right, Star Wars! She loved that movie and was very happy to find out a Japanese dub of the film existed.
"We're gonna need a codename for you." Ryuji-Kun suddenly stated.
"Oh, how come?" Haru asked.
"It's something about Cognitive Psience, I think." Ryuji-Kun explained. "If we use your real name, it may alter the palace owner's cognition of you, that's why my name is Skull here."
"Oh, maybe I can be Noir?" Haru responded. "If going to help a Phantom Thief, I'm doing bad things for good reasons, and Noir is French for black, so my name can be a reminder of what I'm doing." Haru felt proud of the name. Ryuji-Kun was surprised.
"Damn, that's deep bro." he said with a smile. "Thus you are now Noir, the confidant of the Phantom Thief Skull." Haru giggled.
"That sounds amazing!" She responded. Ryuji-Kun then handed her the grenade launcher she bought.
"Before we move on, I should explain how to use it." Ryuji-Kun began.
"But it's a model, how would it work here?" Haru asked.
"It's a cognition thing, if it looks like a weapon, it is." Ryuji-Kun explained. "So, you'll want to hang onto the pistol grip in the back and the foregrip, Fox said to lean into it to absorb recoil or something like that." Haru did as she was told, took a deep breath and fired the launcher. A grenade fired off and shot into a window. It exploded and shattered a window. A steel shutter rolled over the window and Ryuji-Kun nodded.
"Nice one, let's head in." He stated. He guided her into an elevator and they moved through the facility, stopping when they saw a bunch of robots being bossed by another. One of the robots collapsed and began smoking.
"Replace whte broken worker!" the largest robot yelled. A group of robots grabbed the broken one and dragged it off.
"Oh my, what does this mean, Skull?" Haru asked.
"It means your Father's working his employees to death." Ryuji-Kun stated.
"Oh god…" Haru uttered.
"Haru?" a distorted voice rang out. "Why are you here?" Haru wanted to look at the source of the voice but she felt Ryuji-Kun Grab her hand.
"Run." He said.
They just barely escaped the Palace, and Haru took a moment to breath. When the strange voice rang out, they fled. Ryuji-Kun never explained what happened and why they ran away when the voice came, and now was the perfect opportunity to ask why.
"What was that?" Haru asked when they got out.
"Your father, kind of." Ryuji-Kun explained. "It was his shadow, a reflection of his distorted desire, again, I think. I'm not used to having to explain this on my own."
"What do you mean?" Haru asked.
"Normally, my friend's cat would explain it." Ryuji-Kun stated. Haru gave a confused look. "It's a long story, why don't I walk you home?"
"I'd like that, thank you." Haru said with a smile. Ryuji-Kun walked her home in relative silence. It was rather awkward as neither knew what to talk about, it was rather refreshing when Ryuji dropped her off at her home.
"I still can't believe that this is where you live." Ryuji-Kun marveled. "Have a good night, Haru-Senpai. Oh, here's my cell in case you ever need to call or text." They both pulled out their phones and exchanged cell phone numbers.
"You have a good night too, Ryuji-Kun." Haru responded. She waved goodbye as he walked off to the train station. She entered her home, where her father was waiting for her.
"Haru, I saw you with that boy again, that punk. Why are you spending so much time with him?" he demanded to know.
"We just met yesterday, we've been studying together." Haru lied. It felt bad, lying to Father, but it was for her own protection.
"Humph." Father grunted. "I called Sugimura-San earlier, you'll be moving in with him at the end of the month."
"What? Why?" was all Haru could muster.
"I need to ensure you'll be loyal to him, and it will aid my rise into politics." Father explained. "I'm sure you understand."
"Y-yes, Father." Haru squeaked. She solemnly wandered to her large room, climbed onto the bed and cried. She cried for almost an hour, filling the air with a depressing wail. She slowed down her sobbing after the hour was up, and pulled her phone. She opened the call app and dialed Ryuji-Kun's number. He picked up shortly after she called.
"You okay, Senpai?" Ryuji-Kun asked over the phone.
"We need to steal Father's heart, and soon." she sobbed.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"He's, well, I haven't told this yet but, I'm engaged." Haru sobbed.
"Oh god, why are you already engaged?" Ryuji-Kun asked.
"Well, he's pursuing a career in politics, and he's having me marry the son of an influential politician to start his career." Haru explained, still sobbing.
"That bastard." Ryuji spat. "Tomorrow, meet me outside your dad's company, We're getting started." Haru smiled and stopped sobbing.
"Thank you, Ryuji. It means alot to me, more than you can imagine."
"No problem, Haru-Senpai." Ryuji responded.
"You drop the honorifics." Haru told Ryuji, it was the least she could in return.
The Shadow was back, with a man in a white suit standing next to him. Haru could not believe her eyes. The Shadow of her father was a tyrant resembling the Sith Lord Vader from Star Wars, only his helmet was see-through and his flesh was a dim blue.
"Haru, how dare you associate yourself with this riff-raff." Shadow Father spat. "He's below you.
"No, he's not." Haru responded weakly. "He's my friend."
"Come to me, and I can bring you to success along with me." Shadow Father ordered.
"No, I won't. I'm not coming." She spat. "I thought there was hope for you, that we could change you. But now, I don't see any chance for redemption, I will change your heart!" A sudden pain suddenly ripped through Haru's head. She collapsed to the floor as the pair became unbearable.
"My my, this has been far too long coming." the voice said.
"Do what you want, Sugimura." Shadow father yelled.
"With pleasure." the cognitive Sugimura said with a grin as he transformed into some kind of machine. "A highschool fiance, what a pleasure."
"Persona!" Ryuji yelled. Haru shot an arm back.
"Freedom from you must stem from betrayal. If you still wish for it now, you must not err." the voice stated. "Now tell me, who shall you betray?"
"My heart has been set, you should already know." Haru muttered.
"Yes, that gaze…! I can finally show my strength." the voice celebrated. "I am thou, thou art I. Let us adorn your departure into freedom with a beautiful betrayal." A black mask formed on Haru's face. She grabbed it by the edges and tore it off in a display of pain and blood. A large woman in an oversized noble dress materialized next to her. It had no head, instead having a masquerade mask held by a stick wielded by the woman. Her dress opened up, revealing an arsenal of machine guns, missile launchers, and artillery.
"Geez!" Ryuji gasped.
"Farewell, Father." Haru spat, holding the brim of a hat she never remembered wearing.
"Fine, you're useless anyway." Shadow Father spat back. "Do it."
"I'll do what I want with you!" The machine from Sugimura chuckled.
"Milady!" Haru yelled. The woman fired the guns, releasing a storm of bullets into the robot. It stumbled back, letting Ryuji take charge.
"Captain Kidd!" Ryuji yelled, ripping off his own mask. A bolt of lighting struck the machine, finally ending it. The sound of a door opening was clearly audible.
"Careful, they seem strong…" a feminine voice called out.
Ryuji turned and stared at the rest of the Phantom Thieves. They stood there looking as they usually did, not so menacing. Akira walked up to him with a determined look.
"What's going on, Skull?" Akira demanded. "I want to help you get over this."
"Enough, Joker." Ryuji scowled. "I'm not coming back, Noir here is my partner now, and we're stealing Okumura's heart."
"You need to come back, there's no way you can do this alone." Makoto pleaded. Ryuji scoffed.
"No way, Queen." Ryuji spat. "I have Noir with me, I have a chance. I'm not alone."
"That's right!" Haru injected. "I'm here to help him steal Fa- Okumura's heart."
"Did she almost say Father!?" Ann gasped.
"You made Okumura's daughter help you!?" Morgana yelled. "That's not right, Skull."
"Oh, now I'm making evil choices huh?" Ryuji spat. "We may have been after the spotlight, I was in the same boat, but not anymore. This girl is being sold off so that Okumura can be some big whig politician. I was after the spotlight before, I was after proving you wrong before, but now it's for her, it's for justice. I'm now doing this because it's right, that's my resolve." Ryuji's head suddenly pounded in him.
"You seem to have changed, Ryuji Sakamoto." The voice rang out.
"What's going on!?" Akira yelled.
"I'm reading something very powerful, and another Persona!?" Futaba responded in shock.
"The sea of your soul grows larger, your goals become a duality of self interest and what is right." The voice stated. The pain grew stronger. "I shall grant you the power begging to arise!" the voice exclaimed proudly. A new voice called to him.
"We both carry two goals in our heart, self benefit, and the good of others." the voice began. "One cannot have either without the other, that would be foolish to believe. No one is entirely good or evil, show them the good that exists. Show them your new strength. Will you?"
"Of course." Ryuji uttered with a grin.
"I can sense your burning resolve of duality. I am thou, thou art I. I carry the justice you are willing to lay down your life for, call for me, the headless spirit of justice in war!" Ryuji felt his mask change, and get tighter on his face.
"Stand back!" Akira yelled to the thieves. Ryuji gripped this new mask.
"Roland!" Ryuji yelled as he tore the mask off his face. Blood spilled onto the floor as blue flames engulfed him.
Akira stared at the flames that engulfed his former friend. They twisted in a spiral of destruction. A demonic face not unlike the one that formed when he first summoned Arsene came to the flames. The flames peeled back, revealing Ryuji's new thief suit. The suit was almost identical to his own, but the colors were inverted. The signature black coat was now a white color, alongside the pants, the vest was now a red, with white stripes going up the vest. The mask was primarily black, with a white spot surrounding the eyes, and the red gloves the suit carried were now green.
"What on earth?" Yusukue uttered as the Persona finished materializing. It held a strong resemblance to Arsene, but it was much bulkier, and wore tactical gear instead of a suit. The pants were now an olive green, and its jacket in a brushstroke camouflage pattern. It carried an M1A1 Thompson submachine gun in it's right hand, and a helmet in it's left. But the most glaring difference, was that the Persona had no head. It was clear that this was much stronger than Captain Kidd.
"What do we do, Joker?" Morgana asked in shock.
"Run." Akira ordered. He turned around and rushed out of the palace with the others in tow. What on earth happened to Ryuji?
A/N: There we go, chapter 2, done. This is the longest chapter I've made so far, so word count is jumping from 1,000 something to 5,000 something real quick lol. I hope you enjoyed, I've finnally decided on Ryuji's persona, Roland, the protaganist from the song Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner by Warren Zevon. I chose him for a few reasons, one: I felt like he'd be an interesting Persona to make. Two: Irony, Ryuji betrayed the Phantom Thieves due to his feelings of betreyal, when in the song, Van Owen is the one who betreys Roland, who would be more fitting for a traitor (lyrical evidence: So the CIA decided, they wanted Roland dead. That son of a bi*** VanOwen, blew off Roland's head.) Three: his dual purpose. Roland in the song, Roland is fighting in Biafra and the DRC for money and to help defend the Congolese from the Bantu, aligning with Ryuji's obsession with fame and his desire to help people (lyrical evidence: The days and nights they battled, the Bantu to their knees. They killed to earn their living, and to help out the Congolese). I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that I didn't butcher Haru's awakening too much, I just felt the fake thief suit thing was kinda dumb.
CQ: I've decided Ryuji will have a Wildcard, but it won't be exactly the same Wildcard as other Wildcards. So do you have any ideas for abbilities? How can I distinguish Ryuji's abilities from other Wildcards?